Archive Blog (before 2019)

2 Ways Christmas Mobilizes Missional Living ALL YEAR LONG

What’s one of your favorite Christmas memories?  Please comment below.  Every year as a child we were at Grandma and Grandpa’s house full of cousins, aunts and uncles and fun times.  There were no white Christmases, only blue, just because Grandma always played the Elvis Christmas vinyl record on the stereo that was larger than the largest clothes chest you’ve ever seen.  Every year Grandma inevitably  runs out of film for the Polaroid camera (I’m ancient or my Grandma was a hipster).   She stands next to Grandpa and yells “Will you go to the store and get some film?” Grandpa, hard of hearing, always responds with “What did you say?”  Grandma repeats louder.  Grandpa leaves and inevitably, would ALWAYS miss the excitement of bells thumping against the porch followed by a “HO HO HO” and Santa Claus, HIMSELF came to OUR Christmas Eve!  I noticed always wore shoes JUST like my Grandpa!  The excitement faded out and I always would find myself looking at the manger scene to the side of the excitement. This scene imparts two breakthroughs in my life and my daily missional living:

  1. God mobilized His missional living be becoming among us. In fact, on earth, as Jesus, He received a name that describes his missional living to you: “Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, And they will call him, Emmanuel.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:23‬ ‭CEB‬‬). Emmanuel means “God with us.”  What love! God went through extreme measure to be with you.  He expresses His love for people He calls out by proclaiming “I am with you”.  God expressed  this to Abraham and Isaiah when He called them into their personal ministry.  Jesus expressed this to you as His disciples the day He commissioned you in your missional living: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB). This is why we are passionate in Mobilize Ministries to intentionally meet or “be with” people we know in in everyday life replicating the life of Jesus: “The twelve were with Him,” (Luke 8:1)
  2. God mobilized His missional living becoming a baby, the utmost form of vulnerability and weakness.  He was enthroned in Heaven with all praise directed toward Him and incomprehensible power that made heaven, earth and YOU at His fingertips.  Existence does not get any more comfortable than this.  Yet, God mobilized His missional living by subjecting Himself to be what humans view as the weakest, a baby. Wrapped in the weakness of my Cerebral Palsy and old orthopedic metal legged braces, this scene gave me comfort.  God became weak to start His journey to the cross, where yet He’d become weak and vulnerable again: “For He was indeed crucified in weakness”. (2 Corinthians 13:4).
    [tweetable author=”@toddlollar”] God mobilized His missional living to you by becoming weak and vulnerable.  Your weakness and vulnerability through your missional living touches people in your life with the love of Jesus. [/tweetable]
Experience newness is what God has already given you.  You have your life.  Deep, huh?  You have people in your life. [tweetable author=”@toddlollar”]CHRISTmas your missional living every day of the year by being among family and friends intentionally even if it means becoming vulnerable and weak replicating God’s ministry toward you and me.[/tweetable] Please continue the conversation below about specific ways you can Christmas your missional living everyday of the year.

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3 Ways to Live on Mission in the Middle of Your Mess

Life rarely goes according to plan. We can have our spiritual lives in order, our finances planned, and our families thriving, and then, in an instant, a storm hits. We lose a loved one, a marriage falls apart, or a job disappears. The easy narrative of a faith-filled life feels shattered. When you are drowning in grief, betrayal, and pain, the last thing you want to hear is a call to action, especially a call to go on mission. Our natural instinct is to retreat, to curl up and nurse our wounds in isolation. But what if God’s call to mission isn’t put on hold while we suffer? What if the very arena of our pain is the most powerful platform for His light? It’s in our darkest valleys that our weakness becomes the stage for God’s incredible strength. We don’t have to wait until we’re “fixed” to share the gospel; in fact, the most compelling stories of God’s grace are told by those who are still in the middle of their mess.

