Embarking on the Journey

Matthew 28:18-20 - And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

It's that call, simple and true, that has been ringing in our ears and ruminating in our hearts since Ashley and I each began to follow Christ as our Lord and Savior. We have patterned our lives to make disciples and to preach the Gospel "in season and out of season." (2 Timothy 4:2)

Hudson Taylor the father of modern missions to China said, "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed."

So what do you do when you have an ordinary life sometimes defined by the mundane, yet Christ who has lavished His extraordinary grace calls you to such a high calling. You go!

And that's what we have decided to do, to use every opportunity to go, to go and make disciples of all nations. We are needy, that's for sure - needy of God's grace, mercy, goodness, splendor, and glory. But as Hudson Taylor said again, "God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him." And so we are leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ our Savior and following His call to minister in China for six weeks.

On May 19, 2003 The Lord called us to began a new career path for our family, one which would embrace ministry to orphans through the Gospel of Christ. We have seen The Lord do so many extraordinary things through the ordinary ministry of Lifeline Children's Services (www.lifelinechild.org) and especially in the country of China.

It only made sense; therefore, that when offered with the opportunity to sabbatical after 10 years at Lifeline, instead of collecting seashells by the seashore, that He would call our whole family to China. And tonight, with the children asleep, all the bags packed, and every last detail completed or forgotten, we anticipate the journey ahead. We know that our Lord will do more than we could ever ask or imagine for His glory and our hearts are very full. (Ephesians 3:20)

Please stay tuned as we share our adventures in the pearl of Asia, the Middle Kingdom of China. Please pray that He will use us for His glory and be encouraged to live out the Gospel around you.

We will be leaving tomorrow, Monday, May 27 for Beijing via Atlanta and Tokyo. And then we will be visiting the cities of Zhanjiang, Chengdu, ChongQing, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. At every stop we will have opportunities to minister to orphans through training, equipping, and nurturing. And along the way we pray that through words and actions we display the glory of our extraordinary God.

On behalf of the Newells,

Herbie