Blog

By: Emily Faison

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever wanted? A new iPhone or tickets to a concert? For me, I couldn’t wait to have my own car.

In Sunday School, we spent a lot of time talking about everyday topics like money. We talked about budgeting, saving, and giving. These were easy to talk about, but harder to do! What helped me was figuring out a way to PRIORITIZE.

When I wanted to buy a car in high school, I started asking myself: Would I rather have this frappucino or car? A friend thought I was joking. Why was I comparing a frozen coffee drink to a car? It’s true that I would have to buy a LOT more frappucinos than I could ever slurp down to equal the cost of a car! But I started asking myself this question at every opportunity. Would I rather buy a new pair of jeans or a car? Would I rather add a milkshake to my Chick-Fil-A order or have a car?

Even though it feels silly to compare these tiny wants to a huge future goal, asking this question helps to visualize priorities and think about what is most important to you.

When I list out the things that I want to be able to do with my money—buy a car, pay for gas to fuel that car, give to missions, do fun activities with my friends—a new pair of jeans feels not so important.

Prioritizing how you spend your money does not mean giving up all fun things! Maybe you are saving for a fun goal, like those tickets to a concert with your friends. By making the choice to spend your money on a concert in a few months, you might choose not to go to the movies for a few weekends or choose not to buy new clothes for a while. 

Budgeting and saving your money can feel impossible when you want to say yes to everything. Prioritizing helped me realize that I wasn’t just saying, “No, I don’t want a frappucino,”…I was actually saying, “Something else is more important to me.”

Although it might seem like an odd Sunday School topic, like everything else in our lives, the way we earn and spend money should mirror our relationship with Jesus—sometimes it’s a matter of remembering what’s most important. PRIORITIZE.

By: Khristi Shores

Adventure, excitement, friendships, challenges, training, learning, blessings, stretching, and growing. These terms apply to two summer programs:  ETEAM (mission team) and Truth and Peace (leadership program).

ETEAM is a three-week program open to young people entering their sophomore year of high school through their senior year graduation. Before each team leaves for their two-weeks of service, the students and their leaders will have a full week of training. This includes spiritual, cultural (for their specific place of service), learning a mime to perform, and songs to sing in the language where they will serve. Team leaders are adults that have had a thorough background check and were screened by the International Missions Department.

Truth and Peace is for freshmen through their high school graduation. It is excellent for spiritual training, self-discipline, time management, teamwork, service, and leadership skills. At the end of the training, the students will prepare and serve in many capacities during the National Association of Free Will Baptists, the annual denominational convention. It is also a time of meeting new friends that will last a lifetime.

My friend, Kyla Kivette, said her experiences, as a high school student, with ETEAM and Truth and Peace allowed her to visit three different countries and meet friends from around the world. ETEAM provided her with memorable experiences, such as eating horse in Kazakhstan and attending a Japanese tea ceremony. More importantly, it revealed the urgency of spreading the gospel. ETEAM allowed her to meet unbelievers with whom she still communicates today.

ETEAM taught Kyla that while comfort zones are great, nothing ever grows there. She gained lifelong mentors and friends.  She also has a desire to be the hands and feet of Jesus, whether in Saut-D’Eau, Haiti, or Nashville, Tennessee.

Truth and Peace strengthened Kyla’s relationship with Christ, and taught her the importance of responsibility, time management, and habits. Kyla said, “Because of Truth and Peace, I engage in better habits as simple as making my bed every day and in solitude and the power of prayer.

“My summers as a high school student were not spent riding roller coasters at Disney World but serving at a food bank in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and painting a school in Nashville, Tennessee. To many, this might sound unappealing. But it taught me that leading is serving and reminded me that only what is done for Christ will last.”

By: Lainey Batts

I just returned from my first E-TEAM trip, where we traveled to Spain. It was an incredible time that has transformed my perspective on missions and the Great Commission. But I never would have made it to Spain without the support of my family and friends. They encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try something different. E-TEAM is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even if it means missing out on some things back home, it’s definitely worth it.

To parents and grandparents: “Uncle Neil” Gililand told us at E-TEAM training that he doesn’t struggle to find teens that want to go on summer mission trips. The struggle is finding parents and grandparents that will let their teens go. By sending your teen you are helping fulfill the Great Commission. You are helping open your teen’s eyes to the way God is working around the world. Three weeks may seem like a long time to send your teen somewhere else, but it is an important investment for the rest of their lives. Knowing that my parents and grandparents supported my decision to go gave me the freedom to completely commit to the E-TEAM experience.

To siblings and friends: For most teens, international travel is a completely new experience. That can make both students and friends nervous. Even if you are nervous, be encouraging. Be excited! God is doing great things through E-TEAM and other summer mission opportunities. Your friend or sibling is going to have unique experiences that will shape their life. Once they return home, ask good questions. Be ready to listen to their stories.

To everyone: Yes, you will miss your teen. But remember God is using this time to transform hearts and lives for His purpose. Pray for the students! Pray that their trips will have an impact on them for the rest of their lives. Pray that they will serve God and others well. Pray that they will grow in their faith. Let the students know you are praying for them. That’s a huge encouragement. It really makes a difference.

