Purchased, Not Sold

I've spent a lot of time pondering and written many a blog post in the past about how I kept waiting to feel like a "real" grownup. A "real" teacher. A "real" professional. A "real" mature Christian. Now, I sometimes find myself waiting to feel like a "real" missionary. Hmmm... amazing how that works.

Here's the problem with that - there's no such thing as An Idiot's Guide to Becoming a Missionary or  How to Be a Missionary for Dummies. Trust me - we looked! Though there are several books that have been written about becoming a missionary, there is no one, single, definitive guide except for the Bible. (Then again, what more could you need than that!?) What's conflicting, though, is that many of the human resources that have been written don't necessarily line up with the original mandates and instructions given in Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15, Luke 9:30, Acts 13, etc.

To be honest, much of what we read about becoming missionaries (aside from the Bible) before we moved down here had to do with fundraising. With quantifying what your work is worth. With selling yourself and what you do. <sigh> Seriously, people!? This is what's available out there? This is what people are going to come across in their search for answers? This is the advice you have to give people going into the mission field? If that view of mission work is true, and success is only about what's the most exciting or interesting in people's minds, then we will never, ever measure up.We will never be "real" missionaries.

If they're right, how can we possibly say to anyone that our work here is as important as the work of another friend, who was gifted by God through a series of dreams, with an invention that makes dirty water safe to drink, works in even the most remote location, and lasts longer and costs only a fraction of what most water purification systems cost? How can we say that what we're doing is as important or more important than what he does, when he has literally saved hundreds of eternities and lives (mostly the lives of children and babies) who didn't have to face the threat of water-borne illness because of his faithful dedication?

If they're right, how can we possibly say to anyone that our work here is as important as the work of our friend, a single woman living in the middle east? One of only a handful of Americans still in her war-torn, dangerous nation? A woman who bought back three children whose mother had sold them for their organs (yes - you just read that correctly), and now struggles to keep them fed? Struggles to keep them educated? Struggles to keep them safe? Struggles to stay safe herself because she refuses to leave the country (no matter the danger) if it means leaving them behind?

If they're right, how can we possibly say to anyone that our work here is as important as the work of yet another friend who lives in Northern Iraq with his wife and six children, and helps refugees who have lost everything (often, including loved ones) in the ever-advancing onslaught of radical Islam? Whose very life is in danger each day because of his insistence on sharing more than just food or supplies, but in sharing the gospel of Jesus along with them? Who helps support, equip, train, and pray with military forces who have bravely volunteered to try to stop the advance of ISIS and take back cities which had been strongholds of Christianity for almost 2,000 years and have now been emptied of every living soul?

According to the books (well-intentioned though they were), our family must now consider itself somehow in competition with these other missionaries - our brothers and sisters in Christ - so that we can win the precious and limited prize of financial support that (let's face it...) we all need in order to complete our ministry. The message is that we have to sell ourselves well if we want to do our work well.

Here's the problem with that: 

We were already purchased by Jesus Christ, so we don't need to sell ourselves any more to anyone, and neither do our friends (Gal. 3:13).

It's not our job to convince people that they should believe in what we're doing and support our work. That's God's job. He's the one who sent us (Rom. 10:14-15). He's the one who owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10). The whole Earth is His, and all that it contains (1 Cor. 10:26). When He (through his son Jesus) told the first missionaries to not even worry about taking an extra bag, or shirt, or pair of shoes because the worker is worth his keep (Mt. 10:10), I believe He meant it for now, just as much as He meant it then.

I guess since the Bible is always right (hallelujah!), and all those books are wrong, it's really not our job to convince other people that we're "real" missionaries. That means I don't have to try to convince myself of it anymore, either. Hmmm... amazing how that works. :)

I sincerely appreciate the intentions of the people who wrote those books about how to enter the mission field. But, dear friend, take some advice from a REAL missionary (yes, that's me!) - you will never have to compete with anyone for what the Lord wants to give you for His work (resources, love, approval, etc.), because in Him there is ALWAYS more than enough (2 Cor. 9:8).