1. Your Pain Is Not a Pause Button

When we face profound loss, our world shrinks. We are consumed by our own grief, and rightfully so. It’s a heavy burden to carry. We may feel spiritually bankrupt and incapable of offering anything to anyone else. It’s easy to believe that our faith is on pause while we deal with the trauma. However, this is precisely where we must cling to the truth that our pain is not a permanent state but a powerful, albeit difficult, chapter in our story. The Apostle Paul, who endured relentless suffering, taught that we are “afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Our suffering doesn’t disqualify us from ministry; it deepens it. When we step out in faith despite our circumstances, we are a living testament to a God who sustains, even when we can’t see the path forward. Our weakness gives God space to show off His power.

2. Authenticity Is Your Greatest Tool

In a world full of polished, perfect facades, an authentic testimony of brokenness is an irresistible force. People aren’t looking for another flawless guru; they’re looking for someone who understands what it’s like to hurt and still have hope. When you’re living through trauma, you are in a unique position to share about the raw, unfiltered reality of a relationship with Jesus. You can speak from a place of fresh vulnerability, not from a distant memory of a past trial.

Consider someone who has lived their entire life with a physical challenge, like Cerebral Palsy. For them, every step, every word, can be a battle. The world sees their physical weakness. But what if that very weakness becomes the platform for an incredible testimony? When that individual speaks, their words carry the weight of a lifetime of perseverance. They can say, “I am physically weak, but through Christ, I am strong. He has carried me through every fall, every moment of frustration, and every time someone doubted my ability.” This transparency is a gateway for the gospel. It shows that Jesus isn’t a crutch for easy times, but a lifeline in the middle of a hurricane.

Highlight this quote: “We don’t have to wait until we’re ‘fixed’ to share the gospel; in fact, the most compelling stories of God’s grace are told by those who are still in the middle of their mess.”

3. Small Acts of Faith Have a Great Impact

Living on mission doesn’t always mean booking a trip to a foreign country or speaking from a stage. In the midst of suffering, it often looks much simpler. It might be a heartfelt conversation with a barista about their day. It could be a text to a friend saying you’re praying for them, even when you feel you have nothing left to give. It’s a simple act of kindness when you have no energy left. These small, seemingly insignificant acts of faith are the most powerful because they demonstrate the overflow of God’s love and strength from a place of deep pain. The mission field is right where you are, in your neighborhood, at the grocery store, and in your children’s school. God doesn’t need us to be at our best; He just needs us to be present and available. He promises to use our faith, no matter how small, to make a difference. As Jesus said, even a mustard seed of faith can move mountains. Your pain-filled life, lived on mission, is a powerful witness to a world that desperately needs to see that suffering and hope can coexist.

Your story of pain is not a sign of spiritual failure; it’s a testament to God’s enduring grace. You are called to be a light, not when you have it all together, but right now, in the middle of your mess. God promises to use our weakness for His glory. Your testimony is more powerful than any sermon. You are a missionary to the broken world around you, because you understand what it means to be broken yourself.

Take one step today. What small act of love can you offer to someone else, even while you are hurting? Maybe it’s a quick text to check in on a friend or offering to pray for a stranger. The conversation starts with you. Share in the comments below: How have you seen God use your pain to bring Him glory?

If you’re inspired to join us in our mission to equip and empower believers to live out their faith, consider becoming a monthly partner. Your gift of any amount—$5, $50, or $100 a month—or an annual gift, will help us continue to create resources and mobilize others for ministry. As a thank-you, all monthly partners will receive a complimentary copy of my book, Weak Is The New Strong, and an autographed copy of my second book, Mobilize Your Missional Life, upon its release.

Take one step today. What small act of love can you offer to someone else, even while you are hurting? Maybe it’s a quick text to check in on a friend or offering to pray for a stranger. The conversation starts with you. Share in the comments below: How have you seen God use your pain to bring Him glory?

If you’re inspired to join us in our mission to equip and empower believers to live out their faith, consider becoming a monthly partner. Your gift of any amount—$5, $50, or $100 a month—or an annual gift, will help us continue to create resources and mobilize others for ministry. As a thank-you, all monthly partners will receive a complimentary copy of my book, Weak Is The New Strong, and an autographed copy of my second book, Mobilize Your Missional Life, upon its release.

(All giving is tax deductible)

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