Tammy and I had returned from Thailand with in February 2011 with a deep conviction that the Lord had called us for ministry there, beyond the six months which we invested in 2010. There were many confirmations that were improbable and could only come from the sovereign will of God. 
Several key connections were made in 2010 and we hope to invest a bit more time here to assist the various ministries we are involved with. Some key events happened that further give us confidence that the Lord is calling us occurred during our 4 month layover in the USA. The first development is that Multiplication Ministries has selected us as missionaries to represent them. MM and CDI have always partnered together to mobilize discipleship and evangelism efforts throughout the world. It was quite a surprise when Tammy and I came across Belle and Andy McAdams of MM. They have known Tammy since she was a young child, and had always encouraged her to follow the Lord in the darkest of times. They knew her before she gave her life to the Lord and decided to repent from her past life and walk into the new life God had intended to give her. The last time they had seen Tammy was when she was struggling with dark depression and was hospitalized for it. Andy and Belle never knew how their encouragement and prayers were honored, and how God radically turned Tammy's life around since 2005.
When we walked into MM's office in April 2011 I had only hoped to purchase some of MM's discipleship training material for a dear friend. Tammy and I have used these materials in Thailand and stand by the program whole heartedly. (One of my mentors in life, Pastor Gregg Rustulka, had personally trained me with the material one to one over a span of several months back in 2001 and 2002). Tammy and I had just left the car, and I had just lamented to her that Jesus hadn't given us a divine appoinment over 3 weeks and I was surprised nothing truly amazing had happened for that long. I had also told Tammy that I had been thinking about what it would be like to be older with some gray hair, and to meet someone who we helped when they were children come back to us and say we made a difference in their lives by leading them to Jesus. That's when Belle McAdams spotted Tammy walking into the office. When they saw each other they embraced and were so delighted. They had lost track of one another. Tammy told Belle how much their prayers helped and how she was now living in a new life of following Christ, and how everything has changed for the better, and how she is now a missionary. This brought tears to Belle's eyes, because she never knew what would ever come of Tammy's life. Wow! Belle turned to me, recognizing that I enjoyed purchasing the MM material, but not knowing Tammy and I were married. She was shocked to find out Tammy was married and married to me! They were delighted to know their old collegue from Church Dynamics, Pastor Gregg Rustulka, was one of my mentors who introduced to me their (MM's) material. Now Pastor Andy and Belle have decided to take us on as their missionaries to Thailand. They have trained us and equipped us to help make a difference, one church at a time!
Another great development is that our ministry is now formally recognized by our home church, Horizon Christian Fellowship, North County. Horizon is a large organization with churches worldwide. I have always known that we were called by God Himself to serve in Thailand. There was no doubt in my mind, however having our church of 3 years come along side us and recognize the calling the Lord has on our lives gives us a legitimacy in the eyes of other ministries that would be lacking otherwise. It's fantastic to know that not only we have several personal friends and family who are fervantly praying for us, but that our home base Horizon is supporting us as a church body.
No comments:
Post a Comment