We Serve an Intentional God

Hey friends and family!

The last time you heard from me, I was in North Carolina for cross-cultural training. A few weeks ago, I returned to Akron, Ohio, and I’m excited to share what God has been doing during my time here!

As I mentioned in my previous newsletter, my time in North Carolina was so needed and deeply appreciated. It gave me space to process and reflect on all that God has done this past year, especially since I went so quickly from Argentina straight into that training. I learned so much, and I’m already grateful for the conversations and lessons from those weeks. I’m sure I’ll appreciate them even more once I’m in Mexico and can put them into practice in daily life.

My time back home has been full of ups and downs. To be honest, it’s been quite an adventure trying to figure out who I am, where I fit, and what God wants of me in this season. It’s uncomfortable and even scary at times. But one thing I’ve learned throughout this whole journey is that God often calls us to do uncomfortable and scary things, and it’s always worth it.

I feel grateful that God is giving me the opportunity to walk into this season with open hands, open to whatever He has for me here, whoever He places in my path, and however He wants to use me. He’s been answering prayers I’ve been praying for years, giving me incredible opportunities to share the Good News with people I never would’ve expected.

In all of this, God has been teaching me about His power, and not just His power, but His intentionality. We serve a God who shows up. One of my favorite reminders of this lately has been the story in 1 Kings 18–19, where God reveals His power by defeating the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and then meets Elijah in a gentle whisper. That story reminds me that the same God who displays His power in fire from heaven is also the God who meets us tenderly in our moments of fear, exhaustion, and doubt. Like Elijah, I’ve had moments of feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what’s next, but God keeps showing up, proving that He is both mighty and near. And that gives me so much hope as I step into this next season.

We serve a God who hears us and who does something. Our God is both intentional and powerful. He hears our prayers, and when they align with His will, He provides.

Since being home, I’ve had the opportunity to begin my fundraising journey, and it has been such a beautiful reflection and reminder of how the Lord provides. Not only does He provide financially, but He also provides community, encouragement, support, and people who cheer me on.

This is not something I can do alone, and I’m so grateful for the way the Lord is already bringing people into my life who want to join me in what He is doing. The journey has just begun, but I am so excited to see how God will continue to provide and how He will continue to use you to be part of what He is doing in Mexico.

I simply get the privilege of joining in

Prayer Requests: 

• Continued hunger for the Word of God. 

• Opportunities to serve and invest while I am in Ohio. 

• Peace in the unknown. 

• Continued provision for support. 

If you’re interested in meeting personally and hearing more about how God is moving in my life and in Mexico, I would love to connect! Please feel free to reach out, and we can get something on the calendar.

A few housekeeping items:

• I have created a new email specifically for missions information and updates! You will be receiving my newsletter from this email from now on. This will make it easier to organize everything. 

• I have created a website! There you can find all the information about giving financially, learn more about Shoulder to Shoulder, my social media,  and much more. https://www.naomixmissions.com/ 

• I have joined an organization that processes all my funds called Christian Missionary Clearinghouse. This will be the new medium for sending funds. If you go to my website and click on “Donate,” you will find all the instructions for giving.

• If you’re interested in giving and you would like to hear more about my call, my role, and what I will be doing in the future, I would absolutely love to meet with you in person or on Zoom. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

What a JOY it is to follow Jesus!

Naomi Bogue