My Identity Is in Christ, Not AIM

Being part of AIM is such a great experience. You get to know some of the greatest people, learn about the Bible, learn how to preach, are lifted up spiritually, etc.
These are great things, and all of those are godly things. But after being in Lubbock, and living under certain "rules" or "standards,” some AIMers forget why they came in the first place. When they are back at home or on the mission field at times, they forget the main reason they came. Maybe it’s not that they forget, because they know they are there to bring the Gospel to the lost and encourage the church, but they lose the heart behind it. They start doing things because it's “required by AIM," and not because that's what they want to do for God. It’s sad you know, because we are not sent to do "what AIM requires," but by the faith we have, to do what is good in the Lord's sight.

In John 14:12, it says, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

The word used here as believe in the Greek translates, 'to have confidence, conviction and trust.’ So it isn't just knowing that He is our Savior, but trusting in Him and having confidence that He is our Savior. We need to remember that we don't earn our salvation through missions or programs, like AIM, but that God gave it to us by grace and by a true faith in Him. All He wants from us is to have faith and plant the seed. He didn’t say that you have to go and baptize people or have tons of bible studies to be saved. He is the one that saves and is going to make the seeds grow.

In Colossians 2:10 it says, ”Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

When we think about what Jesus did on the cross, it’s clear where we want our lives to go. It’s clear that we want our lives to be identified in Jesus Christ. We often trade that identity for another one, like AIM for example. So remember, AIM is just a program; a tool that God uses to gain souls for His kingdom. Never give up, and fix your eyes on Christ, the one that ultimately saves.

Evelyn Galvan (AIM, Scotland '09)

Influence

As Christians and disciples of Jesus we are given two very important identities; salt and light. With these two identities Jesus gives us the charge to be examples to this world. In Titus 2:7-8 it states, “In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” Our example and influence is not about how other Christians view us but about how the non-Christians view us.

Gandhi famously said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” How we act can affect people’s view of Jesus Christ. Some might be on the edge of belief but see Christians who act no differently from the people who do not claim Christ and decide that Jesus isn’t for them based on their behavior. People who don’t believe constantly use Christians’ hypocritical behavior as their grievance against Jesus. We have to remember that we are called to be salt and light. We are called to influence those around us so that they can be influenced by the love of God.

- Ryan Jarboe (Aim, Italy '09)

Bad Things Happen

In a fallen world, sin is reality. Bad things happen. Earthquakes, war, cancer and car crashes… And we want to know why. We need a reason, an explanation, closure. Why 9/11? Why Japan? It just doesn’t seem right. Yet somehow in the midst of all the pain, the suffering, and the strife, God’s glory illuminates our darkest night. It’s then that our eyes focus and we can clearly see the light at the end of the tunnel; the radiant light of Jesus Christ. I have to wonder, how could the worst of things happen to the best of men? And yet, in the shame of the cross, salvation stands… “By his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

Why do bad things happen to good people? I wonder if maybe it's all in the glory of God. Or maybe it’s the bad that serves for the greater good… Maybe we’ll never fully understand, and maybe that’s okay. All I know is that God is good all the time. The rest is in perspective.

“This happened so that the work of God might be displayed…” - John 9:3

“And we know that in all things God works for the good…” – Romans 8:28

If You Live By The Cheeseburger

Someone smart once said, "If you live by the sword, you die by the sword." In a sentence, this sums up life in a nutshell really. Whatever you focus on in life is what ultimately results in your demise. For some people that is "the sword." They live by violence and they die by violence. Others live for food (like the cheeseburger) and they die from greasy, cholesterol filled hearts that can't pump enough blood through their diseased arteries. (Now that's descriptive!) Believe me, if you live by the cheeseburger, you will die by the cheeseburger.

