Missions

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).

If you've read many of my blogs, you may have noticed that I've done both short-term and longer-term mission work. Some of it has involved construction and church programs, but the long-term assignments have been teaching missionary children whose parents are working to get the Word to people groups who don't have the Bible in their language. 

. . . remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

When someone volunteers to spend time in the mission field for the first time, they go with the idea of helping those less fortunate or sharing Jesus with those who don't know Him. However, when they return home, they realize they've been blessed even more than they've been a blessing. It's hard to explain unless you experience it, but I've never known it not to hold true. You go to give, and you come home blessed beyond measure.

Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king (1 Peter 2:17).

It's always more fulfilling to have a giving heart, but less fortunate people have also shared precious gifts with me. I've never met people more in love with Christ than I have in places like Oaxaca, Mexico, or Davao, Philippines. The love they shared with me will stay with me forever. The lessons of faith they taught me have been invaluable. Never be condescending or look down on anyone. God expects us to treat everyone with love and respect.

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Sawmills and Lumberjacks

My father's family owned a sawmill in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in the late 1800s and into the early part of the 20th century. Grandpa had three sons who helped him in the operation. During the Great Depression, he bought a 500-acre farm in Wilkes County and moved the family there. Years later, the eldest son, Raymond, bought the sawmill from his father, and my dad worked for his older brother for several years.

My dad knew timber since he'd grown up and worked in the industry. He could name and tell you about any tree he saw. As a child, I absorbed much of this information. I'm sorry to say, I've lost some of this knowledge from lack of use, but I still remember some too. When I read the guidelines for the multiple-author project, Mountain Men and Mail-Order Brides, I knew my mountain man would be a lumberjack, and I set the book in Washington Territory in 1878.

Noah's New Bride will publish on Thursday (10-3-24). In it Noah is concerned that no woman will want to live in a rugged lumber camp, so he asks his oldest sister back in St. Joseph to help find him a match. He's almost surprised when she does, but Meleah's situation brings problems neither of them suspected. The book will be released in Kindle, KU, and paperback. The Audible version is in production, almost finished, and should be out soon. Don't miss this wonderful story.

Noah's New Bride

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 The Necessity of Prayer

. . . yet ye have not, because ye ask not (James 4:2b).

Prayer is essential to the Christian life. We should live by it, so it becomes a lifestyle. Even Jesus prayed long and often. He would get up early in the morning and go off alone to pray. "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (Mark 1:35).

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth (Psalm 145:18).

Charles Spurgeon tells us, "Asking is the rule of the kingdom." He goes on to explain, "It is the rule that will never be altered in anybody's case. If the royal and divine Son of God cannot be exempted from the rule of asking that He may have, you and I cannot expect to have the rule relaxed in our favor. God will bless Elijah and send rain on Israel, but Elijah must pray for it. If the Jews are to be delivered, Daniel must intercede. God will bless Paul, and the nations shall be converted through him, but Paul must pray" (Charles H. Spurgeon, Twelve Sermons on Prayer).

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us (1 John 5:14-15).

Prayer has so much power; never neglect it. It is our direct communication line to God. Use it often, praying in all circumstances and offering praises to the Holy One who loves us and wants the best for us. Live your life as a prayer, depending upon God.

Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

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 Churches in 1880 Town

As the West became more settled, churches were also established. By 1880, people were interested in seeing their area cease from lawlessness and become "more civilized." They wanted families, businesses, schools, and churches as well as ranches or farms. However, getting specific data on the number of churches or denominations west of the Mississippi can be a challenge since detailed records from that period aren't always available.

Yet, in the late nineteenth century, we do know that the Western United States saw a significant growth in various Christian congregations. Here is some general information I found:

Many Baptist churches were already well-established in the West by 1880.

The Methodist Church was one of the largest denominations of the time, and they had a strong presence in the West.

The Catholic Church had an early presence in the West, especially in areas with a large Mexican or immigrant presence.

The Presbyterian Church also expanded westward, building many churches.

There were various Lutheran synods active in the West, such as the Missouri Synod.

Many other denominations had a somewhat smaller presence, including Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and Pentecostal groups.

1880 Town in Midland, South Dakota, has two churches, but only one was open to the public when we were there. The Protestant church sat on a hill just outside of town but was visible from there. It had not been renovated or opened yet.

