The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

THE BAD AND UGLY

1 Peter 5:8-9 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

You never think it's going to happen to you and then it does. I fell for a scam. They called. I answered. I thought they were my bank. They weren't. After awhile, I knew something was up. I hung up my phone and immediately called my bank. They shut everything down and froze my accounts so the scammers wouldn't be able to access it.

The first thing I felt was terror. The possibility of being swindled of all my hard earned cash didn't sit well with me.

Then shame. My job requires me to take training to recognize the signs of a scam. I felt like I should've known better.

I felt anger towards the scammers, but I felt more anger towards myself.

Why did I fall for it? Short answer: Because I am a fallible human that is susceptible to deception.

I think sin can do the same thing to us.

It can appear non-assuming, even good, but then the consequences set in. [Insert scene in the Garden of Eden here].

Proverbs 9:17-18 “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

As I researched what I was going through, I found that there are people who fall for scams and never report it because they are so ashamed they don't want anyone to know.

James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

When a friend reached out to see how I was doing and shared about what happened, their words were healing to my heart: Nobody is blaming you for what happened. The only ones responsible are those who are running the scam. It was exactly what I needed to hear and I felt so much lighter. Jesus knows right what we need at just the right time.

THE GOOD

• They were able to return the funds that had been taken from my account. Praise God!

• I passed my Open Waters Dive course. I am now certified to dive up to 60ft.

• I found some cross-stitch patterns while I was cleaning and really proud of how it turned out.

• Some of my cousins visited from Canada. It was good to visit and play games with them. I'm glad I'm able to enjoy this time with family while I can.

• My Sunday School class picked me up in monthly giving. Praising God for their generosity and so thankful for their support.

• I received an opportunity to house/dog sit for some family in September. That money will also go towards funding my mission.

• This month I am reading "The Mission of God's People" by Christopher Wright for my AG homework.

This is the finished product of my cross stitch pattern. Not too shabby, eh?

HOW YOU CAN HELP I am currently at 38% of my monthly commitments. Once I am fully funded, I can apply for clearance for the field, and then I can go. There is a lot of work to be done. Would you consider partnering with me? Do you know of any churches, small groups, Sunday school classes, couples or individuals that have a heart for missions and would like to hear what God is doing in Europe (and around the globe)? I want to connect with them. I am looking for opportunities to share and invite people into what I am doing, but I can't do it without the body of Christ. Or if the Lord is leading you to give, you can partner with financially to send me, my missions account (tax-deductible), you can give here. Account # 298383 PRAYER REQUESTS

• Praise God for protection against the scammers and may they be caught and tried for their evil deeds.

• My great aunt passed away. She is now home with Jesus. Pray for my family as we grieve her loss.

• Pray I would grow in wisdom and discernment.

Maranatha.