We don't need your money, but don't stop reading there.

One thing a lot of people struggle with when it comes to missions is the whole money thing. I'd say that most missionaries don't like to ask for it and most people don't like to be asked for it.

Think your gift is too small to matter? If every member of our Facebook group decided to skip one meal to fast and pray and gave what they would have spent on the meal we would meet our goal! That is one Starbucks coffee, McDonald's Combo, or Little Caesar's Hot-N-Ready pizza. That really isn't too much to ask is it?

We aren't asking you to give to us because we need your money. We aren't asking because God needs your money. We are asking because we want giving to become your heartbeat. We are made in God's image, and He is a giver. He gave his only Son! If what we are doing doesn't line up with your passion and you don't catch our vision, that is fine.

Do you have a heart for orphans and widows? (Jesus did!) Give up a meal so you can help a widow out with her water bill. Think that the unborn and their mothers need an alternative to abortion? Donate items and/or your time to your local crisis pregnancy center. Believe in the importance of Christian media? Whatever it is- partner with others to make it a reality. Those being reached are usually the least able to give back to such important ministries. That is where we, as Christians, stand up and fill in the gap.

It is more important to us that you make giving a part of who you are so that you can be used by God. Each time we give our money, we give up a little bit more than that. We give up our selfishness, our greed, and our sense of entitlement. We are reminded that all we have is God's and that we just manage it. We remember that our lives are about worshiping our Creator and giving is one way we can do that. Over the years, Brandon and I have seen God do amazing things in and through us when we surrender ourselves and our wallets to God’s will instead of our own. Does this mean we will be blessed financially when we give? Not necessarily. I believe it does mean, however, that if our hearts are right we get to know our Creator in a new way and be blessed spiritually. So please, do not dismiss this as another person begging for your money. I am hoping for a spiritual awakening that includes the greatest physical representation of where our hearts are – the checkbook.

9 Days Remaining- 6 Prayer Partners- 19% Funding

With just 9 days left until we travel to Bonaire, I become more and more thankful for God's blessings. He has given us the strength we need to get through each day. As many of you know, we have also been in the process of renting our Lynchburg home to some tenants while Brandon has been working a lot of hours.

I am grateful for the wonderful friends and family who have been such a support for us during these chaotic days and weeks and am relieved that the chaos seems to be winding down. Please pray for rest and renewal as we continue to prepare ourselves spiritually for the days ahead.

I am also glad to let you know that as of this afternoon we were aware of $352 in contributions toward our Bonaire vision trip. This puts us at approximately 19% and with an additional $424 available for matching funds. Do not miss out on this opportunity to have your gift doubled!

We are still looking for 29 prayer partners. We have officially met our goal of 5 partners for August 8th and still have openings on August 9-15th. Would you like to commit to pray specifically for us? Please sign up to the right so I can send you specific requests for your selected day!

$600 Matching Gift- Double your gift!!

Praise the Lord! We have a very generous donor who is willing to match up to $600 donated toward our Bonaire Vision Trip. If you were thinking about giving, now is the time to utilize this opportunity to double your gift! Donations up to a total of $600 will be matched.

To give:
Go to https://www.twr.org/projekt/602
Missionary Name: Brandon and Laura Neal
Support Designation: Support Fund

11 Days Remaining- 5 Prayer Partners- Funding Total Pending

God is good! With 11 days remaining, we have 5 prayer partners who have committed to pray for us throughout August and specifically on one day during August 8-15th while we travel. We are still looking for at least 30 more who will commit to the same. You may register at the right so we can send you prayer prompts for the specific day you choose. We do not underestimate the power of God's people uniting in prayer and purpose. We have already seen the impact of your prayers up to this point.

Additionally, I wanted to be able to report whether we met our 35% goal today, but some internet gifts are still being processed and tallied by TWR, so I cannot give the final report. I expect to have the updated totals on Thursday! Thank you to all of you who have given so generously in these trying economic times.

I am also thrilled to mention that at the time of this writing there are 110 members of "The Neal Family's Missions Updates" group on Facebook. I am so thankful to see friends and family come together to stay updated. This group is open to the public. Feel free to join!

A Great Day in the Lord's House

Although Brandon and I worshiped at different churches this morning, God was at work in both services. Brandon spoke/sang at Kentuck Presbyterian Church and Laura worshiped at Thomas Terrace Baptist Church. It was wonderful for both of us to be in churches that are close to our hearts. We were blessed to be able to share how God is working in our lives and reconnect with friends that we don't get to see as much as we would like. We were also both encouraged by the many people who offered to pray for us in the days ahead.

It is amazing to know that in God's family we are always at home no matter where the physical location. This is a constant reminder of the many individuals around the world who are also worshiping the same God and trusting the same Jesus that we do because of the men and women who have been willing to go into all the world and those at home who have faithfully supported them.

Missions doesn't begin with an overseas flight or end with a check in the mail or offering plate. EACH of us is called to make disciples and catch the vision that God has for us to reach those within our sphere of influence.

