“I’d love to go on a mission trip, but it costs so much.” “How can I ever raise that much money?” “I hate asking for anything, especially money.” Does that sound like something you’ve heard, or maybe something you’ve said? If so, stay tuned. This week, I’ll share a few fundraising tips from the 2013 Never the Same Peru missionaries. Thanks to all those who shared their ideas with me! Before the ideas, a personal note about fundraising: God owns it all. And He’s perfectly capable of moving resources around to meet needs. Believe it or not, a mission trip is not only about you getting to go somewhere and do something. It’s also about the needs of the people you’ll serve. How much does each of them matter? A lot. So if they matter to Him, He is willing and able to provide. And if they matter to you, and if He has called you to go, you should be willing to work as hard as you can to add to your funds. In our years of fundraising (my family members and I have taken close to 50 short-term mission trips), I’ve noticed that the more we work, the more God surprises us with special gifts. Two years ago, a student told me she sent out letters offering to work for people to help raise money for her trip—not an unusual idea in itself. But because she was willing to work, many people donated money. In fact, her letters alone brought in almost the exact amount of money she needed. God doesn’t work the same way in every situation, so don’t expect a few letters to bring in all the funds for your trip. Pray about these ideas, and ask God to give you some of your own. Most of all, be willing to do whatever it takes to go—even if that means scrubbing bathrooms, selling something you hold dear (NOTE: auctioning off your little brother is not an option), or asking for help from others who believe in the importance of missions. Chili Today: Rebekah, 16, held a missions chili lunch at her mother’s workplace, charging $5 a plate. The generous employees tipped well enough that the luncheon raised more than either Rebekah or her mother anticipated! Not-So-Small Change: Joy, 18, took advantage of a church barbecue to raise money for her trip. She labeled a container “Pocket Change for Peru” and gave people who attended the barbecue the opportunity to share their change or other donations. This simple method brought in more than $300 for her trip. Wrap It Up: Alicia, 18, used her mad Christmas-wrapping skills to raise money for her mission trip. She offered lots of options...

“And the tongue is a fire” (James 3:6a). When a teen commits suicide after many months of bullying, the news reminds us: Words matter. When we overhear a parent’s harsh scolding of a child, our hearts remind us: Words matter. But when we realize our own words have inflicted pain, the Holy Spirit convicts us: Words matter. Father, today I pray on behalf of those who need to watch their words. So that means, once again, that I’m praying for everyone. Words have power and life. Words have meaning beyond the moment. Words can hurt. Words can heal. Lord, my own words have often been used in anger. They bubbled up and boiled over from an inner reserve of resentment and insecurity. They scalded and scorched those I love. And the ugly blisters they left behind caused scarring only Your touch can remove. So here’s what I’m asking, God. Help me, and others like me, to measure my words. Help me to think before I speak, but more than that, to be so full of You that nothing bubbles from my heart but Your grace and truth. Instead of lashing out in rage or striking out in hatred, let me share my struggles, my trials, my woundedness and weakness. Let me cry for help, not cause pain. Help me to see those around me as You see them, God. Let me have Your eyes, Your ears, Your heart of compassion. Guide my lips as You guide my life. And God? What I don’t say has the power to wound as much as what I do. Make my words fitly spoken, my silences golden, and my conversations filled with the knowledge of You. Forgive me where I have failed you, my Father. Touch my lips with Your fire of purity and burn away anything that would best remain unsaid. In Your Holy name I pray, AMEN.   Are you one of those who have been wounded by words? We often practice what we most despise. Ask God to show you if your words are hurting others and keep asking that His words flow from your lips. If you prayed this prayer with me, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below or via email (see the “contact” link on my home page. Thank you for watching your words, because they matter. Just like...

Young men are often in short supply on mission trips. Because some of the publicity for the Never the Same trips comes from a teen girls’ magazine (Sisterhood), teen guys may not think they belong. And (sad but true) adult men have often given the idea that missions and mission trips are for girls. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because of this, I’m always grateful for the young men who do come along on our trips. We need them for the different parts of the drama, for carrying some of our heavier items, for protection, and especially to serve as role models for younger students. We need them because our trip and our teams provide a picture of the body of Christ, which is made up of all different sorts of members—male and female included. Ian was probably the young man I was most looking forward to meeting before our 2013 trip to Peru. I knew his older sister, Leah, from previous mission trips. And I was so excited when I heard he was joining us this time around. Leah is petite and beautiful with a tender, caring heart (since the Peru trip, she’s traveled again with Never the Same on a Christmas break trip to Panama). Ian is tall, with the broad shoulders and chest of a grown man. But his tender heart reminds me of his sister’s—and of another Man whose strength and gentleness changed the world. I hugged Ian when I first met him during training. I watched him interact with his fellow students, noticing his quiet, observant attitude along with his broad smile. But it was on our first day of ministry that I got to see him in action. He served on the same team as Grace (read her story here) and also taught me a lesson. Ian’s approach was more quiet and gentle than Grace’s. But, like her, he engaged with nationals and with his teammates in a way that showed the love of Christ. I watched as he spoke to teammate after teammate to encourage them in their first day of real ministry. I smiled as he lowered his bulk to the ground to speak to the small children clustered around him. I marveled as he lifted first one, then another, with care. He made the little boys feel like men and the little girls like princesses. But like all of us, there is more to Ian’s story than what shows on the outside. In 2012, Ian’s father, Maj. Robert Marchanti, was one of two National Guardsmen killed in a shooting inside the Afghan Interior Ministry in Kabul. Beyond the pain of the tragic loss, his family had to wait...

