Commissioning Day - Todd

DATELINE 25 FEBRUARY 2024
The team is at T-5 Days and Counting. The excitement level is building and growing, and yet there is still a lot to do, and a lot of preparations left. The Women's Ministry Service Station helped a lot the night before by preparing the crafts that we will hand out to each kid. There were other last minute details given by Summer concerning everything from packing lists, to spending money, to insurance and medical.
There were three key moments, and these were Commissioning, Laughter, and WHY.

COMMISSIONING
We gave the elders and entire congregation at the end of each of 3 services to hear about our trip story and so they could pray over us. There were 3 different service groups that were prayed for and sent out with the blessings of the elders.

LAUGHTER
In the 3rd service, there were two individuals who shall remain nameless, that simply got their funny-bone tickled.  Pastor Wayne then came up behind them and said they need to behave, or he would knock their heads together.  That made them giggle even more but then Pastor Wayne explained the whole thing in detail to the crowd.  That was an Oh My Goodness moment and everyone had a good laugh.

WHY
During our discussion time in between commissioning, Joy B. brought an encouragement to all of us about complaining. The message was simple:

•   WHY are we going? To serve God and His Children
•   WHO is sending us?  God Himself and our church and supporters
•   COMPLAINING? Where does it come from?   The enemy

The converse is true. What are NOT reasons for our trip? It is not a vacation. It is not a party.
The point was well made that when there is complaining, that it might be harmless like the absolutely horrible color of a shirt that resembles the colors of a certain university in Texas.  But don't we all see - even a mostly fake banter about shirt color - while innocent - could be overheard and it could plant a seed of division or distrust. Then people might water that seed and suddenly, they are complaining and then before we know it, we have an epidemic of complaining and we shall begin to lose the vision of WHY we are going and WHO is sending us.

To our God and Creator and Redeemer - we thank You collectively for paving the way for us to serve YOU and server OTHERS in the coming days. We have been preparing for months, and now it is time for You to show Your Glory and Majesty to everyone we meet.  May You be glorified in everything we do and say and think and feel. And may You get all of the praise! AMEN..

As we are very close to departure, please pray for last minute details to come together, please pray that we stay healthy, and that we would walk with Jesus and find peace!

During the trip we know that things unexpected happen - its not a matter of if, but when... so please pray for the leaders of HOPE and FBC that God would lead them in all wisdom responding to the unexpected.