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Have you heard the expression “Boots on the Ground?” Well our Live Dead Missionaries are the boots on the Silk Road. Here we’d like to take a moment and allow one of them to share a snapshot of their life with you. Some names and details have been changed, but this is a true story from this colorful, vibrant, and sometimes surprising region.

In the August 18th Live Dead Joy entry, “Grace Labors,” I found comfort while out on our youth retreat.

As we were getting ready to go last Sunday, we had strife over running late, sickness in the form of not being able to leave the bathroom, and just down right grumpiness.

The first night there, my husband and I looked at each other and asked ourselves, “Why are we here?”

We are often finding our own character flaws and having to reform, replace, and restructure things to conform to the plan that the Lord has for our lives. It is hard work and something that is never really done until we meet Him face to face.

In our line of work, it has become the norm to focus on unreached peoples. We read books and listen to those that have seen exponential growth in seeing the church grow among these people groups, but little is discussed about discipleship of those then reached peoples.

Discipleship Takes Time

We have found ourselves here trying to share with those that are unreached and haven’t seen much movement in that arena. Though we have never been rebuffed or rudely silenced, we aren’t seeing the “yes” answer either. What we have seen is the believers that we know asking us questions and reading things that we recommend to them, that are leading them to share more and more.

As we spend time with them, pray that their fear would lessen and that they would feel His freedom to share, we are seeing fruit.

It was comforting to read the reminder that “discipleship takes time” and that “the growth process for both individuals and churches cannot be shortened without detrimental side effects.” The lesson of the sower in Luke 8 was the example from the scripture in the Live Dead devotion. He reminds us of the fruit of patience and long suffering in seeing those that are won to the Father being conformed to His image.

I was raised in a believing home, have had years of mentorship, reading, prayer and devotional time, and yet still daily have to apologize and repent for not showing a fruit of the Spirit to someone in my life. I was thankful for the exhortation,

How dare we think we can shorten the process of discipleship among unreached peoples!

We must love the lost long enough to labor in grace for them and with them in the journey of discipleship.

And, that is why we were here this week!

We Need Each Other

We were able to share, over and over again with this group of youth this week about finding out what God’s plan is for their life, showing forgiveness when someone offends you, how to share with those that they know and love, and finally today, we spoke with them about how to choose the right partner in life. The hunger for truth was palpable! We were there to disciple them, and along the way, one of them, that had never accepted the truth, came to full knowledge of Him. So, we have a new sister now too!

I am reminded to be gracious to those in life that we are responsible for mentoring and helping to grow in Him. They may be your children or fully-grown adults, but God has put you in their lives for a reason. Just as you have had people speak love into your lives, you too can be His tool to reform and recast another believer into His image so that they too can go on and help another. We all need one another in order to continue our growth. We weren’t made to walk alone!

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