2014- the end...

It's crazy to think in 2 days that 2014 will be at an end. 

2014 brought the end of my Walmart career and the beginning of my life as a Church Planter with e3 Partners Ministry. The year also brought some pretty serious back surgery to Pam and a whole new restructuring of our bills and financials. 

God has a plan for this path that he has set us on and I must remain resolute to see this to the finish. I have set a goal to be 100% fully funded with Monthly Ministry Partners and with some serious focus and God's help- it can be accomplished!

Goodbye 2014 and hello to 2015. SE Asia awaits my part in The Great Commission!

Foister Ministry with E3 Partners Ministry begins...

God is good ALL the time!

I have now officially come on staff with E3 Partners Ministry. I am a Church Planter "in training" for the Indochina region. Part of my training will include taking a class called Ministry Partner Development with Support Raising Solutions in Arkansas in October.

I started a fundraiser on Booster.com selling customized T shirts. I was able to raise over $400 in about 25 days. The funds are just enough to cover the bus ride, hotel stay for 3 nights and taxi rides to and from the training. It's like God knew just how much I needed to make this happen! 

Praise The Lord!!

Update on E3 and God's calling to Missions...

I am in the final stages of the Application phase for Full Time status with E3 Partners Ministry. I have filled out an 11 page application and sent it in. I have completed 3 phone interviews from E3 individuals  in the US and Thailand. As of this week, my future is now in the hands of the Hiring Committee at E3. 

So what happens next? If I am "Hired" - I will then fill out more paperwork (probably online) then prepare to attend several trainings in Texas and Arkansas. One of the classes will be a Ministry Partner Development course that will teach me how to raise the necessary monies to fund my Expeditions/Mission trips and have a small salary at the same time. 

This is a big change to the Foister family lives. I am used to a 9-5 job with an hourly wage. This job will entail a LOT of leaning on God's grace and trust that He will provide. 

I am so thankful to have the support of my wife Pam and son Daniel. Many prayers have been said and I appreciate every one! 

I will update more when I find out whether or not I am a Church Planter with E3 Partners Ministry!

Why E3 Partners Ministry and Indochina Missions?

I get asked- why E3 Partners Ministry and not the International Mission Board or the Southern Baptist Convention for Missions work? Both the IMB and the SBC are wonderful organizations and ones my family support. However, after seeing the logistics involved in planning an Expedition and how well E3 carries out these Missions to the betterment of those involved- I cannot put my faith and trust in any other group. They offer all the hands on training, logistical support and planning to ensure a safe and fruitful trip.

It has taken me many years as a believer to decide to heed the call of The Great Commission given to us by Christ Jesus. Too many things have happened at this point not to say it's God's timing and plan that I am to travel this path. It is not my will, but my Lord Jesus Christ that guides me! 

E3's Statement of Faith and Corporate biblical beliefs align fully with mine and my family's. Simply put, E3's mission is simple. They equip God's people to evangelize His world and establish His Church. Raising funds for my Expeditions can seem like a daunting task. It is an exercise in Faith. I know though, that God has called me to go and He WILL provide the means!

So what exactly do I do on an Expedition? I travel to other parts of the world to tell about Jesus, make disciples and plant new churches. There are transforming initiatives that impact the local communities that I visit along with great opportunities to step out in faith and serve The Lord. When I go- I am joining thousands of others mobilizing through hundreds of Expeditions to over 40 countries. Often, I will travel with a group from my own church or I might meet up with others from around the country.  I might visit a Coffee House or even an University In-Country to meet locals and when able- share my story as to how I was saved by Grace by acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Savior. I sometimes will join a group during an English lesson class which opens the door for me to share my faith with a National. 

This will be my 3rd and 4th Expedition in September to Indochina with E3 Partners Ministry.  I have been blessed to be able to serve him in such a closed country and I know that is only thru His strength that I can go again.

The task of finishing The Great Commission is bigger than any one part of the Body of Christ. God wants to use the entire Body of Christ to finish this task. E3 Partners Ministry seeks to be an answer to the prayer Christ Himself prayed in John 17:20-21 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word: that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." 

*Note- I have used some materials from E3 Partners to better quantify and explain my reasoning and purpose. 

E3 Ministry Partners and me...

2014- Who would've thought that 3 years ago I would now be planning my 3rd Expedition/Mission trip to the Indochina region?

A little history...

I grew up in a Southern Baptist Christian home. My Mom, Aunt and Uncle were children of a Minister and I even played church as a child and delivered sermons to them in my room. As a youngster, I thought I might one day grow up to be a preacher. God had other plans and that never happened. 

My life has been full of ups and downs. From being a child of divorce (my lowest) to my marriage and birth of my son (my highest)! God has always been there- protecting me and guiding me. Doors have been opened and closed by his hands and plans put into play long ago seem to be coming to fruition. 

I have had on my heart for several years now a desire to do more for Christ's Kingdom. At one point, I thought that I needed to start a Youth Ministry another time a Drama Ministry. But those ideas never panned out. I just never felt led to take the necessary steps to pursue that lead. My retail job has for several years sucked the life out of me and kept a veil upon my heart for all things Godly. I really have felt too depressed to "get involved" per se. But, one Sunday at church in 2012, the bulletin had a promo for a Mission Trip to Vietnam. And something clicked inside me. Missions...! I had to know more and look into the possibility of going. I talked with Joey, our Associate Pastor (who quickly has become my Mentor and Friend), and he gave me the details about the Expedition and E3 Partners. I was so excited! I signed up several days later and started the Fundraising Process. My wife and son supported this new endeavor and we were quickly amazed as family, friends and strangers started sending me money to fund my trip. God was so good to me! The trip came and went and it changed my outlook on life. But- I returned to the daily grind and my passion quickly faded and once again became replaced by luke-warmness. 

