Planning for the Future

“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?” – Proverbs 27:23-24

“For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.” – II Corinthians 12:14

Scripture clearly teaches the principle of planning for the future, and making preparations to care for succeeding generations. Missionaries often focus so much attention on getting to the field and the resources needed for ministry, that they forget about this important area. We daily focus on telling others about the brevity of life. As we encourage others to plan for their eternal future, let us not forget to plan for our earthly future.

Practical steps you can take to ensure peace of mind for your family:

1 – Make a Will
    • You and your spouse should have individual wills, which include instructions if you are survived by your spouse, or if you and your spouse both pass at the same time.
    • Decide who will be your executor.
    • Decide who will care for your children.
    • Decide who will receive your belongings.
    • Decide what items will go to specific individuals (wedding rings, family heirlooms, etc.).
    • Decide on amount(s) to give to charity.
    • Decide who will care for pets.
    • Be sure all names in the will are spelled correctly to avoid delays.
    • Do not sign your wills until you are in the presence of a notary public, and two competent witnesses unrelated to you who are not beneficiaries to the will!
2 – Prepare Other Legal Documents
    • Designate Power of Attorney(s) to handle financial matters.
    • Designate Power of Attorney(s) for health matters.
    • Consider having your spouse as a co-signer on all financial accounts.
    • Consider having your spouse as a co-owner on all vehicles and property.
3 – Obtain Life Insurance
    • Consider funds to cover funeral expenses and possible repatriation of remains.
    • Consider the possibility of moving your family home from the field.
    • Consider any one time expenses you wish to fund, such as paying off any outstanding debt.
    • Consider income to help your family into the future.
4 – Consider Funeral Preparations
    • What can you record that will be helpful to loved ones who will need to make difficult decisions during an emotional time?
    • Where do you wish to be buried?
    • Are there specific verses or songs that are special to you?
    • What are significant dates in your life, including your salvation and call to service?
    • Do you have a preference for a tombstone? 
5 – Create a Legacy Drawer
    • This is a single location to store all important documents.
    • Include a list of all financial accounts, with account numbers, contact information for the financial institutions, and passwords to access online details.
    • Include documents such as Birth Certificates, Social Security Cards, Passports, Wedding License, Deeds, Titles, etc.  If originals are in a safety deposit box, include copies and details of how to locate originals.
    • Include copies of tax documents for prior years, as well as the name and contact information for your tax preparer.
    • Include passwords, combinations, usernames, PINs, etc.  Be sure to include information about your online presence such as social media accounts and personal websites.
    • Click here to view Dave Ramsey’s complete article for more details.
6 – Plan for Emergencies
    • Ensure that someone close to you on the field has a way to contact your family, sending pastor, or the mission agency in the event that something happens to both you and your spouse.
    • Keep the contact information for the local Embassy easily accessible.    
    • Review your health insurance coverage on a regular basis: Have you had major life changes? Do you have sufficient coverage for all family members? Do you have policy coverage both in the US and overseas? 
    • Outline an evacuation strategy: How will you pay for it? Where could you go if needed? How could you travel? If you need to evacuate by car, do you know what route(s) to take?  
 
Resources:
 
Recommended Advisors
    • Accountant
    • Investments Advisor
    • Life Insurance Agent
    • Banking Advisor
    • Attorney
Websites 

From the Memo Board: March 2022

Dates to Know

March 1 – January Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

March 1 – February Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

April 1 – February Financial Reports will be due for US Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

April 1 – March Financial Reports will be due for Non-Resident Missionaries. This includes FNPO Reports for those with Foreign Non-Profit Organizations.

April 11-14 – Family Fellowship Week in Asheboro, NC.

April 18 – The Office will be closed in celebration of the Resurrection.

Staff Update

As many of you are aware, Mrs. Rebekah Tolley is expecting a baby within the next few weeks! If all goes as planned, she will be on maternity leave beginning March 14 through the end of April. We are all excitedly anticipating the arrival of Baby Tolley!

During Rebekah’s absence, Mrs. Hannah Brenneman will be monitoring our Signal Messenger communications. You can continue to send financial requests to the main Signal number, 704-750-9493. Our staff will monitor Rebekah’s email and other communications.

After her maternity leave, Rebekah will be working from home four days per week and will spend one day per week in the office. Congratulations may be sent to [email protected].

Uplift Podcast

The following recordings were recently published on uplift.wwntbm.com. You may access the site by entering the username: wwntbm and the password: gospel. We hope they will encourage your heart.

Paul’s Example in the Ministry by Pastor David Landers

Why Paul Refused to Quit by Pastor Mike Renfrow

Fainting in the Work of the Lord by Pastor David Landers

John Mark – The (Restored) Forgiven Man by Pastor David Landers

 

What do you do when your spirit becomes wounded?

by John O’Malley

“The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; But a wounded spirit who can bear?” Proverbs 18:14

When you are medically sick, you desire to get better. Your inner man, your spirit, drives you to get well. But what happens when your spirit gets wounded?

When the spirit gets wounded, we call these emotional wounds. Emotional wounds may come from marriage, ministry, acquaintances, and family. In fact, the very people you have given your life’s calling to reach with the Gospel can wound your spirit.

Emotional wounds are not a recent generational phenomenon. Scripture affirms the existence of wounded spirits by asking, “But a wounded spirit who can bear?”

How do you cope when emotionally wounded? How do you process the hurt caused by another? Do you retreat within your fears, brood, or seethe with anger? Do you try to hide because of shame or guilt?

I watch when ministry people become wounded. They use their platform of ministry to attack the one who wounded them on Social Media. I watched others go after the one who wounded them from the pulpit or in the classroom. Yet, others resort to gossip to sow seeds of discord about the one who wounded them.

Jeremiah (8:22) spoke of a wounded person with access to medicine and physicians. He even asked why they were not better when they had access to health.

Jeremiah validated the truth: Israel had a wound. The wound was real; it was not to be denied.

Jeremiah asked if the region of Gilead had run out of its healing balm. He wanted to know if there was still a medicine available.

Jeremiah further inquired, were there still physicians in Gilead? Doctors were available and present to help apply the balm needed for the wound.

Jeremiah asked with a perceptible tone, if they had all the resources, why were they not better yet?

Because of a fear of perceived weakness, you may not readily admit you have a wound. Your children can point to your wound. Your spouse can tell you of your wound. Yet, if you do not readily admit there is a wound, how will you get better?

It is acceptable and permissible to say I have a wound. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and remember, there is a medicine, the word of God. You will need to force yourself to recall there is a physician, the Holy Spirit of God. You will need to decide. When will I allow myself to heal?

Tell the Lord, this is where they hurt me. Listen for Him to say, “Yes, but this is where I began to heal you.”

Thank you.

Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley

If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know.