Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks put the circumstances of our lives, both good and bad into God’s hands and help us see them through His eyes. Last night our beloved daughter-in-law Melinda slipped from this world into the presence of Jesus. And while we are overwhelmed with grief and shock, these words are promises to which we cling. Melinda has finished her race. Her battle with cancer is finished. And while that pernicious disease claimed her physical life, it could not touch her soul. That remained fully and exclusively in the hands of Jesus with whom she now lives. Nancy and I didn’t know how to process the news that came in three words. “She is gone.” Yet as sadness rolls over my heart I sense the message echo back from Heaven, ” She has arrived!”
And bring the fattened calf and kill it and let us eat and celebrate. Luke 15:23 ESV
I can really identify with this father’s enthusiasm for celebrating. In the same way some folks wondered about his excitement on the return of the prodigal, my wife and some of the neighbors are questioning my exuberance for Christmas decorating in early November. Yes, my I am the guy whose candy-cane lane is already in place, before the leftover Halloween candy is even eaten. But my reasoning is that if the stores can put out their holiday wares right after Labor Day, why do I have to wait any longer? Am I the only one out there? So, in that spirit, though it might seem a tad early, I am featuring my large print Christmas devotional today. And before you scold me for the impropriety of the timing on this offer, remember that this book is a thirty-day plan and that it will take some time before your copy arrives. This large-print holiday devotional is designed for those of us whose vision has become a little less than eagle-eyed.
Just as the story of the wisemen does not begin with their background – it starts with a star, this series of short devotionals begins with that star, which can still lead us to Jesus. Each day includes a Bible verse and a short simple story that shows how the birth of Jesus still shines a light on the path for our daily lives today. The Christmas Star is available in both a Kindle eBook form as well as softcover.
We have known Pastors Joliam and Claudia for almost twenty-five years, served on staff under their ministry and traveled overseas twice with them. Today, I am so excited to be able to recommend to you their first book, explaining their forty-one years of mission’s experience. It all began in 1985 with God’s call and a single verse:
Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 9:10 NKJV
Often God calls people to leave home and spend most of their lives on the mission field, but others, God sends to come alongside them for encouragement, training and providing resources. Many times, over the years, we have said, “We’ll be praying for you!” as Pastor Joliam left on another missionary trip, but the extent of those travels still left me dumbfounded when I read “One Mission. Many Nations.” If you have a heart for missions, or are planning on any type of overseas ministry, this new book should be required reading. Here Pastor Joliam shares not only his passion for missions, but also hundreds of practical insights for outreach work in twenty-three countries on four different continents. Having traveled with him to both India and Nepal, I can tell you that the highlights shared in these pages are only the tip of the iceberg, of the lives touched and places visited on the field. I love how Pastor Joliam reminds us that to be faithful to God’s call usually means that few will applaud us or even see what we do in the Lord’s service.
“God sees the seeds planted when no camera is present, and no one outside the community knows the name of the person who is planting them.” Dr. Joliam Sampaio
So, if you are feeling God’s call to missions or simply would like to know more about what effective missions looks like in the twenty-first century, it would well be worth the investment of your time to read through the pages of One Mission. Many Nations,” You can find the book on Amazon in both English, as well as Spanish, and Portuguese in both softcover as well as a Kindle edition.
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