End of the Year

Christmas is our favorite time of year, and Briyana and I hope you had a wonderful celebration.  We celebrated Christmas with my family and will celebrate Christmas with Briyana's family on New Years Eve.  It was a blast getting together with family!  We enjoyed breakfast with the family, shared presents, and played games and watched movies the rest of the day.  That evening we received JuneBug's first present to us.  We felt JuneBug kick for the first time.  Even with all the excitement and relaxation it got me to thinking.  Without Christmas, my world would be turned upside down.  If Jesus wasn't born, Christmas would cease to exists.  I wouldn't be a Christian.  I would be a horrible husband, selfish person, and my job would be meaningless.

I was talking with a person the other day that made the comment, "Why don't we just celebrate Christmas like we celebrate the Olympics.  Have Christmas once every four years."  At first I thought he was joking, but as the conversation continued I realized he was serious.  It gave me an awesome chance to witness to him.  Come to find out he was not a Christian and thought of Christmas as just another holiday created by retail stores to entice shoppers to spend more money.  My heart broke for him.  I was able to share the true meaning of Christmas with him and invited him to come to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. 

I think often times Christians often get confused and distracted about the true meaning of Christmas.  I  know at times I do.  As 2011 approaches we hope that each of you continue to keep your eyes on the prize (Hebrews 12:1-3).

For those of you interested, here's an amazing opportunity February 25 -Sunday February 27 to take a more in-depth view of missions.  For more info contact pcox@onemissionsociety.org or call 317-888-3333 ext. 317

 

Briyana and I will be in the Austin area at the beginning of the year.  We would love to get together with any of you.

God Bless and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Brent & Briyana

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

Thanksgiving was great!  Briyana and I enjoyed looking back on what we had to be thankful for and ate plenty of turkey.  Now we are trying to get back into our daily routines and looking forward to Christmas.  It will be here quicker than we realize.

As the year comes to an end, Men For Missions looks back on a successful year.  By the end of the year, Men For Missions and One Missions Society will have sent out 544 people on 81 teams to 20 different countries.  

The breakdown looks like this:

24 Evangelism teams to 10 countries
11 Medical teams to 20 countries
6 Prayer teams to 6 countries
36 Work teams to 8 countries, and
4 Vision teams to 2 countries

Thank you again for your support and prayers!  These trips would not have occurred and would not have been successful without YOUR prayers and support.  The Kingdom of God is growing each day with YOUR support and prayers.  You are just as involved in what Men For Missions and One Mission Society does as we are.  

Be on the lookout for our December Newsletter.  We have wonderful stories from the mission field and exciting news about us inside our newsletter. It should be arriving in your mailbox in the next couple of weeks.  If you would like to join our mailing list, please email us at bmorrell@onemissionsociety.org.  

God Bless!

Brent and Briyana

So Much To Be Thankful For

This year is quickly coming to an end, and, like many families like to do around this time of year, Briyana and I stop to take a moment to marvel at all the things we have to be thankful for.

This past year, Briyana and I took the step of faith to accept the position of U.S. Director of Ministry Teams and Follow-Up with One Mission Society and Men For Missions.  During this time, God has worked tremendously showing us his love and care for us as we live by faith.  He has provided for us in times that we had no idea how things were going to work out, and he has blessed us when we had the desire to bless others but did not have the means to.

God has shown us the amazing network of friends and supporters we have that care about the same things God has placed on our heart.  We have shared with so many of you our desires, and it always lifts our spirits to see how the Christian community comes together to help support each other when God has laid something on their hearts. 

We have learned so much of what it means to be thankful for family.  Brie and I have always enjoyed getting together with our families and playing with our nephews.  It always reminds us how thankful we are for families that raised us knowing the Lord, love us, and would do just about anything for us if we needed them to.  Soon, we will be adding a member to our family.  "June Bug", is 11 weeks along and is due June 14th.  We find out if June Bug is a boy or girl in January.  We are so excited and can't wait to join the ranks of parenthood.

On this special week, take some time and think about what you and your family is thankful for.  Once again, thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Brie and I wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Crazy Times

Briyana and I dressed as Super Mario and Princess Peach at our

 church's Trunk or Treat.

These past couple of days have been crazy for us.  Last Wednesday the Men For Missions International Cabinet Meetings were held in the DFW area.  People from all over the world came into town for the meetings.  We had people in from Wales, Scotland, Calgary, Ontario, Indiana, North Dakota, Kansas, Iowa, and Waco.  While they were here many of them wanted to see some of the town.  Briyana and I took them to the Stockyards, Cowboy Stadium, Montgomery Plaza, JFK Museum, and my favorite Yogurtland.

We did get a lot of work done though.  The Cabinet was very successful in taking care of old business and looking ahead and setting direction for Men for Missions for the next couple of years. 

Please continue to pray for Haiti and the Cholera epidemic.  From news reports One Mission Society gets, it seems to be spreading and getting closer to areas we minister in.  Tension is rising and violence is boiling over.   Below is a short prayer request we received yesterday from the field.

