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by IMB/Send Relief Staff As the shared compassion ministry of the International Mission Board (IMB) and the North American Mission Board (NAMB), Send Relief is working through a vast network of IMB missionaries, field partners and local churches to care for Ukrainian refugees across Eastern Europe. The IMB’s long-term relationships in Ukraine have aided Send Relief efforts to quickly mobilize on-the-ground support and resources. Thanks to the ongoing generosity of Southern Baptists, partners are providing food, shelter, transportation, clothing, medical supplies, trauma care and other essentials to more than 416,000 people displaced by the war. Send Relief compassion ministry efforts began before the Russian invasion into Ukraine, and they will continue because of the faithfulness of Southern Baptists. Gifts given to Ukraine refugee ministries through Send Relief and the IMB now stand at more than $5.5 million. Cade and Ginny Wheeler help lead international Send Relief efforts. “We are working to help our IMB personnel in Europe utilize the humanitarian gifts to Send Relief to strengthen the work of the local churches as they reach out and care for needs, share hope as they meet the acute needs of the hurting and look to long-term community development,” Ginny said. Designated Send Relief funds are being utilized to provide for these needs and minister in multiple countries where IMB personnel and national partners are ministering to Ukrainian refugees. These countries include Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Romania, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and North Macedonia. Send Relief currently has at least 30 compassion ministry projects spread across Europe. Looking for the gaps Local Christians have been vital partners and are leading the way in reaching out to refugees. “We’re encouraging our workers as they’re doing Send Relief projects, and as they’re responding, to ask themselves, ‘Where are the places where there might be a gap in the care, and how can we fill those gaps? Are there people who are not getting their needs met?’” Ginny said. “Our workers on the field are finding those places,” Ginny continued. “Our workers immediately are thinking, ‘How can we meet their physical needs and meet their spiritual needs at the same time?’” IMB missionaries assessed the situation on the border of Romania and Ukraine and determined they could come alongside Romanian Baptists who had already mobilized to provide care. Southern Baptist volunteer teams from Texas are joining Romanian Christians. The teams hope to set up care stations. In existing stations, Christians are forming meaningful connections and providing information as to where they can shelter and connect with local churches. Utilizing corridors In addition to assisting refugees who’ve left Ukraine, Send Relief funds are helping internally displaced Ukrainians. Thousands of Ukrainian Christians remain in the country and are ministering to their countrymen. “One of our workers wrote me and said there were 20 people on dialysis in eastern Ukraine who were going to die if we could not get them out,” Ginny said. The Wheelers used Send Relief funds to provide gasoline for those patients to evacuate to Romania where they connected with local Christians. “We just thank God for the ability to save the lives of those 20 people who had no other way,” Ginny said. “Hopefully, they’re going to have meaningful connections there in Romania. Those are concrete lives, souls’ needs being met, provided for, right now – today. Every one of them, they matter.” Investing relationally “We’re really focused also on creating and utilizing corridors for sending aid into Ukraine with those trusted partnerships with our national churches and with the Baptist seminaries,” Ginny said. The investment of Southern Baptists in Ukraine has a long history and is well-established. Aid is going through Odesa and Lviv, two cities that are home to Baptist seminaries the IMB has partnered with for many years. People are lining up outside seminaries and churches to receive aid. Some Southern Baptist state conventions, such as the North Carolina Baptist Convention, have long-standing relationships in Ukraine. The Baptist state conventions of North Carolina, Mississippi, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Texas Baptist Men, California, Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri and Ohio are sending teams of Disaster Relief volunteers to serve in Poland and Romania. Individuals and churches are also involved. Teams will assist with cooking, distributing food, cleaning, caring for children, providing health screening and sorting donations. “We’re just so thankful for those Southern Baptist state conventions that are involved and have spent years already ministering inside Ukraine, inside Romania, inside Poland, and now, also together we are doing this crisis response,” Ginny said. Providing long-term aid Ginny said IMB missionaries and local partners will continue to provide relief when the war is over. “How much more is going to have to be done,” Ginny asked, “to put these people’s lives back together, to assist the churches within Ukraine and even around Europe, as they try to help these people who have no homes, who have no jobs, who have no infrastructure in Ukraine? “It is no small thing to think of what that’s going to take, and we want to be able to do that,” Ginny continued. “We want to walk alongside them, so that the church can be the ones to be caring for people to meet their tangible needs and to build up the national churches. All the giving, it goes toward that. We share the hope of Jesus, and we meet those needs.” One hundred percent of your gifts to Send Relief’s Ukraine Crisis Fund support ministry to Ukrainian refugees. “We’re so thankful for the response and for the prayers and for the support, the giving,” Ginny said. “Our workers are just so quickly able to have resources to respond to the need because of Southern Baptists’ giving to Send Relief and to the IMB.” #APRIL22