By: Hannah Gorrell

This has been the consensus of many or most of our weeks. Maybe even the last hundred weeks have felt ‘crazy’.

When feeling out of order or overwhelmed, it is easy to feel discouraged or passive towards the next day or week. Some of us may have even gone through something exceedingly difficult in the last week. Some may feel weary. Some may feel tired. While Proverbs 27:1 tells us not to boast about tomorrow, I pray that our tomorrows hold much hope and promise.

In a sense, our happiness makes us comfortable or excited for the next day. But it should not be our sole motivation. Christ’s love is still real, even when we are not ‘happy.’ We can still serve the Lord while feeling sad. Do not ignore what you are feeling. Please feel it fully. Just be reminded that you do not have to be happy to serve the Lord.

The psalmist reminds us that even though we walk through the valley, we will fear no evil. (Psalm 23) Recognize where you are in this season of life. Then stride towards the goal of serving Christ and others.

I get overwhelmed thinking about where I am in comparison to another person or based on how long I have been a Christian. Instead of comparing myself to others, I look inward to determine where I have plenty or what I lack.

We are all given different spiritual gifts. Some may have a handful of patience but lack bravery. Instead of being discouraged by comparison, be thoughtful and ask the Lord for help to be more like Him. This will allow us to use our gifts to serve Christ and others even in our crazy weeks.

By: Lily Bryant

You never know when you will have to stick up for your faith; or more importantly, make a choice. About a year ago, when I was in seventh grade, I was forced to make a choice about how I was going to deal with a situation with my friends.

Every once in a while, I would hear one or two of my friends using the Lord’s name as a throw away phrase.  I would try to remind them not to, but of course it never lasted long. I tried to see it as an “oopsie,” because it’s awfully hard to not be influenced by others (especially when you hear some adults are also doing it, but that’s a story for another time). One day it felt like everybody around me was saying it all the time and I just didn’t know what to do. Later that night I decided to go to my mother for advice. She understood it was hard and encouraged me to stand up and do the right thing.

Doing the right thing can be hard, especially when it seems like everyone is doing the opposite. I knew God’s principles (especially His commandments) since I listen at church and read my Bible. I knew it wasn’t right to take the Lord’s name in vain in any way. I made sure I was being careful not to say those things or let those phrases get in my mind and come out of my mouth.

At the end of all this, I didn’t let myself be influenced by the others around me and I kept following the Word of God. Now, I am a stronger Christian and person because I didn’t give into the temptation to sin.  You can do it too – stick together God’s girls!  😊

This is Lily signing off!

By: Hannah Goucher

The minute I returned from my ETEAM trip to Japan in 2017, I knew God was calling me to be a missionary. Before this trip, I had an interest in missions but no inclination to go as a missionary. Once I sat down on the flight back to the United States, I knew that mission work was something to which God was calling me. I surrendered. From then on, I was ready to go wherever God called me. Or so I thought.

I began to study missions at Welch College in the fall of 2017, and received copious amounts of instruction, wisdom, and guidance that I will truly cherish for the rest of my life. I was fully prepared to use the things I learned and was so excited to head to the mission field as soon as possible. During my senior year, though, I let many events get in the way of being obedient to God’s calling. Some were big and some small, but either way I allowed myself to put my wants and supposed “needs” in the place of the perfect will of God. I wrestled for quite a bit of time, questioning if I was doing the right thing. In my heart I knew I was heading on a path of disobedience. Don’t get me wrong, the things I wanted to do instead of going straight to the mission field were not bad. I just began to say, “Maybe later?” when God was saying, “Now.”

I will never forget the day I decided to be obedient. I was a counselor at a teen summer camp. That night, after many nights of feeling confused in trying to go my own way, I felt the peace that comes from surrendering your will to the God Whose ways are always good.

Soon I will be returning to Japan as an intern missionary solely through the grace and goodness of God. One verse that has stuck with me throughout this journey is Proverbs 19:21, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” Though it seems easy for us to establish our own plans and ideas, may we all seek to surrender to the perfect will of God.

By: Rachel Violanti

Laundry. Dishes. Cleaning. Did you roll your eyes when you read at least one of those? I would have a few years ago, but then I met Dawn Elliott. One of our first interactions was her “momming” me, telling me to be careful not to fall off a ladder I was using. I thought that was odd because I obviously knew not to fall off the ladder. But what I would come to learn is that she has a heart for young people, and I had so much to learn from her.

I vividly remember complaining to her that I had double the laundry to do now that I am married. She reminded me that I have a husband I love, and we both have clothes to wear. She reminded me of Galatians 5:13, which says: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” That verse doesn’t say to serve one another and grumble about it or serve one another with resentment. Serve one another humbly in love. I don’t have to do laundry; I get to do laundry. Is this always my attitude? No. However, it warms my heart to think I have women in the faith who have been through the same stages of life that will keep me accountable.

This attitude of service works both ways in our marriage. Neither spouse is perfect, but we strive to serve each other humbly in love. If you think, “I’m not married; this isn’t for me.” Think again. When a friend asks for help cleaning her house when you just sat down to watch a movie, going to her house is to serve her humbly in love. This mindset can apply to all our relationships. The best example we have is Jesus – Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) Jesus served us humbly in love when He died in our place. Now it is our turn to emulate the characteristics of Jesus to others.