Writing to missionaries and sending them mail is a great way to encourage those serving away from home! However, some missionaries serve in countries where Christians are persecuted or sharing the gospel is illegal and punishable. Governments in many of these places monitor letters, packages, emails, social media, websites, and blogs; one word could jeopardize your missionary’s safety and the ministry.

Security is a concern! But don't let that dissuade you from writing to missionaries—their work is challenging, and often times quite lonely.  God can use your words to bring encouragement and brighten their day! Follow these guidelines to help keep your missionary and the people they work with safe. These guidelines should be followed for phone calls, letters, emails, blogs, packages, and comments on social media.

• Check with your missionary on how to best communicate with him or her. Ask if he or she has any specific guidelines for the country where they serve.

• Don’t criticize the government of the host country or its policies - including local campus authority.

• Don’t mention missions, evangelism, missionary, ministry, witnessing, giving out Bibles, outreach, gospel, Jesus, support raising, the host country’s religion, or the name of a church in the country where they serve, etc.

• Don’t send missionary prayer letters, tracts, church bulletins, Bibles, or any other ministry-related material.

• Limit your use of Christian language. It’s OK to talk about your own spiritual life and quote Scripture, but in moderation.

• Don’t mention the names of other missionaries in the host country or identify people who might be interested in Christianity.

• Don’t mail letters or packages with church stationary or labels.

• Don’t post emails, letters, or comments from your missionary online, and don’t forward them without their permission.

• Don't send out bulk emails to missionaries in Asia or the Middle East.

• Ask for your missionary’s permission before sharing his or her mailing or email addresses with anyone. Make sure anyone who receives your missionary’s contact information understands these communication guidelines too.

• Please DO write a missionary! Mail is a cherished and important encouragement! First class mail, in most cases, can take several weeks to reach its destination, so be sure to send mail early!                                                                                                                      

More than a year ago, my family and I began to pray about our future.  Would we continue to serve a young, small, great, hip group of believers or begin to look in an area where we could live closer to family and serve in a church that could use us?  We know the answer to that question now, but we didn’t then.  That is why we prayed.  We prayed to hear God move. To open doors and to close them.  To show us new possibilities and to seize opportunities.   
As I write this today, I am sitting with my mom in Omaha NE as she is recovering from a major foot surgery.   [She has 11 screws in her foot now.  Can’t take her through any metal detectors. :) ]  I know she prayed about this surgery.  We both have prayed for the doctors, nurses and others who would help her recover.  I believe prayer grows with you as you mature in Christ.  I certainly don’t believe I prayed this much or hard about things from my first years of being a believer in Christ.  I would like to share a few thoughts on praying:

1.  Begin: This seems silly.  Often times we don’t pray because we never begin.  Begin by saying words.  Then add to that.  You’ll get the hang of it.

2. Have you ever been driving, making dinner, reading a book and all of a sudden you are reminded of God.  When that happens, pray.  Pray about what is bringing you to that moment. 

3.  When someone tells you something big, and you feel the urge to pray for them, do it, out loud, with them.  It will bring you to a new place with God and your friend.

4.  Goes along with #3, when you tell someone you will pray for them.  Really pray for them. 

5. Journal or write out prayer requests and track them.  It will help you with seeing where God is answering prayers in affirmation and with the big “NO” which does and should happen.  

6. Pray for your church, church leaders, church pastors, community and name people by name.  It will help you connect with them spiritually.