Are you ready for a mindset shift?

A few weeks ago, I had a bunch of students come and visit to see what I do in the city and to do some missions work.
I sat down one night and thought, how do I prepare for this? So as you do you get all the information and try to think about presentation.  I ended up scrapping my planned, in control communication and told the blunt truth about the path I walk. I am fed up sugar coating things.

Lately I have been in a few situations where I have found myself not quite fitting someone else's box in terms of what a missionary does or how to engage.

It has brought about all kinds of reflections as to whether you see the big picture or small picture?

There are those who see "living by faith" as something where people fund you and anything less is not right.

There are those in modern day Christianity that see this way of living as no better than those on benefits.  What you expect me to fund you?

There are those who give their funds freely, unconditionally and those (like any financial institution) want to control and place conditions on you.

I seem to make a habit of blowing everyone's pre conceived ideas out of the water.

I am a missionary. I would love to be in a place where I am fully funded and I have the freedom to just get on and follow my call. It has never been that way for me.

The problem with that is that Christians sometimes look at the lack of funding and say things like.... "Maybe its not your call, maybe you should give up."

My solution to this at present is Biblical. If the money is not there.... I work for it.

I own technically 2 businesses. One is selling gifts and jewellery when ever I get a chance to make and take stalls at a fayre. The other is dog walking.

Juggling all these things with family as well as missions work is exhausting, but never the less it can be done.

Another problem with our human brain is that we like nice neat boxes and well frankly very little of what I do fits in a box let alone neatly in a box.

 People see what they want to see. They don't always want the full picture.

I have been reflecting on some decisions. In 2015 we bought my first ever car. We had wondered whether to buy a second one or get rid of the rust bucket we have. We bought a second car and when the rust bucket died  and we had to pay the cost of a car to fix it we did wonder if we had made a bad decision. We still have not paid that bill fully but we can't wait to get rid of it as now the passenger door does not open from the inside.

But and here is the but... If we had not bought the 2nd car I would have not been able to care for mum in the same way and run to the hospital in emergencies.

God had said do not start new things and I knew mum might not be around for long.... but I also knew ministry would go on after... and it is.

Opportunities are popping up without us initiating it.
New shoots are coming...
Another team is coming in August.

There is no rule book, its about obedience and timing.