Time of Transition

Today (Saturday) the last team arrives to stay the week for Wade Summer Missions. I know that may not create the same sense of mixed emotions for you as it does for me, but it is almost not real that it is actually coming to an end.  It took about 7 months to plan and gear up for our teams and the end date (August 4) seemed so far away. Not anymore.

I have been so blessed by our teams and watching them serve God through sharing the Word, leading sports camps, and local construction projects that have helped members of our community.  Through this, we have seen people helped and lives changed for the sake of the Gospel. What a powerful thing to witness.

Wrapping up summer missions means wrapping up my time at Wade as Director of Missions and Outreach. Instead of spending my time between 2 offices (HSM and Wade), I will be able to fully be at Heaven Sent Ministries. This transition has been in my prayers since February and we have already seen od working. As many of you know, our salary depends upon outside support from friends, family and fellow believers that want to join in the cause to spread the Gospel locally and around the World.  As a steady check ends from one place, we fully believe that God will continue to provide financially for us in our transition. Someone once told me (it may have been my grandmother...):

"if Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice, His life, and cared for you that much...why would He not want to provide for you and take care of you in the little things? And don't you think that everything else is pretty small compared to Him laying his life down for the sins of the entire World?"

Thank you for joining with us in prayer for the needs of those here and around the World. Our God is greater, He is stronger...He is faithful even when we prove to be faithless. We are so blessed to be a part of the H.S.M. team, and if you would like to join us in ministry, please e-mail us at vicars4missions@gmail.com

Prayer Needs:

1. Possible trip to Ghana this fall to complete the construction on the Training Center

2.Medical Missions trip to Peru in January...pray for the team, and pray about joining the team!

3. The famine and Drought taking place in Ethiopia/Somalia/Kenya. We would like to get involved sending food packages and relief and possibly take a trip there as well.

So that all may know Him,

kathryn

Expectation

Do you ever have something heavy on your heart? Not necessarily a burden, but maybe a longing, or a waiting in great expectation for something. Maybe God has placed something on your heart and you are in a period of waiting and listening.

For many years, I (Kathryn) had this similar feeling, almost indescribable, and it had to do with my baptism.  This great sense of excitement and wonder about my baptism started as I began my second or third semester of classes at ODU in norfolk, VA. I was about 20/21 years old and I was growing and being stretched in my faith. At this point in my life, I was getting settled in college and I was being delivered from a fear that I had been living with for over a couple of years. I was really sensing and feeling the goodness of God and love being poured out over me.  This made me reflect heavily on my Christian life and walk with God.

I was baptized when I was about 11 years old or so...I can't remember the exact age. We had changed churches and the Pastor took some time to visit us in our home and discuss Baptism with me and my sisters.  Soon after, we were all baptized. I remember this being a special day: my family was present, my sisters and I being baptized together, starting our life in a new youth group, a new church. Life was good.

But in college, as I was reflecting back, I just don't remember being completely sold out and aware of the real meaning. Being delivered from this fear that I had been living with, I was ready to go before God and present myself wholly unto Him and be a witness for His namesake.  I was eager to be baptized, cleansed: forgetting the old and being made new. I began to pray, spend time in the Word and journal about my desire to be baptized.

Last September, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to share His Gospel in the jungle of Ecuador with a team from North Carolina.  To be a part of a mission trip like this has been my desire for many years.  To make a long story short, we arrived in the Jungle to live among the Ashuar tribe for a short period of time.  While we were there, 2 Ashuar Indians had inquired about being baptized. They wanted to learn more about baptism and them physically be baptized themselves. I shared with Dan Clowers my desire to be baptized one day, and the question arose...why not now?  

I wish I could describe to you the feeling.  It honestly felt like the best birthday present anyone could ever receive. There I was, in his perfect timing, in the perfect place...in an Amazon River tributary...I was being baptized with two Ashuar Indians on the foreign mission field surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ.

God has made us for a purpose. First and foremost, we are to to be constantly growing and molded into the image of Jesus Christ. Secondly, we weren't made by happenstance. We were made because He has a plan for each of us; to give us hope, a future, peace, and an expected end. During our journey on this Earth, He wants to use us. His Word says in Habakkuk 1:5, "Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed, for I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe...even if you were told."

Don't sit back and miss out on the life, blessings, victory and power that He has for you. Seek Him, know His voice. Live a life of expectation and prayer. Watch God move. I did and I still am. We aren't perfect, but He is and always will be.

Check out this video of my summer in peru and Ecuador...at 5:30 you can see my baptism.

Peru/Ecuador-Baptism Video

Be a part of a move of God. Join in the ministry at HSM with us, there are so many ways to get involved. You can always e-mail us and let us pray for you (vicars4missions@gmail.com). We look forward to hearing from you and thanks for all your continual prayer and financial support!

So that all may know Him,

Kathryn