By HOLLY Ogden

20

August HeartBeat

WHATEVER YOU DO … DO IT FOR HIM

the message about

Christ, in all its richness

, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father”( Colossians 3:16-17, NLT).

The directive that Paul gives in this setting of scripture is something that we, as CMA, work to live by –“ whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus.” It is part of our foundation for changing the world, one heart at a time. We must choose to live a godly life so that the world can see there ' s something different in us— a hope they may not understand but one they deeply long for. One of the main purposes of CMA chapters, which has also birthed CMA nations, is for us to come together with others of like calling and faith to teach, encourage, and counsel each other in the work God has given us and then to praise Him as we walk in unity and focus. Each area where God has birthed CMA in has a unique set of tools that God has given them to be effective ministers of the Gospel to the people-groups He has called that team to serve.

This calling to live and minister as representatives of Jesus looks different in each part of the world— but the heart behind it is

the same. Here are three powerful stories from CMA leaders around the globe who stepped into this call with faith and courage. Their stories remind us that it’ s not about having the best skills, the biggest bike, or the longest resume. It’ s about saying yes. You don’ t have to have it all together— just be willing to offer what you do have and trust God to do the rest.

CMA Argentina Chartered in 2011, Nestor Gonzalez, the second National President, shares his unlikely but God-ordained path into CMA:

In mid-2009, I was channel surfing the TV. I happened upon a program dedicated to the world of motorcycling, and I stopped when I heard the host say,“ Can you pray for us, pastor?” Then they focused the camera on a man with long hair and a long beard, dressed in leather and dark glasses. Seeing him, I said to myself,“ This is a pastor?!”( I come from and live in a region of Argentina where that " look " is very unusual, much less for a pastor.) After the prayer, they introduced CMA. At the end of the TV program, they provided an email address to contact them( an email I couldn ' t copy in time), but I was already very excited about CMA and the possibility of being part of it. I had to be there! I was told the program was repeated during off-peak hours, and I searched for it until late 2009. God allowed me to get

that email address and contact that unusual-looking man and his wife. It was Charly, the president of CMA Argentina, and Gaby, his wife, who guided me in my search.

In the first months of 2010, I found myself traveling to Buenos Aires( more than 1,000 km from my home) to receive the patches. My life was never the same. I had found my place in the body of Christ. I knew I had been called to this. At the end of 2016, I received a surprising phone call from the USA. It was Hiram Villaseñor who told me that I was going to be president of CMA Argentina. Surprised, I replied that I wasn ' t ready for that responsibility. In Argentina, there were more senior members in the ministry, with more years of Christianity, better preachers, and better motorcycles. He responded that God didn ' t choose the prepared but rather prepared the chosen ones. Since then, I have had the honor and enormous responsibility of leading( alongside a very committed board of directors) the country, knowing that this beautiful burden comes from the heartbeat of God. Since then, we have seen how God supports and uses each member of CMA Argentina to fulfill His purposes. Now, in Argentina, there is a CMA presence in fourteen provinces, and we are going for more!

Today, I have a dream within me for CMA Argentina: that on