by Ben Mandrell After you go to a restaurant, you go out to the car with your group and discuss whether you want to go back. Was the food good? Was the service good? Overall, is this an experience we want to repeat? People have the same conversations about relationships. Was that a good experience? Should we go back? Should we be friends with them? One of the greatest dangers in relationships is you never know how you’re coming across. We don’t often understand or even think about how unchurched people perceive us. In fact, according to the Greatest Needs of Pastors study from Lifeway Research, 76 percent of pastors say their churches are struggling to connect with unchurched people. Three out of four pastors are saying, “I’m not sure my people have a clue how to build relationships with those who don’t go to our church.” We must simplify what it means to be a good neighbor and to build relationships with the people whom God has placed around us. Several years ago, when my family and I found ourselves planting a church in Colorado, we took a crash course in neighboring and engaging the unchurched. Here are a few things we learned about our neighbors – things we’ll never forget. 1. They’re discerning Sometimes (not every time!) people want to have coffee with me because they want me to do something for them. In the same way, people can sniff out when a Christian wants to get together simply for the purpose of getting buy-in on their beliefs. They know when they’re being manipulated into a situation. One of the mantras that began to play out in the life of our family is: “We invite people into our lives, not a location.” Have them over to your house and be intentional with conversation around the table. We began to do this all the time. We had a conversation cube. You’ve seen these at stores. It’s very simple. That made our neighbors feel special because it wasn’t like, “Hey, come over to our house so we can tell you all about us and our journey and what we’re doing at the church.” We had them over because we had a genuine interest in them as individuals. 2. They have things to teach us Ask for advice on or help with a project. I’m not handy. My former neighbors Neil and Kristy are both super handy and amazing with tools. I would call Neil and ask how to deal with a pipe issue or get help with my sprinkler system. Admitting that you need help endears you to people. Christians can have this idea that we don’t need help because we have the Lord. While that’s true, on earth, we also do need help with some practical things. One of my favorite moments in my life and ministry was the first time our neighbor Neil heard me preach. He came over and knocked on the door. I opened the door, and he said, “Hey, I really liked your presentation.” Other times he would make statements like, “Hey, when I listen to you speak, it makes me want to be a better person.” It always meant so much to me that I was communicating in such a way that he could not only understand but also appreciate the Christian faith. It gave us a lot of room for discussion. Neil went through a hard time when he lost his job, and we were able to have some in-depth conversations about calling and why God puts us on the planet. That relationship began to grow. 3. They notice when we honor what’s important to them In one way, the connection with Neil and Kristy was natural because we have kids who are similar in age. But even if that wasn’t the case, it’s important to show them they matter to you by demonstrating interest in their kids and the things that matter to them. Soon after we began to know Neil and Kristy, their son was seriously injured in a playground accident. Our whole family went over that afternoon. We didn’t know them well at that point, but we showed up with a bag of treats for him to enjoy while he recuperated. We could tell this gesture meant a lot to them. And it created another on-ramp to have a piece of real estate in their life. A note to the church leader Neil told me he wanted to know me as a person before I was a pastor. That deeply impacted me because sometimes as pastors, we forget that we’re human beings – that we were a person before we were ever called to pastor. There are things about us that people want to know apart from what we do. Neil reminds me of the importance of building trust that comes through building memories together. Most pastors are readers, but I was an avid reader before I was in ministry. It turns out my neighbors liked sitting around a fire pit, so I suggested to a few of the guys that we read a book together – their choice. They picked a war book, which naturally led to conversations about survival and faith. And through those discussions over time, deeper things naturally came up without me having to force the issue. Those guys taught me so much about allowing myself to be human in their presence. The tendency for all of us – especially in ministry leadership – is to guard the image, to craft the perception we have it all together. But people will identify with authentic humanity over feigned perfection (which translates as inaccessibility). It’s been said people won’t always remember what you said or what you did, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel. And just like the restaurant analogy I shared earlier, they’ll remember their experience with you and decide whether they want to come back for more. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mandrell is the President of Lifeway Christian Resources. #APRIL22

by Rick and Cindy Truesdail Hello, MI COMers! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Truly we are praising Him for His everlasting goodness, love, and grace. He has seen us through some tough times these past few months and gives us victory to overcome! Cindy is doing quite a bit better, and we are getting ready to join the COMers from other states at The Great Passion Play the end of March. We covet your prayers for continued healing and also as we travel. Hopefully some of you can meet us there! It’s a fabulous place to work and meet Christian missionaries such as yourself. We are getting several plans into place for the summer, so look for more information in the upcoming newsletters. We know each one travels and works at their own pace and schedule, but hopefully you will be excited to participate as much as you can. As presidents of MI COM, we continue to see God first as we plan and allow His guidance in all that we do. We pray for you too as you seek His will for your missionary journeys. We know He has great plans for COM as a national unity of volunteer missionaries serving the Lord. It’s wonderful to be able to travel and join in other state projects. We are so proud of MI COMers who are working in several states. God bless you all! Sharing Christ as We Go, Rick and Cindy 9th Annual Work Week at The Great Passion Play Maarch 28 – April 2, 2022 Monday – Saturday The Great Passion Play 935 Passion Play Rd. Eureka Springs, AR To register and reserve your spot, call the National COM Coordinator (479) 253-5879 or email: nationalcoordinator@campersonmission.net. Projects include painting, woodworking, electrical, plumbing, set decorating, planting, grounds cleanup, power washing, sewing (costumes, masks for cast), cleaning, etc. Bring your favorite tools with you. Lunch will be provided. Bring crackers, cookies, fruits, etc. for our snack table. Bambi Work Week & Spring Rally 2022 May 9-14, 2022 Monday noon – Saturday AM Bambi Lake Baptist Retreat & Conference Center Roscommon, MI Mark your calendars NOW! Set aside this week to come to and be a part of MI COM on mission. We have four work teams: Construction, Cleaning & Beautification, Sewing, and Kitchen. There is always a place for you! Contact Cindy to make your reservation for a campsite or room in the lodge. We will have the MI COM Country Store set up, so bring something to put on the table if you can. Proceeds go to the treasury to pay for our non-profit/corporate expenses. 