Lessons Learned in 25 Years

By -

This week, twenty-five years ago, Carla and I arrived onboard the Anastasis in New Zealand. A question I’ve been asking myself is what did I lean along the way? Here are the top 25 things I have learned since we joined Mercy Ships in no particular order:

  1. It pays to trust God, he is faithful.
  2. Obedience to the Lord is costly.
  3. Your family is your ministry.
  4. When the enemy is unable to impede you, he attacks your family.
  5. Accountability is one of the greatest tools at our disposal.
  6. Treat those working under you fairly; they may become your boss one day.
  7. Sometimes it is important to fight for your rights.
  8. Other times getting what you think is your right does not matter a hill of beans in the long run.
  9. Get your relationships right; unresolved relationship issues have a tendency to hurt you down the road.
  10. In the pursuit of perfection leave room for mistakes.
  11. Correction is good; it helps to bring us back on course.
  12. People have a tendency to forget the things you do right, but remember the things you did wrong.
  13. Always believe the best in people.
  14. Everyone deserves a second chance; even you.
  15. God put me where I’m to love people and own things, not to own people and love things.
  16. I don’t have staff working for me, but co-workers laboring in the same field.
  17. Resting is the most important thing to do when you are tired.
  18. I can not add a single minute to a 24 hours day.
  19. Worship restores spirit, soul and body.
  20. Personal devotion time is one of the cornerstones of ministry.
  21. Repentance needs to be a daily habit in my life.
  22. Forgiveness is a sign of maturity, not a weakness.
  23. The most exiting place to be is where the Lord called you.
  24. If you have been called by God to a place stay there until he tells otherwise
  25. I am not irreplaceable.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Best Friend

By -
Image
One of the attributes of friendship is that it transcends time and space. Friends may be apart half way around the world, but the instant they get together it is like time and space never existed. This is not different with my friend Benoni and I. We became friends at seventeen and for a decade participate in the most memorable events of each other lives. This time in Rio we had the opportunity to catch up again. 
Read more

Jesus Film

By -
Image
Cheesmanburg is about 50 minute’s drive from the port of Monrovia where the Africa Mercy is docked. Five of us began the 26 kilometers journey short after diner; two Liberian pastors joined the group on the way, which made 7 people on the Land Rover plus the equipment to show the film Jesus. When Ananda Samaraweera told me he was going out with the film Jesus I immediately asked if I could come along. Ananda and I go way back when he joined the Good Samaritan as an engineer. He attended the Good Sam Discipleship Training School in Brazil and was baptized on the Amazon River . It was on the Good Sam that Ananda got involved with the film Jesus and the passion of sharing the message of Jesus’ life to others. When I woke up Saturday morning, I had no doubt we were in the raining season. It poured rain all day long, however late afternoon there was a break; the clouds were still there, and time to time letting down a sprinkle or two, but the heavy rain was gone. The ...
Read more

Forty Years With Mercy Ships

By -
Image
  Today marks a milestone in my career. Forty years ago, on July 2, 1983, I joined the Organization #MercyShips. Back then, the dream to bring hope and healing to the forgotten poor was mainly work, a lot of hard work. But as my parents used to tell me, work doesn’t kill anyone; I’m here to say that they were right. In those forty years, I sailed the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Visited three continents and ministered in 42 countries. Countless volunteers from around the world worked without ceasing on the first Mercy Ships, the Anastasis, and the other ships that followed her, the Good Samaritan, the Pacific Ruby, the Caribbean Mercy, the #AfricaMercy, and now our newest ship, the #GlobalMercy. #Mercy Ships has delivered services to more than 2.86 million beneficiaries during this time. Provided services and materials in developing countries valued at over $1.77 billion, including the following: Performed more than 108,000 life-changing or life-saving surgical procedu...
Read more