Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Putting Perspectives to Work!

OK - last night was phenomenal!! I loved the speaker, who reminded me of Scott Brown with a little "Jack" from Will and Grace - although, he's happily married with three kids. Where do they find these guys? Last week, a man who secretly went undercover behind the iron curtain, memorizing city maps in Russian and learning how to outwit the KGB. Tonight, a guy who has worked in the military, became a Christian at 38, went to seminary and now works as an anti-terror something training high-ranking military officers from countries like Egypt right here in the US. Hmmm... it's this whole reverse missions thing.

I had this nutty idea a while back about doing a reverse missionary trip. It was something like "have our kids bring a friend on a service oriented missions trip" and I never really got much past that. Now it looks like we might actually be hosting a group like this from Brazil. I am very excited about this, especially for the kids who went last summer and their families, as they will be offered the opportunity to host these kids. Wow! I have a billion ideas, but I want to know what these kids think.

Of course, I'm thinking NYC - we can run them to DC for some sightseeing, but I think kids who come from so far away really would just love to say they'd been to NY. Am I wrong?? Of course, maybe they really just want to see what real life is like in the US. T and G talked last night and G, our contact in Brazil, really wants to get his students involved in a service project. Last summer T's team perked up a rundown park with this group and it really was a highlight of their trip. For the unchurched kids in Brazil, I wonder what they were thinking?? So, our homework - find a really good service project, either around here or in NYC, for these kids. I'm going to really start praying for this. Of course, I know how these prayer sessions go. We'll end up in LA or something!!

So, last night, there was this underlying theme about missions being temporary. Glorifying God will be eternal, it's our goal. We have only a short time to spread this message to all the nations of the earth. Also, the idea that Israel was chosen for this mission, to show the Glory of God to the nations. It was never meant(God's blessing), even in the OT, to be solely for them. He chose to bless them SO THAT OTHERS MIGHT GLORIFY HIM. God's desire, that all may come to Him, worship Him. Very interesting point. Not one I'd ever visited before, believe it or not!

Em and I are off to Pump It Up - a big moon bounce playground around here. I've never been, she went last week and loved it! I hope I don't get sick!!

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