A Missionary Whozawhatsa?

Raise your hand if you've ever hosted a Tupperware / Mary Kay / 31 Bags -style party before.

              Or if you've ever been to one.

                          Or if you've ever heard of one.

(Since I can't actually see whether or not you raised your hand, I'm going to assume that you did.) 

Congratulations! You are fully equipped to host a Missionary Reception!

A Missionary Reception is an awesome support-raising idea for the missionaries in your life. (hint hint) We do our best to be bold and send letters to all of our friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, people we meet at the grocery store, and everyone else we can think of. The problem is, we can't think of everyone. But, you can! (At least, you can connect us with some new people, which is close enough.)

Think of it this way - a Missionary Reception is like a Tupperware party, only instead of giving your friends a chance to buy plasticware that will save their sandwiches, you're giving them a chance to support a missionary who will help save souls for Jesus. Kind of cool, huh?

The best part is that it's super easy to do.

1.) Come up with a list of people who you think are interested in mission work. Or who want to make more of a difference in the world. Or who are looking for a place to donate money in order to get a tax deduction. Or who you know will show up to your house if you promise them snacks. Any of these criteria are fine.

2.) Invite those people to your house on a night when your favorite missionaries are also going to come over.

3.) Serve snacks. (Nothing fancy required. Pretzels and soda will do nicely. Or, for a south-of-the-border theme, serve chips and salsa. Whatever suits your fancy.)

4.) Let your favorite missionaries give a 20 to 30 minute presentation to your friends. Allow mingling to happen afterwards. (It's amazing how many friendships can be made over pretzels.)

5.) (This is the really important part!) Let God do the rest.

Seriously. It's that easy. Missionaries aren't trying to talk anyone into giving money. They're just trying to connect with the people that God has already planned to support their work. For all you know, that could be your next door neighbor, the lady in the office down the hall, or your best friend. You'll never know unless you host a Mission Reception. Neither will your favorite missionaries. Neither will your neighbor/co-worker/friend.

See why these things are such a win-win-win-win situation?

Yes, that's four wins. You win. Your favorite missionaries win. The people who support the missionaries win. And, best of all, Jesus wins. I don't know how it could get much better than that!

So - how 'bout it? Are you interested in hosting a Missionary Reception for the Farriers? Let us know! Shoot an email to farriersoffaith@yahoo.com and we can chat about details or answer any questions you might have.

Like what you've read? Want to learn more? Check out our website, or go here to make a tax-deductible contribution to our ministry. (Select 'Farrier' from the pulldown menu.)

Us... On a Mission

Holy cats, Batman! It's not even been quite a month since we mailed out our first letters, and we've already got commitments for 16% of our monthly budget, and 17% of our emergency/sending fund.

You guys rock, and our God is an AWESOME God! I can't wait to see how the next 9 months or so play out, and what opportunities to minister God has waiting for us in Guatemala after that.

It's funny how much this calling has changed our lives in some ways, and how little it has changed our lives in others. I'm still home schooling the girls. Mark is still going to work everyday as the Superintendent of the Wastewater Treatment Plant here in Atlantic. You'll still find us in church almost every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, and we still love to watch a good movie or show together occasionally while eating a bowl of ice cream.

But, now we've also got a website. We've got flyers, a sending agency, and a display board (see above). We're working on setting up opportunities to speak to small groups and churches. We even have a YouTube video. Our home schooling includes Praying for the World (a great way to make geography meaningful!) using The Joshua Project. Mark now ponders ways to use the skills he's learned in the water and wastewater industry to help people in Guatemala once we get there. And, we're enjoying as much ice cream and movie time as possible, since we know we probably won't get much of either in a year.

In short, we're still us. We're just us with a new and different calling. It sometimes feels strange to live straddling two worlds like this. There are days when I want nothing more than to cancel the whole thing and keep enjoying the immense goodness of our life here in Iowa. But, all it takes is a memory, a moment of reflection, or a whisper from the Holy Spirit, and I know that Guatemala is where we're meant to be.

