Being filled with joy, peace and hope…

Dear New Life Friends,

Being filled with joy, peace and hope…

Before, during and even now after the mission trip to McDowell County, the team worked (and is working) through a devotional journal of readings, questions and prayers. One of the most significant days for me was “Pre-Trip Day 7”. Part of the reason for that was the Key Verse for the Key Theme “Why not trust?” for the day:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). 

What a great prayer for ourselves, blessing for others and general nugget of truth!

We all need hope. None of us will last very long or go very far without it.

Hope… the very power of God at work today. 

Before we went on the trip, we realized we needed hope ourselves.

While in McDowell, we had the opportunity to share hope with the Experience Mission staff, other mission participants, residents of McDowell, people we met on our travels and each other.

Even now that we are back home, we recognize the work is not all done. People all around us need the joy, peace and hope that only God can bring in a person’s life. That joy, peace and hope is available as we trust in Christ. 

So, welcome to the next day of your mission for God! You don’t have to necessarily go anywhere to be on mission for God. Yet wherever you do end up going, make sure you are offering joy, peace and hope because people need it.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). 

In Christ,

Pastor Mike