Adventures in Missions

Join Us at The Summit!

Here's an exclusive invitation to a special event, and you don't want to miss it! This November 9th-10th in Atlanta, Georgia, the Youth Cartel will debut its inaugural Summit Conference, a "TED-Talk-style" youth conference geared to launch imaginations and action in young adults. Adventures in Missions is offering you an opportunity — an event within the event — uniquely for Adventures alumni trip leaders and youth pastors, along with their staff and friends. On November 10th come enjoy a special luncheon with Adventures founder,...

God’s Light Amidst the Darkness

October 23, 2012
Adventures
Mission Trip Stories

While in Tanzania, Rachel Monahan learned that God is still present in places experiencing spiritual warfare. She thanks God not only for their experience in these places but also that his presence will remain long after they’ve left. If you’re curious what God wants to teach you check out our Adventures page for upcoming trips. I wake up every morning, roll out from under my mosquito net in our little cement house, and walk outside to absolute pure natural beauty. Tanzania is without a doubt one of the most gorgeous places I have ever been. And...

The Grinch of Puerto Barrios

October 22, 2012
Adventures
Guatemala

Growing up, it was a tradition in my family to watch all of the old Christmas movies starting the first day of December. Among those I consider "classics" is the ORIGINAL (i.e. cartoon) version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I watched it so many times growing up I can now recite it almost by heart. One of my favorite lines in the movie is: "The Grinch hated Christmas – the whole Christmas season. Now, please don't ask why; no one quite knows the reason. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. Or it could be that his head wasn't screwed...

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

October 20, 2012
Adventures
Guatemala

From the time we are old enough to talk in America, we are taught that we deserve the best. We deserve happiness. We deserve freedom. We deserve comfort and security and love. And when those things are withheld from us, or delivered in a way that we do not find desirable, we become indignant, sometimes to the point that it even feels like righteous anger. At least, that's how I always felt. In the United States and much of the world, people have worked for generations to ensure that we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of...

Episode 7: “…and then we’ll snuggle!”

October 18, 2012
Adventures
Guatemala

My dad is a snuggler; an unabashed, hug-you-hard snuggler. One of his favorite Christmas movies is “Elf” simply because Will Ferrell’s character, Buddy the Elf, makes a long list of things to do during Christmas time that ultimately ends with “… and then we’ll snuggle!” My dad has snuggling on lock, as the saying goes. And growing up, I’ve always known that I could run to him when I was afraid, or hurt, or heartbroken. One of the things I miss most being away from my family is his ability to comfort me, to make me feel safe and assured with a...

11 Videos in 11 Months: Racers Share Their Stories

October 16, 2012
Adventures
World Race

Everyone has a story to tell. When it comes to the World Race you may hear stories about squatty potties and overloaded buses, strange foods, and those weird sandals everyone wears. Isn’t it more than that? What about the stories of transformation, redemption, restoration, and healing? What about the God story that is written in each Racer’s life from the moment they find the World Race on Google to arriving back home after an 11-month trip around the world. Those are the stories worth telling. And retelling. Those are the stories that must be...

Redefining Power

October 14, 2012
Adventures
Guatemala

“Ministry is all around us. We don’t have to be at ministry to do ministry.” Those two sentences, spoken by my team leader in feedback last night, basically sum up what God has been teaching me these last two weeks. Not very profound you might say. Sure, I’ll give you that. But the concept is completely life changing. Ministry isn’t meant to only be done during “set times” or at “set places”. Our entire life, every moment of every day, is meant to be an offering to God. Worship is so much more than songs we sing during...

God’s Plan for Me

October 13, 2012
Adventures
Guatemala

Since being here, I have loved being able to have intersession with the whole team. I've never seen God speak to me so powerfully. I used to think that to hear God, I had to hear a loud audible voice, so I guess you can say I never "heard" God. During intersession someone usually plays guitar and we take time to worship, during that time I just pray about what the Lord wants to show me and that I would be open to whatever He is asking of me. I've come to the realization that the Lord speaks to me through His word. So I'll always open my bible and the first verse I...

Faith Is Rising in Nicaragua

October 11, 2012
Adventures
Long Term Missions

Lisa Smith, a World Race alumnus from the July 2008 F Squad, is now serving as a full-time missionary in Candelaria, Nicaragua. She spent a month of the World Race there, and God moved her heart to return permanently. Lisa is the Director of Children's Ministry for New Song Mission. Her dream is for the restoration of families in Nicaragua through relational ministry. She leads children's Sunday school classes, youth programs, outreaches to local villages, child sponsorships, and education programs. She eventually plans to have a home for children who...

It’s Official. I’m a Missionary. (Part 2: Finding Comfort in the Most Unexpected Places)

October 4, 2012
Adventures
Guatemala

There was one evening a couple of weeks ago that truly topped all of the other instances of culture shock. It was the evening I knew I was officially a missionary. Like many nights during the week, we were headed to a church to worship and share our testimonies with the congregation. We were told we were going to a house church and that, in this particular church, jewelry was considered sinful. So we took out our earrings, took off our bracelets and hopped in the van. When we arrived, we were led down a pitch black path, next to a drainage ditch, by the teensy light...

Make a Difference Close to Home

Going on a mission trip doesn't always mean going far from home. There are big needs in our country, and sometimes even in our own backyards. This story from a recent missions team to Appalachia is a great reminder of how God can use us to help our neighbors if we make ourselves available and listen to his voice. One afternoon it was our group's turn to do a random act of kindness. We gathered at the church we were serving at and spent some time in prayer asking God where to go. Listening prayer was new to all of us, but we stepped out in faith and wrote down all the things...

It’s Official. I’m a Missionary. (Part 1: Culture Shock)

October 2, 2012
Adventures
Guatemala

During training camp and the months leading up to the trip, we were all warned over and over to expect culture shock. To expect the unexpected. To throw our preconceived notions out the window. I thought I had done everything I could to avoid being surprised by my new surroundings in Guatemala. But honestly, how does one prepare for the unknown? Over the past month here in Puerto Barrios, I have experienced so many new things and accepted them as normal. However, there are a few things that have taken more time to get used to. For example: Lines in...

Author: Adventures