2022 COM National Rally June 7-9, 2022 North Florida Fairgrounds Tallahassee, FL This will be the Golden 50th Anniversary of Campers on Mission. "Renew in 2022" will be the theme. Mark your calendars, start saving your money for travel, and be ready to register when it's available. More information will follow as we get it over the next few months. Click here to download the registration form. Article from our MI COM Member Obeying the Call by Helena Witherell Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. – Philippians 1:6 When I was 18 years old I felt the Lord’s call on my life to go into ministry full time. I felt the Lord was speaking right to me during a night of worship at a local church. One of the verses shared that night was Philippians 1:6 and it stuck with me through the night. Later that evening on my way home, I turned on the radio and again- that verse was spoken. The very next day, I opened up my Bible and somehow there was a bookmark right on that verse despite not purposely putting it there prior. I knew the Lord was putting this verse on my heart for a reason, and perhaps as a reminder for the future when things wouldn’t be easy, to rest in Him and find my peace in His purposes that He has already planned long ago for our lives. I wish I could say from that moment on it was smooth sailing - but of course we are not promised it will always be easy. We are promised, however, that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb 13:5). He will always walk with us. His faithfulness to us is more than enough to carry us through! What a God we serve - One that cares to know our concerns and worries, dreams, and desires, and always leads us according to His will. Praise God! Fast forward a little over 10 years past that initial call into ministry, and T.J. and I are now as a couple together doing ministry and serving the local church while living in our bus full time. We have had the privilege of meeting many wonderful people, specifically through Michigan Campers on Mission. We are honored to have found and be a part and are looking forward to meeting more of you and completing more projects alongside you this summer. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for our ministry, our family, our business that we have in Owosso, and specifically for us as we explore some new opportunities this year to do ministry! “...Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” – Psalm 139:10 ABOUT THE AUTHOR TJ is a minister; Helena is a talented singer who ministers through her song or leading a congregation in praise. They are fulltime RVers in a 43’ tour bus, from the Kalamazoo area. They seek opportunities to minister in churches around Michigan and share the Good News in word and song. Their business is located in Owosso, which supports a part of their ministry costs. Swift Windshield Repair is an auto glass company that specializes in repairs and replacements. They are certified by Dow/DuPont, using only OEM urethane and supplies, and are equipped to service any vehicle. If you or someone you know needs a windshield replaced, here’s how you can help support them on mission. Call for a free quote - (734) 892-4303 or visit swiftwindshieldrepair.com. Chaplain's Corner I was reminded of something the other day: all truths we know are but insights, as the Lord simply allows us for a brief moment to see inside His Throne Room, where all knowledge dwells. Add to this the fact that He often allows others inside to see the same things, too. Yes, I was reminded of this the other day when an insight came to me suddenly during a Small Group meeting, which I shared. Thinking I had read or heard that somewhere, another in the group immediately responded by saying that they too had read or heard that somewhere as well. Hmm ... it would appear I was not the only one allowed in the Throne Room for that insight! Thanks for humbling me, Lord! Isn't our loving Lord absolutely wonderful for allowing any and all of His children so willingly and graciously into His Throne Room so that they might glean from the endless treasures of truth and knowledge there? May we all go there often for blessed treasure hunting ... To the Praise of His Glory, Chaplain Chip MI COM Tees & Hats For Sale We have fun things and essentials for you to let others know you are a MI COMer!!! We encourage you to wear the tees whenever you are working or on a COM event. Tees are printed on the front and the back Patches are iron-on or easy to sew onto your shirts or jackets Key Chains are plastic on metal holder Hand-held fan is paper on wooden handle Hats are gray with embroidered logo, adjustable Lapel Pins are easily attached to a suit jacket or coat. Stickers to put on notebooks, computers, etc. Pens to accent your writing Contact Cindy for your purchase. MI COM Officers & Executive Board Presidents/Project Coordinator: Rick & Cindy Truesdail Vice-President/Project: Tony Morningstar Hospitality/Food Coordinator: Kim Norrington & Maria Hannuksela Sewing Project Coordinator: Cindy Truesdail & Terry Simmons Cleaning & Beautification Coordinator: Sharon Hessling & Ruth Farwell Secretary: Brandi Dyke Treasurer: Gary Hannuksela Chaplain: Pastor Chip Collins Historian: Cindy Truesdail Disaster Relief Liaison: Warren Hessling Networking Center Keep checking at our online Website and Facebook for announcements! Website: www.michigancampersonmission.org Facebook: Michigan Campers on Mission For more information, contact: Rick & Cindy Truesdail Phone: (810) 869-4716 Email: michigancampersonmission@gmail.com #MARCH22

by IMB/Send Relief staff Send Relief, the combined compassion ministry effort of the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board, is currently working with local Baptist partners in Ukraine to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis. This crisis has been created by the escalated tension mounting around the border between Ukraine and Russia and Russia’s invasion. Send Relief partners are already on the ground providing emergency food relief, shelter, clothing and more to displaced families. As the situation worsens, Send Relief partners are ready to provide further food relief, meet shelter needs and offer transportation to assist those impacted by this escalating crisis. “With the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, we join all those in Eastern Europe in praying for peace,” IMB President Paul Chitwood said. “We know that God is sovereign in all situations, and Scripture reminds us that He is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We keep our focus on Him, asking for His protection of the innocent and trusting that His justice will prevail. Pray with