I’m thankful that God has never called me to be a long-term missionary. It’s a huge sacrifice to leave with your family and move to a foreign land, serving the community and raising your children there.
I have however had the opportunity to serve in many communities and countries. I’ve been privileged to travel the world and visit nations such as Chile, Argentina, Belarus, Poland, Kenya, Uganda, Mexico, Sri Lanka, India and others – using my gifts and skills to help contribute to the noble work of organizations on the ground. I’ve done this for many years travelling alone, with my wife Kathy, as a family and with larger groups. I have learned that when I serve in an area that utilizes my gifts, I experience more joy and have a strong sense that I am where God wants me to be.
Whenever you get a chance to go on a trip to serve another community, I encourage you to seize it. Things won’t always align and work out perfectly, but for every trip I’ve taken, some key areas of return I’ve noted are:
- I always return home a changed person
- I experience God in a new way, and I’m impacted by Him in ways I never have been before
- I get to see new places and create memories that will be etched in my heart
- I am always blessed beyond my imagination.
In other words, through these trips, God always does so much more in me than I anticipate. One often thinks that you’re going to a place to give them something that they need – which is true; however, I have found that I always come back having received so much more than I gave. It truly is a life transforming experience.
Traditionally, experiences like these are known as Mission Trips. Whether you call them Mission Trips or Faith Adventures; it’s not so much the term that matters – but the value and ethos behind why one is taking the trip. Typically, mission trips in the past were singular in focus. In that one had a task they were going to accomplish – such as building a house, running a medical camp, feeding people etc. You go, do the work and come back – mission accomplished. It ends there. When really, that is just the beginning. The value behind going out to serve is really about the life change that happens – for both parties, not just one. Going out with a singular focus of accomplishing a task is very different from going out with a broader focus of hearing from God and expecting your life to be changed as a result of it. It speaks to an on-going process, rather than a one-time event. The beauty of approaching a faith adventure with such an outlook is that it causes you to open up your eyes, your ears and your heart more; to hear from and receive God in new and refreshing ways. Having an open expectant posture rather than only going to do – is where real-life change begins. The experience begins to change you and grow your faith, how you use your time and talents also begins to look different. As you continue to serve, God will speak to you about how best to use the gifts, skills and resources He has given you to bless others. I share more about this in my blog A Heart for Service.
A faith adventure therefore is about a long-term journey as opposed to a one-time event. It’s about you as an individual connecting to a greater story; a grander narrative of God’s story.
ANTICIPATE SPIRITUAL WARFARE
As you step out in faith, you may go through some tough, challenging moments. This is not uncommon when one is preparing to take a faith adventure. As you start to move in the direction God is calling you to, the enemy begins to pull you back and away from the opportunity. It could be a family member falling ill, a passport that suddenly can’t be found, or an emergency at work that requires your attention. We are reminded in 1 Peter 5:8-9 – 8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
The idea is not to become alarmed or have second thoughts about going, but to anticipate this warfare and battle it out with the weapons God gives us. One of the most critical steps when planning for a faith adventure therefore is asking people to partner with you in prayer.
GOD NEVER DISAPPOINTS
I know as a family we are absolutely blessed to be living the life we currently enjoy. With everything that’s available to us and all the opportunities afforded us, it only seems right to want to give back. There are countless opportunities for you and I to go out and serve in our local communities and beyond. All we need to do is discern God’s voice and take that step of faith. Every time I have taken that step, I have seen God encourage and equip me for the task in the most amazing ways, and the joy I have experienced has truly been second to none.
ACTION STEPS
If you have not had the opportunity to go on a faith adventure, prayerfully consider taking one. Start to do research within your community of spaces and places that you can visit and serve. If you have already been on several faith adventures, take time to reflect and write down the life change you have experienced. Where did you see God at work? What did you learn about yourself? How are you using your gifts and skills today to serve others?
I share more about taking faith adventures as a family in my next blog.