Most people who really despise AIM may have put way too much stock in it to begin with. Missionaries who hate foreigners probably had too high an expectation of the people. Teenagers who loathe their youth ministers may have held those same men in a position that they could never have reached. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. We all have to live by something. We all have to find passion somewhere. In our jobs, our education, our experiences, our loved ones... We need something to be focused on. The catch is whatever we focus on is what will ultimately kill us. If you live by AIM, you die by AIM.

Might I suggest living for Jesus? After all, he is the only thing/one in this world who demonstrated an ability to conquer death. We all need something to be passionate about. Be passionate about Jesus. If you live by Jesus you will never die, because he is the resurrection and the life.

- Chris Johnson (Aim Alum, Scotland '95)

What Jesus Taught Me About Mission Work

Take a look at Matthew 26:39. What emotions do you hear from Jesus? I hear fear. Jesus prays to God to save him from his impending crucifixion if at all possible. Jesus has already predicted his death and now he is at the point when he has to commit and he is afraid. Then he says that God’s will is the deciding factor. In verse 42 Jesus prays, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your will be done.” With that phrase Jesus gives all of himself to God’s plan for our redemption despite his human fears.

At this moment in Jesus’ ministry I learned about my own mission work. Jesus taught me that fear in the face of my work is fine, but I still have to be a man who conforms to the will of God. There are times when I am scared that what I am doing will not work. God has plans and as long as you have faith and follow God, you are on the right track. My prayer in times of fear is that God continues to use me for His will even when I am scared.

- Ryan Jarboe (Aim, Italy ‘09)

Sometimes It Takes Failure

Have you ever heard someone tell you, "Today is a good day for me to fail!" Chances are you haven't and chances are you won't. Who on God's green earth would want to fail? The answer is quite simple… No one.

We can't change our past, but we can strive to change our future. When we fail, God gives us a choice to stay down and out or rise again. "For the righteous fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." Proverbs 24:16. God tells us, "My grace is enough!" He wants us to stand after we fall. Sometimes when we fail, its God telling us we weren't on the right path to begin with. By His grace, God will change that, even if it’s through our failures. Remember what Joseph tells his brother in Gen 50:20, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to save many lives." Strive to do good, but when you fail, remember God's grace and rise again. Don't stay defeated, learn and press on towards the goal.

-James Hagler (Aim, Scotland '09)

This Is All Preparation for The Future

                So something strange happened to me the other day. Well, I say strange but it sure didn’t seem that way at the time. Until I was talking with good friend of mine and he asked me if I thought it was a coincidence that we were talking at that very moment over that specific subject. My answer of course was no. I personally don’t believe in things like luck or coincidence no matter how important the matter (ex: running into a friend or finding $10 in your jacket pocket). I believe there is only God and the mysterious (or not so mysterious) ways and people through whom/which He works to make everything according to His perfect will. 

                The “strange” thing that happened that I mentioned really wasn’t that strange. Through a series of circumstances my finances happened to be a little lower this month than the norm. So, when my friends decided to head to the movies I decided to not. I could have easily headed back home from where we were but I decided in going to a friend’s (an elder in the church) house nearby and visit. This man is quite wise. And, it happened that we eventually sat in his living room talking and ended up on the subject of our work here in León. And, as I mentioned earlier, he asked me the question over coincidence. This made me think back as to what happened throughout my day, week, month, and last years that have lead up to the very conversation we were having in his living room. 

                Now you might be thinking that this was a little deep. But, think back in your life and where you are now and what you are doing and think about all of the events that lead up to it. A lot of things had to come through for you to be where you are and I guarantee you that it can’t be a dead, lifeless, thing like luck, but a very alive and loving God. This is your story, and it is very unique to you and you alone. You cannot have the same story as another. Trust me too that you don’t want to. God is constantly preparing you for what you are about to encounter in the next 5 minutes or the next 5 years. So this AIM program, the death of a loved one, or the spare cash you found in your jacket pocket is all preparation for your unique story and future. And, in the end, He is preparing you to be more like Christ, because He loves you that much. Just as an old friend once told me, “Your whole life has lead up to this one moment.” So stay in the path of God and don’t rely on your own plans like is says in James 4:13, because we are “a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes.” (James 4:14 NIV) But we are to trust in the Lord's will.