us that Jesus Christ would be glorified through the crisis in Eastern Europe, and that Southern Baptists would remain vigilant in meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those who are suffering.” Reports continue to indicate that as many as 5 million Ukrainians will be displaced in neighboring countries such as Poland and Romania, and a large number of internally displaced people are beginning to form in Western Ukraine. The greatest needs for these displaced families will include finding access to food, water, shelter, clothing, sanitation and hygiene. Gifts to Send Relief’s Ukraine Crisis Fund are vital to these relief efforts. The best way for Southern Baptists to respond is through prayer and giving. Send Relief encourages churches and individuals to pray for Ukraine by downloading the Ukraine Prayer Guide: Pray for: The people of Ukraine. Pray for strength, courage and perseverance as their home is threatened by conflict. Safe passages out of conflict zones for displaced populations. Government officials to lead with wisdom in this tense time. The estimated 4 million displaced people who will be forcibly removed from their homes. Pray that in the face of conflict, they will find psychological, emotional and spiritual healing from this trauma. Soldiers on both sides of this conflict to be safe from harm. Local churches, relief workers and humanitarian aid organizations to care for what could be a massive wave of displaced peoples in Ukraine. Disciples Church in L’viv, Ukraine, and its church plant in Bryukhovychi. Many of the people there are displaced from the East. Pray for peace for these believers as they had hoped this conflict from eight years ago was over and now, they are facing it again. The Ukrainian Baptist Theological Seminary as it wrestles with how to assist its students in this time of crisis. Ukrainian believers as they seek to be a light in the darkness. Ukrainians who have never heard the gospel to have an opportunity to experience the hope of Jesus. #MARCH22

by Sue Hodnett PLYMOUTH, MI – These are big numbers. 275 million people are estimated lost in North America. That’s men, women, young adults, and children. Among that population is more than 40 million people living in the United States who were born in another country. That’s about 1/5th of the world’s migrant population—more than any other country. Almost every nation in the world is represented in North America, making it one of the most complex mission fields. And immigrants continue to come here for a better life, even from countries closed to the gospel. But these aren’t just numbers. They represent people made in God’s image—people in need of gospel hope. When we come together to reach the nations and our own neighborhoods, the Church becomes a beautiful representation of God’s vision for every nation, tribe, and tongue to be saved and united in praise to Him. Through all our differences, we can be transformed and united by the unchanging, life-giving gospel of Jesus. *(Statistics from Pew Research and NAMB Missional Research) *NAMB-Day 1 Prayer Guide Michigan Baptists can be a part of reaching those big numbers by being a part of the North American Mission Emphasis on March 6-13, 2022. Help Michigan Baptists become more aware of the depth of lostness in North American by promoting the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Contact your convention/WMU office to order free offering print materials. Website: https://www.bscm.org/missionofferings Email: wmu@bscm.org The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering® Through your church’s gifts to the Cooperative Program and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, you are making a difference in spreading the gospel in North America. People are hearing the gospel and growing in their commitment to Christ. Churches are being started in areas where Baptist presence has been limited. Every dollar given to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering supports thousands of missionaries across the U.S. and Canada. Time and time again our missionaries relate how the offering is their lifeblood. They know that behind each penny given, there is someone who believes in the ministry they do and are affirming by supporting the need to equip them to share the gospel with those who need a Savior. Lives are changing as a direct result of your support of North American missionaries through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Today, more than $2 billion has been given through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering®. All gifts—100%—support thousands of missionaries in church planting and compassion ministries across the U.S. and Canada. “UNITE” with us again in 2022 to continue this mission that is transforming lives. Your gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering: Support more than 2,200 missionaries and their families. Enable hundreds of churches to be planted and thousands of disciples to be made. Continue the SBC’s 177-year commitment to North American missions. Week of Prayer Missionaries watch the inspiring stories from: Michael & Traci Byrd, St. Louis, MO Jared & Jennifer Huntley, Washington, D.C. Brianna McKinney, Denver, CO Itamar Elizalde, Guaynabo, PR Steven & Cindy Martins, St. Catharines, ON Amer & Vicky Safadi, Cincinnati, OH Be sure to check out the online Resource Page: https://www.anniearmstrong.com/resources ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sue Hodnett is the State Director of Women’s Ministries for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan as well as the Executive Director of Michigan WMU. She is married to Wayne; they have 4 adult children and 2 grandsons. Sue is dedicated to ministering to women and supporting them in their leadership development. #MARCH22

by Garth Leno WINDSOR, ON – Stewardship is not just about money. It involves faithfully managing everything God has placed in your charge for the advancement of His kingdom. Open-handed giving is a powerful principle of God, designed to be a blessing both to the giver and the recipient of the gift. It is the supernatural overflow of a generous heart that desires to express the love and glory of God. So, why give? Here are five reasons why we give—and more specifically— five reasons why we’ve chosen to give to the North American Mission Board’s Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO). 1. We give because we love people. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” (John 3:16, NIV). What motivated God to sacrifice His Son was not a sense of indebtedness or obligation. The love He had for us compelled Him to send Jesus in order to meet our most pressing need. If love for others was what prompted God to give, then should it not be our primary motivation for giving as well? With spiritual maturity we should become less attached to our possessions and more concerned with meeting the needs of others and planting churches everywhere for everyone. 