The Case for Short Term Mission Trips AND an Announcement!!

Disclaimer(s): 

#1: This post will most likely be rather long, but stick through it! And if you really don't have time, just scroll down to the bottom and check out my exciting news! 

#2: I am definitely advocating for short term mission trips, but I understand that the circumstances God has given each of us is different. I totally understand that not everyone has the means or gifts to go on such trips. There must be "go-ers" and "senders." I mean this post to address the criticism against short term mission trips and to explain why they have been so important in my life. 

SO...

We've all experienced moments in our lives when people cocked their heads to the side and said to us, "What on earth do you think you're doing?" For some, this happened when, at the ripe age of 6, they played barber shop with their dear friend, and ended up with quite a funny looking hairdo. 

I think people also ask "What on earth do you think you're doing?" about short term mission trips. Maybe not stated so overtly as in the question above, but you can feel it when you talk to people who don't believe short term trips are worthwhile. They say things like, 

Can't you just send your money instead? 

Biblically speaking, just sending money doesn't really make much sense to me. Not that donating money is bad; I think stewardship is awesome, but when we're arguing whether or not giving should replace going, going will always trump. 

     In Matthew 28:10, Jesus compels His followers, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing the in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." 

Aren't we followers of Jesus? Doesn't that then compel us to GO too? 

What's more, we show Jesus' love most clearly, boldly, and effectively through building relationships with others. How can we build relationships just by sending money? You're bright, so I'm sure you came up with the answer yourself...You can't!! God works through us to reach people for the kingdom through relationships. To build a relationship we must get to know a person, and to get to know a person, we must GO. 

So it's kind of like a vacation for you though? 

Ok, so no one has ever specifically said this to me, but part of me just knows there are people out there who think it. In part, this is true. Going on a short term trip was about as exciting as a vacation. A new place, a new culture, fun and games, travel. But in a lot of ways, mission trips are not like vacation. On vacation, your heart doesn't break for little kids walking around with tattered shirts and no pants. On vacation, you generally don't have to trust God that you'll survive scary situations. On vacation, your objective is comfort, not discomfort. So, I guess in a way, short term trips are like vacation, but in a lot of ways it's really not. 

Is such a short amount of time really worth that amount of money? 

Can you put a dollar amount on vibrantly experiencing God's tremendous love? 

Is there a specific price for a child who doesn't feel loved to get to learn about and tangibly feel the love Jesus has for him? 

How about a dollar amount for a radically changed heart? 

The truth is I don't think there's a price for carrying out the gospel of Christ. Yeah, it's a bummer that flights cost so much and that we have to pay for a place to rest our heads, but this is God's work we're talking about. There's not a dollar amount that matches.

Short term mission trips are not religious tourism, they're not worthless, they're an expression of faith. They're a chance for a life-changing experience. They're opportunities to break up selfish materialism and pride, and they're a way for God's precious children to physically see His great love for the world. 

If you want an example of God's great power through short term trips, just look at my life. I was the girl who prayed, "Dear God, I'll be anything you want me to be except an astronaut or a missionary." Now, I want to be a missionary nurse. Short term trips change hearts. I promise. 

Ok, so as promised an ANNOUNCEMENT (drum roll please)...

This coming summer, I'm going to Limon, Costa Rica, on a mission trip with Visiting Orphans!!

God has heavily weighed orphans and the oppressed on my heart, so off I go, this time to a Spanish speaking country to use one of gifts He's given me.  

I'm a firm believer that it's never too early to start praying, so pretty please pray for the trip and for our team. 

Stay tuned to find out more about the trip! 

Paid in Full: The Beauty of Grace

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you."

Sufficient. Adequate. Ample. Complete. Satisfying. Lavish.

A grace that covers. A grace that counters rebellion, pride, failure, imperfection. A grace that is unconditional.

This is the gift we are offered.

This is the beauty of the gospel.

This is what knocks quietly at my heart when I fail time after time to get it right on my own.

God says of grace, “It's sufficient for you, my child. You cannot earn it. It’s already been lavished upon you with the utmost care, without any action on your part. The grace I offer you came at a great price, but I was willing to pay it for you, my beloved. I gave up my best for you, even when you offered me your least. Take my sufficient grace, and run. Run further and faster. Tell everyone you know about this free gift I have given to all humanity. Do not let anything stop you; not the emotional walls you have built up, not the fear of rejection, not racial boundaries, not great, big, blue oceans, not your selfish pride. Rest in my grace, dear one, and delight when you fail to do it on your own because then my all-sufficient grace will cover your failure; my mighty power will work through you. Take the free gift and be satisfied in its ample blessings.”