2013 comes and with it another opportunity to go to Vietnam with E3. This time as a Sports ministry and an even larger Expedition team. A blessed time in Ho Chi Minh City quickly ended and then back to the day to day toil of retail...

The end of 2013 and the first few months of 2014 brought a change to my job. I accepted a promotion to go into Mgmt last November, went thru training and started in Newport TN as a fresh faced Assistant Manager of Walmart. I was moved from store to store and drove mile after mile to whatever location they needed me at. After 2 1/2 months of sheer frustration, despair, physical pain and anguish- I made the decision to throw the towel in and sever my employment with the company. That was a scary decision!! But you know what? I had the support of my wife and son and even more importantly the assurance of God that we would be ok...

Even greater reason to be at home unemployed was that Pam had to have back surgery. And I got to be home and take care of her for over 3 weeks- meeting her needs, running errands, taking Daniel to school, cooking supper and doing whatever was needed thruout the day. God's timing is perfect!

Gloria from E3 came to visit our church 2 weeks ago. She gave a great report on the E3 strategy for the Indochina region and mentioned that they needed a staff member as a Communications Coordinator. This intrigued me and little did I know (until later) that Pam was thinking that I should look into the position. I called Gloria and we chatted about the needs for the team and I shared what was on my heart about wanting to give myself full time to His Ministry. Gloria prayed with me and agreed that this is the time to make that next step for His Glory. 

I am now pursuing a Full Time Staff member position with E3 Partners Ministry for the Indochina region.  This would include the countries of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar. I have a 4 page application to fill out, several videos to watch and summarize, a 3 part phone interview process- all of which could take 2-3 months. If I am accepted and on boarded- I then will begin training and attend a class called "BodyBuilders" which will show me how to raise funds monthly by gathering Ministry Partners to fund a small salary and pay for Expeditions. I would like to see me going on 3-4 Expeditions a year and know that it is all in God's hands at this time...

Too many things have happened at this point not to say it's God's timing and plan that I have traveled this path. It is not my will, but my Lord Jesus Christ that guides me!!

"But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

(2 Timothy 4:17)

Vietnam 2014

After much prayer and consultation with my wife, I have once again decided to go to Vietnam with E3 Partners Ministry. I will now start the process of composing fundraising letters and gathering financial support for this trip that leaves on September 11th. 

This is what God wants and I am ready to fully give to him what is needed!

Mother's Day 2014...

I've been reflecting on Mom during this Mother's Day. I know that I am the man I am today because of the upbringing given to me by my Mother. And the cool thing was, that I had my Aunt Dana as a second Mom. When my Father checked out years ago- it was my Mom and Aunt who were there.

Play dates, game time, hide and seek, book readings before bed, Mom's Taxi, many years of Trick or Treating, fantastic Christmas mornings ( even if Dad was sitting there like a log), taking me to many viewings of the Original Star Wars trilogy- it was all Mom and Aunt Dana. 

When we trekked out into the cold and snow to dig up frozen wood to burn in our stove to be able to stay warm- it was me, Mom and Dana who did it. When we pulled food out of the trash to have something to eat- it was me, Mom and Dana. Heartache and Sadness was a common bond in my household and it was only thru God's love and my Mom and Aunt that I survived it. 

When I was five, I accepted Jesus Christ into my life as Lord and Saviour. It was with my Mother that I got down on my knees to pray a prayer of acceptance. I owe my Christian upbringing to Mom and Dana because without them I would be lost!

I am thankful for my Mom and my Aunt on this Mother's Day 2014. 

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Pam's back surgery 2014

After many months of pain and suffering, Pamela will be having back surgery in Kingsport. She has spinal stenosis and several bulging discs, as well as sciatic nerve problems. Tomorrow, she will have a very small semi noninvasive back surgery that will last probably about two hours. I truly think that God has allowed me to be unemployed during this time. It will allow me to be at home with her to help take care of her during her recovery time. This will also allow me to cook supper, run errands and take care of Daniel as needed so she won't have to. God is in control!

Walmart- the end...

I started with Walmart in July of 2003. I was hired as a Sales Associate in Sporting Goods and after a years time became a Customer Service Manager. After 4 years I was promoted to a Department Manager over PaperGoods and Chemicals. A year later I promoted to a Zone Supervisor over Operations and the Front End. In 2013, I reluctantly accepted a promotion to Assistant Manager.  From the middle of October to the week before Thanksgiving I was training in Knoxville. Training was fun- but it was for perfect world scenario facilities and doesn't prepare you for what's really out there in the stores. I became what is known as a "Floater"- an Assistant Manager without a home. The market had promoted a few associates ahead of the need for Assistants so they could be ready to fill in when needed.  I "Floated" between Knoxville, Sevierville and Newport for almost 3 1/2 months. Never truly getting into a routine or learning associates names was the norm. Unloading trucks at Sevierville until my body ached was a nightmare as well as being expected to manage the Apparel areas of the store. Working endless pallets of freight in Knoxville and Newport as well as miles and miles to and from work corrupted any such positive thoughts about working at Walmart as an Assistant Manager. Sleepless nights, upset stomach, stress, panic attacks and an intense hatred for Walmart, retail and the job finally took its toll. 

On Thursday March 13 2014- I handed in my badge and quit Walmart after 10 years on the job.

God has a plan and it's in him that I must trust. To God be the Glory!