MY MOTIVATION TO SERVE THE LORD
IN MISSIONS
Bro James Tan

I give thanks to God for giving me the opportunity to serve Him in missions.

In recent times, God has impressed upon me a deeper conviction for world missions than before. Through hearing various individuals share, and through the study of God's Word, God led me to grasp an opportunity to go on a short term mission trip with OMF (Overseas Missionary Fellowship).

Upon completion of my industrial attachment this June, I have a block of close to 3 months of vacation. Having reached the final year of my studies, it would be the best opportunity to get an idea of where and how God desires me to serve Him in the future. OMF presented the opportunity with a program they run called 'Serve Asia', a programme very similar to Youth for Christ's Project Serve, where anyone can commit to serving the Lord for a short stint in the mission field.

As God leads me in my preparation for this trip, it is my prayer that through the trip (and upon returning), I would grow in reliance on Him. In availing my time to be used for ministry, God has guided me to grow in my relationship with Him through learning to put my trust and faith in Him, which will be a lesson valuable for the rest of my life. Ironically, I have been relying on my own strength to serve an Almighty God, me being a very task orientated person.

I pray also to grow to see God's big picture of world missions, focusing away from the distraction and temptation of fulfilling my selfish desires in life. I hope to live a life using the resources God has given me to point others to God, as a relationship with God is of highest worth, and only God is worthy of our worship.

God would be using me to serve the people of Nakhon Sawan, from 30th June till 22nd July with an international team which meets at this time of the year to play soccer (as part of an outreach program) in the neighbouring villages. After that, I would join my family in Bangkok for a holiday from 26th July till 29th July. I intend to stay on from 30th July till 14th August to be part of the campus outreach ministry at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok. Both Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sawan are in located in Central Thailand, which is South of Chiang Mai and North of Bangkok.

'As Jesus has given me His life,
do I give my own life to point others to God?'