I just thought I would update everyone one what has been going on in our
family. Some of you are finding out this info for the first time, others
are getting an update. (Sorry for the form letter to a group, but I have
three... make that four children including Jason! LOL!! That doesn't leave
a lot of spare time.)
Jason and I have been praying about the mission field for quite some time.
We believe the Lord called us to the mission field over 12 years ago. Jason
and I both went to Bible college to prepare, but when Jason graduated... the
Lord said, "Wait." At the time we had no idea why we needed to wait. But
the farther along we waited, the more clear it became. God still had things
for us to do here AND we were not ready for the field yet.
The time is drawing close for us to go, though. All we are waiting on is
the WHERE. At the end of October, Jason and I decided to pray that if we
couldn't go to the mission field yet, maybe we could go on a short term
missions trip to satisfy the longing in our hearts to be on the field. We
began to pray. In three weeks, we had an unsolicited... very serious
invitation. (That would be an answer to prayer.) We prayed more just to be
sure. And Jason and I both agree, we need to go on this trip. But this
trip is going to be a survey trip. For those of you who do not understand,
a survey trip is a missions trip where you go seeking the Lord's will if
this is the place God is calling you long term. Our trip will be for a
little over two weeks at the end of September. We will have to leave the
children here. (I am trying not to think about that part.)
We met with our hosting missionary family on Saturday. (What a wonderful
and informative meeting!) They are heading back to the country in about a
week. They have been praying for people to come for a long time. So, what
country?
I cannot tell you on the internet for safety reason. It is a country that is closed to missionaries, but is not a hostile country toward religion. It is illegal to proselytize there, but God is opening doors. Lord willing, we will be going to stay with the missionaries. We will be ministering wherever we are needed while we are there, but we will be spending a great deal of time praying and searching God's will about us
returning. The people are very poor, the city is very crowded, and the sanitation is poor.
Please help us pray about the following:
1. Strength during our preparations.
2. The courage and fortitude to leave my children behind for 2 weeks. They will be staying with VERY trustworthy and WONDERFUL people, but we will miss them dearly... and they will miss us. (Not to mention the toddler is a hand full for even veteran moms! LOL!) Pray for those they will be staying
with.
3. God would provide financially if it is His will for us to go. He has provided for us many times before. I do not expect Him to fail now. (I'll never forget when He provided heating fuel for us when no one new we even had the need. The Lord laid it on our hearts not tell a single person that we were about to run out of fuel oil one cold week in November a few years ago. Instead He wanted us to watch Him work. It was going to get really cold that weekend. We prayed, and left it in God's hands. Then MW called to see if we knew anyone who needed fuel- because he knew someone who had a full tank they couldn't use and had to get rid of. Have you ever heard of someone asking people to take fuel oil off their hands?
What a surprise it was to MW when Jason said, "We do!" Our God is amazing!)
4. God would begin to direct us even now about where He wants us to be. If He does not want us in this country, pray that God will call others there. The need is so great there. Most of them have never even heard of Jesus.
5. Our church... that God would begin to fill the places we now occupy with people who have a passion for God and His Word, and a true love for people. Our church is praying for revival, and Christians in our country desperately need it. We all have become so distracted by the treasures of this world.
6. Pray for our families who are willing to part with us for the sake of the Gospel. Pray for the ones who are not yet willing. Pray for those that are lost. There are many. Pray for those that are discouraged.
7. Pray for those I am mentoring/discipling. At some point they will have to be trained by someone else. At some point they will be training others. Pray that God prepares the way.
8. Pray for us. We need it. We desire it.
We praise our Lord who is still on the throne, and always will be. He is worthy of our praise, our trust, our service, our lives. May we give Him what He is due today.
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