Contact: Joni Sullivan Baker, Buoyancy PR, 513-319-3231, jbaker@buoyancypr.com

TULSA, Nov. 20 /Christian Newswire/ -- An estimated 4 million American Christians went on short-term mission trips in 2007, according to a report from the Capital Research Center. For some, it was their first trip outside the United States. For others who have a well-stamped passport, it was the first time they had ever seen poverty, a culture totally foreign to Christianity, or experienced hatred because they are an American.

Yet these Christians felt called to go serve, were challenged by what they experienced, and inevitably returned home changed.

New research from the Barna Group (October 2008) confirms this, as they report that three quarters of those who took on service trips describe their experience as life-changing.

It is because of those realities that Standard Publishing will introduce a new series of Adult Mission Trip Devotions and Journals for short-term missionaries today in Tulsa at the National Missionary Convention. The three, pocket-sized books have devotions and real-life stories from an experienced missions traveler to help the short-term missionary get the most from the experience, and includes space to journal and reflect.

Called is for preparing for the journey, Challenged is for use during the trip, and Changed is the final devotional designed to help short-term missionaries debrief and reflect on what God has taught them from their experience.

During the NMC, attendees will meet journals author Lena Wood, a lifelong short-term missionary and world Christian who has traveled extensively overseas.

"The role of the short-term missionary is ever-increasing," she said. "Even small acts of kindness and love can have huge impact. I believe in the short-term missionary effect, which asks the question: 'Can one willing person doing small acts of service on a mission field change the world?' I say yes, because I've seen it."

Lena has served on mission trips to Japan five times and maintains contact and active prayer support for missionaries all over the world.

Her cultural sensitivity and familiarity with the challenges the missionaries will face plus her adventurous spirit gives the devotions a thoughtful and gently challenging tone, while also encouraging the missionaries and offering a humorous perspective as well. A former editor, she is the author of a seven-book youth fiction series, as well as numerous articles and other writing projects.

"Be greatly encouraged," she writes in the early pages of the Called journal. "The Lord specializes in impossible missions with clueless disciples: a few fishermen, a tax guy, even a traitor in the bunch pilfering the funds. With them he changed the world. If this is your first trip and you're a little edgy, you're in good company: so were the clueless called ones."

Complete with scripture and stories of Christians and missionaries all over the world, the series is ideal for churches to give to adult participants on short-term missions trips, or as a gift to encourage a friend or loved one preparing for a mission experience.

Each of the three volumes includes 15 devotionals with journaling pages to follow. The pocket-sized volumes (4 ¼" x 6") feature a well-traveled cover design and an elastic band to hold the book closed. The books retail for $9.99 each ($19.99 for the set of 3).

The journals are available at local Christian retailers, or by contacting Standard Publishing by calling 1-800-543-1353, or go to www.standardpub.com.  

For more information about short-term missions, go to the news page on Standard Publishing's website (www.standardpub.com/view/news.aspx). Information available includes a fact sheet on short-term missions, an interview with author Lena Wood, and a list of other helpful sources of information on short-term missions.

Since 1866, Standard Publishing has been providing true-to-the-Bible resources that inspire, educate, and motivate Christians to a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Standard creates a wide array of Christian products and resources for churches and families. For more information, visit www.standardpub.com.