A missionary life...

What does it mean to live missionally, or to be a missionary? Are these things different? And what's the point in a short term mission trip?

I believe that we are all called to tell people about Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. Today my professor said, "Do you remember when you first were born again, and you wanted to tell people about what Jesus had done for you, what happens to that?". We all feel the call of the Holy Spirit on us to share this message but it often fades or is crushed as time goes on. Each one of us has a call to live with a mission focus. This may come in different forms, but whether its here or in overseas missions we all have that call.

I was discussing with a friend of mine what the point of short term missions is. Some people don't see the point. They may wonder why don't we raise money and send it there, and the trips only have impact on the people going, not for the people there and often result in spiritual highs and lows. Although these things can be true the importance of short term missions goes far beyond that. I have been to Muncie, Indiana; Gulfport, MS; New Orleans, LA; Sydney, Australia; Guatemala; and Montreal, QB on short term missions and I could tells stories on stories from each of how I've been impacted and on how God has impacted others through these trips. But first I do not want to discount the importance of being fully there wherever that may be. Jim Elliot once said "Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God". 

I have many stories from my trips in which people have impacted my life and I believe that God used me to impact theirs. A specific story of this is of a lady named Zofia. She was an elderly women I met in Australia. She called Hillsong (the church we were working from) everyday for 20 days until my team of 5 returned to her because of the one conversation we had with her. This women to this day still impacts my life and the way I think, and I pray for her and her family each time I think about her. I know God is moving there, even though I am not physically present or will possibly ever see the effects of this. Another example is the hurricane relief I did, I went twice because I was so moved by what I had seen once to Gulfport 6 months after Katrina and once to New Orleans 1 year after. While in New Orleans I worked in the 9th ward. I was able to gut a house that hadn't been touch since the hurricane. That summer teams from all over North American came together to help families with this daunting job that was greater than what could be handle on their own. This yes changed my life, but God also enabled me to give someone tangibly what they needed but couldn't afford. 


God moves through people when we open ourselves up for His service. If we live for Him wherever we are, he will move, people will be changed and so will we. 


- T. 

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20

The above photo is of my team in Australia with Zofia. 







The photo to the left is of my team member in New Orleans in what we would wear when gutting the house.