I Peter 5:17

Sometimes I worry. I know I am not supposed to, but sometimes I cannot help it.

I think about the daunting task of deputation ahead of us. I listen to my husband make calls trying to book meetings and worry about finding partners in ministry. I think about our girls and wonder how they will adjust to life on the road. I worry about how they will behave in the car and in churches. I wonder if in all the busyness of deputation we will miss the lessons God is trying to teach us.

Last night was our first ladies prayer meeting for our ministry in Italy. My good friend Brie volunteered to host a monthly prayer meeting for our ministry at her house. It was such a nice time of fellowship and bonding.


I brought before the ladies my cares, the things that I have listed above, and together we brought them before the throne of grace! I am so thankful for those praying for us! It is a gentle encourager...for me to hear Godly women praying for our ministry (James 5:16). To think that these ladies took a night out of their week to pray for me! Wow! It is ever so humbling...to hear sisters in Christ lifting my family up to our Father!

Last night I was reminded that the only way we can minister on deputation and get to Italy is for God to answer prayers and do a mighty work in our lives. Prayer helps me to recognize how absolutely incapable I am of doing anything without Him and how amazingly powerful and in control He is.

Today I am casting all my care upon Him, because He cares for us!

Sometimes I fail to look unto Jesus and begin to worry. Today I am not worrying.

- Erika

Philippians 1:27

I do not want meetings anymore!

I decided this after I had lunch with a pastor recently.

I was a little taken back at a lunch meeting recently when the pastor asked, “So, you want a meeting right?” Honestly, I do not remember how I answered the question at the time. As I rehearsed the question in my mind afterward, I realized my answer to his question. Believe it or not, my answer is "No!" I do not want a meeting. That is not my goal. If a meeting is my family showing up at a church, I preach, they possibly take us on for support, and then we just become another picture on their missions wall - I do not want a meeting.

My goal is not meetings. I want partnerships. I want the church to know us personally, and believe in what we are doing. I want more than just a meeting. I want supporting churches that want to strive together with us for the faith of the gospel. I want them to feel they are truly a part of our ministry in Italy, not just another missionary they send support to.

I am convinced that churches should support less missionaries but support the fewer missionaries better. Better contact. Better communication. More interest. More prayer on their behalf. I am not sure how likely this is, but I am going to do my part to have a group of supporting churches that we did not just have a meeting at. I am going to try with everything I have to have a group of supporting churches that truly want to partner with us as we reach the unreached villages of Italy.

Romans 14:17

The Difference Between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God

I really like taking pastors out to lunch. I like going to lunch with pastors because it gives us 45 minutes of time to discuss my call and burden for the field of Italy as well as so much more! It also gives me the opportunity to talk about missions with experienced men of God and glean wisdom from the pastors.

Well, during these lunch meetings it also gives pastors an opportunity to ask me questions. They usually ask about our plans for the field and missions philosophy and about my family. Sometimes they ask about doctrine.

Recently I was having lunch with a pastor when he stated, “Michael, I am going to ask you a question that the possibility of you having a meeting at my church hinges on.”

I replied, “Okay” - really hoping I had the right answer to the question up my sleeve!!

He asked, What, if any, is the difference between the terms “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God”?”

I started laughing out loud when he said it, hoping that an opportunity at his church truly did not hinge on this question because I thought for sure I was not going to answer the question how he wanted me to.

I answered it truthfully. I refuse to be something or someone I am not. I told him I understood the issue and I gave my supporting verses for why I believe that they are.....(well that is another topic)

He replied that he completely agreed. (Whew!) He proceeded to state that he was kidding about the meeting hinging on the question. We laughed.

I really like taking pastors out to lunch! It is fun!