A Global Kingdom

13 years ago my Kingdom view was altered as I heard this song for the first time.  At One Day @ Shelby Farms, tens of thousands of students gathered on a field to worship and seek the Lord.  I was one of those thousands and the Lord found me there waiting and willing to hear from Him.  As the Passion Band began this song, I worshipped the Almighty God.  As they began to teach it to us in Swahili, I saw a Kingdom that reached further than US soil.  I saw a global mission that God had called each of His disciples to fulfill.  I heard the name of Jesus being praised in a language other than English, and I was moved.  Shortly after this encounter, Louie Giglio began speaking of a people group who was meeting secretly in Southeast Asia and was listening to the conference from across the globe.  He mentioned that he believed some were being called to go to this area to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to a lost population.  As my heart was beating faster than I had ever felt, a friend of mine touched me on the shoulder and asked if I was one of the ones who Louie was referring to.  I sobbed as God confirmed in me that I would go to the ends of the Earth to tell of His saving grace.  Now 13 years later, we sang this song in church this morning and God still uses it to remind me of His global Kingdom.  God is not an American God.  He desires all nations to come to Him.  And He desires His followers to be willing to follow Him…even to Asia.  

May 2013 Newsletter....we are almost there

Issue 4 Front Page by momofhudson

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Always be prepared

Always be prepared.  That's the motto of the boy scouts...and the missionary!  At the end of this month I will be traveling with 2 of our kids to Cambodia on our survey trip.  This is what we are calling "practice."  We are practicing navigating the airports, waiting on layovers, going through customs, and the long plane rides.  And we are doing this with a 5 year old and an 8 year old in tow.  So as the reality of 71 hours of travel time (38 hours there and 33 hours back) began to set upon me, I began to panic.  How do you entertain 2 kids for 71 hours without driving the whole plane crazy? I am sure we will not win any "Most popular passenger" awards, but I am hoping to at least get a "She tried her best".

So I went to google.  "How to entertain kids on a flight" produced lots of ideas.  There were plenty of electronics suggestions but even my kids would get bored of DS's, movies, and iPad games in 71 hours.  Others must be on shorter flights because their lists included coloring books, puzzles, books, etc.  So I took off on a trip to the Dollar tree to see what I could find.  It happened to be the day after Easter so I stopped by Walmart to see what they had on sale too.  So here is what I found:

Yes, that looks like a lot I know! But remember...I am trying to fill 71 hours.  I know my kids well enough to know that if I put all of this into a bag for them to rumage through that it would entertain them for about 15 minutes...if I was lucky!  So I divided it up.  Here is what I have:

In their backpacks (that they will have access to as soon as we get on the first plane) I have a notebook that I made them that includes internet printoffs that I put in page protectors.  I purchased them dry erase coloring pencils and dry erase markers to use in these notebooks.  I included some educational things (shhhh...don't tell them they will be learning!), some coloring pages, and even a printable road map for a matchbox car that I found here.  I also included some fun straws for their drinks on the plane, bubble gum eggs (for take off and landing), pencils, coloring books, crayons, and sticker books.  One of my favorite items that will always be available to them is the Girls/Boys Doodle book that I found on amazon.  It gives the kids ideas on what to draw by asking questions like:  "Who is driving the car?" Love these books!



Hopefully these will entertain the kids until we board the plane that will take us across the Pacific ocean.  On this plane the kids will sleep (hopefully without the help of the doctor approved sleep aide) and wake up refreshed and ready to be WOW'd by my creativity in their activity packets.  Because I am sure my kids will not boast of my craftiness and the passengers on the plane with us will only remember the few times my kids were not obedient and quiet...I post this only to hopefully help some poor soul who may be looking for ideas on how to entertain children on long trips.  So here I go.  Here are my 19 packets.  Each come with instructions on a manilla envelops (in funny poem form - please humor me on my lack of poem writing ability).  I found all of these activities at the Dollar tree, Walmart, or Dollar General for $1 or less each.

(1) Window clings - They will stick, they will cling, and if you let them, good fun they'll bring


(2) DIY puzzles - These puzzles are fun and small.  Drawing your own is fun for all.

(3) Crazy looks - People may glare over there books, but draw those people with funny looks. (option: give the picture to the person as a souvenir)


(4) 3-D books - These books have glasses that help the pictures pop.  Remember to take them when the plane comes to a stop.


(5) Sticky mosaics - Ready to create some pieces of art?  You better get them open so you can start.


(6) Modeling clay - ABCs and 123s.  There is lots to make when you play with these.


(7) Foam puppets - Stick puppets are fun to make.  Let's see how long they take.


(8)  Maps of U.S. Books & crayons - We're leaving the country but still love the USA.  Color these books and read what they say.