There are 2 major concerns here-- (Prayer Points)
#1  Working people live paycheck to paycheck and businesses are shut down as a result.  And
#2  People contracting cholera and other diseases can now get nowhere to get help as transportation has been largely blocked for 24 hours.

God Bless!

Brent & Briyana

Hurricane Tomas Update

Here is an update on the status of Haiti after Hurricane Tomas.

Religion Today Summaries - Nov. 8, 2010
Compiled & Edited by Crosswalk Editorial Staff

Tomas Mostly Spares Haiti, May Worsen Cholera

Hurricane Tomas spared Haiti the worst of its wrath, although the storm still dumped large amounts of rain on the country's fragile tent cities. Relief coordinators say the subsequent flooding may have carried an outbreak of cholera  north from its origins in the Artibonite Valley according to

http://www.crosswalkmail.com/akmtksmptbtnmlpwnyzgvnrvmsnldzzlbhmvkkwmttlhpby_rcrkwtgjwvgg.html

ABC News, Ted Steinhauer, of Medical Teams International said 600 people have contracted the waterborne disease in the small town of Gros Morne, and thousands more are probably infected. Poor sanitation in the impoverished country has often forced residents to cook with the same water sources used for waste. Officials report that more than 500 people have died of the disease, which hadn't been seen in Haiti for a half century before it surfaced last month.

Hurricane Tomas

Haiti while already dealing with an epidemic of Cholera, is now having to deal with an approaching Hurricane Tomas which is gaining strength in the Caribbean.  It's expected to bring winds upwards of 80 mph and destroy much of the already ruined capital city Port-au-Prince.  The Cholera epidemic has already claimed over 300 peoples lives and sickened over 4,000.  With this storm it will only increase those numbers.  The tent cities will be destroyed.  Please pray for God to place his hand of protection of this country during this time of need.

You can follow the storm here by clicking on this link.

TWIST

 picture courtesy of http://mysinglemomlife.file

This Week In Short Term

India/South Asia
We have a prayer team of 5 in India and South Asia October 8-24

Ecuador
We have a medical team of 8 in San Juan, Ecuador October 9-17

Haiti
We have an evangelism team from Community Church of Columbus (IN) in Haiti October 13-20
We have a vision team of 7 going to Haiti October 18-23

TWIST

         picture courtesy of http://mysinglemomlife.files.w

This Week In Short Term


India/South Asia
We have a prayer team of 5 going to India and South Asia October 8-24

Ecuador
We have a medical team of 8 going to San Juan, Ecuador October 9-17

Haiti
We have an evangelism team from Community Church of Columbus (IN) going to Haiti October 13-20

Got to thinking...

    

Picture courtesy of www.pueblounitedway.org

Yesterday at church we talked about Luke 10:25-37in church.  It's a well known story, the parable of the good Samaritan.  We talked about loving our neighbor and what it looks like, and who are neighbor was.  In Sunday School class we looked over several passages, but Matthew 25:14-30 really stuck out to me.  It was the parable of the talents.  After listening to the teaching in the first service on Luke 10 and studying how to be a loving neighbor, Matthew 25:14-30 came alive to me in a new way.  

The good Samaritan took a risk to help the beat up Jew.  Our pastor taught us that his grief was arroused by the misfortune of another man.   He took his time with the hurting man, and spent money to help him.  It was a great sermon!  If you would like to listen to it click on this link.  It was called "Love takes a detour."  With that being said, how are we treating our neighbors?  Who do you feel God is putting a burden on your heart for? 
In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents.  These were not actual talents, but were a form of money.  The first slave he gives 5 talents, the second 2, and the third 1.  Both the first and the second understood the master's desire to make a profit and be responsible for what the master gave him.  The third however was scared, and he did not share the same desires the master did.  The master was pleased with the first two slaves, but dissappointed and angry with the third.


It got me to wondering, are we sharing the same desires God has for our neighbors?  He has given each of us responsibility over what he has blessed us with.  Are we being selfish in this consumer world and missing opportunities to love on our neighbors, instead desiring to spend what we have on clothes or the newest technology that's on the market?  


One day we will see the Lord in Heaven and have to tell him how we used his resources he has entrusted to us.  Will we be like the first two slaves in which he was proud of, or will we be like the third slave who angered and disappointed the master?

Life Update,

We have had a good week fund-raising.  We met with several couples and have enjoyed seeing them become excited about joining our team.  This coming weekend we will be in Austin, Texas again to fund-raise.  Please lift us up in prayer during this time.  We are still waiting to hear back from two local churches to see if they will join our support team.  We would also appreciate your prayers in this matter.


God Bless,


Brent and Briyana
  

TWIST

                          picture courtesy of http://mysinglemomlife.files.wordpress.com

This Week In Short Term


Burundi
We have a team of 3 in Burundi to do Literacy Training from Sep. 23 - Oct. 2

Hungary
We have a prayer team of 3 in Hungary from Sep. 26 - Oct. 4

India/South Asia
We have a prayer team of 5 going to India and South Asia October 8-24

Ecuador
We have a medical team of 7 going to San Juan, Ecuador October 9-17