Let’s rest in the grace of Jesus. Let’s take seriously the promises of His grace. Let’s embrace the fact that we are obligated to share this grace.

Ephesians 2:8

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God”

Titus 2:11

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”

Ephesians 1:7

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

Sideline Christians Anonymous

I'm a great pretender; no really, I'm the best. For years I put on a show of what seemed to be "good Christianity." But what was on the outside didn't reflect what was happening on the inside. Deep in my heart, I ignored God. I turned my back on Him and instead decided to focus on my outward appearance, to wear down my body in a dangerous way, and to downright fake the life of a good Christian girl.

But God saw fit to keep pursuing my pitifully lost heart. He set up my life circumstances in exactly the right way, the way that would lead me to pursue Him fearlessly. My family moved to Ohio, and there, I met some of the most spiritually strong young women you'll ever see. At first, I was intimidated by these "spiritual giants," but after a while, I soon realized that what these ladies were living out could be mine to. I didn't have to go through the motions; I could live out the same passionate love for Jesus that they did.

So I decided to give up. I decided to let go and let God. This was just the beginning...

I went to Africa, and everything changed.

I saw people who love the Lord with every fiber of their being. I saw people whose lives will end if they don't rely on God's power each and every day of their existence. These people, these precious, precious sons and daughters of the God Most High showed me how to love God.

I talk all of the time about how God broke my heart for orphans and the oppressed while I was in Africa, but something else happened there too. When I came back from Africa, I ceased to be a girl who is content with going through the motions of Christianity. I stopped being a girl whose life only differs from a non-Christian because of my Sunday schedule. My days as a sideline Christian stopped dead in their tracks.

God revived my sick and dying heart.

I hope people notice how different my life looks, not for my sake, but as a testament to God's redeeming work in each of His children's lives. I hope people see through my "God-story" that God doesn't give up on us when we turn our back on Him. He pursues the lost and the broken, and there's no level of brokenness He won't pursue. Trust me; I've been there. There's no games or gimmicks. It's not rocket science or a magic formula. I simply let go and let God.

Your God-story isn't going to look the same as mine; most of you won't go to Africa, although I hope you do! To be honest, I think it's more of a testament to God's power that all of our stories are different. The vast lengths and diverse ways God will go to captivate your heart are astounding.

Please consider letting go and letting God without holding anything back. You might have to let go of things daily (I know I sure do), but don't live your life as a sideline Christian. You'll be missing out on something AWESOME!

An Eternal Perspective

Life is stressful. It's messy and tiresome. Rarely do things work out the way we want; in fact, they usually go the exactly opposite to how we had pictured.

But in these moments, when people die who weren't supposed to yet, when two year olds get cancer, when decisions weigh heavy, when the work piles up, we have a greater hope.

This is not our home.

In the grand scheme of eternity, is that exam really going to matter? Are you going to care about workplace stress when you're in heaven? Are the worries of this life going to effect you as you stand in the presence of Jesus?

The answer, plain and simply, is no; it's not gonna matter.

But, sometimes, it's hard to let the abstract idea of heaven comfort us in hard times. So this is when we look to the blessings around us, God's mighty presence woven into the very fabric ofour lives.

Here are some of the blessings God's given me

An unwavering support system: God's blessing of family.

A Papa bear who understands, a momma bear who nurtures, a brother who makes me laugh, a sister who shows me how to compassionately love, a brother who shows me fearless determination.

Spiritual Strongholds: God's blessing of friends

My Soul Sistas, who helped set my heart on fire for Jesus and encouraged and challenged me when I wanted to give up.

African brothers and sisters: God's blessing of passion

God provided for this trip to Africa. He broke my heart for orphans and the oppressed. He sent my heart on fire for Him, gave me a vision for the future, and made a place for me to join in His redeeming work of this broken world.

Love: God's blessing of a best friend

Four years ago, I met this handsome fella, and I've not quite been the same since. All I can say is God's timing and planning are perfect. I've been blessed to run closer to God with him running right by my side.

These past two weeks I have been so overwhelmed; overwhelmed with the heart ache of this world and overwhelmed with the amount of things I'm supposed to get done. Foolishly, I didn't turn to my Bible or to prayer; instead, I cried and moped and complained, probably to the chagrin of all those around me. But in the last couple days I've realized that in the grand scheme of my life and in the grand scheme of eternity doesn't matter. What's more, I'm BEYOND blessed, so really I don't have much to complain about.

