.webp)
I know what you are thinking.
“Memorization is hard. I can barely memorize one Bible verse; there is no possible way I can memorize 9 pages of that Connecting with God booklet! These Royal Servant people must be crazy.”
Future Royal Servant Let me tell you something: You’re right... at least two-thirds right. We are a touch crazy and memory work can be difficult. However, when it comes to your ability to memorize, you’re wrong. Dead wrong. The Hamilton soundtrack that you sing cover to cover in the shower each morning proves you wrong.
You see, we memorize that which is valuable to us. It may not always be easy or natural, but it is absolutely possible. And when it comes to the Gospel, nothing is more valuable or crucial. David understood this when he wrote, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
We at Royal Servants don’t just believe memorizing Scripture is a nice idea if you have spare time, our Father commands us all to do it! Proverbs 7:2 says, “Guard my words as your most precious possession. Write them down and keep them deep within your heart.”
This summer you will spend a significant amount of time reading God’s Word, taking it in, and committing quite a few verses to memory. While this may seem daunting, I think you might be surprised by what you can accomplish with discipline and accountability.
Understand that we are intentional about everything we do. Having you memorize Join the Story is not just an exercise for the sake of an exercise. The JTS booklet is a valuable tool that will equip you to share your faith confidently; the verses you memorize will not only impact you this summer, but for the rest of your life.
So how do you begin?
Start now.
Set manageable goals - maybe working on one page each day.
Ask someone to hold you accountable to your objective.
Prioritize it. Memorization means sacrifice.
We believe in you! And we truly believe if you commit to your memory work, you will not regret it.
Important Information
Booking Domestic Travel
Be watching for all of the travel forms and Updated Mission Trip Schedule that were sent to you in yesterday’s mail. You will be able to book your domestic travel when you receive those documents. You will also receive them via email early next week.
Packing Tips
There are a few things we want to highlight this week as you start to think through purchasing/borrowing things for the summer:
- Headlamp: We know that for some it may seem a little nerdy. But in the world of Royal Servants, a headlamp is not only fashionable, it's extremely practical. Having 2 hands free at night (as opposed to holding a flashlight) is the way to go. You can get a fairly inexpensive headlamp at Walmart.
- Spices: Old Bay, brown sugar, garlic salt, Mrs. Dash, or one of those containers that have multiple seasonings seem to be everyone's favorites. You don't have to bring seasonings, but who doesn't want a little extra brown sugar on their oatmeal?!
- Toilet Paper: This will be one of the best pieces of advice we give you. If there was ever a time to spend a little extra, this is where to do it. At the very least, go for 2 ply. You'll thank us later.
International Airfare
In your prep packet, we let you know that we are required to start booking international tickets at the beginning of May. Listed below are the actual dates we will be booking each trip. That means each participant must have enough money in her or his account to cover that cost on that day. If you have enough funds in your account, we will automatically book your ticket. However, if you don’t have the funds in your Royal Servants account, you may also give us a credit card to cover the cost.
We won’t charge your credit card—really! We will simply put a hold for that amount and then remove the hold when your account has enough funds to cover the ticket. We would only charge the card if you dropped from the program and didn't have enough in your account to cover what we paid for the ticket. Reign Ministries is only able to process holds for Visa, MasterCard, and American Express cards (debit cards may be used, but there has to be enough funds in the account and the hold will make those funds inaccessible until released). You can find more information on this under "Financial Deadlines" in your Preparation Packet booklet.If you want us to purchase your ticket by putting a hold on a credit card, you will have to call the Reign Ministries’ office before the booking deadline. You are not able to use our online giving to place a hold. You can make a tax-deductible donation for your ticket online, but the amount is immediately charged. You can call our office 763-535-9555 ext. 721 for the Royal Servants Department or ext. 718 for the Finance Department. We are in the office weekdays between 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM CDT.
Please note: Donations made online via ACH giving (via your checking account) after April 23 may not clear the bank in time to count towards the airfare. Therefore, this online giving feature will not be available April 24 - May 13.
Trip - Airfare Cost - Booking Deadline:
Europe - $1870 - May 1
Kenya - $1970 - May 8
Nepal - $1790 - May 8
Costa Rica - $1100 - May 13
Ireland - $1250 - May 13
Peru - $1110 - May 13
Biographical Questionnaire
If you haven't already completed your Biographical Questionnaire, please do that as soon as possible.
Nehemiah Team Only
Nehemiah Team please note that your team is on a different time schedule than our other teams this year, so some of the deadlines you see in the PreSummer Letters will not pertain to you. Please be sure to read all emails sent to you from your Trip Leader with your team specific information.
TIP: If your registration has been accepted, be sure to read through all of the materials sent to you. There is some pretty important info in that packet - make sure you don’t miss a thing!
If you haven't submitted your registration, don't worry, you still have time! Go hit submit today!
If you have any questions about Royal Servants or the registration process, please email us at lmacdonell@reignministries.org.