Lottie Moon Offering

This month I would like to share different ways on my blog about how you can be more involved in our work in Zambia.  This year’s theme is “Totally His … heart, hands, voice.” No less than all our heart, soul and mind is what’s required of us as believers. Missionaries commit their lives. Will we support them with our dollars?

Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself” (HCSB). As followers of Christ, we must give our all so people can know the love of Jesus. That’s what being totally His requires: pouring ourselves out completely to be His heart, hands and voice — individually, as a church, as Southern Baptists working cooperatively to reach all the nations. We are part of the task to fulfill the Great Commission. And although Southern Baptists have been praying, giving and going for more than 160 years, the task is far from finished.


If you are interested in giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering you can look at the sidebar of this blog  on the right and click on the icon and it will take you to the imb website where you can give online to this offering. 

Thanksgiving

It's not often that we get to be with family for Thanksgiving.  So happy to get to enjoy that this year!

 

 Psalm 69:30
I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

 our family with Kevin's mom, dad, and sister

Justin enjoyed going hunting.

Millions Grope in Darkness

 

This past Sunday while we were in church we sang the hymn, "Set My Soul Afire."  I have heard and sung this song many times I'm sure but today these words just stood out to me: Millions grope in darkness....

Tears came to my eyes as we sang these words and I imagined what it was like to be in the complete darkness.  There have been many times in Zambia when the power goes out and we have to grope in darkness looking for a candle or a flashlight.  We feel our way along the walls and keep one hand out front so we don't run into something.  It is completely black!  You can not see anything!  But then when you light a match it dispells the darkness.  There are so many people all around us who are groping in darkness.  People are searching for something to make them feel content and fill a void in their lives such as: drugs, alcohol, sex, work, friends, new diets,etc.  But nothing will fill that void and make them feel content except Jesus.  

Think of your neighbors, the people you work beside each day, and others you bump in to through out your day.  Will you be a witness? Not just the kind of believer who hopes that people who you come in contact with will come up and ask, "How can I become a Christian?"  I don't know about you but that hasn't ever happened to me.  We need to start being more bold with our faith and not be so concerned with what people think of us. I am so glad that someone took the time to share with me how to know Christ.  Who are we sharing the Good News with?  Let's let our LIGHT SHINE so that the people groping in darkness around us can come into the light with us.  

"SET MY SOUL AFIRE"

SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, FOR THY HOLY WORD,
BURN IT DEEP WITH-IN ME, LET THY VOICE BE HEARD;
MILLIONS GROPE IN DARKNESS, IN THIS DAY AND HOUR,
I WILL BE A WITNESS, FILL ME WITH THY POW'R

CHORUS:

SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, SET MY SOUL AFIRE,
MAKE MY LIFE A WITNESS OF THY SAVING POW'R,
MILLIONS GROPE IN DARKNESS, WAITING FOR THY WORD,
SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, SET MY SOUL AFIRE

SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, FOR THE LOST IN SIN,
GIVE TO ME A PASSION AS I SEEK TO WIN;
HELP ME NOT TO FALTER, NEVER LET ME FAIL,
FILL ME WITH THY SPIRIT, LET THY WILL PREVAIL,
 
REPEAT CHORUS:

SET MY SOUL AFIRE, LORD, IN MY DAILY LIFE,
FOR TOO LONG I'VE WANDERED IN THIS DAY OF STRIFE;
NOTHING ELSE WILL MATTER, BUT TO LIVE FOR THEE,
I WILL BE A WITNESS, FOR CHRIST LIVES IN ME

Jesus, You are the Light of the world. And because You reside in our hearts we are a reflection of Your holy light. The world we live in is dark and growing even darker as Satan’s sinister and deceitful schemes are being played out.  Help us not to look the other way when darkness is spreading lest the darkness overshadow us in time.  Instead would You empower us through the light of Your Holy Spirit to shine in a wicked and decadent society. We come against the darkness by speaking against wickedness in all forms.  And, Lord, help us to be consistent not only in what we speak but the manner in which we live.  May the fruit of light be evident in all we do.  It is in Your name, Jesus, that we pray.  Amen.

Kevin's Korner

Hello friends, family and prayer supporters…
For some time now we have talked about the Zambezi cluster. We continue to live in Zambia, but my job has changed where I am now the CSL (Cluster Strategy Leader) for the Zambezi Cluster. I thought I would take some time to write and explain exactly what that is.
The Zambezi Cluster is made up of about 212 indigenous people groups with their own language, culture and customs. These peoples are primarily found in Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, but some of them spill over into other neighboring countries including DRC, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. The cluster takes its name from the river that runs through these four main countries and ties them together both geographically and historically. The total population of these peoples is approximately 74,000,654 but they are dispersed in a land mass that is over 3,182,760 square kilometers in size (about 5 times the size of Texas) with a limited infrastructure. There is a wide spectrum of cul-tural and historical backgrounds with some people coming from a British Colonial perspective and others from a com-pletely different Portuguese colonial perspective (not to mention the few groups in DRC who have been influenced by Belgium). While all these tribes are Bantu peoples and share a similar affinity, they each present their own unique chal-lenges, which make a comprehensive strategy difficult at best.
My job as the CSL is to lead the 90 IMB missionaries who serve in all those countries and to make sure that we are get-ting the gospel to those 74 million people that make up our cluster. As you can imagine it is a pretty big task and in-volves a lot of supervision, administration, mentoring and travel. In addition, I am continually searching for new strate-gies, partners and means of getting the gospel to the people groups in our cluster that are still unreached and have no missionary. We still live in the heart of Zambia, but my vision has to extend to multiple countries, tribes and languages and I would covet your prayers as I engage in this work. Over the months to come I will take you on a tour of our cluster and familiarize you with what we do and who we serve. Stay tuned for next month’s installment.