Pray for First Videos on Friday July 18

I spent many hours today getting more organized and ready to shoot and publish videos.

I could continue in preparing and planning for many more months.

But I must turn the corner and start somewhere.

God led me to another short video by an online teacher I respect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEsJsH6Jz-o

Evidently lots of people get stuck at this same place.

Perfectionism leads to procrastination unto endless delays.

Well it is my intention to put a few short videos online tomorrow July 18.

They will not be nearly as great as my internal standards.

But it will break the ice and lead to improvements.

I ask for your best prayers.

While I enjoy writing these long messages it is time for me to change gears.

I have made a few dozen short videos over the years.

Some were guided by an outline on a Power Point slide show.

Some were just me talking to my web cam.

I have done the technical parts before.

One reason I have delayed is that there are so many videos I plan to make.

I have organized them into five kinds.

That is based mostly on a fund raising workshop I took many years ago.

One key lesson was that those who give money to nonprofits use four lenses.

They perceive those they support in one or more of these ways.

Understanding this helps to best communicate with supporters.

Those four ways are as follows:

Family, friend, minister and investment

Family means that the missionary is like an extended family member serving far away.

The updates are generally about external matters like lifestyle and experiences.

Friend deals more with internal challenges including spiritual warfare.

Minister means that that person has blessed me and my contacts so will benefit others there too.

Investment means that this is a long term project like a church plant or orphanage.

Each of these channels is important and they appeal to different audiences.

Thankfully online I can create a way to enroll and serve each group.

Also in my case I find that there is a fifth channel.

This one is essentially my autobiography.

The reasons, motives, inspirations, passions, purposes of the ministry are rooted in my life story.

The vision and game plan did not suddenly occur to me one afternoon.

There are lots of incidents, events and relationships that shaped me and my works.

Personally I greatly enjoy video biographies online.

I am amazed to understand how what I person did was the fruit of what happened to them.

Not everyone cares about that kind of detail.

Also during the coming months and years I will be asking strangers to trust me.

I will be asking them to pray for me, volunteer their time and give money generously.

For some of those they will want to understand my background.

I will have that online.

It will be offered in audio, video and text chunks.

I will be going on road trips in the coming months.

Along the way I will make contacts with all sorts of people.

I will seek to start and grow a relationship with the supporters.

I will use a selection of short videos, email subscriptions and other methods.

There will be volunteers and paid staff that create educational modules.

Those will be made ready and translated into various languages for the poorest people.

We will find ways to beta test the creation and distribution systems.

I will be used by God to provide innovative and creative solutions to perplexing problems.

There will be amazing results as we collaboratively combine our talents.

There will be journalists of all kinds that will need to report about me.

I will offer them links to these five channels.

OTHER

Here are some updates from other parts of my life besides making videos.

This morning I enjoyed a refreshing conversation with a friend out of state.

He is a pastor and one of the few men I trust to come into my heart of hearts.

Over the years I have been bountifully bless by God when we talked.

Again last night I was part of a wonderful prayer meeting at the homeless shelter.

The third floor is for men and at 830 PM there is a prayer call.

7 to 12 men gather in the hallway.

We share praise reports and prayer requests.

It is great to pray with men that have such genuine faith in Christ.

The building will hold about 500 people and it is mostly full.

On the second floor are women, children and families.

The first floor has administration, chapel and dining hall.

The 10 dollars a day includes 3 meals.

Think of plate lunches at public schools only larger portions.

Breakfast is served from 5 to 6 AM.

Lunch is 1130 to 1230 and dinner 430 to 530 PM.

My body is not used to those timings.

I never have been a big eater.

I have eaten too much one time and skipped some meals.

The building is a converted warehouse.

There are far more than 100 men in the huge room where I sleep.

My bed is near the main entrance to the floor.

There is often a game of Spades or Dominos happening very near my bed.

Typically I get to bed at about 8 PM and attempt to sleep amidst the noise.

Lights go out at 1030 and come on at 500.

My sleep has been much better than the first night.

My sinuses are only mildly irritated.

I have knots in my calves that I do not recall having before.

When I twist an odd way they hurt until I untwist.

I take some tablets from CVS that help ease the leg cramps.

And I stretch my legs a few times a day.

This morning the Lord inspired me with another kind of support I could use.

Besides cash over Pay Pal I can also use gift cards.

The three stores that are could benefit me most these days are as follows:

Subway, CVS and Whole Foods

Maybe there is a way for a person to sponsor 20 to 50 dollars on those and email it to me.

Or I can receive mail at the homeless shelter.

UPDATE

•       Today I turned a corner.

•       I decided I have done enough planning and preparing.

•       I have declared I will shoot and publish a few videos tomorrow July 18.

•       That will put an end to my procrastination and perfectionism.

•       Pray for that to get done.

PRAYER

God I thank You that You are totally perfect. There is no possible way for You to improve. You put in us a deep desire to become like You. But that will always be impossible while we live in these earthly bodies. Help me and us to both aim for excellence while accepting our imperfections.

God I cannot ever be justified by any good works I do. My acceptance by You is due to the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Yet You put in me a desire to do good works to shed Your truth and love with others. Help me to be zealous for good works in ways that please You.

God You have provided 24 hours in each day. May I be led by my Good Shepherd in how to most wisely use my time each day, week and month. May there be balance, harmony, rest, productivity and enjoyment.

Shalom