There has been so much change in my life during the past few months that it’s almost impossible to keep track of it all. So far this year, I have not been in any one state for longer than 5 weeks in a row. I’ve moved from Minneapolis to North Dakota, and then from North Dakota to Georgia, then I traveled back and forth between Minnesota and North Dakota for a month to develop ministry partners, and then finally arrived back in Georgia for 10 days to rest and recover before beginning an even more nomadic summer.
If you didn’t know, I recently took a role at Adventures in Missions as a Creative Storyteller. It is a true privilege to use my creative gifts and passions to work toward reaching the unreached and making disciples of all the nations. I’ll be telling stories of God’s work with long-term bases overseas, the World Race, as well short-term missions trips in the United States. Here’s what it looks like this summer:
Starting on June 5th, I’ll be traveling all over the United States filming five of AIM’s short-term domestic missions trips. By filming these missions, I’ll get to showcase the way God is working in the hearts of the participants, the way he is using them to impact the people they interact with, and how they are encouraging and supporting ongoing ministry.
My Schedule for June & July:
- New Orleans: 6/5 to 6/7 (Mission Trip)
- Mashulaville: 6/7 to 6/9 (Mission Trip)
- *** Stay overnight in Chicago on 6/10
- Minneapolis: 6/11 to 6/18 (Wedding & Partnership Development)
- Chicago: 6/19 to 6/23 (Mission Trip)
- Minneapolis & ND: 6/24 to 7/8 (Wedding & Partnership Development)
- *** Stay overnight in Chicago on 7/9, drive all day on 7/10 to get to HH
- Hilton Head: 7/11 to 7/17 (Mission Trip)
- Asheville: 7/19 to 7/23 (Mission Trip)
My schedule is a little crazy. Actually, I think it’s fair to say that it’s a lot crazy. I’ll be pretty much living out of my car, filming missions trips, traveling, and traveling more. And the Lord moves and breaks things in the hearts of the people on these trips, there’s not a doubt in my mind that things will also move and break in my own heart as well.
The Lord is growing me up. He is shaping and forming and maturing me. He has been exposing my weaknesses and preparing me for something specific, and this is that something. I can easily see how God has been teaching me to be flexible and patient, adaptable and easygoing, empathetic and compassionate.
All of these things are essential for this wild and dynamic summer. From living out of my car, to traveling from city to city alone, to working in unfamiliar contexts alongside people I’ve never met, I could really use a lot of prayer. I don’t know what to expect, but I do expect the Lord to go before me, to fight for me as he always has, and use his immeasurably great power to keep me motivated, passionate, and alive this summer.
Looking ahead, I can foresee that there will be points of discomfort and exhaustion, but if my discomfort is going to help create new opportunities for people to have powerful mission’s experiences and grow closer to Jesus, then my comfort is a small and easy price to pay.
And how great is the joy knowing that this season is already shaping me in new ways, making me more dependent on God, and less on myself. I haven’t felt this excited and inspired for any creative project since the day I first picked up a camera and could feel a world of possibility and none of the limitations. May God tell His stories through me.
Stories from the field to come 🙂
Grace & Peace,
Ben H.
