We left the heavy monsoon rains in India, and are now ready to leave the intense heat of Las Vegas. August in Montana sounds wonderful - doesn't it?
Here's our schedule - we are really excited to reconnect with our Montana supporters, friends and family. Please join us when you can.
- Sunday August 11th @ 10:30 a.m. The Place Church, Hamilton, MT
with Pastors Mike and Denise Echterling - Sunday August 18th @ 10 a.m. CrossPoint Church, Corvallis, MT
with Pastors Scot and Shelly Colwell - Sunday September 1st @ 10:30 a.m. House of Praise, Victor, MT
with Pastors Jim and Lorraine Andrusky - Tuesday August 27th @ 6:00 p.m. - CrossPoint Women, Corvallis, MT
"Your mission field is wherever your feet are." Gary & Pat Richards
It's true! Everyone in your circle of influence needs a touch from Jesus.
Available is defined as: 'Present and ready for use, at hand, accessible; or willing to do something.'
Am I available? Are you available? To say yes to the Lord - wherever and whenever He says 'Go'.
Here are a few thoughts from Gary on what it means to "Just Be Available"
People often ask Pat and I, “What is the key to your success in ministry and life?”
The answer is very simple; “If you want to be successful and want God to work in your life, then be available for Him.”
As a young Christian, I read Matthew 22:14, ”Many are called but few are chosen.” I knew right then I didn’t want just to be called, I wanted to be chosen. But what did I need to do? I prayed and asked, ‘Lord, how do I get from being called to being chosen’?
He simply replied, “Say, yes to me and always make yourself available.”
This is all Pat and I know to do and it has taken us where we could never have imagined, doing what we would never have been able to do in our own wisdom, strength or ability.
But how do we actually make ourselves available? What does that look like? Do I have to volunteer more, give more to the church, read my Bible more? No. Being available can include those things but it is much bigger than that.
To be available means to say yes to God, whenever and wherever. It means allowing God to be God. Being available means adjusting our agendas, and plans to fit God’s agendas and plans. It is having an eternal perspective rather than a temporal one.
It is prioritizing that which is a priority to God and includes:
- Submitting your time, talents and resources to God.
- Obeying Him, even when it is difficult and costs you something.
- Thinking more about God and His purpose for your life and less about yourself.
- Aligning yourself with God and His purposes daily.
- It means living with the knowledge that as a follower of Jesus your life is not your own, you have been bought with a price.
God has never asked about our ability or our inability, but about our availability.
Isaiah made himself available to God. Isaiah 6:8 says, “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then said I, 'Here I am! Send me.' ”
The greatest thing that we can do to bless and serve the world is to be available when God calls.
So, I want to ask you one simple question today: Are you available? I promise you, making yourself available to God will involve risk on your part. I also promise you that by being available you will be blessed beyond measure and you will be a blessing to others in ways you can’t begin to imagine.
Here's the link to one of our current favorite songs: Elevation Worship “Available.” Click here for the lyrics.
As you listen, let it become a prayer and a tool to dedicate yourself to being available to Him. It will change your life and the lives of others!
The journey of availability continues ~ Gary & Pat
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