Originally written by Marina Bromley
It’s been a few weeks, and I’m still thinking back about the NMC (or the new name, International Conference On Missions – or ICOM).
I hadn’t planned to attend all along, and didn’t have any responsibilities to present any workshops or attend any meetings (or cook!! 🙂 ) so I really just made my plans within the last month (proof that you don’t need to have a year-ahead-agenda to go!). I was excited to get to stay with another Team Expansion POM (Parent Of a Missionary) that I’d met years ago, even before the formation of “Tapestry” (our Parent/Family member ministry group). She’s a prayer warrior, and I love her heart for intercessory prayer, and was looking forward to picking apart her brain for ideas for our church’s Global Outreach prayer group – “GO Pray”.
Before she even arrived, God had placed several other people in my path, and throughout the few days I was there I was able to network in areas of Missionary Care, Family Support, Prayer and even deliver Christmas gifts to some of our “Near” missionaries that our church supports. There was so much more to attending this year that I had even put on my list to do! God had a purpose in plan for me being there!
Most of “my plan” to attend was to take hours volunteering in the U4tU booth, and that’s where most of my hours there were spent, but God’s plans included so much more than “me helping man the booth”. I was moved (again) to see so many people focus on ONE people group, and commit to praying for them throughout the coming years. For some people who have already been praying, it was SO encouraging to see people find “their” group on “the wall,” knowing that they have been praying for them, and that they were not alone in praying for the unreached. Very exciting!
If you have never attended a NMC/ICOM, I encourage you to pray about attending next year in Indianapolis, IN. You may not know who the speakers are (but I bet you will by the end of the Conference), may not know another person going (but you can encourage others to come with you!), may not fully understand WHY it is you should attend (but I bet God has a plan for you to be there already!)… I encourage you to COME!! I never walk away from there thinking “why did I come here?” and KNOW that you’ll be blessed by attending.
Be sure to get on the email list for next year’s ICOM! Check here for event updates: http://www.nationalmissionaryconvention.org/icom/home
I look forward to seeing YOU there!! (Yes, I’m already planning on attending next year!!)
Grace and Peace,
Marina