Thanks again to all of you for your friendship, faith, and support.  It's an amazing journey, and we're so glad to be able to share it with you!

Humbled...

Everytime I think I've got this humility thing figured out, God manages to help me go deeper.

He's like that, though. You know - infinite.

Today I'm mailing out 75 more letters. We're up to a grand total of 225 now. That, combined with the display we set up one week at church, and the chance we had to speak to our small group, means that we've now informed approximately 300 to 325 people about the work we're called to do in Guatemala.

That's a little staggering to me in and of itself.

Even more so, though, is the response that we've gotten.

It's a wee bit nerve wracking to send letters to a bunch people out of the blue. Especially if those letters include a request for prayer and donations.  I've imagined all sorts of terrible possible scenarios, including irritated phone calls, snarky email replies, and even the dreaded 'unfriending' on Facebook.

So far, all we've gotten back in response has been love.

Love. Support. Prayers. Donations. Encouragement. Confirmation.

Wow. God really is that big. He really does work through the hearts and hands of His people. He really has called us (including little ol' me) to share his Gospel in a tiny country in Central America. He really does know how to provide for us, and raise up partners to join us in our work.

Again - wow.

So, for all of you who've supported us with your prayers, faith, and/or finances, I want to say thank you. It means the world (and eternity) to the people we will minister to in Guatemala. But, you're also being an instrument for God's glory and in teaching this gal more about the endlessness of humility.

Thank you for that.

Rich?

The annual median household income in Guatemala is just over $2700.

Our goal is to raise $2500 per month in support.

Wait... Doesn't that mean that we'll be living on as much per month as what many families do per YEAR!?

(We've gotten that question several times already, so I thought this would be a good place to clarify.)

The answer is yes. And no.

Yes - we will have more financial security than most of the people around us. But, that's kind of one of the things that is bringing us to Guatemala - to try to help those who are so desperately impoverished. It's difficult to explain just how different the standard of living is for an 'average' poor Guatemalan than it is for an 'average' poor American. Like, no-comparison-at-all different. Sure, we could probably figure out how to live on $2700 a year, like they do, but that also means we'd be subject to water and food borne illness, lack of medical care, malnutrition, limited education for our children, etc, etc, etc. Plus, we don't know two other families with whom we can share a three bedroom house, so I think we'd be at a severe disadvantage in that arena.

Also, we're going to have a lot of expenses that Guatemalans do not. For example - American car insurance, American life insurance. American car tags. American classes to maintain our professional licenses. American health insurance. American storage unit fees. American passport fees. And, let's not forget - American taxes. We dearly love the blessings that come from being a citizen of the good ol'  U.S. of A. But, we'll have to pay for those blessings, just like everyone else.

Perhaps the most important difference, however, the requires us to have 12 times the income of a Guatemalan family (which does sound staggering, I admit...) is that we're not going just to survive, or to live, or even to thrive. We're going there in order to give. We want to give people the good news about Jesus. We want to give hope. We want to give love. And, in order to do that, we'll need money. (Strangely enough, it turns out that giving isn't usually free.)

The support that we get from friends, family, small groups, and churches (which we are OH-SO grateful for!) is what will ensure that people in Guatemala will get to feed their souls, along with their bellies.

It means receiving eternal salvation, as well as receiving safe drinking water.

It means a family getting to have a Bible to study, and getting school supplies so their children can study at the local school.

So, I guess you can say that the support we'll receive of $2,500 per month will make us rich - but mostly in our ability to enrich the lives and eternities of others. And for that, we can't thank you enough!

So, Um..... About the Money Thing...

We're getting ready to walk away from careers. A home. Friends. Family. Normalcy. We're getting ready to walk away from pretty much everything we've ever known, in order move to Guatemala to share the gospel and the love of Christ. Want to know what the hardest part of that is for us?

The money part.

Sounds silly, maybe, but it's true. You see, we've always been the 'go to work, pay your bills on time, live within your means' kind of people. We've had some lean years. We've had some less lean years. But, through it all, we always had the underlying sense of satisfaction that comes from working hard and reaping the reward of that hard work.

