A Good Word Wednesday #52 GO

A little bit of goodness in your mailbox today 👣📖

Good Word of the Day: Go

‘Tis the season. Not for Christmas. Not for Christmas in July. It’s the season right now for short-term volunteer mission teams to go into all the world. I’ve been there done that. Took people with me. And bought the souvenir coffee mugs.

I’ve learned a lot about mission trips through the years. The main lesson learned is, go to serve alongside missionaries and local church leaders who live in the location. Go to help those people build on their strategies to reach more people with the good news. We can learn to do it better. I’ve included a helpful resource for you below.

One of the trips I haven’t talked about much in my writing is a church volunteer mission trip to Rome, Italy many years ago. I can hear you say, yeah, right, suffering for God in Rome. And I won’t deny that we took free time to see the sites and eat all the yummy pasta.

This team was composed of nine adults and our days were filled with serving refugees from around the world, mostly from Iran and other Muslim countries. We helped feed them in the basement of a church. We led a children’s Bible school in the middle of the city. We helped meet the variety of needs of refugees. And of course, we wanted to help meet them at the point of their spiritual needs. And sometimes that begins with teaching them to read in English.

One of those stories my husband remembers from this trip is an encounter with one young man, one of the thousands who had fled their war-torn country, left their family, and landed in Rome in search of a better life. Now what? On that day, when Johnny and James met him, they had helped him with some basics of reading in a few books. When their time serving in that location finished, surprisingly, this one young man followed them outside and said, “Do you have more? I would like to read more.” Johnny recognized his opportunity to meet a spiritual need. He said, “Yes, I do have something for you.” They arranged a time to give the young man a copy of the Gospel of John. The next day, Johnny saw him sitting alone outside reading the Good News.

We don’t always get to see immediate results of what happens with people we are trying to help. We don’t really know what happened with him in later years, but we know missionaries we partnered with followed up with him.

So… the point is, go. Don’t think you aren’t making a difference. The power of the Gospel can change lives.

Wednesday in the Word

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Share Your Good Words

Question(s) of the Week: What are some trips you’ve taken with the purpose of meeting needs and sharing the love of Jesus? Why would you encourage others to go? Please share.

Good Unseen People

Photo: She Is Safe

The following excerpt is from a story that will be included in my upcoming book, Unseen People: Sharing Life and Light with Your Neighbors and the Nations. Click the link below to see the progress of the book.

One of my favorite things about traveling is worshiping together with followers of Jesus. It’s amazing to me that wherever believers go, they find instant connections with one another. That is especially true as we worship together. Even when I can’t understand what is being said, the heart from which it is communicated is completely understood. There is a common bond when we worship the same God that is invisible and unexplainable…

Here are a few of the memories that are vivid for me…

…A beautiful cathedral in central Rome where believers from all over the world gathered. A visiting choir that day provided music with handbells. The rich tones bounced off the vaulted ceilings. Beautiful music.

Read the whole story: Journey Together

Good Words I Recommend

A Good Podcast: It’s here! My first appearance as a podcast guest. Catch it here: Faithfully Engaged Podcast. Please watch and share it with others. A BIG thank you to my son, Johnny, the podcast host. You make your momma proud.

A Good Blog: Here is a list of some of my favorite places I’ve been. Rome is included: Top Ten List

A Good Song/Video: The lyric in this song gets me every time: “Show me who You are and fill me with Your heart, And lead me in Your love to those around me.” We sang it last Sunday in my church and I got a bit verklempt as I thought about so many around the world who need to know God’s redeeming love. Please take a minute to listen: Build My Life

A Good Book: A guide to how to do short-term mission trips better.

When Helping Hurts in Short Term Missions

NOTE: Please share with me some of your favorite blogs, songs and books. I’d love to know.

Some of the links above are associate links. That means, when you click and purchase, I receive a small percentage of that sale. Those funds, as well as funds from paid subscribers, supports my writing this piece each week. Thank you! I commit to forwarding a minimum of 10% to the amazing nonprofits: She Is Safe and The Red Cord. They help raise awareness of sex trafficking. They help prevent, rescue and restore victims to new life.

A Final Good Word

Yes, it’s my calling to go. Go into all the world. And sometimes to go next door. And sometimes it’s my job to stay and help others go through praying, giving and serving locally. To serve people in need in our family or community is equally as important as serving refugees in Rome. Or trafficked women in Indonesia. Or hungry migrants at the border. The point is, go where God leads you and do what he asks you to do. I would love to hear your stories.

DeAnna’s email: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com

Thank you for taking your time to read my words. And if you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Gratefully yours,