We are already nearly five months into our one-year ministry Home Assignment! One of my (Tom’s) personal goals for Home Assignment is to seek clarity from the Lord about our ministry engagement when we return to Mexico. We have shared before that we were spread too thin, and we would love to return with a refreshed sense of focus in our involvement.
Because of this, I have been talking with a coach from Barnabas International. He was part of the team of coaches and counselors who attended the September men’s retreat in Switzerland. I am thankful that he agreed to meet with me regularly for a while to help me process this need for refreshed focus.
Part of this process has been to look back and consider what God used to call us into ministry generally and then cross-cultural ministry specifically. It has been over twenty years since Beth and I attended Bible school when we first sensed a desire to be a part of what God is doing among the world’s unreached peoples. We saw Him confirm this trajectory many times in the following years through different means and several location changes, from Cambodia to Papua New Guinea to Mexico. His provision through our ministry partners on this journey has remained consistent, though our ministry focus has changed at different times.
This morning, I spent some time looking through old pictures from our trip to Cambodia and our years serving in Papua New Guinea. These pictures feel like they were taken a lifetime ago, as so much has happened between then and now. I am thankful for this time to remember. It feels like we are on the bench, and while we are catching our breath, our Coach is reminding us why we are playing the game in the first place.
“[B]ut you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” -Acts 1:8
What has come out of this time of reflection is the conviction that we remain passionate about missions. We remain passionate about seeing thriving churches planted among the world’s unreached people groups. Today, over 2.2 billion people remain isolated from the gospel. (source) The gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). The reality that there are people so isolated from the gospel fuels our drive to serve at the edge of the Church.
Another part of the process has been to consider who we are, how the Lord has made us, what gets us excited, what frustrates us, and what drains our souls (saying that tongue in cheek). This was a theme when I was talking to counselors in Switzerland. Each of them, in different ways, suggested that we take some time to reflect on how God made us and what that means for the avenue in which we choose to serve. Ministry is challenging no matter how you serve, of course, but taking some time to consider how the Lord has made us has been helpful guidance.
Over the last two months, Beth and I have had time to process, pray specifically, and have long discussions over this topic. Through this, we have been able to identify areas of strength and weakness, interest and disinterest, and we are beginning to identify areas that we want to shed on the one hand and move towards on the other, still with a heart to serve as needed wherever the Lord makes clear. To be clear, we are still committed to leading and equipping in Mexico, but there are some aspects of our day-to-day involvement we will have to set aside.
One thing that was of great help to me was to learn that it is very common for men in their forties (and fifties) to desire a shift towards a more focused contribution in line with personal goals and values. Until that point, calling and life trajectory are more general, and we dip into a variety of avenues of service, but as we get older, we want to know our specific purpose or fit and really hone in on that. We ask, “What is my unique influence?” It was encouraging to hear that this is normal.
So, this is where we are in processing our last term and planning for our next in Mexico. We do not have a lot of conclusions right now, but we are grateful for the Lord’s lovingkindness and patience as we spend this time out of Mexico considering what the future holds.
Thanks for your prayers! We are interested to hear from any of you on what the Lord has taught you and where He is taking you! Feel free to drop a comment below!