“I am telling you your story…. I tell no one any story but his own.” –Aslan, The Horse and His Boy, The Chronicles of Narnia.

- Nick Flesher (Aim, Mexico 09)











(read more of Nick's blog articles here)

Trust God Even When It Hurts

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths."

You may think that your hurting is pointless, that giants you face are unconquerable, but no one ever stood on the mountain of God without first climbing it. God loves you and he wants the absolute best for you, he knows us, he understands us, and he wants us to trust him even when it hurts! Because as he says in Isaiah 55:8 "My ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts." God tells us 'not to lean on our understanding', because we can't see the big picture! So when we don't trust God, we always are settling for less, even when we think that this is the best that life has to offer. Which is why he also says to 'acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight'. Acknowledge, that he is the Almighty God who loves you, trust he will do what he promises and he will guide you, he will straighten your paths! I know this because I have experienced this, I had and still have to trust God even when it hurts, even when I think I have a better way.

I grew-up a military brat, moving from state-state all my life. I grew-up without many friends, overtime I would make a few just to leave them. Most nights I'd be crying and praying to God for us not to move again so I could stay and make friends (which was difficult for me).

Do you know what God's answer was? We moved…twice…I felt I had been stabbed in the heart, it was horrible. However God had something better than I could have ever imagined. God's answer to me that night, wasn't a "no" but rather, "wait". God knows what he's doing and he knows the best way of going about it also. Right now, I'd say God is answering that prayer. Not he has answered it, but he is answering it. My dad retired and God lifted me from my despair. I met friends, good friends. But just when I thought, it couldn't get better than this, God sent me to AIM and I had met people I now can call brothers and sisters. God led me through my pain through my hurt and he's not through with me yet! He has a beautiful plan for me and its far greater than anything that I can imagine, he just wants me to trust him. Which is exactly what he wants you to do also. Trust God even when it hurts.

James Hagler (AIM, Scotland 09)

Blind

Nothing is going according to plan…
Israel is tired and irritable.
Moses is unsure and insecure.
The only thing working out is Pharaoh’s consistent and solid, “No” echoing throughout all of Egypt.

And it’s in this moment that Moses asks a simple question… “Why did you ever send me?” He can’t help but wonder, “Why me, God?” “Why here?” “Why like this?” “Why?” Moses might have been intimidated, he might not have been eloquent, and he may not have wanted to play the role… But he fit the part perfectly. Moses was taken away as a baby, but grew up as a Prince of Egypt. He killed a man and ran, but along the way found a family and learned to lead by tending a flock of sheep. His whole life God had been preparing him for this moment. God was bringing His chosen nation out of Egypt. He was taking another step towards the salvation of His people, and He was using Moses to do it… But Moses was blind. He couldn’t see who God had made him to be. The very thing Moses questioned the most, was the very thing he was created for… And still he couldn’t see.

But, maybe you don’t have to see. Maybe the unseen is what becomes the most clearly seen in the end. All I know is that God is at work in, through, and all around me… Maybe it’s just that I can’t see it.

Moriah Thomason (Aim, South Africa 09)

Animaimers Meet Taco-Man

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God Helps, Even At My Breaking Point

Every Christian knows that God will always help. It is one of those things that I was taught in Bible school and tell others when they are facing trials. Do I really believe that it is true? It is easy to say God is helping his people when I am comfortable or when I get what I want. It is also easy to say God has abandoned me when I feel alone, useless, or to the point of burnout. Is God at my side when I feel like I cannot move forward in my work, when things are moving backwards, and I am ready to throw in the towel? It is hard for me to say, but God is helping me even when I am at the breaking point.

