I'll Be General Mills and You Can Be Hershey's

Have you ever stared into a cereal box as your jaws rhythmically crush and slurp your breakfast?

One particular morning as I enjoyed General Mills Reese's Puffs, I had a revelation. I was experiencing the beauty of a partnership. Growing up in Golden Valley, Minnesota, I knew well of General Mills products like Cheerios. And I have spend many summer nights near a camp fire roasting marshmallows sliding the gooey golden brown mass upon Hershey's Chocolate bar and graham cracker. Here before me sat a box of cereal combining the best of General Mills and Hershey's.

General Mills would have done just fine if they chose to continue to manufacture their Cheerios, and Hershey's wouldn't suffer if they continued to just manufacture their chocolate bars. In the same way, families here in the US would do just fine raising their families in the Lord, and I could manage overseas, getting a job, and splitting my time between employment and ministry. But a beautiful thing happens in a partnership.

As I venture overseas to disciple and mentor kids and their teachers, I will be forming a "Reese's Puffs" partnerships with the families that support me. Business for General Mills and Hershey's both benefit as a result of the combined effort of their cereal. As families support me financially and prayerfully, their ministry will expand and their perspective will grow. I will be free to spend more time discipling and mentoring kids and their teachers too. We will all benefit!

As I trust God for my funding, I get to see these beautiful partnerships form. I'll be General Mills and you can be Hershey's.