Shields International Ministries

     The month of May proved to be a very busy and productive month in regards to our journey to the mission field. It began early on May 1st with a visit to the First Baptist Church of Durand, Michigan where Trenton preached his first sermon to an audience of about fifty people. This church was our first at which we had no personal connections previously established. However, we were very encouraged by their desire to accept us with open arms and hear about the Lord's work in Australia.    Following on May 6th, Hanna was able to attend her college graduation ceremony online. She officially graduated from Colorado Christian University with a bachelor degree in Communication and graduated at the very top of her class which consisted of over sixty college of adult and graduate study students. To celebrate, we had a small gathering at our home church on May 29th. It was a blessed time with good friends, family, and food. And it was also a wonderful day to reminisce on all that the Lor

Shields International Ministries                                                                                              Trenton Shields Studying Philippi – Part 1 ABWE | House of Faith Church | Shields International Ministries Thanks for Their Gifts    What can we learn from what Paul is telling us? Bible Verse in Review {Philippians 4 11:13}      “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Circumstances – What is going on? •  Paul is explaining his struggles to the Philippians to show how to deal with hardships with joy rather than sadness. (Didn’t believe his conversion/Beaten-Acts 21:30-31/Stoned/Persecuted-Acts 22:22/Ship Wrecked-Acts 27:41/Bitten by a viper-Acts

     My years of childhood were filled with the knowledge of Christ and the Biblical Teaching of Scripture because my father was a Pastor. But as I had become older, I started believing that the life I wanted to live was more about doing what I wanted instead of what God was calling me to. I took my father’s obedience to Christ as him trying to rule over me and control me to what “he” wanted me to be. Rather than seeing him as a Loving Father – I saw him as the enemy. Twisted and Contorted as my thoughts were, I began believing the lies and promises I was telling myself that I could provide more than what God could. I see now that my actions at this point in my life are what lead me to choose my desires as my master – for you can only serve one master whom will you choose?  You see, I was a very selfish young man in my earlier years and did not realize that that could spell out disaster for my eternity. That was a lost concept to me, eternity. Understanding that complex word was beyond

  "But why Australia?"     Of all the questions we've been asked these past few months, this continues to be the most prominent.       Why though? Didn't Christ command us to go into all the world and not just the best or worst parts of it? Didn't Paul demonstrate this throughout his own ministries in Antioch, Ephesus, and Corinth?      If the Bible is so clear on this point, then why do so many people find it surprising that first world countries need missionaries just as much as those in the third?     The answer is quite simple.      When I was a young girl, I thought alot like those around me. When I heard the word "missionary ", I thought of poverty stricken, starving people in Africa, South America, or the Middle East. I thought of tough living conditions, unappealing food, and undrinkable water. I thought of hostility to the Gospel in countries it is known to be illegal.      When I was a young girl, I never heard about missionaries in first world