Take a look at God and the Israelites. When leading them into the Promise Land, God was with them step by step. In Exodus 23 God begins to tell the Israelites of their guardian angel. God tells them that He will destroy nations and continually bless His nation. Then in verse 29 He puts a time table on the fulfillment of His short term plan. God states the it will take more than a year because He does not want the land to be desolate and the wild animals to kill the Israelites. In verse 30 God puts His plan into simple words, “little by little.” I have no doubt that God could solve all problems in seconds but He knows the supreme benefits of “little by little.” When God tells the people this they have already been through so much and are still waiting for the final victory. What if when I feel burnout God knows that He cannot just give me the victory because of the negative repercussions? What if God actually knows what is best for me? I forget sometimes that God is omniscient and my mind can only understand so much. God has historically and infallibly held to His promises and His help is part of the Christian promise. God is with me through every hard time even when I cannot see the next step on my journey of faith.

Ryan Jarboe (Aim, Italy 09)

First Contest Winner!

We are proud to announce that Evelyn Galvan won the first ever AIMER HUB contest!  Thanks to all who played.  We hope next year to have an even bigger competition!

I Can't Convert Anyone!

I find conversion to be a dirty word.

I know it’s in the Bible. I know conversion is a great thing and reason to rejoice. But that’s not what I’m talking about. Let me explain with an example.

A few weeks ago a friend ask me about a mutual acquaintance of ours who was not a believer, but she had been to church a couple of times and was definitely interested in Christianity to some degree. So when my friend brought her up, he asked me simply “so, have you converted her yet?”

That question left a bad tasted in my mouth. It was simple enough and he asked it with genuine interest in her spiritual state, but to my mind, he may as well have asked “did you complete steps 1-12 of the Christian-making process as laid out in your AIM-approved ‘How to Make a Christian in Twelve Easy Steps Workbook?’”

When a person decides to devote their life to Christ and turn away from everything that defined them before that point, it isn’t ever because “I converted them.” That sounds cheap and easy and it shouldn’t be either of those things. Conversion isn’t something I can strive for. It isn’t a goal I can reach in someone else’s life. I can’t earn a conversion badge to go on my conversion vest every time someone decides to give their life to Jesus, no matter how much influence I did or didn’t have in that decision. 

Here’s a phrase you never find in the Bible –

And   _______  converted ­­­­­­________ .  

You never hear an apostle bragging about how they totally converted that Roman official. In fact, you never hear the conversion of a person or people attributed to someone else. 

You do hear things like the story of Lydia…

“… who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after that she was baptized, and her household as well…” Acts 16:14-15a (ESV, emphasis added)

Or the Philippian jailer who…

“…brought [Paul and Silas] out and said ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” Acts  16:30b-31 (ESV, emphasis added)

Who opened Lydia’s heart? Who must the jailer believe in? The Lord.

Sure, Paul and Silas had some influence in the conversions of these people, but the decision was theirs, as a direct result of God’s actions in their lives (Lydia’s opened heart, and the jailer witnessing the miraculous freeing of Paul and Silas from prison.) Paul didn’t convert anyone, and neither can I. 

I can share the love of Christ with them. I can talk to them about the life that Christ offers to them. I can be a light to them that they cannot ignore.

But under no circumstances can I ever convert someone. 

Jacob Norwood (AIM, Utah 09)

Burnt to Maturity

The prayer that most Christians pray when facing trials is one of escape or “take it away Lord, take it away!” We begin to question ourselves to the core and challenge our motives; sometimes we will even question God or our faith. When we do these things we need to be comforted to the fact that it is normal human behavior to act this way when facing difficult times. I know when I face trials along the way; my faith is rattled to the core at times. It may not last for very long, but the soul will face some “dark nights” along its journey to maturity.