14 Days- 4 Prayer Partners - 3% Funded

Praise the Lord! With 2 weeks left, our partners are also catching the vision and staying updated with our progress. We are at 3% funding with a goal to reach 35% by Monday, July 27th. We also have 4 prayer partners out of our goal of 35 prayer partners. Will you join with us? You can register at the right to pray, give, or stay updated!

17 Days and Counting!

We have just 17 days left until our Vision trip to Bonaire. We are praying that God will raise up 35 prayer partners who will commit to pray for us once a day throughout the month of August as well as choosing one day to pray specifically throughout the day while we are overseas August 8-15th. We are also trusting God to lead churches, families, and individuals to partner with us financially to raise 35% of our goal by Monday, July 27th. I feel confident that God will use us to be an encouragement to the missionaries currently serving on Bonaire and that He will use this trip to clearly reveal His direction for our lives.

Vision Trip

As many of you may know, we have felt an increasing burden to serve in missions over the past year. Through many different circumstances, the Lord has confirmed to us that this is a direction He wants us to pursue. As we began to explore opportunities for service, we became connected with Trans World Radio. TWR is a multinational media network whose goal is simply “To assist the church to fulfill the command of Jesus Christ to make disciples of all peoples and to do so by using and making available mass media...” They are doing just that by producing programs in over 220 languages to over 2,000 outlets throughout the world, including areas where radio may be the only way people can hear the Gospel.

The type of work that TWR engages in fits very well with both of our skill sets. Brandon has applied for a position as a Business Administrator on the island of Bonaire. The team on this island needs someone who will be able to liaise between the ministry and government officials as well as manage the finances on this field. Laura is discussing working remotely for a subsidiary of TWR called MemCare by Radio. MCBR is headquartered in Europe and focuses on provided quality member care via media (radio and Web) for Christian workers serving all over the world—particularly in remote locations. This would be a great use of her education and experience in Human Services/Business Management.

As this would be a huge transition for our family, we feel that it is wise for us to take a one week trip to Bonaire in mid-August. While we are there we plan to meet with our prospective team, research housing options, and try to get a general sense of what life would be like for our family at this location. We would like to ask you to partner with us as we take these steps toward full-time service in international missions. We know that with these endeavors the prayers of family and friends are vital. Would you pray for us as we move forward in our application for service with TWR? TWR will provide us housing and local transportation while we are on Bonaire. However, we are responsible to pay for our airfare from the U.S. to Bonaire. The cost of our travel is approximately $1,800. Please pray for us as we work to raise these funds. If you feel God has laid it on your heart to help us take this vision trip, please make your tax-deductible donation online at https://www.twr.org/projekt/602 . You may designate “Brandon and Laura Neal” under Missionary Name and select the “Support Fund” option to support us financially. If you would prefer to mail a tax-deductible donation by check to TWR, feel free to contact me for more information. Thank you so much for your continual prayer for and support of our family!

Where Are We?

We feel that it is only fair to give some further information about our “disappearance” from Lynchburg to hopefully reduce any confusion. We wanted to be able to spend more time with friends before we moved and hoped to formally say “goodbye” but weren’t able to in most cases. Because we only moved 1.5 hours away I thought things wouldn’t change much. However, I’ve realized even moving across town often seems like across the country as habits and routines inevitably change with any kind of transition.

Change. I guess it is a part of life. It can be exciting or it can be utterly overwhelming.
I’ve found that God does a lot of work in my life in this area. My life is a paradox in many ways. I love change when it comes in the form of adventure, seeing new places, and meeting new people. But, I like to be the author of my own change. God is in the business of changing my heart to be more like Jesus Christ. That kind of change can be much more challenging.

All of that brings me to where we are and what we are doing. Brandon, Benjamin, and I are living just outside of Danville, VA about 1.5 hours away from Lynchburg, VA. We’ve both been in Lynchburg since 2002 and were married there in 2005. We completed our studies at Liberty University and crossed paths with many amazing people while in Lynchburg for the last 7 years. God has been digging and pouring a foundation in our lives during these critical years, and it hasn’t always been easy. He has brought us to a place of brokenness and surrender.

God has opened up some incredible opportunities, and we are seeking His face for guidance. As we wait on Him, we are living and working in the Danville, VA area. We intend to rent or sell our house in Lynchburg to free us up to go wherever God would have us go. Brandon is currently managing an athletic club in the area and loves it. He travels regularly to sing at various churches and venues. He also squeezes in a few other projects/part-time jobs on the side. I care for Benjamin and will also be working for the athletic club in various capacities as well as doing some volunteer work with a non-profit. Benjamin is growing like a weed and is nearly running. He says a few words and thinks he can say many more than we can understand. He is full of life and a true joy.

For those of you in Lynchburg, we do still make it out there on occasion and would love to set aside some time to share some of our “God journey” with you and hear about yours. For those of you out-of-towners, we do try to check Facebook, Gmail, and Twitter and would be happy to keep up with you electronically. Check back often because I will be posting updates and very soon will post about a specific opportunity for those of you who are interested in partnering with us as we serve Christ.

Thank you for all of your prayers, love, and kindness toward us.

The Neals

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Thank you for checking out our blog. This is the place to stay connected with the latest happenings in the Neal family.