Being Real

By Dave Ebert

So, as I sit in Arlington, TX, waiting for an evening church service to visit, I am contemplating the past few days here in Texas. This trip, and the one in 2-1/2 weeks, were giant leaps of faith and hope. They are huge risks in pursuit of maximizing our reach, not only to those we minister to, but those who would co-labor with us and support our work.

I thought I knew how hard this journey of missions would be...or at least I believed I had an idea. But, being real now, I was clueless.

First, too often, we think in ministry we have to put up the front, that we're the big, bad, bold Wizard of Oz, when in reality we're the little man behind the curtain doing all we can to keep the illusion that we're on top of it all. Then, the enemy, or just life in general, sends that pesky little Toto to come reveal the truth, We're struggling to keep up with the illusion.

As a missionary, I think that is even more prevalent because in many ways, this is a sales job or a MLM business. We have to exude confidence, unshakability, and an aire that everything is going to plan. We're selling, in a sense, our ministry, our vision, our character, and the need for us to go out and do this work. We're working, often, with no net. Only faith. And sometimes, our feet are barely touching bottom and then we slip under.

Being real.

Anything you do in service to God is going to be met with resistance. It's not easy. It may be simple, but it's not easy.

If it were, would Jesus have really had to come and die so gruesomely? If it were easy, why do so many with good intentions but lacking wisdom and humility fail? If it were easy, am I doing something grotesquely wrong?

It's not easy. It's not meant to be. Well, it was, but then man fell. Now, it's a Spiritual War. It's a fight to the death...ours or sin's. Jesus already won, but we can either choose to continue fighting on the winning side or on the losing side. The war is won, but the battles continue.

So, as I type this...being real...we're almost 8 months in and we're at about 4% of budget. We knew the uniqueness of the calling was going to create an uphill battle. We knew that not being connected to one of the known ministries like Youth Alive or Chi Alpha would be limiting. We knew that our ministry is niche and would take, for lack of a better term, selling. It's been just as hard, and sometimes more so, than at least I anticipated.

The enemy is good at the cutting whispers. He knows how to manipulate. He conned 1/3rd of the angels of heaven to commit spiritual suicide to fall with him out of heaven. So, of course, in our finite minds and our limited perceptions of reality, he knows the right things to say; the right buttons to push to overwhelm us in our callings.

Lately, those whispers have picked up some moments of victory over my heart. I've wrestled with doubt. With failure. With fear. With anxiety. With a desire to hit eject, bail, and go back to the gas station...where there is an illusion of "safety."

Let me stop here...am I writing this post as a way to guilt or shame or motivate support...NO. IF that is on your heart, please know that I am not asking you to give out of compulsion. Do not support us out of guilt, shame, pity, or remorse. If the support comes from anything but Holy Spirit inspiration, then it is tainted and will not be blessed for the giver or the reciever. So, please do not take this post that way.

I am posting because I hope to be an encouragement now, and in the future, to those whose ministry journey is hitting snags. To those who are in the missions field and the whispers of the enemy are getting louder and feeling more credible. To those who feel the weight of the calling and the temptation to carry it on their own strength.

I am posting this because I want a mile marker...a journal entry that will become the testimony of what God is doing and will do. I want to look at this post on 4/21/2024 (yes, the same day I shared the celebration of what God did on Friday...funny, right? Almost like when Elijah saw God embarrass the prophets of Baal, then became so weary and depressed he lamented of life. I saw God move on Friday, but I see the natural reality of my own struggles and am overwhelmed. But, God's mercies are new each day...and Thank God for New Mercies!)

I know God called us to this ministry. He orchestrated the events of 2018 that led me to begin with Salt and Light Coalition. He moved on Halloween 2022 to show me that despite losing my job, He had a plan and was about to give me a new job. He's moved many times in the last 20 months and will continue to do so.

I know He is moving and will move.

I know...just sometimes I don't KNOW. You know?

So, this is part 1 of a multiple part testimony of our journey. I don't know when part 2 is coming and I don't know how many parts there are.

God does.

So, I post this to honor Him. To apologize and repent of giving too much audience to the whispers of the enemy. To praise Him. To thank Him. To set the first stones of an altar to remind generations of His Goodness.

Be encouraged. God doesn't call and then hang up. His calls are never crank calls. His work in you is not done...I can prove it! You're on earth reading this now.

Take courage. When the whispers of the enemy bring you to your knees or to your face...you're in the perfect posture to repent and reach out to your Father.

I hope this post is a blessing to you. I hope you or someone you know might be encouraged. And I hope you truly receive the message.

IF you do want to support us, please check with the Holy Spirit. Please make sure it's of His will and not any unintended emotional response.

If I can pray for you or with you, please reach out to daveandbobbie@improvmissionaries.com.

Blessings!