We held our 3^rd Missions Matters Service last night. I cannot describe what a blessing it is to hear from missionaries in this setting. We give them 45 minutes to share their heart and share about their ministry. It’s just simply amazing the testimonies we have been privileged to hear.

Last night I shared at the service about where we are at on our expansion project. Our missionary speaker for this Thursday, I have known since about 2005-2006. So he has known us since our most humble beginnings. Before he even heard the update on the project last night he had in mind to share with us Isaiah 54:2-3. “Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. For you shall expand to the right and to the left, and your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.”

I found it interesting as he mentioned the missionaries we serve would be like the descendants in our case, inheriting the nations. What we do at God’s Share Program is all about strengthening the arms of the missionaries to fulfill what God has called them to do. Even though we are distributing supplies our goal is to see souls added to the Kingdom all around the world. The supplies we send either meet basic needs or provide encouragement. Both are great tools in building relationships with nationals thereby providing increased opportunity to speak into their lives, sharing hope, sharing the message of Jesus Christ.  Personally, I don’t have any “descendants” that I can invest my life into. But I have invested my life into missionary work around the world. It was a great analogy Neil shared.

So I met with our mediator/realtor. This is really a unique story as to how it even came about that we are considering this building. I knew the current tenant was moving out months ago. We were given opportunity to pick up donations from there. Donald suggested we look into it. I said no. Yep, I didn’t even give it a second thought. A couple weeks ago, we received a call from the realtor’s wife to pick up donations of items left in the building. When the realtor told me how much the monthly lease had been for the previous tenant, my response was, ‘that is not in our budget’. He offered to show us around any way. I have to say generally when I tell someone that, the conversation ends. The realtor has served as a mediator between us and the owners of the building. I can say I have truly felt God directing each step every day. Wednesday, I found out that one of our volunteers who passes that building twice each week, had also talked to God about that being a great building for us. God has been very gracious to me being slow to come around to His thinking…..

The city has chalked up the zoning issue to a “scriveners error”. They are re-doing their maps to show the location we are looking at purchasing as OP which is what we need to have a thrift store on the premises. This is good news. It will allow us to move into the building sooner. The larger sales floor space will open up opportunities for more sales dollars. The larger building will allow us to enlarge our impact in our community and in our world. We will be able to have a ‘showcase’ hallway full of pictures and country flags to show the community how they are making a difference around the world with their thrift store purchases. I have to say I have never felt such a ‘disinterest’ in the area of missions by the Christian community. I have shared this with others and they have all agreed. It’s just not the same as it used to be. (This is NOT directed at those of you receiving this e-mail, please do not think that.) However, I feel like God is opening the door for us to raise up a remnant of missions minded people to increase the harvest in Zephyrhills and beyond in these ‘last days’. I never chose to be in Zephyrhills, but God has placed me here. So I need to not only be content here, but I need to look to why God has me here and live it out for His glory.

So this morning I sit here with a contract to sign. I know I must sign it. You see it’s gonna take a lot of faith and a lot of work to see this expansion project through. Just thinking of what it will take physically, emotionally and spiritually makes me want to stay where it is “safe”, at a location where I know what we can do financially. However, “safe” is only in  God’s will. I truly know that it is God’s will that we expand the place of our tent. He is opening the door to a great opportunity on the same street. If you have to move a business, the same street just blocks away seems pretty perfect to me. To stay where I deem it is “safe”, if it is not God’s will…. Well then it’s not safe.

Once I sign the contract we could close by 9/27/19 or earlier. Yay! This is the perfect time to move, before our busiest season hits, and in time for the busy season so our winter customers will know where to find us. But that means we need $32,500 in less than 30 days. We currently have $3250.00 towards this project. I could save every penny that comes in the door, but God called us to serve missionaries. Hoarding supplies to save money… well that is not God’s will. We just shipped out 9 shipments this week for missionaries in the Philippines, Hungary, Thailand, TX USA, Japan, Cape Town SA, Zambia, Mali and Canary Islands Spain.

Thanks again to all who are praying with us. I have walked out on the proverbial “limb of faith” many times, so this isn’t my “first rodeo” so to speak… I am thankful I am wiser so I guess I have to say I am thankful I am older… (smile) but it is still stepping out into the unknown….. trusting God to provide and uphold.

Bless ya’all. To those of you living in Florida, prayers as we prepare for Dorian.

Kim