Step Aside And Enjoy The Moment

You can never be ready for your first mission trip. Physically, yes, but mentally ... never. It's one thing if you're hammering on a new structure in a third-world country or feeding a poverty-stricken community; it's a whole different experience if your trip is evangelism and building membership in new churches in a country you've never traveled. A country like Colombia ... which you have heard of because of its rich history exporting drugs, and of course, the guerillas that are the dangerous underbelly of the nation.

Imagine a moment where you're 1-on-1 sharing the story of Jesus through an interpretor to a total stranger or, in some cases, 1-on-8 with three generations of a family all staring at you from their front porch.

You can approach each "appointment" like you would starting any other day back at home ... with confidence in yourself and your abilities to manage, control and react to each situation as best you can. Or, you can place your trust in Jesus, not to hold your hand or push your back, but to lead you. Control you. Empower you. And wow you.

Jesus told His disciples in John 16:7 that His departure was to their advantage because, "if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you."

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness." - Romans 8:26

"Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." - Romans 8:14

Yes, yes and yes.

It was that simple for me on my first mission "appointment," as it has become every day in my life, to yield to the Spirit. Oh, I'm as stubborn as anyone you'll meet, but for me it was and is the way. The only way.

During my first "appointment" in Barranquilla, Colombia back in October of 2008, I shared the story of Jesus with a man and two women in a small park that was surrounded by several small homes. There was plenty of training provided to us, but nothing like meeting total strangers who are all wondering what, why and how a red-haired, fair-skinned man is doing in their South American neighborhood.

If seeing all three eventually surrender themselves to Jesus didn't give me enough evidence that it was all the Holy Spirit and not me, the next "divine appointment" did.

Minutes later, as I entered a home just off the park to meet a woman and her teen-age daughter, the Mother -- noticeable weeping -- said to my interpretor: "I heard the voice of an Angel outside my window. Come inside and sit down. I've been praying for you."

Whether walking the streets of Colombia, making a big decision in the office or leading your family ... it's all in yielding to the King. He will show you the way.

I am so, so eager to return with Matt to Colombia in nearly two weeks.