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Chawna and I have both been involved in missions work and other ministries both locally and abroad. Unfortunately, raising money is a largely unseen, seldom-thought-of reality of the work that goes into successful missions trips. It is one of the largest challenges that Christians who are involved in Christian ministry face today. When I went on my first missions trip to Malawi in 2004, I was faced with that very challenge: raising funds to cover such things as shots and inoculations, passport expenses, specialty items and clothing, as well as very expensive airfare to my destination in Africa. I am blessed to have had family and friends who were willing to help make my missions trip a reality by their response to a letter I wrote asking for their support. However, I honestly felt kind of awkward asking people for money with nothing to give in return for their generous gifts beyond the stories of my awesome experiences in Africa. It just didn’t “feel” right. Well, Scripture says "Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails." (Proverbs 19:21) After three missions to Africa, I am now clear about what that purpose has become. Chawna and I made the connection that THE GREAT “I AM” would be a GREAT tool that Christians involved in missions or other ministries could use to help raise support money for their own missions and ministries across the globe. It is our hope that THE GREAT “I AM” can benefit ministries and the missions community not only by helping Christians raise money for ministries through the sale of this book but also by using it as a vehicle to illustrate simply, through stories and photographs, the message we as Christians are called upon to spread to the ends of the earth.
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