Join us in Africa!

My wife and I have the incredible privilege of leading a team to Kenya and Uganda this summer. This trip is through America World Adoption Agency, which is the agency we used to adopt our youngest daughter, Klaire.

We are currently looking for people to join our team. If you have a heart for caring for the less fortunate and would love to serve along side us in Africa then we would love to hear from you. Here are some details;

What: While in Kenya, our team’s main objective will be working with the different children’s homes and baby homes of Crystal Chariots of Hope. This ministry has over 1,000 children in their homes and about 200 of these children are babies. The need is great! We need arms to hold babies and many people to play sports and spend time with the older children. From there, we will go to Uganda, where we will work with the children of Canaan’s Children’s Home in Jinja. We will also minister to the children of Return Uganda ministry and Noah’s Ark orphanage.

When: June 30 – July 13

Where: Kenya and Uganda

Cost: The cost for this trip is approximately $3,600 to $3,800. Yes, I realize that is a lot of money. The cost of the airfare for a trip like this can easily exceed $2,000. AWAA does not do these impact trips to make money. Please don’t let the cost keep you from going if that is what you believe God is calling you to do. I would love to help you walk through the fundraising process. With some hard work, creativity, and lots of prayer you will be amazed at what God can do.

Registration deadline for this trip is April 30. Click HERE for more information and to apply. 

Please fill free to contact me if you have questions or would like more information. We currently have team members from Michigan and Virginia. If you can’t join us, please consider praying for our team or becoming a sponsor. 

100 Friends for Orphans Campaign – Update – Day 5.

Photo from Chariots for Hope

Sunday I was thinking and praying over our upcoming mission trip to Africa. The needs that we will encounter will be hard for us to absorb. I know we have to pray up for what is ahead. I was also taking the financial need to the Lord. We cannot begin our work in Kenya and Uganda unless we first raise the needed funds to get there and purchase supplies.

As I scanned over my Facebook account I realized I had crossed over the 2,500 friend mark. Yes, I realize all 2,500 people are not my close friends. And yet, in some way we are connected and now, through the world of technology, we get a glimpse into each other’s lives every day.

My goal was to raise around $2,000 for my portion of the trip. With 2,511 friends on Facebook and with only 103 days left before our departure, I figured I only needed 100 friends to give $20 each to help me reach my goal.  That’s only 4% of those that know me, in some way via social media, giving to my cause. So, I only needed to find one friend a day, for the next 100 days, who was willing to believe in my cause enough to support me with a $20 gift.

And, here I sit, on day number five – and my goal has been REACHED! And as far as I can tell, it was achieved, not by 100 or more friends but by only 26.

I was moved to tears and extremely humbled that people would be willing to support my hearts desire to impact the lives of these little ones on the other side of the planet. Each and every gift is an incredible blessing.

I realize not everyone can give. I can’t always give to every cause that comes across my Facebook page either. But some of you did. And to you I say a sincere “thank you!”

If you wanted to give but didn’t get a chance before my goal was met, then I would ask you to consider supporting my wife, Julie, as she seeks to meet her goal as well. Here's the link to her page.

And, if you were not able to give at this time, I would love to invite you to please join us in praying for the following:

·      Pray for our team.

·      Pray for additional team members.

·      Pray for all of our members to be able to raise the funds needed to make this impact trip a reality.

·      Pray for our impact among the many orphans we will meet along this journey.

Something More

This past Sunday, at Kirby Church, I used a video titled "Something More" during the conclusion of my message on why we should share our faith. It's a powerful video and several people asked me to share it. This piece was create by MovingWorks. I encourage you to check out the site if you get a chance. I appreciate their work and passion for using media to impact the world for Christ.

100 Friends for Orphans

My wife and I have this incredible opportunity to lead a mission team for America World Adoption Agency this summer. Our team will be traveling to Kenya and Uganda to help care for orphans in children's homes in both countries. AWAA is the adoption agency we went through six years ago when adopting our youngest daughter, Klaire. 

To make this happen, I have to raise $2,000 in the next 102 days. So, I'm looking for 100 friends that would be willing to donate $20 in the next 100 days to help me reach my goal and bring love, hope, and care to these special children in Africa. 

I already have one. Would you be willing to help? 

All donations are tax deductible and can be given on my fund raising page. Or you can send a check to the following address and made out to Kirby Church. Please designate the donation to Joe Wilson Mission Trip. Thank you for partnering with me as I seek to lead others and follow His call to impact orphans.

Kirby Church

2773 Will Carlton Road

Flat Rock, MI 48134

By the way, this team is open to anyone interested. We are still looking for another 8 to 10 people to join us. For more information please check out this link; Kenya/Uganda

One of my struggles...

It’s not easy to write about your struggles. It’s not easy to be open. It’s not easy to be vulnerable. And yet, I somehow I feel led to write this post.

I found myself in a strange place this past Sunday morning. I had just wrapped up speaking in our first service and was in the back greeting people on their way out of the auditorium. A few people passed by and had some very encouraging words to say about my message. They were seriously gracious. And then it happened. I caught myself enjoying the compliments.

Yes, I realize its okay to like it when others say good things about us. But for me, I have to be extra cautious about that ugly thing called PRIDE. Part of my personality is to thrive on compliments. That’s just how I am. I love it when people compliment my work. I sometimes find myself striving so hard to accomplish something simply to get those compliments. And, when it comes to preaching, sharing God’s Word – I want to be so careful to not let PRIDE take my focus off the main thing. That is…I want everything I do – especially preaching – to be all for His Glory and not my own.

So, during the worship set of the second service I snuck behind stage and into our prayer room. I had to admit to God that I was enjoying the compliments too much and that even though I wanted to do a great job and knock peoples socks off with this message – I wanted Jesus to get all the glory and the credit.

In the “Message,” Peterson paraphrases Proverbs 16:18 to say, “First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.”

You see, when we are honest with ourselves and when we understand our weaknesses - we can avoid a lot of crashing and falling. I'm far from perfect and God has a ton of work to do on me. And that's okay. The important thing is to acknowledge it and allow Him to do only what He can do in us. 

So, how about you? Do you ever catch yourself struggling with PRIDE?

March Madness!

I love sports, the outdoors, hunting, hiking, and anything that requires physical activity. But, if I had to pick one sport that I love the most it would be...basketball.

So, in honor of March Madness, my home state, upsets, and underdogs - I would like to share the following video.

GO ILLINOIS! Bring on the upset. Always believe. Never give up.

Evangelism Linebacker

I shared the following video last night at Kirby Church while teaching on the topic of why we should share our faith. The video was well received! Now, if I can just get the Evangelism Linebacker to make a visit to Michigan!

Perspective -what we take for granted

A friend of mine posted this video today on facebook and I simply had to share it as well.

My first thought was how we take so much for granted here in America. I probably have 20 bibles in my office, some old, some new, different versions, gifts from special family members and another 5 or 6 copies at home. I also have open access to read the bible online and have the YouVersion bible app on my iphone. And, like many Americans, I often take it all for granted.

May God help us stop and realize how blessed we are in our amazing country to have such freedom of worship and open access to scripture. And may He help us capture some of the passion our brothers and sisters in Christ have around the world.