So, to all of you out there, when your life get's so stressful that you feel like you just want to crawl into bed and never come out, if you're facing something that seems unconquerable, make a list of all of the ways God has taken care of you so far. Remind yourself that in the grand scheme of eternity, what you are facing will be gone in the blink of an eye.

If you're feeling ambitious, I'd encourage you to memorize John 14:27; it's not long, and you can use it as your secret weapon for the times when this life get's too hard.

Rest in God's blessings, dear friends, they're all around you.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

John 14:27

This Beautiful Ache

Love hurts, plain and simply.

If you don't want to take my word for it, then...

try to meet a significant other who is so incredibly perfect for you in every way, and then... move far away so that you never get to consistently see them. Spend your time fighting the urge to grow up just so that you can see them more than once a month (if that). Sit and wait until you feel like your heart is going to burst open if you wait any longer.

If that doesn't work...

Might I suggest leaving various pieces of your heart half-way across the world in two small African communities. Entrust those pieces of your heart to several precious children, knowing that you may or may not ever see them again. Cradle these children in your arms, smile and laugh until you can't breathe anymore, wipe tears from their eyes, sing at the top of your lungs along with them and sing quietly as they sit snugly in your lap, hold their rough hands in yours for hours on end, hug them tightly as if you're afraid to let go, and then...go hop on a plane and fly 19 hours away from them.

Again, love hurts.

Yet despite this hurt, I have reason to be joyful. After all, James 1:2, this blog's namesake, says to count it all joy.

I am joyful because when love hurts, it has reached a different dimension. It has surpassed the days when it came at no cost, the days when it was easy and fun. Love that hurts, that has been dragged through the muddy trenches, that has suffered from separation anxiety of the worst kind, that has bridged cultural boundaries, that has endured the criticism of others, love that has survived, that's the kind of love that I want; that's the love that counts.

Now, it's all well and good to love a boyfriend and African orphans til it hurts, but to piggy-back off of last weeks post, aren't we supposed to love everyone til it hurts? Doesn't God call us to love all fallen humans with the same intensity as we would those close to us?

Jesus loved til it hurt. His love came at the cost of being beat within inches of His life, at the price of a cross and three nails. That love endured atrocious physical pain and still greater emotional pain. His love brought rejection, both earthly and heavenly, and ultimately death. But unlike my meager love in comparison, Jesus' love didn't just survive; it conquered.

So can we wallow in our self-proclaimed heartsickness? Can we dwell in the pain of love that hurts?

No.

We say, "Bring on the pain" because more people need to feel the love that counts, the one that's not afraid of pain and isn't quick to run away when things get hard. Jesus could have climbed right off of that cross, but He saw joy in the pain, the salvation of His precious children.

Abba Father,

Give us the strength and courage to love until it hurts. Bring us people to love by the hundreds, thousands, millions. Thank you for giving us the one true example of perfect, fearless, and matchless love through Jesus' death on the cross.

The Goody-two Shoes Plank Builder

They called me goody-two shoes, teacher's pet, and on one occasion, Ellie the nun. I was "that" kid, the one who eagerly submits complaints in the tattle-tale jar, who is always the first to inform mommy of siblings' misbehavior, who follows the rules to a "t" for fear of getting in trouble.

I used to consider my goody-two shoes title a badge of honor; I was more concerned with accolades from teachers, coaches, and parents than I was with my peers' criticism. When the kids on my swim team said bad words or talked about naughty things, I would proudly declare that I didn't know what they were talking about because I was sheltered; inside, I felt proud that I wasn't bad like those other "sinners". Even now, when I talk to people here at school who drink and party, I continually tell myself that I must be superior to these people who have obviously lost control. I fein pity for those who get wasted on the weekends, but in reality, I like to talk about people who party behind their backs with my friends because it makes me feel better about myself.

Until recently, I didn't really see a problem with this attitude; in fact, I actually thought God would honor me for being more moral that those who have "fallen off the straight and narrow." But then God nailed me smack in the face with the truth; first with a sermon at church, then in a conversation with AJ, THEN again in my devotions the next day. Through these three circumstances, God has really given me a heart check, summarized in the following questions:

How can effectively share my faith, when all I do I stand up on a self-made pulpit, condemning and gossipping about the very people I'm supposed to be showing compassion to? Am I really speaking the truth in love? Do I really care about the lost, or do I just like meeting people who make me feel better about myself? Have I forgotten that I'm just as much a fallen sinner as everyone else in this world? How could I think that my sin is less than that of my partying classmates?

