Fellowship Report - 3/18/2025

Welcome back to another week with the Fellowship Team. We are so excited to tell you what we learned this week. So, without further adieu...

Howdy y'all, I (Caleb) hope you have seen the Lord's blessings in your life like I have recently. We have been reading through Numbers this week, which has been very interesting to study in depth. In chapter 20, many things happened that stood out to me. Starting in verse 23, we are told about the very interesting death of Aaron.

Moses and Aaron rebelled against God at Meribah when the people complained again about thirst. Moses struck the rock to bring forth water instead of speaking to it as God had commanded. Because of this disobedience, Moses and Aaron were forbidden to enter the Promised Land.

In verse 26, God tells Moses and Aaron to go to Mount Hor, where Aaron will die. There are few things I can think of that would be as unsettling as knowing when you are going to die. Without looking at this story through a spiritual lens, this can seem scary and a form of punishment that God is telling Aaron that his time is up. However, this is not what God is telling him at all. Did Aaron make mistakes? Sure, but don't we all? Our sinful natures do not limit God; if He only used people who don't mess up, He'd never use anyone. God equips the called; He does not call the equipped because there are none without God. In the case of Aaron, God letting him know that he was about to die was a blessing. How awesome is it to discover that you're about to be in God's presence for the rest of eternity? God used Aaron to do amazing things and set an example for the Israelites at the specific time meant for him. God has amazing plans for us that are far beyond anything we can plan for ourselves, and the same goes for Aaron. He fulfilled his role in bringing glory to God, our ultimate purpose as well.

Hey everyone, back at it again with your favorite teamer, Rob. I'm just kidding, but not really.

I am like the Israelites in that God tells me to do something, and I don't do what he commands. For a long time now, over and over again, God has been telling me to be patient; He has a plan for me. However, I want to be in control and say, "No, I want (insert thing here)." This week has been no exception. At the end of this week, we (the Fellowship Team) are going to California for a mission trip. I can't wait to get there. But the Spirit planted a thought that I couldn't shake: "The more time you spend looking to the future the more time you miss in the present."

I am the type of person who plans ahead and has certain things that I want and want to achieve. I have a hard time accepting that what I want isn't what God wants. So this simple thought put me at peace with leaving my future in God's hands so I can focus on the here and now. Focus on the here and now, put your future in God's hands, and surrender your worries.

Hello, hello, Jenifer here. This week was one of a lot of growth and learning for me because I was able to reinforce the previous learning of the hand signs of the Old Testament (which I was tasked to do in my application process for this program). I remember feeling very challenged, and in fact, I was practicing them in Spanish and showing them to my family. However, the signs hadn't come to life as they have now that we are complementing them with the scripture readings, stories told, and dramatizations (thanks to Arlie and Keith). I am in love with how the Bible has come to life through the hand signs, which have helped me connect the narrative of the Bible and its chronology.

Last week, we learned and practiced the New Testament and intertestamental hand-signs together, and well, I felt a little frustrated about not understanding several of the words. I need to learn all the signs twice, once in Spanish and once in English, to understand them fully. However, practicing with my team was special and fun. I am very grateful for my team, without a doubt, the brothers that God predestined for me this season; I can really see how important it is to have a team with fellowship.

Two years ago, our second Fellowship Team flew to Maui to assist with fire disaster relief that devastated the island. That trip was life-changing for our team and the people they served. We proclaimed the Gospel with our lives and our words.

By the time you read this blog, this year's team will be on the ground doing something similar in Pasadena, California. People lost almost everything they held dear in a raging inferno just a couple of months ago. Keep watching the Fellowship page for regular updates from the field.