By Faith

(This is what I wrote in our prayer letter this month. So, this month, I also wanted to share this with you. It is something that is close to my heart.) Doubt is human; faith is not. I have been pondering this statement for weeks now. Faith, it is “the substance of things hoped for” and the “evidence of things not seen.” Most know that a missionary must live by faith or live by worry. Faith is generally the option taken (and most successful). Though it is obvious that a missionary must make that choice it is somehow less obvious to the layman that he too makes that choice. All Christians must choose faith or self, faith or worry. How? With the strength of the Lord an indwelling Holy Spirit of the saved. Faith in God does not come naturally. These past weeks we have seen an outpouring of love and generosity that can only come from a heart of faith. We have been guests at four mission conferences with the opportunity to encourage faith in giving, faith in living, and faith in telling others. What a blessing it is to see God use us to work in the hearts and lives of others. We have gone from a church of twenty to a church of hundreds, but the heart is the same. “Lead me Lord,” can be seen in the eyes of those who attend the conferences. How rewarding and humbling it is to be used in this way. May our lives bear witness of his sufficient grace to those who are looking. To be a missionary is simply to follow God. Just as every Christian is striving to do. We are no different from the layman in faith. God is simply taking us to serve in a foreign field rather than home. God uses us along the way to grow the faith of others while, in turn, growing ours. So indeed, to be a missionary is a two-fold blessing. At each conference we attended we were able to see people of God committing themselves to give for the next year. No doubt that some have committed beyond their budget by faith to give. We pray and have confidence that the Lord will bless those who do. Because they will see that God can provide “according to His riches” that are limitless. The blessing is not the provision, but the growing of the faith that comes with it. They will see God work in ways that otherwise would have been missed if human doubt had overcome a choice of faith. Provision is a bonus to God’s amazing power. So church members, I want you to know that you are special. Your faith supports your church, your faith supports your missionaries, your faith wins others to Christ where you are and abroad, and your faith encourages us. Thank you so much for your choice of faith.