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Once again, the annual Missionary Family Reunion was a great success. Pastor Tim Adrian did a great job of encouraging and challenging us all. I also heard that those who spoke to the women did a fabulous job as well. Everyone seemed to enjoy the time and we laughed a lot. I have attended the Reunion 21 years in a row, and have never experienced some of things that we saw this year. You would have had to have been there to understand. Put the dates on your calendar for next year – June 10-14, 2019 in Branson!

Now we are gearing up for our annual Candidate School in July. This is a great time for the Mission Office staff to get to know the new missionaries and vice versa. Please pray for this full week of training going on July 16-20, 2018. There is so much information that these candidates receive. Also, one of our goals is to let them know we are here for them and will serve them as they serve the Lord; please pray that we are able to communicate that to them. If you have not been through the A-level Security training, and you are on furlough, you should have received an email from Steve Bender inviting you to attend that training. You can contact his assistant, Joyce, for further details at Joyce@bbfimissions.com. Oh, and you can also contact her if you want to sit in on the Quarterly Report session.

I know this is quite a way out there, but we have another Global Meeting coming up. It will be held in San Jose, Costa Rica July 6-9, 2020. Missionary John Barnes and the national leaders will help host this meeting. We have already started the planning and it is going to be a tremendous meeting. Plan now and start saving so you can attend. Bring a national pastor or leader with you from your country. I’d like to encourage you to pass the information along to all the pastors in your country so they can consider attending the meeting or at least pray for the meeting. I have heard from the attendees of the past two Global Meetings that they were amazed to see how much is really going on around the world and how they are a part of something BIG that God is doing. Start making your plans! More details will come.

The new MyQR App is available and those who are using it have shared that it saves them time and is easy to use. I would suggest you check it out and see if it works for you too. If you have questions, contact Kena at Kena@bbfimissions.com.

I have been reading about the twelve apostles. You know their names, but have you ever stopped to think about their different strengths and weaknesses? They were ordinary people doing extraordinary things for God.

The story is told of a great concert violinist who wanted to prove a point, so he rented a music hall and announced that he would play a concert on a $20,000 violin. On concert night, the music hall was filled to capacity with music lovers anxious to hear such an expensive instrument played. The violinist stepped onto the stage, gave an amazing performance, and received a thunderous standing ovation. When the applause subsided, he suddenly threw the violin to the ground, stomped it to pieces, and walked off the stage. The audience gasped, then sat in stunned silence. Within seconds the stage manager approached the microphone and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, to put you at ease, the violin that was just destroyed was a $20 violin. The master will now return to play the remainder of his concert on the $20,000 instrument.” At the conclusion of his concert, he received another standing ovation. Few people could tell the difference between the two violins. His point was obvious: it isn’t the violin that makes the music; it’s the violinist.

Well, the disciples were like $20 violins that Jesus transformed into priceless instruments for His glory. When we think about them, we should be encouraged to see how God used them despite their weaknesses, and we should be challenged by their strengths. We may not be dynamic like Peter or zealous like James and Simon, but we can be faithful like Andrew and courageous like Thaddaeus. Remember, God will take our lives and expose us to the experiences and teachings that will shape us into the servant He wants us to be. Trust Him to complete what He has begun in you and commit each day to the goal of becoming a more qualified and effective disciple of Christ. In God’s hands we can be a precious and effective instrument.

I have a suggestion for you: make a list of the character traits you most admire in the disciples. Then, ask the Lord to increase those traits in your own life and use you to do amazing things for His honor and glory.

I know many of you are busy with camps this time of year. You will be in my prayers and I sincerely hope there will be much fruit from your labors. So many people still need Jesus. He is their only HOPE! Have a magnificent July!

Your friend,

Jon Konnerup

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