STM Devotion for October 30, 2025

 "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For also by one Spirit we were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were made to drink of one Spirit. For also the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,' it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, 'Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,' it is for this reason any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But God has appointed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?"  1 Corinthians 12:12-19

God's design for our bodies is truly extraordinary- 206 bones, 640 muscles, and over 37.6 billion celss all functioning perfectly in harmony. This underscores the significance of every member of Christ's body, with no one more or less important. Imagine how ineffective a church would be if everyone tried to serve as the pastor- lacking helpers, encouragers, or adminstrators- and if our connection through the Holy Spirit was only local. When one of us isn't functioning in our God-given gifts, others feel the effects. In contrast, when we each serve in the way God has blessed us, we see the Spirit working in ways that might go unnoticed. This is similar for our team, made up of many members from across the United States and the Dominican Republic, with most or all of God's spiritual gifts present. It is a blessing to see how God unites us each year, encouraging growth and preparing us to share the gospel with bold confidence. 

There are 78 days left until our travel day to Santo Domingo, and we are heavy in the prayer and preparation stage. The search for airline tickets will begin to ensure we obtain the best available price. We need to ensure that we have everyone's correct legal name, including middle name, on our travel team. Please let us know by Saturday, November 1, if our spelling of your name is correct as it appears on your passport. Additionally, confirm whether you will be traveling with us from Chicago to Santo Domingo on January 17, 2026, and returning from Santo Domingo to Chicago on January 24, 2026. 

If you are looking to extend your arrival or departure date, we will need to know this and the dates before Saturday, November 1, to ensure accurate and better pricing. Please also let me know if you have an allergies or diet restrictions so we can ensure the guest house is aware and prepared. 

Our next short-term mission team meeting/potluck is on November 16, we will go over how to register on the Solid Rock International website and some other resources at this meeting. 

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and throguh all and in all."  Ephesians 4:4-6

September 30, 2025 Devo and Information

 1 Corinthians 1:3-7

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort or salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is working in your perseverance in the same sufferings which we also suffer. And our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort." 

In the passage above, Paul explains that we suffer and find comfort through Christ, which helps us grow in perseverance and benefits others. As the body of Christ, we work together and share both our sufferings and our comfort. Our church, Grace Bible Church, has the following mission statement: "Loving People to Life In Christ." This reflects what God has called us to do. We are to love God with all our heart, all our will, and all our soul, and love our neighbors as ourselves. Loving people to life involves two main aspects: first, sharing the gospel so they can have eternal life, and second, discipling them so they can experience an abundant life in Christ. We are Christ's ambassadors to everyone we meet, whether at school, church, home, while grocery shopping, traveling, at the doctor's office, or at the post office. As Christ's ambassadors, our words, actions, and attitudes should overflow with God's love and grace from within us into the lives of others. 

1 John 4:10-14

"In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has beheld God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this, we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us His Spirit. We have beheld and bear witness that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world." 

While on our mission, it is not about what we do, but what God does through us. The best preparation is to spend time in prayer and in God's Word every day. Prioritize your fellowship with Him, start writing your testimony, and if you haven't asked someone to be your prayer partner, please do so now. If you are unsure how to write your testimony or who to ask to be your prayer partner, please let Roxanne, Lynn, Brit, or Deb know, and we will be happy to help. 

Commitment Deadline: October 15. Please notify Roxanne, Lynn, Brit, or Deb by October 15 that you plan to be on the travel team to the Dominican Republic. 

Mission team meetings/potluck at Grace Bible Church, 12:30: October 26, November 16, and December 14. We will review essential information and begin packing in either November or December. 

Deposit and Balance Due: Please make a deposit of $600 by our November 16 meeting to go towards the costs.  We aim to keep the overall cost between $ 1,200 and $ 1,400, depending on airfare and other expenses. The remaining balance is due by January 11, 2026. 

Team Commissioning: January 11, 2026 during the 10 am Worship service at Grace Bible Church, we will have a potluck meal afterwards, help everyone fill out their necessary forms online, and finish packing and weighing each bag.

Depart Portage: January 16, 2026

Return: on January 24, 2026

Mission trip to Vietnam and Cambodia: June 8 to 23, 2026, more information to come. Applications are due by January 31, 2026, the cost is $1375 plus additional for visa, airfare, and personal expenses. 

STM Devotion and Information 9/26/2025

 1 Peter 3:15

"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."

