{"id":295,"date":"2019-10-12T10:18:36","date_gmt":"2019-10-12T15:18:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/?p=295"},"modified":"2019-10-12T10:18:38","modified_gmt":"2019-10-12T15:18:38","slug":"watching-god-at-work-through-the-ordinary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/watching-god-at-work-through-the-ordinary\/","title":{"rendered":"Watching God at work through the ordinary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1288-e1570891920156-600x473.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1288-e1570891920156-600x473.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1288-e1570891920156-300x237.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1288-e1570891920156-768x606.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1288-e1570891920156-125x99.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1288-e1570891920156-250x197.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1288-e1570891920156-321x253.jpg 321w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1288-e1570891920156.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The past couple of months have been\u00a0<em>so\u00a0<\/em>encouraging as we&#8217;ve watched God grow our support team in surprising ways and from unexpected places.\u00a0 Thank you to\u00a0<strong>each one<\/strong>\u00a0who has decided to partner with us in what God is doing in the World and particularly in Asia-Pacific.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n&nbsp;We had the opportunity to share at church recently about how God loves to use ordinary people to do His work.&nbsp; For instance, think of how God used Rahab\u2014in spite of her being an outsider, a sinner, and an adversary of God.&nbsp; As she decided to put her faith in Him, not only was her family saved but God also gave her the privilege and honor of being the great, great, great, grandmother of Jesus!&nbsp; Wow. Just because of her faith, God used her in unbelievable ways.&nbsp; I&#8217;m also reminded of &#8220;Doubting Thomas.&#8221;&nbsp; He&#8217;s had a bad reputation for over two thousand years but history tells us that he was actually used by God as a missionary in ancient Persia and then South Asia, where he was martyred at the age of 70 for his preaching.&nbsp; He may have doubted at first, but then he trusted the Lord and God worked through him in mighty ways.&nbsp; There are so many other examples of God using ordinary people in the Bible. Scripture doesn&#8217;t hide the ugly truths of people&#8217;s lives\u2014it highlights how God worked in spite of mankind constantly screwing things up!&nbsp; Today we see many other examples of the same things happening, but the &#8220;<em>ordinary-ness<\/em>&#8221; isn&#8217;t often recorded. We can relate with all of this so deeply; we are so&nbsp;<em>utterly&nbsp;<\/em>ordinary, but we trust God and we believe that He can use even us!&nbsp; And He can use you too!\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1198-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"296\" class=\"wp-image-296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1198-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1198-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1198-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1198-125x94.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1198-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1198-337x253.jpg 337w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1198-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1216-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"297\" data-link=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/?attachment_id=297\" class=\"wp-image-297\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1216-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1216-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1216-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1216-125x94.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1216-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1216-337x253.jpg 337w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1216-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1352-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"299\" data-link=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/?attachment_id=299\" class=\"wp-image-299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1352-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1352-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1352-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1352-125x94.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1352-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1352-337x253.jpg 337w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1352-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1399-1-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"305\" data-link=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/?attachment_id=305\" class=\"wp-image-305\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1399-1-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1399-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1399-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1399-1-125x94.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1399-1-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1399-1-337x253.jpg 337w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1399-1-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\n&nbsp;Thank you for praying for our trips to Maine and North Carolina!&nbsp; They were both really sweet.&nbsp; We had the opportunity to share at four different churches in Maine and God raised up quite a few supporters from our time there.&nbsp; It was a great time with family as we spent time with Grandpa Smith, Uncles and Aunts, cousins, and even Allegra&#8217;s parents.&nbsp; (Wayne and Becky arrived for the last two weeks of our visit.)<br>&nbsp; &nbsp;In North Carolina we were asked to lead a mini missionary training at their Missions Conference.&nbsp; We shared on&nbsp;<strong>what it takes to be a missionary<\/strong>&nbsp;both before you get into your ministry and while you&#8217;re there.&nbsp; A missionary often faces years of training, foreign language learning, Bible translation, relationship building, teaching comprehensibly to another culture, and other things (not to mention regular family life!).&nbsp; The church was very encouraging to be a part of and it was fun to join them for the weekend.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong><em>What&#8217;s Next?<\/em><\/strong><ul><li>Make trips to Arizona [October] and Canada [November]!<\/li><li>Spend\u00a0more time in Pennsylvania, teach\u00a0an adult elective class at church<\/li><li>Ask\u00a0the Lord where to go in the new year for Partnership Development\u00a0 \u00a0 <\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<pre style=\"text-align:center\" class=\"wp-block-verse\"> We believe that prayer\u00a0is a critical part of the\u00a0<strong>Armor\u00a0<\/strong>that <br>God has given us to fight the\u00a0spiritual battle we are all <br>engaged in and that Ephesians 6 talks about.\u00a0<br>Because we value this, we are seeking\u00a0a team of<br><strong><em>100 COMMITTED PRAYER PARTNERS<\/em><\/strong><br>to uphold us in the\u00a0ministry God has for us.\u00a0 If you are willing to join<br>this team, click the button above to subscribe.\u00a0 <\/pre>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background has-blue-background-color\" href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/ef2a952681b3\/prayerteamsignup\">Join our prayer team<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<table class=\"wp-block-table aligncenter\"><tbody><tr><td><em>We are currently at\u00a0<strong>60%\u00a0<\/strong>of our financial support goal.\u00a0<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1360-e1570892235616-600x341.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1360-e1570892235616-600x341.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1360-e1570892235616-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1360-e1570892235616-768x437.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1360-e1570892235616-125x71.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1360-e1570892235616-250x142.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1360-e1570892235616-445x253.jpg 445w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/files\/2019\/10\/IMG_1360-e1570892235616-1920x1091.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The past couple of months have been\u00a0so\u00a0encouraging as we&#8217;ve watched God grow our support team in surprising ways and from unexpected places.\u00a0 Thank you to\u00a0each one\u00a0who has decided to partner with us in what God is doing in the World and particularly in Asia-Pacific.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 &nbsp;We had the opportunity to share at church recently about how [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1160,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[37966,752],"class_list":{"0":"post-295","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"tag-ordinary","8":"tag-support-level","9":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1160"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/tyler-sanford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}