The Biblical text of James 1:12 encourages the one who perseveres under the trials of life of an eternal award that awaits them in the end. I Peter 1:6-9 also encourages and awakens us to the reality that the trial will “burn” or it will bring unwanted pain. Just as the matter of gold is refined repeatedly until it is free of all impurity, so the soul is “burnt” to maturity as the years and trials pass. As total maturity is never reached, so the soul will continue to be refined along the way. The sustainment of the soul in the midst of the fires and furnaces is its anchored trust in Jesus Christ.

Christ has faced and overcome the greatest fire of all. The fire of Calvary, the pain of the cross and the events leading up to that dark day in history. It in the midst of the fires that we see and feel the embrace of the Father. The prayer is not one of escape, but rather one of being burnt in the best way possible for growth and trust to occur. The trials that we face along the way will “burn” us to maturity and we will look back one day and have a deeper trust in Jesus as a result.

Trent Tanaro (Aim Alum, Wyoming 95)

AnimAimer Art Contest

HEY AIMERS!  Want to win $20 from iTunes?  Then play the first ever AIMER HUB contest!  Its as simple as 1-2-3.  Just read the rules by clicking the ART CONTEST link.  We hope everyone will play!

- Aim Alum

AnimAimer Field Selection

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When Expectations Don't Meet Reality (Part 1)

One of the biggest mistakes that some AIMers tend to fall into is getting or having too big of expectations of themselves or even of the mission field.  This is one of the things that the AIM directors try to make us understand because of the consequences.  Many AIMers have gone through this before and have told us what happened.  AIMers have shared how they felt after realizing that they were having expectations that were unrealistic. 

For example in Scotland, this country is often not very receptive to the gospel and it can be harder to be a Christian over here.  Before my team came to Scotland, the assistants that had worked here told us about how Scotland can be, how expectations are something that are just going to make our mission time harder than it is. Now today, I am enjoying my time over here but that is because I came without expecting anything unrealistic from the country and the people.  What's neat is that after being here for a while, they have surprised me with things that I thought wouldn’t happen or wouldn’t be.  At times we expect too many things from the church, the people, etc., resulting in our feelings that everything here is wrong. This can be a real struggle. So if your expectations are too high, then reality will make you suffer from your comparisons to your expectations- and you may experience disappointment and other frustration.  This is why maybe we shouldn’t have such expectations.

So let me ask you what are your expectations?  How has reality affected your expectations? 

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

Romans 11:33

Evelyn Galvan (AIM, Scotland 09)

The Joys of Gardening

“I am the true vine, and my father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit…abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15

Our great God, The Vinedresser, is always busy tending and nurturing His olive tree. His process requires the utmost patience, moment-by-moment attention and a careful hand. If you’ve ever split the roots of a plant or pruned a plant so as to cause it to grow then you know the meticulous effort and painstaking work involved in the process. Thank God He loves us enough to wound us to make us more fruitful.

Had you asked me at eighteen I probably would’ve told you that I thought Jesus’ words in John 15 likely referred to the harvest of lost souls and the tireless effort of those involved in it. Little did I know. From somewhere and somehow I came to believe that God was primarily concerned with my production of ‘fruit’ in the form of teaching others who would teach others. It took a little while for me to realize that I was gravely mistaken and on a serious road to burnout. Not only that, but I was completely missing the point about what it means to be deeply loved by my creator. As I struggled in those early years -- learning to walk –- the belief that I wasn’t producing enough ‘fruit’ was overwhelming. As the great vinedresser tended and nurtured me, I discovered His true vision: the growth of the ‘fruit’ of His spirit made manifest in my life. And as we should all know, the fruit of the spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience and the like. (Gal 5) This, of course, meant a significant shift in my expectation of myself and of others. I began to understand God’s plan for me in the context of a loving creator and Father instead of a distant taskmaster whom I feared. I believe this process completely natural; Solomon told us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. I love the idea that God desires more peace, more joy, and love from us. These are remarkable things to attain to that, in great irony, make us better and more effective proclaimers of the gospel. Healthy fruit is aromatic and pleasing to the eye – just ask Eve.

