Live Simply, Trust Wildly

Lesson: live simply and trust wildly

Book: thriving in cross cultural ministry by Carissa Alma

Observation 

1. Make every decision count. Don’t “just let” things happen! Pray about every purchase you make, every lifestyle decision you make, and every single major choice you are given. Think about it! Does it lead you closer to your goal of engaging in cross-cultural ministry?

2. They have become slaves to their lifestyle, feeling trapped and unable to do anything but to maintain the status quo.

3. Simplify your life for the sake of the gospel so that you can release funds for the Kingdom of God. Train yourself to be satisfied and content with little. This will also allow you to better identify with 90% of the entire rest of the world.

4. think it is impossible to hold any kind of discussion on supernatural provision and simplicity without mentioning radical giving and the ability to live unattached to money and materialism.

5. I see two very common streams of thought among Christians today when it comes to finances: the “prosperity gospel” and the “spirit of poverty.” The more common of the two, the prosperity gospel, teaches that: “God wants you to be happy. He wants to bless you with nice things and wants you to be comfortable.” In a nutshell, this ideology says that God wants us to be prosperous.

6. In addition to the prosperity gospel, there is another school of thought amongst many Christians today regarding wealth. I call it the spirit of poverty, and it may be something they ascribe to without even knowing it. Basically, although it is somewhat hard to define, it’s the idea that it’s somehow more spiritual to be poor than to be rich. It is a kind of reverse glorification of poverty (real or perceived) because of sacrifice unto the King.

7. The truth is that the bondage to money is the root of both the messages of prosperity and poverty.

8. In order to last the long haul with joy, let me encourage you to live simply, to trust radically, and to give extravagantly.

9. John Wesley said about money: “Make all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can,” and “When I have money, I get rid of it quickly, lest it find a way into my heart.”

Main point 

Live simply, trust wildly

* I have combined my love for reading and my love for workers to write a blog. This week's lesson is from the book Thriving in Cross Cultural Ministry by Carissa Alma.  It is available on Amazon and IBooks.