This past weekend I had the opportunity to see a wide variety of people living out their faith at MissionFest. There’s something truly genuine about seeing people who have left everything to pursue Christ.
MissionFest involves missionaries speaking about their particular experiences and it includes booths of missions organizations, Bible schools and outreach events from around the world. Over 140 exhibitors present on how God has called them to reach the lost and encourage the saved.
It’s energizing because it refocuses my attention that Christ is all.
I met a man who runs a Christian music festival who works during the day to finance this outreach event every year for many years now. It was uplifting because this year I’m trailblazing on the Winnipeg Real to Reel Film Festival and I just felt so encouraged to meet someone who also loves the arts and is passionate about loving people through this medium.
I met a woman who is part of an organization that gives shelter to women who have chosen to keep their babies through pregnancy, but have no place to live. On one of the evenings, a man from a neighbouring town gave – I repeat – gave them a six bedroom house to use to help women who will benefit from being able to carry their child full term through their support.
Divine appointments still happen.
We heard from Setan Lee – a man who was in the killing fields of Cambodia – who saw his female friend killed right before his eyes by a female guard, and then years later met the killer in a church service and forgave her.
God doesn’t often make life easy. And when you hear the stories of how people have endured through suffering, it’s a good reminder for our Western Culture that we are really living in a unique time and place in history that very few people can relate to. We have tremendous opportunity to serve.
And when you meet the people at those exhibition booths and the speakers who have grasped this, it’s truly something inspiring. People whose passion and identity in Christ spurs us on to do the same.
What’s God been calling you to do that may seem out of the ordinary for you?
1 comment:
Paul, thank you for providing these cameos. They have the capacity to fuel holy passion and challenge us to greater endeavour in the name of our Lord for the sake of others.
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