"Field Posts"

The RMI team works hard to facilitate our "pre-trip administration"; all the work that needs to be done on our end, AND on the end of our US Church partners in preparation for a short term team visit to Haiti. Frankly, it's difficult to explain how complicated and protracted this whole process is. Problem:   This process hasn't changed in many years. It takes full time people on the RMI side managing the load, lots of coordination, lots of paperwork, lots of back and forth communication and documentation, filing, duplication of effort, etc. Solution:  It was time for a change to bring more efficiency and simplicity to a labor intensive process. After being in development for approximately 18 months, we've just launched a whole new system that embraces technology and automation, including online forms, website integration, automated email invoicing, email notifications and tasks, etc. On the RMI side, it takes many of the responsibilities off of one person, a...

We are out of space at our office, and therefore we have to convert our current office conference room into more desk space. Yet, we still must have a place for the RMI team to meet.  We also have LONG wanted a place where we can gather our Sister Church Pastors and School Directors.  God has open the door to address these needs. We're building a room on top of our current Depot building. It's Saturday, but the construction team wanted to work!  We're excited for what this "addition" to the RMI Depot will provide to our ministry.

Here are a few free pointers for those of us that find ourselves involved in missionary fund raising... WAIT - IMPORTANT NOTE:  Before I begin, to those who have given generously and sacrificially to us, we thank you! Your sacrifice sustains us.  Your generous giving is grace to us.  We are at a loss for words to say thank you. Back to fund raising...  Let me be very honest.  I am NO EXPERT.  I constantly feel like I have no idea what I'm doing.  As we enter into these things together, I want to share the following pointers  that I've found to be helpful to revisit time and time again. Be Authentic - There is no amount of manipulation that is healthy or helpful. Trust God - It isn't about you.  Don't get discouraged, seriously, God is at work in you and through you in this process. Be Truthful - Never deceive.  Never hide. Dream Big - Don't underestimate what God is going to do. Embrace Overhead - Many want to shy away f...

I'm so excited that TODAY is my last day of chemo!  This is a milestone in my cancer treatment that I have been looking forward to since the beginning of treatment.  I started out in September with a two-drug treatment once every two week for 4 treatments (that took 8 weeks.). That treatment was pretty rough on my system, but not as bad as I anticipated.  I was VERY fatigued for 5-6 days afterward and just didn't feel right.  Thankfully any stomach side effects were very minimal.  My hair started falling out when the doctor told me it would. And so far through my entire treatment, my blood counts have been great and I've had no issues with infection from a compromised immune system.  When that first treatment was finished, I started a second treatment, one-drug (different than the first two) once a week for 12 weeks. Today is #12 of 12!  This treatment has been much more tolerable. The biggest side effects really came from the Benadryl and st...

Am I worshiping my work, or is my work an extension of my God-directed worship?  How about you? Worship is an "expression of the heart, mind and soul born out of reverence and admiration that reveals and celebrates greatness".   Reference: Thompson Unabridged Dictionary Let's not disconnect our work from our mission of worship.  Let's make sure our worship is vertical, not horizontal, and not directed at the interminable pursuit of self. This admonition applies equally to those in "full time ministry", those "in the business world", stay at home moms and dads, retired, students, teachers, engineers, artists, etc. We all just as easily take our eye off the purpose of our existence.  When we take our eye off the ball, we swing/kick and miss.  We get sidetracked from the mission and spend countless hours in empty pursuits. As fellow believers, we are all on the same mission.  Let's not allow ourselves to get consumed by the work, let's...

Confession:  I've struggled with fear and worry my whole life.  I am an expert ( tongue in cheek ) and can certify that... Fear/worry steals. Fear/worry blinds. Fear/worry kills. Fear/worry distracts. Fear/worry deceives. Fear/worry devours. Fear/worry binds. Fear/worry exploits. Fear/worry ignores truth. Fear/worry prevents. Fear/worry consumes. These 2 destroyers are in cooperation.  Fear fuels worry.  Without fear, worry is dead. Fear. Where does fear come from? Fear comes from misplaced self oriented earthly desire and concern.  Dousing the fire that fear desires is only possible when we recognize fear and choose to center our will upon God's eternal purposes.  Ignoring and allowing fear to take up residence is not without consequence.  Surrendering to a God who wholly knows us and completely loves us and wants what is best for us frees us from the power of fear. Worry. Worry is trouble-centered frenetic mental and emotiona...

If we expect to be one, than there must be uncommon behavior intentionally applied.  Common vision, purpose and goals requires uncommon teachability, eagerness for harmony, admiration of other’s gifts, and meekness. I am speaking about T.E.A.M. T eachability - “Never be wise in your own sight.” Rom 12:16 E agerness for Harmony – “Live in harmony with one another” Rom 12:16 A dmiration of Other’s Gifts – “Outdo one another in showing honor.” Rom 12:10 M eekness – “Do not be haughty” Rom 12:16 If we expect to be ONE TEAM, one body, one family, we must intentionally act in unnatural uncommon ways.  Sadly, a flesh filled, all-too-common pompous and unyielding inability to listen and learn, lazy acceptance of discord, blindness to the gifting of others, and self righteousness are our pitfalls.  We are quick to speak (teach) and slow to listen (learn) to other perspectives. When don’t understand that unity follows harmony, not the other way around. We compare ourselves ...