This, of course, is not to say that God is snipping, clipping, and awaiting only a celebration to be born from our hearts, though this has definitely occurred in me at times (and is highly recommended); He is also very concerned with the less popular matters of faithfulness and self-control. Painfully, this is where the great vinedresser tends to draw upon more stringent measures to inspire us.
Romans 11 is a rich passage that uses the Vinedresser imagery to describe God’s tending of Israel by breaking off the natural branches of the root of His olive tree (unbelieving Israel). This seems like a drastic and destructive thing for our Gardener God to do but is explained as the mechanism that would bring ‘riches for the world,’ allow for the gentiles to be grafted into the rich root of His olive tree and ultimately inspire natural Israel’s jealously and ultimate repentance. I think this is a beautiful picture of God’s courage and wisdom to do what is necessary to save as many lives as possible and even enrich His cultivated olive tree with a bunch of wild olives like us. For the last 2000 years this olive tree/mustard tree kingdom has been growing aggressively and pressing against the gates of Hades. Thanks be to God!

When I have faced significant trials that test my resolve and bring me to frustration, I am reminded of God’s severity and willingness to do whatever is necessary to prune me for His purpose. I am learning to view this severity as His great love for me—though it’s always hard. And if YOU have ever born fruit, He WILL prune you again and again. “…and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit.” If you are a fruit-bearing branch of “The Vine,” Jesus Christ, then you’ve been blessed to experience this at The Vinedresser's hand. “…abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me.” As he clips and prunes – sometimes severely – we are forced deeper into the vine for sustenance and the restorative power of Jesus. We reach into his Heart for the strength and character to be be reborn with new growth, stronger tendrils, heartier leaves, and healthier, more delectable fruit.

As the Lord loves you severely into His holiness, may you consider it pure joy and be fruitful again and again bearing ‘fruit that will last,’ ‘much fruit,’ and so prove to be His disciples.

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” Rom 11:33

Nathan D. Myers (Aim Alum, Russia 95)

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God Will Always Be With Us

So think about your life. Where you have messed up. The times where you have fallen. The times where life was hard, either on account of circumstances out of your control, or even the ones that you yourself had caused. What did life look like in those moments? Did you feel broken? Broken to the point of tears? Lost? Angry? What did you feel? What did you do in those moments? Pray to God for grace to save you? What happened then? God lifted you up, didn't He? This is what happens every-time. Whether we see it in the moment or not. Whether or not we deserve it. God comes through every single time.

The beautiful thing is that when we reflect upon our lives and take a long hard look at where God had restored order to the mess that we had created, we slowly begin to realize that this isn't OUR life at all. God is the one that gives the life. From Genesis on, that has been the message. In the beginning God made order to chaos and then He gave us life.

Now He gives us a whole different type of life. A life offered through grace through the death of His son. A life to be lived to the full (Jn. 10:10). A clean start that we don't deserve. A life in which He himself said, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:20)

If also you remember the passage in Isaiah 43:2, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall no consume you." And again in Isaiah 40:31, "... but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

God is faithful, and He promises His faithfulness. Not convinced? Read Romans 8, the whole thing, it's beautiful. It tells us that we are "more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Rom.8:37) and that, "nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom.8:39)
So what am I trying to say? Is this another Jesus loves you pep-talk? Yes, yes it is. You know why? Because, that's the truth. Jesus does love you, and He wants you to know that. I encourage you brothers, to never give up. Even when you think that what you've done is too bad. That when your life seems just too chaotic, remember Who has the control. When you can't walk, crawl. Just don't give up. And ALWAYS put your faith in Him who saves and loves completely. Because, He gave up His life for us to have life, and to put it back in His hands, the hands of the One who breathes it.

- Nick Flesher (Aim, Mexico 09)











(read more of Nick's blog articles here)