We won't have that in Guatemala.

It is humbling beyond what words can tell to think about living a life depending on other people's financial support. Humbling, and (quite frankly) scary. It is very easy to get caught up in a whirlwind of doubt and worry - obsessing over whether or not there will be enough money for us to do what we need to do.

Which is silly.

Our God is a big, big God. He's so big He even sees and takes care of sparrows. And grass. And the lilies of the field. I know He will take care of us when we seek His kingdom first. I mean, the original missionaries (disciples) were told to go out into the world without even an extra pair of sandals or any money at all. God knew that there would be people along the way to provide them with every necessity and blessing they would need, just like there will be people to do the same for us.

But, we've got to ask those people, and that's where it gets tough for me.

I feel pulled - between the call of God to ask everyone we know to partner with us in this mission,  and my own fears that we will alienate our friends, family, and acquaintances by asking for their financial support.

I don't want to lose friends. I don't want people to be annoyed by me, or think less of me, or to never want to have anything to do with me again. But, even more than that, I don't want to lose out on what God wants/needs me to do. I don't want God to be annoyed by me, or think less of me, or to never want to have anything to do with me again. <gulp>

So, that's why I'm asking everyone I've ever met to support us and our mission. Even though it's humbling. Even though it's hard.

Sometimes, when I think about doing speaking engagements and asking people for their financial partnership ('cause we really haven't had to do that much, yet), I practice speeches in my head that I'd like to say.

Things like:

"Oh, dear friend/family member/co-worker/acquaintance/person I just met a few seconds ago -

I want you to know that I promise not to be offended if you choose not to give us money. Really! Honest!!

I'm only asking you to partner with us financially because I know, that I know, that I know, that I know that this is what God is asking me to do, and that out of my obedience, He will be greatly glorified and magnified in my life, and in your life, and in the lives of others we have not yet even met or imagined.

And, dear friend/family member/co-worker/ etc... -

I hope that you choose to partner in our mission for exactly the same reason - because you are also excited to know, that you know, that you know that you're being called to give because it will glorify and magnify God, and that's what you long to do in life."

We do not want pity money. Or feeling-sorry-for-you money. Or given-out-of-guilt money. (Ok, so we'd *take* that money if you felt like giving it, of course, but we would hope your reasons would change once you followed the impulse to give, so we could all be blessed by the experience.)

Most of all, though, we don't necessary want money at all, per se. What we want are people who will catch our vision of sharing the gospel. What we want are people who want to give their whole lives (finances included) to furthering Christ's kingdom. What we want are partners, not just givers, who will be with us for the long haul, and lend their faith and their prayers for this mission.

That's what we're looking for. And, even though it sounds reallyreallyreally big and impossible to me, nothing is impossible or too hard for God, and that's something I can truly bank on.

So - do you feel called to partner with us? We are looking for people who will commit to monthly contributions in order to meet our $2,500 monthly need. We're also looking for people who want to contribute occasionally, as they are able or feel led to do so, in order to build our $10,000 sending/emergency fund.

All donations are tax-deductible! Payments can be made by check through the mail to

World Outreach Ministries

PO Box B

Marietta, GA 30061

(Write 'Farrier - 251' in the memo section)

Or, donations can be made online (including setup of monthly donations using credit or debit cards) at this address:

www.worldoutreach.org/donate

(Select 'Farrier' from the pulldown menu)

There really is no wrong way or amount to contribute, as long as you're led by God in your giving! (Seriously. If that means you feel led not to give, we won't have any hard feelings about. I promise. I hope that you won't have hard feelings about the fact that we're asking.)

And, if the sacrifice of faithful of prayer is what you have to give to our mission, we'd love that as well! We want this whole experience to be positively bathed in prayers!

Remember - God's promise is that everyone (you, us, those in Guatemala, and God himself) will be blessed by giving to missionaries. (2 Cor. 9:10-11, Phil. 4:17, Phil. 4:19) Thank you for your faithfulness and generosity on His behalf!