How can I best prepare for the mission field?

"How can I best prepare for the mission field?"

"How can I discipline my life for maximum kingdom impact?"

"What practical, down-to-earth, suggestions are there for living out a missionary heart right here in the United States.

Have you ever asked yourself any these questions? They have certainly come to my mind, and I've asked them frequently to those older and wiser men and women around me. It's usually not the lofty, theological answers that grab my attention, although they have value--it's the practical ideas for Kingdom living here and now.

I ran across an anonymous little article, "Discipleship means Discipline"(July 2007 Heartbeat of the Remnant) that was originally published by the Dohnauvur Fellowship in Wimbledon, London (founded by missionary Amy Carmichael). It's full of succinct, sometime humorously blunt, wisdom nuggets for over two dozen life issues (difficulties, sleep, speech, books, social life, prayer, etc...) that relate to missionary service. I'm interested to know if Amy Carmichael wrote these ideas down herself, as they reflect some of her writing style.

So if you've been asking yourself lately, "How can I best prepare for missionary service?" here are a few ideas to get you started...

Effort- It will not be easy. We must go out of our way to acquire this preparedness. We are called to a strict training for a hard fight which will not end till we hear God's 'well done.'


Difficulties- Let us learn to choose the hardest things, to do what others leave undone. We can begin in the ordinary affairs of home life. The joy of hard climbing and the glory of the impossible should not be mere phrases but experienced facts.



Helpfulness- Make opportunities each day to help others, in inconspicuous ways, not grudgingly but joyfully, though it may mean far less time for yourself. Be king and thoughtful. Be courteous and goo mannered: 'Love is never rude, never selfish.'


Food- 'I don't like this.' Well, learn to like it, unless it actually does physical harm. Be grateful for what God has given. If it is just a case of likes and dislikes, learn to be able to eat things that are not your choice-and enough to keep you fit and strong, not a mere mouthful. The ability to eat unflinchingly may mean much for friendship with peoples of another land whose food is very different from ours.

More from "Discipleship means Discipline" to come. Please check again in a few days...