Several years ago, an editor friend approached me with the idea of writing one of several purse-sized Bible studies: small books a woman could carry in her handbag to do while on the bus, during lunch hour, etc. I agreed with enthusiasm. But the final approval never came, and we never wrote the studies. Author and speaker Grace Fox, however, has written a purse-size devotional that can reach an audience of women in much the same way my friend and I discussed. Small enough to fit in a briefcase, purse, or messenger bag, Morning Moments with God: Devotions for the Busy Woman (Harvest House, 2013) is large on content. The book’s more than 150 devotionals are brief (one small page apiece) but packed with power. Each begins with a simple prayer-thought (“Lord, thank You for the confidence that comes from knowing You,” 131), a brief illustration and application of truth that focuses on one Bible verse, and an action step (“Look at your reflection and thank God for creating you,” 113) at the close of the page. Author Fox chooses her words with care as she speaks to some of the deepest needs today’s women face. The topics her devotionals address include happiness, self-esteem, integrity, condemnation, gratefulness, and many more. Some women will use this book as a supplement to their personal Bible study. Others will pull it out for spiritual refreshment in the midst of a busy day. Some women may even consider Morning Moments with God their daily moment with a mentor. Filled with the wisdom gleaned from years of walking with Christ, the impact of this book belies its size. This personal- (or purse-) sized devotional could be just the right size for you or someone you know. How would you use a purse-sized devotional book? Answer in the comment section to have a chance to win my review copy of this and one other book (you’ll have your choice of three). Please include a link, email, or other way I can contact you if you win (Sorry, but I can only mail to US addresses).  Comment before midnight Sunday night, February 2, and I’ll announce the winner in next week’s blog. Have fun!  FTC Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher but was not asked or required to post a positive review. I have not met the author although we share memberships in AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) and CAN (Christian Authors Network).  Find a local Christian bookstore Find this book on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or at Christian Book...

Grace. We don’t always understand it, but we all need it. We Christ-followers often use the word more casually than it deserves. Grace comes from our Father. It enriches our lives. It makes the impossible possible, the unforgiveable forgiven. And its presence and power serve to remind us of His. Perhaps the parents of one of the students I met this summer on our Never the Same missions trip had some of these things in mind when they named their daughter. I know the Father sent her, and I know her presence reminded me of His. I may have met this young woman during our training in Florida, but my first real memories of her come from our first day on the mission field in Lima. The team I traveled with that day had an assignment in one of the poorest communities I’ve ever seen. Ramshackle houses—some of pressed board, some of tin—covered the hillsides. No home had electricity or running water. Dust blanketed the graveled streets, the houses, even the people. Before we left our bus, the team leader explained the plans for the day. As a way of serving the people, some team members would knock on doors and ask if anyone wanted their hair washed. Others would prayerwalk the community, seeking those who would share their needs and receive prayer. Still others would remain on the nearby soccer field and play with the children who inevitably appear at the first hint of a game. After lunch, the team would perform the Spellbound drama used to present the gospel. But other ministry came first. I know that one of the rules of missionary work is to engage the culture. As an introvert, I have to relearn this lesson often. Talking to strangers, especially when they don’t speak my language, is a challenge for me. So this past summer, the Lord sent me a teacher, whose name—by no coincidence—was Grace. Ever the observer, I waited with my writer’s notebook and watched different groups. Slowly, the Lord allowed me to speak a word here and pray a prayer there. My job was to tell the story of the trip, but I was more faithful with my note-taking than my people-engaging. And then God gave me the opportunity to watch Grace, who took just the opposite approach. Grace didn’t wait for people to respond to her. Instead, her enthusiasm and love drew people her way. On the soccer field, she raced, kicked, blocked, and laughed—a trail of children soon following behind. In conversations, I never saw her wait for a translator. She said what she could with her words. But her hugs, genuine smiles, and willingness to interact communicated far...

Sometimes, Bible verses seem to leap out at me as I read and become part of my prayers. I’m sure the same thing happens to you. Today, I was meditating on Colossians 3:16 (“let the word of Christ richly dwell within you”) and realized what a beautiful prayer it is. So today, Father God, I ask You to allow the word of Christ (all His truth) to richly dwell within us so it flows out of us more and more. May it be so abundant in us that Your truth rises up at the moment we need it and enables us to stand against the lies the enemy sends our way.  Lord, when something richly dwells, it does more than make an impression. It abides. It remains. It changes, rearranges, reshapes. I ask You to pour the word of Christ into us in such a way that we can’t remain the same. May each word, each story, each truth come forth and live within us in a way that, again and again, makes us new. Savior, for those who don’t know You, I ask that Your Word would richly dwell within them as well. May the power of  Your word be used of Your Spirit to draw them near to You, to bring them to repentance, to see themselves as You see them and You in all Your glory. For those who are hurting, God, I ask You to use that same word to bring them comfort, peace, and hope as it richly dwells within them. For those who are confused, Lord, I ask that Your word might richly dwell that they may have guidance and wisdom for the steps that lie ahead. For those who feel abandoned, God, I ask that the loving power of the word of Christ would remind them of the breadth and depth and length and height of Your love. And for those who have walked away, I ask that this word would richly dwell within them—even when they reject it—and draw them back into close fellowship with you. Thank You that not just  the word but You came to richly dwell. May You and Your word live within us as we die to ourselves and live to You. In Your holy name I pray—AMEN.  Do you know someone in whom the word of Christ “richly dwells”? How do you know? What do you see or experience? Feel free to tell us about them or leave a prayer request in the comments below (or via email via the link on my home page). Thanks for praying with me...