We Don't Have Plans, We Have Events - Charlie Brewer

"We don't have plans, we have events." - Charlie Brewer

This has been Charlie's explanation of our family plan for awhile.   It makes sense to us.  When we try to make a plan or think of a plan, the "events" always trump the plan......so, we have gotten accustomed to event planning, vs. a plan.  

This was last year at this time in Uganda.

I got a text from Charlie, who happens to be in Uganda at the moment, so he is a half a world away and a half a day ahead and his text said,

 "Happy New Year. Looking forward to another eventful year. I U uuuuu!!!"

 (which IU is the Brewer Bunch way of saying I love you, thanks to Lashae who couldn't say "love" 22 years ago, and it stuck with us all.) 

I can't even imagine more "events" than we had in 2015, but hey, since we don't have plans to look forward to in 2016, we may as well look forward to events. 

Charlie and Kole and Ben are in Uganda and I'm excited to see what the Lord does with these guys.

This is Charlie's 7th time going to Uganda and Kole's 2nd and Ben's 1st.

I don't care if it's your first time or 27th time.....God uses it in different ways.

He is so creative.  :)

He can do the same with us here at home, but there is something about getting out of the comforts and the routine of "our lives" and laying it all down and following God's lead and being open and vulnerable to let Him use us and guide us.

They have a loose outline of what this trip will look like and the things they hope to accomplish, but they know full well, that it will probably be very different than what they anticipate.

I was thinking about how our first thoughts and questions when we hear "mission trip" is:

 what will they be "doing?"

We are so consumed with our to-do lists and our check lists.

It hit me how one of the main purposes of Paul's travels and letters in the New Testament was an encouragement to his brothers and sisters in Christ. 

 He would travel and visit and also write letters to encourage those on the front lines of ministry in  their local churches and communities.I have come to learn and understand one of the biggest parts of what mission trips are all about is to encourage and build up the body of Christ wherever we GO!

These guys will be doing some building, but I can't help but know that God could build whatever he wants with whoever he wants and sometimes, he just sends a few willing "builders" to build up the body as much as build a building.

1 Corinthians 3:9-11English Standard Version (ESV)

9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.