One evening, when I was in 7^th grade, two crazy ladies, Deb and Sherri (who later became two of my ministry role models), showed up at my church and invited the few high school and middle school students who attended our small church to go on a mission trip to Reynosa, Mexico.  Deb and Sherri seemed fun, going to Mexico seemed fun, and for the most part, I liked meeting new people, so I signed up.  After a few months of training sessions, prayer, and learning about a new culture we climbed on these massively old charter buses that the Covenant Church in Lincoln had purchased, and we made our way to Reynosa.  After a few bus break downs, we finally made it.  We set up camp in our partner churches yard.  We built something (what it was escapes me), we had a VBS for the neighborhood children, we sang songs in Spanish, and taught about Jesus.  It was a fabulous trip!  Minus the fact that my dog passed away while I was gone, I wouldn’t have changed a moment about that trip…  well, I might have changed the fact that we had to turn one of the buses into a moving sick bay…Montezuma got his revenge on our team as we traveled home!

In our scripture for Sunday, we find Jesus and his disciples preparing for their mission trip.  A mission trip that would last their whole lives.  Jesus sent them out with a mission: to trust that God would provide for them, to preach the Good News of Jesus, to bring healing and repentance and to recognize that when they’ve done all they can, leave the rest in God’s hands.

Did you know that God has this same mission in mind for us?  Not just when we go to far off places, but when we walk out our front door.  Every day of our lives we are to trust that God will provide for our needs.  Every day of our lives we are to preach the Good News, and use words to do so.  In doing so, we can, through Jesus’ strength, help others find healing.  It really is what we signed up for, but it’s not easy, but God is with us every step of the way. 

Through God’s grace, may we go forth and live out God mission for our lives.