(9) Paper bag puppets - When we fly in the air you may start to feel sick.  But these puppets will distract you as you peel and stick.


(10) Scratch and see - Scratch, scratch, scrath and see.  It is still a mystery.


(11) Sticker creations - Create a picture using the stickers in here.  The beach and dinosaurs are ever so near.


(12) Oragami - Oragami is folding paper into a shape.  No need for scissors and no need for tape.


(13) Hand puppets (tattoos) - When all else fails, you have your hand.  Use it to tell a story as we takeoff and land.


(14) Googly eyes - Can you draw lots of crazy faces? Can you make them located in different places?


(15) Stamps - Stamps are easy and stamps are fun. They are simple to use on the run.


(16) Card games - Card games are fun to play.  These will help pass the day.


(17) How to Draw books - Do you want to learn to draw?  So you can draw pictures for Mamaw?


(18) Hanimals (hand tattoos) - You hands are fun but add your fingers too.  The 2 of you will have a zoo.


(19) Fuzzy sticks - Bendalbe sticks are easy to take.  Think of all the things you can make.


So that is all.  That's what I came up with.  Again, my poems may be cheesy but hopefully they make the kids smile when all smiles are lost.  If you find yourself in my shoes (God bless you!), I hope you find comfort in this list.  And hopefully when I report back, it will show successful in keeping the kids occupied.  But for the passengers of the 6 planes we will board...I pray that you show mercy on my kids (and me!)

A New Foundation - Issue 3

A New Foundation - Issue 3

A New Foundation Issue 2 - March 2013

March Issue by

The Death of Me

Today is my 31^st birthday.  It is amazing to me how God has changed my life drastically over this past year.  I can truly say that the entire time I was 30, God was teaching me to die to my “self.”  Let me explain.

When I was 20 years old, God began showing me that turning 30 was going to be the “death of me.”  (It's strange...I know) I remember the first time God spoke this to me in my spirit. I was devastated.  As I analyzed what I was feeling, I had came to the conclusion that I was going to die when I became 30 years old.  This meant that I only had 10 years to live.  How horrific!!! It didn't take long for the horror to go away and God gave me an indescribable peace about what He had planned.  I spent the better part of 10 years coming to grips with the possible reality that I would actually die when I turned 30.  As my 30^th birthday approached in 2012, I anticipated it and wondered in anguish what was actually going to happen.  Even though it was painful to even think about at times, I still had a washing of peace over me about the whole thing.

 “Maybe, I am not going to die,” I told myself. Sometime during the spring (just a few months after turning 30), I became increasingly restless. It made no sense to me.  God was showing me that it was time for me to move from our current place of ministry and I didn't want to go. Even though there was no human rationale for leaving, I knew that God was moving me and my family.  After praying and talking things through with my wife for a few months, we began to look into what move we should make.  By June of 2012, I was restlessly searching for specific answers to where God would send us.  Some days the anguish in my spirit was more than I could bear.  I browsed a few opportunities to pastor at another church or to serve as a youth pastor again.  Nothing seemed to settle right in my heart.  Nothing stopped the stirring in my heart.  Then one day my wife asked if it was time for us to pursue serving as missionaries as we knew we had been led to do for years, but had been waiting for the right time as God equipped us all to go. Immediately, peace came over me again.  There was no doubt that God was very close to sending us to serve a missionaries. 

The Lord gradually confirmed to us that He was leading us to Cambodia.  We didn't know how or when, but we didn't have to even ask about why God wanted us to go.  We were compelled by the Spirit of God to offer up ourselves for His service.  It made perfect sense to me for us to pick up and travel around the world to live our lives in Cambodia so that God could use us for His kingdom work. 

As we turned the corner and began to prepare to leave that church, I felt miserable.  I have never been good with waiting.  Once I know what I am supposed to do, I always want to start doing it yesterday!  This makes me a very cranky husband, father, and friend.  I felt utterly depressed in the waiting.  I tried everything that I could to overcome it but I couldn't.  I prayed and asked God to strengthen me, but I remained weak and felt helpless.  I agonized daily and through the night in my restlessness.  I always told my wife that it was God stirring in me and telling us to GO, “That’s why I am restless!!” As I look back on that time I now realize what God was doing in me.  My misery was serving a very distinct purpose.  You see, it wasn't just a matter of lying around and whining about waiting and timing and going NOW.  It was much more amazing than that!  It was a Luke 9:23-27 moment for me.  God was making this scripture a reality in my life.

Luke wrote, “And He (Jesus) was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.  For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  But I say to you truthfully, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.’”

