A good friend from Red Bridge wrote an article for the Christian Standard magazine. It’s about the missionary convention we went to back in November. Click here to view…
Missionary Training
See, Be Overwhelmed, Go
That’s one of my take home messages from the National Missionary Convention. Put another way, it’s…
1. See the need (the harvest)
2. Be completely overwhelmed at the magnitude of it and the lack of workers for it
3. Go, remembering that Jesus said the fields are ripe for harvest and that He’d be with you
We just got back this evening from the convention that was held in Lexington, Kentucky. It was an astounding event and you’ll hear a bit more about it in a later newsletter. For now, though, let me just thank you for praying for us and providing the funds for us to go. (As you can tell, Isaac had a ball.)
We stopped by Harding University on our way down and had the opportunity to meet with Monte Cox, Dean of the Bible & Missions department, and an old friend of the Allisons. He was very encouraging and prayed over us, even introducing us to one of his honors classes so they could pray for us too. (Isaac and Nathaniel were ecstatic; they had their backpacks and were totally pumped to “look like college students.”)
One faux pas of mine was mentioning to Elizabeth, as we were meandering through campus, that the next time we visit this campus might be when we’re coming back to drop our kids off for college. Yeah, maybe shouldn’t have said that. At least not without Kleenex handy.
On the floor of the Bible & Missions building at Harding.
Well, I best be going. I’ve got 10 shifts left at the hospital, and I should probably get some rest. Thanks for listening, and thanks again for praying! May God consume us all with a passion for His glory, and may we be satisfied with nothing less.
Cambodia? For Real?
I know, that’s what I thought too! So, in this little bitty box, I’ll try to explain how I went from mid-western ER nurse & youth minister to a Southeast-Asia missionary wannabe. Buckle up.
Life has always seemed short to me, but working in the ER has made it seem much more vaporish. I’ve watched many people die. They come in as a trauma or a medical resuscitation, everything’s chaotic and crazy for a little bit, and then they either go to the ICU or they’re dead. The ER then returns to normal, and we all go about our business.
I’m stopped cold when I remember that that person went somewhere, and it wasn’t just the morgue. If I’m really going to remember the reality of eternity, not only am I going to celebrate heaven, I’m going to be a fanatic about keeping people out of hell. Jesus died for them and he loves them!
I suppose that’s where God more fully comes onto the scene. While really wrestling with these things and praying about the possibility of spreading the good news to folks who’ve never heard, I came across Psalm 63:8. David writes, “I follow close behind you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” It’s not your typical missionary verse, but I knew then and there that God was calling me and my family to follow him to Cambodia. God is on the move, and I want to follow him.
I look out of my window and I see three churches. They all preach Christ. I drive around the capital city of Cambodia and I see Buddhist temples. Everywhere. I see Buddhist priests in bright orange robes. I smell incense from household shrines all around me, including the one in the foyer of my hotel. I see lost people bound for Hell. I see people without even a faint knowledge of Jesus Christ. I love Jesus Christ, and he loves me. Thing is, he loves them too, and he wants them to know of his amazing kindness and wonderful love.
Jonathan & Elizabeth Trotter 