St. Stephen's Church, the Catholic church, was located at one end of town with beautiful stained glass windows as well as other furnishings. It was closed for repairs on the day we were there. It was originally in another South Dakota town and was preserved by moving it to the reconstructed town. 

Whatever their denominations, Western churches became an important part of their communities and often the hub of town society. All my books set in the West have a church congregation of some sort, and most of the time they play an important part in the book.

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 Praise the Lord!

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord (Psalm 150: 1, 2, & 6).

Few people praise God as much as He deserves, even though it is one of our main purposes in life. The Westminster Catechism, written in 1646, states that "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." Praise helps with this. Brother Lawrence, a devoted sixteenth-century monk wrote, " . . . we ought to propose to ourselves to become, in this life, the most perfect worshipers of God we can possibly be as we hope to be through all eternity." Most of us fall short when it comes to praise and worship.

"Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name (Matthew 6:9b).

In the model prayer we call "The Lord's Prayer" that Jesus used to teach us how to pray, He begins by praising God. Throughout His ministry, He gave honor and glory to the Father. Dick Eastman writes in his book, The Hour That Changes the World, "Praise is more than a single aspect of prayer. Praise is a way of life." Is it a way of life for you?

O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name . . . (Isaiah 25:1a).

True praise and worship isn't just an outward display but a matter of the heart. It's an attitude of reverence, honor, love, and joy in the Lord. Praise, worship, and thankfulness all go hand in hand. They pull our focus away from self and put it on God where it should have been all along. When we center our attention on how perfect, holy, and awesome God is and know we are His and He loves us, we'll find ourselves living in joy despite what is happening around us. Hallelujah! 

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 Hotel in 1880 Town

Most Western towns had someplace for guests to stay, although communities too small to be called a town might not. Before the railroad came to town, boarding houses often offered that service, but the railroad brought growth, and hotels were a part of that. All my Western novels have either a boarding house or a hotel, but the establishment plays a more important role in some than others.

1880 Town in Midland, South Dakota, had a hotel, but today's visitors weren't allowed inside yet, so I have no photos to show of the interior. However, I assume it looked like other historic hotels in the region, such as ones at the Patee House in St. Joseph, Missouri. Besides the hotel, 1880 Town had more than one saloon with rooms to rent. This was typical of Western towns at the time. Deadwood, South Dakota, had more saloons than all other businesses combined.

Patee House

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Commissioned

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:19).  

Most Christians are familiar with the Great Commission. When I served as a missionary in the Philippines, I took notes during a meeting with fellow missionaries of ways God's people could take part in teaching all nations. Obviously, not everyone is called to go to a foreign mission field. However, God does expect us all to carry the gospel message wherever we go.

The following is a list of different ways to fulfill this commandment. The key is to select the ones God leads you to do. More than likely, He won't tell you to do just one, and they may change at different stages of your life.

• Be a Sender - Senders often financially support missionaries so they can go. However, if you personally know the missionary, you might take care of a home place, check on relatives for them, or do any number of things to help support them being gone.

• Be an Encourager -  Missionaries often feel isolated and cut off from their previous life. Cards, letters, emails, and packages mean a lot, especially to those without families with them. I met many missionaries serving as single men and women.
• Be an Intercessor - Pray for missionaries in general, but also for specific missionaries. No one knows the effectiveness of fervent prayers any more than a missionary. They rely upon them. Prayer warriors are always needed.

• Be a Welcomer - Be a friend to those who are different and need a friend. Welcome missionaries into your home if you have the opportunity. I will never forget the kindness of people who invited me to stay with them when I was traveling to the mission field or coming home or the number of people who picked me up at airports or took me to rent a car when I needed one.
• Be a Mobilizer - These are the people who help match people with mission opportunities or recruit people to serve in needed mission positions.
• Be a Helper - There are so many ways to assist a missionary and give practical assistance where needed. You might even consider being an assistant missionary for a term.
• Be a Trainer. You may have experience in an area that would be beneficial to a missionary. Perhaps you could volunteer to help train them.
• Be a Goer - Go where God sends you. Say, "Here I am, Lord. Send me." And remember going isn't just overseas. There are also great mission needs right here in the United States, and where you are. Just be faithful to God and His call upon your life.

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