Essential Items for the Dominican Republic Mission:

• Bible and journal
• Prayer partner
• Valid passport
• Malaria prophylaxis
• Partially empty suitcase for team supplies
• Raise support

Most Important Item:

• Know why you are going, your testimony

All the above are necessary, but this point is crucial. If we are not focused on the reason we are packing up and traveling several thousand miles to serve in outreach clinics and building or repair projects, then we might as well not go. 

The "Win" for our team is "to share the gospel with one person." How can we do this if we do not understand the hope - Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection - and are willing to share it? Don't speak Spanish? No problem, we will always have translators (ministry assistants) with us. And yes, they know both languages, but they do not know your story- how you came to faith in Christ. That is the unique gift you are bringing on this mission. You don't need a seminary education to share your testimony. 

Your testimony is simply:

This is where I was/who I was before

I accepted the free gift of salvation

This is who I am now

Upcoming Dates:

• Mission Retreat: September 27, 8 am breakfast until bonfire in the evening (please come for as long as you can when you can to meet our team, learn a bit more about short-term missions, Solid Rock (the organization we partner with in the Dominican Republic), and ALWM (the organization with whom we may partner in the spring). This is at the Woodchuck Ranch, N5768 18th Lane, Princeton WI
• Mission Team Meetings/Potlucks at Grace Bible Church, 12:30: October 26, November 16, and December 14. We will review essential information and begin packing in either November or December.
• Team Commissioning: January 11, 2026, during the 10 am Worship service at Grace Bible Church, we will have a potluck meal afterwards, help everyone fill out their necessary online forms, and finish packing and weighing our bags. 
• Depart Portage: January 16, 2026
• Return: January 24, 2026
• Mission trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, June 8 to 23, more information to come. 

~Roxanne

"We love because God first loved us"

1 John 4:19

STM Devo and Updates

 

You are worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

For You created all things,

And by Your will they exist and were created.

Revelation 4:11

I’m currently studying the book of Revelation. This book used to scare me with the vivid descriptions of doom and destruction. But I have come to understand that chapters 4-22 describe the period known as the Tribulation, which, as believers in Christ, we will not undergo. As believers, we will ascend to heaven at the Rapture before the Tribulation.

Studying the terrifying events to come spurs me to greater urgency to share the gospel. Every day I must focus on opportunities, which, honestly, is intimidating. Somehow, telling someone of Christ’s redeeming love is easier with strangers than with family and close friends.

Now is the time to study your Bible and pray every day. Consider asking someone to be your prayer partner. This is a person not traveling with the team with whom you can share your highs and lows now, during travel, and upon returning. And there will be highs and lows, so don’t be surprised. Remember, Grace Bible Church has sent a short-term mission team to the Dominican Republic 14 times!

Upcoming Mission events:

September 27 Mission Retreat at Woodchuck Ranch N5768 18th Lane, Princeton WI

Team Meeting/Potluck at Grace Bible Church 12:30 - October 26, November 16, December 14

Depart for Mission to DR January 16, 2026

Mission to Vietnam Late May-early June, 2026

Roxanne

We love because God first loved us.

1 John 4:19

STM Ministry Update and Debrief 2/9/2025

 We pray that you are doing well as you transition back into your routine and everyday surroundings and have been able to take time to reflect on our mission trip, what God has taught you through it, and what you have learned about yourself while serving others (or others blessing you), and how you can and will apply it to your life and grow from it. 

On Sunday, February 9, Roxanne will present a brief ministry update from our trip. After the service, we will have a team debrief/potluck. The debrief is a time for everyone to share highlights, lessons learned, things that went well, and things we could do better. Please answer the questions below in your reply. This will help Roxanne with her presentation and help us plan future missions. 

• What is one highlight that you would want to share with others?

• Did the mission meet your expectations? If so, in what concrete ways?  If not, how? 

• Was your preparation  (individual and team) helpful? Any suggestions for improvements? 

• Were the team meetings helpful in preparing before? Did you attend each one? 

• Would you recommend a short-term mission to someone else? Why or why not? 

• How could the mission be improved? 

• Were there experiences that gave you a new lens through which to view life? 

• Were you given opportunities to minister to your team, hosts, and/or nationals? 

• How did others bless you? 

• Rate your efforts to learn the local language. How did it affect your experience? 

• Would you consider another short-term mission? Why or why not?

You may be more overwhelmed or tired than before we left our mission. Ensure you rest physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. On Tuesday, I learned firsthand that I jumped into my routine too soon, and I required a lot more physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual rest. 

"For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, 

'In repentance and rest you will be saved,

In quietness and trust is your strength.'"

Isaiah 30:15