How can you process over time what God is saying to you? What are steps to take along the journey? In this episode I share a next step that we are taking on a dream that has been in our hearts for years.
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Hello and welcome to episode 73 of the Christ Connection podcast. I couldn’t find a TV show that only had 73 episodes so I will just remind you to come on over to Enjoying Prayer on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and let me know of any ideas for 74.
Today I just wanted to share with you something that I am excited about. I remember reading something about the late Bill Bright that something God put in his heart sat there for years till the time was right. What I am going to share with you today is something that has been in our hearts for years and we are today taking the next step.
My wife’s late grandparents were Enard and Loraine Ostlund. They lived in the northern Minnesota town of Hines. You took the dirt road out of town just a little ways and there was their red house next to a field that sometimes had cows. They were an amazingly friendly couple with many people in and out of their house. My first church I was the pastor of was a little north of their house so sometimes, even before Jennie and I were married, I would stop down to their house for dinner and to watch the baseball game.
Over a decade ago now they both went to heaven the same week. Well since we started the ministry of Christ Connection we have always wanted to do something more overseas. My heart as a missionary kid gives me a heart for the missionaries of the world. Our heart for the world is why we often focus our podcasts, social media etc around the world. Ultimately we want to do ministry in person outside the USA at least a couple times a year.
So when we wanted to capture what God had put in our heart for the world we thought that no better name for that part of the Christ Connection mission would be the Enard and Lorraine Faith and Hope Center. Years ago now I actually put a sign on the spare bedroom in our trailer with a sign mentioning this as the Enard and Lorraine Faith and Hope Center International Headquarters. I will put a picture of that in the post connected with this episode.
And today we take another small step in the direction of that part of the vision with our November Fundraising Challenge. Now through the 22nd of November we will be raising money for 3 things to make a difference for the kingdom.
First is connected with our heart for the world. Over the years our family has used this time of year to be a blessing to missionaries and missionary organizations. We pick some missionaries to send a little something to be a blessing to them during the holiday season. This year we are inviting you to join us on this project.
The second thing we are raising money for is my wife’s new book that will be coming out. She has been working hard on this book and we are now in the editing stage. When we right books here at Christ Connection it is really not about making money but making a difference for the kingdom. It is amazing how books I have given away over the years to pastors or just to people in need. We don’t want to stop with Jennie book and I think it will be an encouragement to many.
Finally we are raising money for what we call the Christ Connection travel fund. Just to give you an idea of what I am talking about with this let me let my inner nerd out for a moment. After I speak at a church often the pastor or they give me a check. On the way home I do the math and if you include hotel, mileage etc. If often is not even a break even event. But I don’t want to stop being a blessing because of that.
Give to the challenge today.
