The weeks and months since I returned from Kenya, December 2009, have been very quiet. Most of my focus has been praying and encouraging Becky, as she discovers God’s purpose for her. For years, our ministry paths have been complimentary or parallel, but not really united in common focus and purpose. A little over a year ago, we closed a struggling, OK…failing, church plant that was doomed from the onset. This was done in conjunction with a full time youth ministry, which was our primary passion and focus. In hindsight, I see that moving from the youth ministry and a failing church plant was divinely orchestrated by the Lord. In spite of the feelings of rejection, loneliness and failure God was working something in us, not just for what’s happened the past few months, but the weeks, months & years ahead.

If you are like me, you can identify first hand with at least one character in the bible. Often times I find myself aligned with Elijah the prophet. (*Disclaimer – I am not calling myself a prophet) I heard Steven Furtick speak during The Nines event on Elijah out of 1 Kings 17. Elijah prophesied there would be a famine, afterwards he was led to the brook Cherith where he was fed by ravens. One day the brook dried up. Why did it dry up? Because God told Elijah to prophesy a famine/drought in the land. At some point everything would dry up. This forced Elijah to move beyond the brook to a widow woman’s house, where he blesses the woman and her son. God spoke the famine, God led Elijah to the brook, God fed Elijah, God dried up the brook and God led Elijah to the widow woman. Not only that, but if you read on in chapter 18, you find that Elijah confronts the wicked King Ahab and wipes out the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. All things, regardless of how they looked, were purposed by God for a divine moment.

For months, there appeared to be a famine in our ministry. God open doors to secular jobs so we can receive provision, sustenance and provide some stability for our family. However, He did not intend for us to camp out here. This has been a time of much needed physical and emotional mending. Kenya was a wake up call for me, showing me what my true purpose in the Kingdom is. When Becky returned from China, she too had a clear direction and purpose for ministry. For the first time, our hearts and spirits are united in missions. So much so, that at this writing Becky is on her second missionary endeavor, this year, to Haiti. In December, she will join me for our first ever joint missionary journey to Kenya, and possibly Uganda.

Doors for missions are not the only thing opening in our lives, the month of July is more busier in ministry work than previous months. I have performed a wedding ceremony for a friend from high school. This Sunday, I am filling the pulpit at our home church, River Stone in San Marcos – TX, for the first time. Finally, I am preaching the Central District – PCG youth camp in Missouri for a fellow youth director friend, Dalin Antwiler. Now I know how Elijah felt when the servant told him he saw a cloud the size of a man’s hand. It was a small sign, but Elijah knew it meant the famine and drought was over, and a deluge filled the land.

I don’t know if we are about to experience a ministry deluge, but I can say it sure looks like the famine and drought is subsiding. Now we wait on the voice of the Lord to lead us away from our secular jobs and back into full time ministry, global missions. Will you pray and agree with us? Will you take time to encourage us? Finally, will you consider partnering with us?

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It’s taken a while for me to accept that I am a missionary, not in the traditional sense, but a “Missionary to a Generation”. What does this mean? I am not limited to a single nation, continent, people group, age, race, culture, tongue or political affiliation, but a missionary to the generation I have been blessed to live in.

I turn 44 this May and realize my time on earth is not getting any longer; therefore, I MUST seize every moment of breath I am blessed with and put it to good work for the Kingdom of Christ. This means setting my sights and leading my family into the nations, and go make disciples of Christ.

I pray you will take a few moments to navigate the updates. We did not change the look and feel, but all the content has been updated to reflect our current and future mission projects. You can begin with our Welcome page. Don’t miss our Missions: Kenya, Macedonia and China pages either.

Lastly, we pray you will consider being a partner with us in our mission endeavors. Be sure to visit our contact and support pages for more information.

Have a great weekend,

James

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Unlike many of my colleagues, we do not go in to the mission field to take, rob, rape or glean finances from my host or the people. We go at our own expense and take a blessing to impart into their hearts and lives. At the moment, we do NOT possess the independent wealth needed to fund these missions; therefore, we must raise the funds in order to make this possible.

Having said that, we have come across a way to raise funds through the sale of Free Trade premium coffee from Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sumatra, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. If you are a coffee drinker with a heart for missions, you can buy premium coffee and support our mission at the same time. $5 of every bag of coffee you purchase is donated to Owe No Man Ministries to support our global endeavors.

Here are the current missions we are planning to be a part of this year, 2010:

MAY: China – Becky will be going to serve with a team of physical therapist students

JUNE: Macedonia – Details still pending

NOVEMBER: Kenya – I am planning to return to Nairobi, Eldoret, Kabenes and possibly Kisumu

To support our efforts through the purchase of premium coffees, please go to http://www.justlovecoffee.com/OweNoMan

If you would like more information concerning our ministry, please visit our contact page to send us an email.

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