2. We give so we can be a blessing to others. God made a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12:2: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” I will bless you…and you will be a blessing to others. This is our privilege and calling as people of God. We are blessed by God to be a blessing—to be generous—to others. Our gifts to the AAEO bless church planters and missionaries in compassion ministries, and through them, it blesses Christians and non-Christians across North America through Send Network and Send Relief. 3. We give to preach the gospel. It takes money to reach lost people with the gospel. Evangelism, church planting, developing residencies, strengthening churches, meeting needs– it all takes money! If we are committed to spreading the gospel, then we have no choice but to support it with our finances, and that includes the AAEO. The AAEO helps to train and financially supports church planting missionaries. It helps to resource their plants with funding for ministry equipment, worship space rent, community outreach events and much more. 4. We give because it’s a biblical principle. There is a force of financial blessing that is released in our lives by the giving of our money. In 2 Corinthians 9:6 it says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” Our giving is the seed which awaits a harvest at a later date. Our level of harvest through Send Network may be directly related to our level of giving to the AAEO. 5. We give to fill a void. As important as money is, it will never fill the void people have inside them. Ever since Adam fell, and sin entered the world, man has been seeking fulfillment in external things. He has tried to rebuild the Garden of Eden by his efforts, looking to find satisfaction in pleasures, possessions and status. The void can only be filled with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Nothing else will satisfy the inward yearnings of our souls. But once our hearts have been filled with the Spirit of God, and Jesus lives in and through our lives, then giving becomes a joyful ministry of obedience to the Word of God. Giving gives meaning to life! There are many great organizations to give to that are advancing God’s mission. But perhaps what’s just as important as where you give is that you give and are generous stewards. As for us, we have found significant kingdom impact and personal joy by supporting thousands of missionaries in church planting and compassion ministry through the AAEO. To learn more about how you can generously invest in the work of church planting in North America and find resources to lead your church to give, visit AnnieArmstrong.com. Want to hear more about what it means to be a generous steward? Listen to this episode of the We are Send Network podcast ABOUT THE AUTHOR Garth Leno lives in Windsor, Ontario Canada, with his wife and one daughter, Jamie. Two more children, Nathan and Kristin, are married with families of their own. Garth is the senior pastor at The Gathering, which he planted with friends in 2014. He also is on the Send Network Canadian Advisory Board. He has a doctorate from Bethel Theological Seminary and loves to preach. #MARCH22

by Chad Wells PORTAGE, MI – You've seen the scene: the camera sweeps across vast desert terrain, following a solitary track, zooming in on the lonely struggler. "Water, water," he says, crawling through the desert sands crying through parched lips, "Water..." Perhaps you've found yourself in a similar struggle. You wander, calling out for what is so desperately needed, but as yet unseen. You wait, searching for illusive answers as you traverse a desert of the soul. "Why am I here?" "Where is God?" "What is the meaning of this mess?" You believe, but the underlying unbelief challenges your perseverance, if not your faith itself. Spiritual deserts have a way of drawing us inward. The big picture gets lost as self begins to dominate the landscape. Confusion. Isolation. Loneliness. Temporary circumstances seem eternal. Momentary inconveniences seem insurmountable. Remembrance of past provision fades. The reality of ever-present help is forgotten. Consider the story of Israel. An enslaved people, desperate for deliverance, brought out of Egypt by the mighty hand of God. Yet, the same generation that was given incontrovertible evidence of God's presence and power failed to walk faithfully in the wilderness. There they groaned for a return to the land of their burden, longing for the predictable life of oppression over the vulnerability of dependence. With each complaint their hearts hardened. With each groan, their conclusions become clear: the God that would lead them to the desert could not be trusted. To be clear, they were in the desert, but they were never deserted. The Lord was present in the cloud by day and the fire by night. His power and provision were seen at every turn. The mountain quaked with the weight of His glory. From the tent of meeting to the tabernacle, the Lord was with His people. Rocks brought forth water. Manna rained like dew. Meat was miraculously provided. Yet, the sojourners complained, failing to recognize the greatest blessing of the desert. God was with His people Israel. You may be in the desert, but you are not deserted. He has promised to never leave or forsake you. To those who thirst, He gives springs of living water. To the hungry, the Bread of Life. The desert is never easy, but it is not a curse. If anything, the desert makes clear our need to die to self. It reveals our own insufficiencies, and highlights our need for our Shepherd to lead us home. Will you learn in the desert what a generation of Israelites failed to grasp? Will you look past your own circumstances and comfort, and see that He is with you? Will you trust His leadership and love as He walks with you through the shadowed valley? Look up and remember. Depend on and trust. He is faithful. He is with you. You are not deserted in this desert. He is leading you home. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chad Wells is the pastor of First Baptist Church-Portage and AMS for the South Central Baptist Association. #MARCH22

