Did you know that the longest Psalm in the Bible, Psalm 119, is an amazing, intimate love letter to God about his word to us? Don’t believe me? Check this out: in 176 verses, the Psalmist pours out his value, respect, and love for God’s Word. He uses different words to describe the multifaceted wisdom from the Lord:
Word
Statutes
Law
Commandments
Testimony
Rules
Precepts
Way
…and check out these verses:
v.1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!
v.14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
v.18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
v.20 My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.
v.28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!
v.37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
v.48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.
v.72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
v.93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
v.103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
v.175 Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me.
Truly, the writer places such high value on God’s Word and its importance in his life that he can barely contain his excitement. In light of this, I wonder: what is our view of God’s Word?
For a book written over 2,000 years ago, across three continents, by 40 different authors in three languages, it is supernaturally pointed and unified in its message: Jesus is King of all creation, and He desperately loves you. The Word of God is the most tangible expression of Jesus on the earth today. His Spirit in us resonates with His Spirit in the Word and brings clarity, conviction, and comfort where needed in our lives when we spend time reading and meditating on it.
This summer, you will have the opportunity to spend intentional time each day in this amazing love letter about Jesus. In that time, you will get to know Him more deeply, understand His love for you, and learn how He has gifted you to share Him with the world. We hope this practice becomes a transformative habit that God uses to shape you to be more like Him—a habit that continues long after the summer ends. What better way to fill your mind with the promises and the person of Jesus than time in His Word?
But you don’t have to wait until summer—get into the Word today. As you mentally and physically prepare for your trip, prepare your heart as well. If you’re not already reading daily, why not read one Psalm and one chapter in the Gospels (I recommend John) each day from now until Training Camp? You will be engaging in a life-changing practice, and it will be time invested in eternity.
As Isaiah so famously declares in chapter 55 verse 11 and 12 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” God desires to meet with you—encounter Him in His Word. We can’t wait to hear the testimony of how God uses His Word in your life this summer.
Important Information
Forms Due
The forms that we sent you in your Prep Packet are due May 13th (that is next week). Make sure to look through the material you were sent to be sure you don't miss a thing; especially the Reference Sheet. Be careful to read through the forms and instructions carefully. Anything filled out incorrectly will be returned to you. If you have questions about any of the forms, please contact us, and we'll be happy to help!
ManagedMissions - Checking Your Support & Forms
By now you have been sent an invitation email to ManagedMissions.com (it was sent to the main email address you gave on your registration. Check your spam folder if you haven't seen it). ManagedMissions.com is the online financial reporting site that we use to let you know who has donated to you. The Finance Department will upload your support donations 2-3 times each week. This is not an automatic process. If you donate online today, you may not see it in your account for 2-3 business days. Once you log into your account you will be able to see the complete cost of the mission trip, who has sent a gift, and calculate how much is still needed to be raised. You will also be able to download donor information so thank you notes can be sent. If you need the invite email resent to access your ManagedMissions.com account, just let me know!
In the "Tasks" tab, you will see a list of forms that we need.
Please note: at this time of year we are getting a TON of forms in all at once. It takes us a few days to get the task marked complete once we receive the form. So please, once you put your forms in the mail, wait at least 10 days before calling to see if we received your forms. If you are missing any of the forms we are requesting, you can download them from the MyMissionTrip page of the website (please print 2 sided if possible) or email me and I'll send it to you again.
Packing Tips
An optional but highly recommended item on your Packing List is a water filter straw (Life-straw) or similar). These are a great option for filtering water to drink right from your water bottle instead of purchasing bottled water.
TIP: If your registration has been accepted, be sure to read through all of the materials sent to you. There is some pretty important info in that packet - make sure you don’t miss a thing!
If you haven't submitted your registration, don't worry, you still have time! Go hit submit today!
If you have any questions about Royal Servants or the registration process, please email us at lmacdonell@reignministries.org.