During this waiting period, I was constantly researching about Cambodia.  I prayed for them with fervency like I had never experienced before in my life.  God instilled a burden in me for the unreached people of this precious kingdom.  My research was exciting, and I was continuously drawn to the more remote parts of Cambodia (Eastern Cambodia).  Throughout months of research my heart felt like it was in shreds.  I have quite the reputation for being highly analytical and I would analyze every detail about a variety of aspects of how the Cambodians could be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The most amazing reality about this waiting period for me was what God was doing in my heart as He taught me about a kingdom that He loves.  All throughout my research, I was learning about what it would cost me and my family.  I don’t mean financial costs, I mean “life” costs.  The more I learned, the more I was willing to lose.  At the mention of going, it made perfect sense to move to the other side of the globe with my whole family in order to tell them about Jesus.  As I learned about the living conditions, the spiritual darkness, and the religions of their culture I knew that God wanted us to go to tell them the truth of God’s word.  My heart was open.  My heart was changing.  I was dying every day so that Christ could live in me.  I thought about the distance from friends and family and church family.  I thought about sickness and maybe even the possibility of spending the rest of our lives in a foreign land.  I even wrestled with the idea of losing my own life or the lives of one of my family members while there in Cambodia.  To sum it all up, the “death of me” meant counting the cost of losing everything for the sake of advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ in a land where less than 2% of over 14 million people do not know Jesus Christ. 

And so the waiting is over…right? Nope! We will be waiting for at least another year before we depart for Cambodia.  I am certain that the Lord has many more things to teach me in this next season of waiting.  My heart is still open and ready to be obedient.  I will surrender everything so that Christ may live in me.  The song “While I’m Waiting” has become a great encouragement to me and an expression of my heart as I wait.

I'm waiting 

I'm waiting on You, Lord 

And I am hopeful 

I'm waiting on You, Lord 

Though it is painful 

But patiently, I will wait 

I will move ahead, bold and confident 

Taking every step in obedience 

While I'm waiting 

I will serve You 

While I'm waiting 

I will worship 

While I'm waiting 

I will not faint 

I'll be running the race 

Even while I wait 

I'm waiting 

I'm waiting on You, Lord 

And I am peaceful 

I'm waiting on You, Lord 

Though it's not easy 

But faithfully, I will wait 

Yes, I will wait 

I will serve You while I'm waiting 

I will worship while I'm waiting 

I will serve You while I'm waiting 

I will worship while I'm waiting 

I will serve you while I'm waiting 

I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

The Nuts and Bolts

One of mine and Blake's favorite things to do is to start a building project.  We have many inside jokes that come up as we cruise the aisles of Lowes looking for exactly what we need.  Blake is not good on following the instructions that I carefully printed off of Pinterest.  He always thinks we can make it better or says "surely they didn't mean to make it that small." (And let's not even talk about those "extra parts" that come with every purchase that requires assembly) So we have some things in our house that have many memories because of the labor that we spent in not only building but in planning.  At times these plans seemed like they would not ever come together.  And we have often been left with the thought of "now where can we put this since it is larger than we anticipated?"

(Here is an example of the "small" hope chest that Blake built me, it fits 2 of our children.  We often refer to this as the coffin but please, oh please, do not let Blake bury me in this like he has often joked.)

As we have felt God leading us to move our family to Cambodia, we have a huge project ahead of us.  There is lots of planning.  We have searched the internet for others who are there.  We have studied their newsletters, read every blog entry, and have begun to put our own plans into place.  We have learned from others but we also know that our family is unique and we will have to make their journey more suitable for our needs.

With a well thought out plan in mind (and a flow chart to prove it!), our first step will be to take a survey trip in May 2013 in order to give 5 of us (the 2 younger kids will not be going) the opportunity to see the country, experience the culture, and survey the mission opportunities (plus meet the Trotters who were the ones we have stalked in this process of preparing).  We are currently gathering supplies for this first step.  Our venture this time does not bring us to the aisles of Lowes, but to you, our friends and family.

The total cost of this trip is right under $11,000.  Here is a breakdown of that expense:

Flights (for 5)            $6,500
Travel Insurance          $725
Lodging                        $350
Food                            $830
E. Cambodia Survey$1,100
Transportation             $500
Visa/Tax                      $225

Misc. Expenses          $450

________________________________
Total                        $10,680

We are asking that you pray for us as we go.  We believe that what the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:10-19 to be true in our life.  "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.  I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

I know that God will supply all of our needs for this trip.  We give Him the glory for that.  As you pray for us, if you feel that you want to be a part of what God is doing in Cambodia by helping to support us, you may make contributions here.

I am sure as this project begins to be put together, we will often have times of questioning how all the pieces will come together.  But I also trust that when we are finishing up, we will look around and wonder where to put it because God made it bigger than we expected.