by Karen Blanchard CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI – My husband is a pastor and we have been in ministry our entire relationship. Since he was already on staff at a church when we started dating, our relationship hasn’t known anything else. If you know anything about ministry, you know it isn’t a Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm job. There are many demands that come along with ministry and it can be very draining. For the majority or our ministry, we didn’t establish great boundaries. We were constantly giving of ourselves and our time, which finally caught up to me several years ago. God began to show me how out of balance we were, and He also convicted me about how I replaced “being with Jesus” with “doing for Jesus.” These two things are not the same. Since I was so busy with ministry and not prioritizing time for my relationship with Jesus, my other relationships began to suffer. Oftentimes, God allows us to hit a point of frustration, to wake us up and see the need for a change. Before we can ever lead others, we first have to learn how to lead ourselves. One way I learned how to lead myself well was by learning to choose my “best yes.” Early in ministry, I didn’t know how to say “no” to things; consequently, I would say “yes” to everything. Somewhere along the line I bought into the lie that the more I “do” for Jesus, the better I would look in his eyes. I learned that I could say yes to a lot of things, but I couldn’t do a lot of things well. I love this quote by Lysa TerKeurst: “A person who lives with an overwhelmed schedule will ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.” I now pray and ask God to remove the things in my life that he never intended for me to do. I only want to say yes to my “best yes” and do that thing well! Another way I have learned to lead myself well is to implement a Sabbath during my week. My Sabbath is the day of the week I live for. On this day, I give myself time to linger longer with the Lord. I am not rushed to get things done for ministry or for my personal life. It is the time I can sit at the feet of Jesus and feed my soul. When I do this, I am able to drink from the living water that Jesus provides; and then out of that water, I can overflow into the lives of others. When we fill ourselves up with Jesus, we can then give Jesus to others. In John 15:4 Jesus says: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” Our ministry should not replace our time with God; instead, it is from our time with God we get what we need to minister to others. Peter Scazzero, author of The Emotionally Healthy Leader says: “You cannot give what you do not possess. What you do is important, but who you are is even more important. The state you are in is the state you give to others.” Serving God doesn’t mean you have to run yourself into the ground in exhaustion by doing all things! Pray and ask God to show you exactly where he wants you to minister. Then live that out after you have taken time to sit at his feet and are overflowing with his Spirit. These verses are great to meditate on when praying and asking God for endurance to run the race well while leading people to walk closer with Him. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. - Colossians 1:10-12 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9 We can lead others well when we first lead ourselves well. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen is married to Scott Blanchard, pastor of Lakepointe Church, and moved from Florida to Michigan in the summer of 2009 to plant Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township. She enjoys mentoring and discipling women and also leads women’s life groups through her church. She is passionate about helping women find their purpose in who God created them to be. She is on staff at Lakepointe Church and loves being part of what God is doing in the Metro Detroit area! #MARCH22

by Tim Patterson PLYMOUTH, MI – At one time my hometown of Kermit, Texas was a thriving, pristine community. Though established in the middle of the sand hills of West Texas, it had been developed into a town that would make the community of Beaver and Wally Cleaver green with envy. (Those of you of a certain mature age will know of whom I speak) The tax base in that little hamlet was enormous because of the oil and gas production from which it drew the lion’s share of its resources. The county was, to say the least, wealthy and used its finances to create a living atmosphere that was storybook perfect for families. It was a planned community to some extent by what was then called the Gulf Project funded by the Gulf Oil Corporation. The downtown area reflected what you might imagine as the perfect town of the 50’s. Today many of the new subdivisions and planned communities being developed across the country are very similar to this homey little hamlet. The long main street was lined with business after business that ranged from the Rexall Drug Store on the corner to a feed store at the far end of town. One business we would frequent only once or twice a year was Richies Shoe Store. It was the only exclusive footwear establishment in the town. Other clothing and department stores carried a few lines of shoes, but Richies was the best. Besides, Mr. Richie was the local Boy Scout Troop leader, and could be trusted to give you a fair deal. Richies was, in my youthful opinion of the time, the premier provider of shoes and boots because they were the exclusive retailer of Buster Brown and Red Goose Shoes. From a young boy's perspective there were no rivals in the world of footwear. Nothing came close to those pentacles of podiatric protectors. It was extremely difficult for a six year old to make such monumental decisions between the two of the finest footwear known in kiddom, but some slick Madison Avenue marketing techniques were powerful enough to persuade me to go with the Red Goose brand. It had little to do with the quality of the shoe, and everything to do with the big red goose that was strategically positioned near the cash register. This was no ordinary red plastic goose. If a purchase of Red Goose Shoes was made the extraordinarily fortunate buyer received the privilege of pulling down on the long extended neck and head of the goose. The process of this neck bending would automatically release a golden egg from the gooses’ entrails, which would be expelled from its, well let’s say, posterior. Within that golden egg could be anything. Toy prizes that were beyond imagination were encased in that golden sphere of surprise. The sheer thrill of chance and surprise beckoned my imagination to worlds of childhood wonder. The story that circulated through the peers of my little world was that one boy actually received a genuine ray gun that projected images of space creatures on almost any surface. It is curious to me, that the older I get the less I like surprises. I think it has something to do with control. When I was that little boy of six nothing could bring me more joy and happiness than an egg from the posterior of a plastic goose. It’s funny how perspectives and priorities change. Those changes reflect maturity and understanding or at least they should. The things I loved as a child have faded to the inconsequential and unimportant. Today I have grown and developed a more sophisticated and refined list of wants and needs. God tells us that as we mature physically we should also mature emotionally and spiritually, but there are some of us who are perpetually stuck in an infantile and childish state. Maturity is a malleable and moving goal, and even now at my present age, I find it a summit I have yet to reach. Yet, I still strive for the prize. It is time to move on and move up. It is time to find our greatest joy and fulfillment in those things that are eternal and not temporal. I know that those goose-given-golden-eggs were really “swift” and “super neat”, but toy ray guns are no match for the wonders that await those who “seek first the Kingdom of Heaven.” When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. - 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tim Patterson is Executive Director/Treasurer of the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Elected unanimously in May of 2015, Patterson formerly served for 9 years as pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla. He also served as trustee chair and national mobilizer for the North American Mission Board. #MARCH22