The truth is, I've been focusing on all the specks in my classmate's eyes, while stubbornly ignoring the giant plank in my eye. I've been a Pharisee, concerned only about the "law," forgetting that Jesus actually scorned the Pharisees more than the sinners. To effectively share the gospel, Jesus showed love and compassion to people from all walks of life. For me, that translates to loving partiers, homosexuals, liars, thiefs, murders, etc. not because of some noble compassion I've mustered out of my own strength, but because we're all the same. I am among the chief of sinners.

Here's effective evangelism for ya: I'm just a fellow sinner that has some great news...all the ucky, rebellious sin in my heart and yours has been paid for by Jesus on the cross.

So, if you struggle with judgmental attitudes like me, check out passages like:

Matthew 7:1-5

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

or

Galatians 6:1-6

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ⁴Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, ⁵ for each one should carry their own load.

Goody-two shoes plank builders are not so good gospel sharers. So get rid of those planks, and start lovin' some fellow sinners, goodness knows this country needs it!

Afflicted by Affluence: Is there a cure?

Privileged, gifted, blessed...that's what they call kids like me, but is what I have really a blessing? What if it leads to a false sense of entitlement; does that make my "privilege" worth it? If my "blessings" incite arrogance and selfishness; are they really blessings?

I am without want. Literally, everything I have ever wanted, splat, has been laid down right in front of me. My needs have always been met, and virtually every one of my wants, too. I didn't have to pay for my car, nor the gas that goes in it. My parents sent me to a private Christian school for much of my primary and secondary education. Now I'm at a private liberal arts college, studying at no cost to myself. Sure, I've had a few jobs, but guess where all that moolah goes? Straight to my pocket to supply the "Things Ellie has worked hard to buy" fund. The funny thing is that compared to the vast majority of the world, I didn't really work that hard. Just look at my friend Juan from the ESL program; he works two jobs, often terrible hours, and what does he do with the majority of his money? He sends it right on over to El Salvador to support his wife, kids, and mother. What do I do with my 40 hr. a week paycheck? I spend it on a new North Face jacket even though I already own a perfectly good one.

The worst part about this affluence is that I did absolutely nothing to deserve it, and yet I think that I'm entitled to nice things. It wasn't by my own effort that I was born into this family, nor were the nice house, car, or clothes purchased with my own hard-earned money. I could just have easily been born in E. Africa, wondering not if I would be able to get a Starbuck's Skinny Vanilla Latte this morning, but whether or not I was going to die due to lack of nourishment.

I'm not only richly "blessed" financially. I've had minimal struggles in this life. God's blessed me with good health. I've never had to deal with the death of anyone close to me. I grew up in a home where my parents always told us they loved us, that they were proud of us. I could have been born into an abusive family, one that never told me they loved me. I could have been born in a third-world country or in the inner-city. I could have been an orphan.

Sometimes I'm disgusted at myself. The petty things I complain about; the pity-parties I throw for myself; how ridiculously angry I get when I have to spend my own money on something I think my parents should buy me; the jealousy I have towards people with more J. Crew clothes than me or a cooler pair of Toms.

It's true: I'm afflicted by affluence. It seeps into my heart and drives out Jesus. When I read Matthew 19:21 "Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." I rationalize it, saying that surely Jesus didn't literally mean for me to sell all I have and give it to the poor. Surely Jesus was only talking about a certain few of super-Christians, but me? No, definitely not me.

But then I look at my life, the arrogance, selfishness, and entitlement this affluence has brought to my heart, and I begin to wonder, what if Jesus really did mean me? I mean, I have so much, and there are so many that have so little...maybe God blessed me with so much, so that I could give it away to so many. Maybe He gave me so much, so that I could join a counter-culture of American affluence, to exemplify to a falsely-entitled generation what a life captivated by Jesus looks like, to take serious God's command to take care of the poor.

I think Jesus offers the perfect cure to my sick heart. I don't think that Jesus told the rich man to sell all he had as some sort of super-Christian action that would get the rich man to Heaven. I think Jesus was merely offering the rich man a cure for his heart-sickness; after all, giving up everything to the poor would surely eliminate affluence. What's more, a heart that can freely give things up to the poor is a heart that reflects a Jesus-transformation.

It makes sense...if affluence makes you greedy, arrogant, selfish, and falsely entitled, what better thing to do than get rid of it? and what better way to get rid of it that to give it to people who actually need it, the one's who will die without it?

Jesus really did mean us; I'm thoroughly convinced. Will I continue to live in sickness, or will I have the courage to take what Jesus said seriously, knowing full well that my "privilege" and "blessings" can really be quite the opposite?