The Mission Trip Without the Airfare

I've been on several mission trips in my life. Some in the States and some international. I try to encourage everyone that is able to go on at least one international mission's trip in their lifetime. It's life changing to see what God is doing in other places and to see the great need around the world.

However, the mission's trip I'm most passionate about seeing Christians go on is the daily trip to their mission field.....the missional trip into their circle of influence: their neighborhood, their kitchen table, their classroom, their break room, their cubicle, their job sight, their ball field. Many go to these fields but don't work them. If we could see past the assumed reasons of why we are there and see the God ordained reason we are there; we could see this incredible opportunity to be a part of changing lives around us with the gospel.

This weekend I'll be interviewing a special guest during my message: Randy Freeman. He's a great friend of mine and I'm excited about what the future holds for him and his family. Randy and his family are headed in a few weeks to Swaziland, Africa. God called Randy to leave everything he knew here in the U.S. to go and take the gospel to Swaziland.

Randy is going to his mission field. Will you go to yours?


Nathan

Good Reads......

A great qoute I've read once before is fitting for this post: "Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers." From time to time I like to commend books to those that love to grow through reading. So here are a few:

 Dr. Henry Cloud (Christian Psychologist and Author who is as solid as they come) bring these two very helpful books to us. Both of these books are great for seasoned leaders or for those who aspire to great leadership. Click on the links below for the best deal.





                                           













Both worth every penny.

Read on,

Nathan

Containing Complaining

I'm a complainer. It's a gift of mine. I've been known to complain about all kinds of things. Here is just a small list of things I've mouthed off about either in the past or recently:

My car, friends that disappoint me, my extended family, my finances, my health, a meal, a waiter or waitress, a boss, a team member, a task that had to be done.......and that's just a few that come out of my mouth.

At the heart of my complaining is a heart full of discontentment. It's about not getting my way or exactly what I want. The key to killing this cancer of discontentment is allowing God to give us an infusion of gratitude. We need a reminder that "every good gift comes from God" (James 1:17). You see discontentment at its core comes from a belief that we are entitled to get what we want or what we think we deserve. We stop being grateful when we think we're deserving.

When I look at cross however it robs me of thinking I deserve anything. The price Jesus paid on the cross for my sin shuts my mouth. I've got to come back to the cross daily and be reminded that Jesus took upon himself what I did deserve to give me what I do not.

The cross on my mind stops the complaining on my tongue,

Nathan