by Dr. Tony L Lynn DETROIT, MI – Names of dynamic-duos easily role-off the tongue when we speak about them. Batman and Robin. Captain Kirk and Spock. Chewie and Han Solo. Pastor Corn and Marisa! For decades, Pastor Cornelius and Mrs. Marisa Roberson have possessed two identities. “Pastor Corn,” as he is affectionately called, has guided people through troubled times as a counselor in group and private sessions. Marisa has taken new employees with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan by the hand, guiding them to unlock all the services of an insurance agency to help people in times of crisis like we have all experienced. Pastor Corn and Marisa, by day, have assisted thousands throughout Michigan to escape troubled-times and discover renewed hope in their successful careers. Simultaneously while pursuing their careers, Pastor Corn and Marisa care for a family of scholars and athletes. Life gives the Robersons a lot and they give back more to others, wrapped-up in love. Along with all that I already mentioned, Pastor Corn and Marisa established a well-known neighborhood church in the heartland of Detroit’s underserved sections. Our partnership with Pastor Corn and Marisa started more than five years ago as they became an assessed and endorsed church planting couple in Michigan. The church building of Heart and Soul Community Church Detroit has become known as the cornerstone of the ministry because hungry children are fed, a secure environment is protected, and the Good News of Jesus Christ is taught and lived out in action. However, there is more to the ministry than the building, so don’t miss it. Frequently, the Robersons are seen walking the neighborhood’s one square mile of homes and families engaging people in conversations about faith, current events, sports, and the latest news on families. Tony Lynn, the church planting leader with Send Network says, “Among the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention, Pastor Corn and Marisa are identified as missionaries; and rightly so, because they will overcome barriers to share the Good News of Christ with everyone within their lives regardless of their age, their background, and their address. They are convinced that Jesus Christ changes everything in people’s lives.” Lynn having witnessed the church’s annual summer baptism celebrations at Kensington Metropark, Milford adds, “Pastor Corn and Maris’s affection for Christ overflows into their devoted relationships with neighbors. They speak about Christ with others as easily as they breath.” Marisa. while beaming with pride over her husband’s spiritual influence with others reports, “In the neighborhood, Pastor Corn is referred to as “The Sheriff” because he is always watching out for everyone’s best interest.” Boys and girls intentionally ride bikes or walk to the church building where they know they will encounter Pastor Corn or Marisa. When they speak to one another, everyone knows one another by name. There is a sense of family within this one square mile of Detroit. Pastor Corn, with a warm affection in his eyes and a smile on his face will tell you, “Marisa is my rib. I couldn’t do any of this without her.” The two are inseparable and committed to one another. It is hard to believe that a spiritual romance like theirs started at a Detroit Tiger’s baseball game, but it did. The Lord has taken their game into multiple innings and the city of Detroit is all the better because of Pastor Corn and Marisa. Yet suddenly this past year, through some pivotal moments, the Roberson’s lives shifted unexpectedly and dramatically! Like the day Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider then became Spider-Man, a new story started to unfold for Pastor Corn and Marisa. A friend of Pastor Corn was a longtime and loved pastor in West Bloomfield. Though the two men served miles away from one another, the two pastors made it a point to share life together and enjoy one another’s company. One day, Pastor Corn’s friend passed away leaving a widow and a congregation behind without a local shepherd. Recognizing the bond between the two pastors, Pastor Corn was asked to perform the memorial ceremony for his dear friend and the congregation of the deceased became rapidly attached to Pastor Corn and Marisa. Through a series of conversations, the members of the established church in West Bloomfield decided to merge their building, property, parsonage, and its leadership with Pastor Corn and Heart and Soul Community Church. The details are amazing. The new campus in West Bloomfield is across the street from the local high school which is a perfect combination for “Coach Corn!” That is right. He has another identity and superpower he is using for the Lord. A coach. Many volunteers contributed money and muscle to prepare the new site as Heart and Soul Community Church West Bloomfield. Separated by fifteen miles distance from the original campus, the Robersons and volunteers from churches like Merriman Road Baptist Church, Garden City, descended on the new site during long evenings and busy weekends, to redirect previous flooding problems, perform demolition, then refit and rebuild the space for a fresh start. During these past chilly winter months, the church launched at the new site: one couple, two campuses, God’s strength. Would you pray for the leadership and the members of the church as they find ways to minister in two locations fifteen miles apart? The leadership understands that in Detroit and West Bloomfield people need Jesus Christ because he changes everything. This one couple, Pastor Corn and Marisa, are focused on the two campuses with one eternal mission: to see every man, woman, and child offered an opportunity to know Jesus Christ. Would you like to encourage Pastor Corn and Marisa? Occasionally, God does things that are not on the agenda or in the budget for a local church. If you would like to express your appreciation in a tangible way to Pastor Corn and Marisa Roberson you can do so by sending a card and writing a check to Heart and Soul Community Church, then mail it to: Heart and Soul Community Church Attention: Pastor Cornelius Roberson 18701 Grand River Avenue, Suite 257 Detroit, Michigan 48223 Your expression of love will be greatly appreciated. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Tony L. Lynn is the State Director of Missions for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before coming on staff at the BSCM, Tony served as lead pastor for more than six years at Crosspoint Church in Monroe, Michigan. He and his wife, Jamie, also served with the International Mission Board in Africa and in Europe. #MARCH22

