Monthly Archive
Donate to Josh
Are you blessed and encouraged by this website? Help keep it running and help fund an intercessory missionary! See more information on supporting Josh.
Kitchen renovation dilemma solved!
Back in September, I detailed the wretched state of my 1960's era kitchen in this post.
Well after much toil, a lot of time, a lot less money than I expected, and a lot of help from my stepdad (I would not be writing this post if it was not for him), I've learned how to laminate countertops, lay tile, install recessed lighting, and cut in paint on walls and ceilings.
Now, for the visuals.
Before I moved in:
About a month after moving - the new appliances had arrived and I had painted a light tan color (looks yellow in the photo, eww):
Current:
A bit different, eh?
I'm so happy with the way it came out. I used to be one of those guys that would say "Home Depot is just not my store", but that's completely changed. I love going there, and thanks to their "no payments and no interest for 12 months" deals that they always seem to be sending me in the mail, I have a whole year to slowly pay off all my renovation costs. They must have had missionary budgets in mind. :)
Maybe I should lay tile in my spare time to raise some extra support...
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the renovation!
Posted in 
i think that your renovation
i think that your renovation looks awesome personally
uhh...
Hi, just randomly found your page, as I have been asked to support a "intercessory missionary" and well, I couldn't find much information about what he would "do". I have been concerned for him because he will be leaving a good job (window cleaning homes for 16 bucks an hour) and will instead ask for an equal amount of support to do his thing. He also has a house and he has a wife and baby. He would also say he is committed to living simply yet come on! Living simply isn't owning a house, renovating a kitchen with new appliances and buying $2000 computers. I know, the computer could really have significant purpose and all and that really isn't my point - I just don't "get" why you shouldn't be tiling people's kitchens while praying or evangelizing and using your hard work as a model of Christian behavior. Please accept this as a question not an attack, I'm sure you've heard these questions before so perhaps you could help me understand.
Hello Anonymous!
Hello Anonymous!
Don't worry, your questions are common. I'd encourage you to ask these things to your friend directly. But in my opinion, the most important thing to keep in mind is that "living simply" should not be equated with "poverty". Paul was a tentmaker in his early days, but as the Lord called him further into ministry, he relied on friends, churches and other missionaries to provide for his needs. The church saw his ministry as important, necessary, and effective for the advancement of the kingdom of God on earth. For example, the Corinthian church (2 Cor 9) and the Philippian church (Phil. 4) adequately provided for Paul's needs. The priesthood in Israel's early days was a funded ministry. Anna in Luke 2 ministered to God "day and night" in the temple as her primary occupation. Jesus set forth the principle for justice going forth to the earth through "night and day" prayer in Luke 18. The biblical basis for a "vocational intercessor" is unbelievably strong!
Now I am sure Paul brought in a lot of money for the kingdom. But what marked His heart before heaven (if he truly lived the "sermon on the mount" lifestyle, which I am sure He did) was not that he raised a lot of money, but that he was an extravagant giver of it.
I have a heart to be an extravagant giver. Jesus told us that the love of money is the root of all evil. That's such an crazy statement! He also told us that we can't serve both God and money. I'm not purporting the "prosperity gospel" common in the West today by any means, but Jesus never told us to live with a "poverty" mindset. I unashamedly want to raise a million dollars a year and give $950,000 of it away. With a somewhat "normal" middle class American income, I can live in a home that is adequate for my wife and children so that they can live a Godly life. Of course I'm nowhere near that level of support funding (I'm actually still making below the poverty line according to the IRS - America's tax agency - which is why I wrote this post on my blog. It is such a miracle that I was able to replace my broken and dysfunctional appliances and renovate my kitchen with my current level of income).
Money is such a huge test of where our heart loyalty lies. That's why "the love of money is the root of all evil" is such an intense statement. The Lord knows I need money to feed a family and send kids to school. All of the silver and the gold is His (Haggai 2). And Jesus told us not to worry about provision, because He knows our needs. This is where I want my confidence to lie.
Ultimately, I have to answer to God on the way I spend the money I've been given. As an intercessory missionary with people supporting me, I have the fear of the Lord over this issue... I never want to lose that fear, lest I end up in apostasy and end up serving money rather than the Lord.
Hopefully that helps you out a little bit... I can't speak for the person who asked you to support them, but hopefully I've given you enough to go back to them and speak honestly with them about their intent and heart's desire. As someone who's been asked to fund an intercessory missionary, it's good that you're not just blindly giving. It's your responsibility to take it before the Lord in prayer and to search it out (as you've been doing), because you'll stand before the Lord one day to give an account for the way you stewarded the finance He gave you.
Let me know if you have any more questions! God bless.
Post new comment