by Mike Durbin PLYMOUTH, MI – Hi Silas and Abel, your mommy and daddy asked Grandma and I to record a message so you could hear our voices. It’s such a great idea! I’m Papa by the way and I want you to know my voice and hear it often. From the moment you were born January 16th, Grandma and I have longed to hold you and welcome you into our lives. Though our arms remain empty because of the special care you need, you are held firmly in our hearts and surrounded in our love. I remember when your parents told us the news they were expecting. We barely got seated in the restaurant before your daddy told us that they were going to have a baby. Joy flooded our hearts. You are the answer to multiple prayers offered years before that special moment. We couldn’t stop smiling. As we drove away from dinner, Grandma said: “Wouldn’t it be great to have twins?” Your mommy is a twin and some say that it’s not uncommon for twins to have twins. Imagine our surprise when we got the call that next day that you were indeed twins! A few days later we got another call. One that introduced us to a whole new vocabulary. Your mommy told us that you were MoMo Twins, meaning that you were identical twins sharing the same amniotic sack. Your Momma’s pregnancy would be special in a way that few are. You would face challenges as you developed in the womb - especially as your cords wrapped around each other much like a braid. That braid posed potential challenges to your health. Your daddy, and especially your mommy, made incredible sacrifices to give you life. One of our many prayers for you came from the Bible: “For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). We entrusted you to God - asking Him to knit both of you together in His miraculous way. And here you are! You are born into a world full of wonder. Your 3½ or so pounds look so tiny, yet you are perfect in every way. Right now, you are surrounded by caring doctors, nurses, and machines in the NICU that are helping you grow, but soon you will enter a whole new world! Your mommy and daddy will introduce you to a world that is beyond anything you can even begin to comprehend. And Silas and Abel, you will introduce your parents to the world in a whole new way. Your growth, your discoveries, your looks of surprise, laughter, and even tears will take them to depths of wonder they didn’t know existed. The fun part is that Grandma and I get to experience it with you too! We can’t wait. Like you, your world is pretty small right now. It won’t stay that way. Beyond the walls, and all the medical devices, are scores and scores of people who are praying for you. We are grateful for each one. It means the world to us! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mike Durbin is the State Evangelism Director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan. Before joining the state convention staff, Mike served as Church Planting Catalyst and Director of Missions in Metro Detroit since 2007. He also has served as a pastor and bi-vocational pastor in Michigan, as well as International Missionary to Brazil. #MARCH22

by Coye Bouyer LANSING, MI – Jesus teaches that if someone slaps us on the cheek, we should turn the other to them also (Matt. 5:39-40). Furthermore Paul teaches us that we should never retaliate against our enemies and those who try to harm us. Now in both cases these are not references to times of war or times of protection of our loved ones, but rather personal attacks from another. We are instructed not to retaliate or seek revenge. But how in the world are we supposed to overcome harmful attacks, physical abuse, or the verbal onslaughts that can leave us in physical pain or psychological and emotional instability? While it may be more difficult to decipher through the words of Jesus in the ‘Sermon on the Mountain,’ Paul gives us a sure way to put up with and even apply the biblical principle of turning the other cheek. Paul says, “we are to overcome evil, with good” (Romans 12:21). In essence, Paul is trying to get us to see that the only way to overcome evil is to make sure that we are committed to the practice of ‘doing good.’ Doing the right thing just doesn’t happen. It takes time, patience, and practice. Any successful athlete, actor or professional would agree that they did not get to the heights of their career without putting in long hours of practice, patiently and persistently trying to get it right. In the same way you and I will never achieve the ability to overcome evil with good, if we don’t first spend much of our time planning for and practicing the right thing so when personal attacks take place, we can do in public the good we have been practicing in private. So, what is the point of this month’s article? Simple, in order for you and I to live out the more difficult teachings of Jesus and biblical principles such as turning the other cheek, we must first practice them on smaller scales in the everyday scenarios in our life. You and I can start at home by sometimes holding our tongue instead of speaking our mind, thinking of something nice to say instead of something harsh. We began to think about the concerns, needs and even desires of others first before ourselves. At work we can hold the door for someone else, when we are driving slow down, let someone else into your lane, look for opportunities to give instead of receive. By doing things like these, we prepare ourselves for the day when someone attempts or even succeeds in wronging, taking away, or simply mistreating us. Only then will we still be able to turn the other cheek like Jesus said, and overcome their evil with our good like Paul teaches. God Bless! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Pastor Coye L. Bouyer is the founding pastor of Kingdom Life Church in Lansing, MI where he has served since March of 2010. Pastor Bouyer recently stepped into the Diversity Ambassador role for the BSCM and firmly believes that he was not only called to Preach the Gospel as part of the process of reconciliation of man to God, but also using any platform as a bridge of reconciliation of man to man, and even more so amongst the brethren. Pastor Bouyer and his lovely wife Keturah (Gen. 25:1) have been married four over 20 years and have four children; Sierra, Seth, Cayla and Coye II. #MARCH22