Towards the end of October 2010 Becky came to me and asked if I ever saw us (our family) doing some kind of long term missions. I don't remember my actual response, but I do remember thinking "why is she asking me this?". You see my wife is not exactly the most adventuresome person in the world and although the idea of working on the mission field has always been in the back of my head I just never thought that she would be comfortable with the idea of being submerged in a new culture with so many things unknown. Anyhow, the next day she asks "so have you thought about the long term missions thing". Again I am thinking "where is she going with this?". So she goes over to the computer and pulls up the web page for Extreme Nazarene Ministries and shows me a job posting for Finance Coordinator in Arequipa, Peru. This whole time she has had a position already picked out. I am still not sure if I believe what I am seeing and hearing, but at least now I actually have something to think about.
By the end of that week we both felt that this was something that we needed to look into. Two weeks from this point Becky and I were in Columbus for 3 days of training concluding Sunday afternoon with our interview. Later that week we received a phone call that we had been approved. Since this time we have been slowly but surely checking things off the list of things to be done before we set off for our journey. Most of the little things have been taken care of, but two of our main obstacles remain, renting our house and raising the funds needed to support our work in Peru. Please join us in prayer for these two things. We have had many people come through our house, but we have not found the right fit just yet. Our other task is not so much raising the money but doing it in such a short amount of time. Becky is needed in Arequipa as soon as possible so that she can get some training before the current Finance Coordinator leaves on the 18th of February.
It is very hard for me to admit but some things we just can't do on our own. We are excited about this mission that God has called us to. I know that He has placed a similar call to some that are not able to go, but can partner with us through giving. Please prayerfully consider partnering with us by committing to give $30, $50, or $75 (or "Whatever" God lays on your heart) each month for the next 24 months. God was able to touch the lives of many because of the willingness of one little boy who gave up his lunch. Your support will help change the lives of those all across Peru, but beware, your life may also be changed as a result.
God Bless,
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
"Whatever"
This past summer at MVNU the Theme for BLAST was simply the phrase "Whatever". This phrase so commonly used by our teens doesn't typically have much of a spiritual ring to it, however as the week went on this phrase quickly took on a whole new meaning.
The speaker Thursday night was a 3 time World Champion Boomerang Thrower. After demonstrating some of his talents (pretty much just showing off), he gave us examples of how we could use our talents for God. Even talents that are not spiritual in of themselves can be used as a tool, a key that can open a door for a seed to be planted. It was encouraging to be reassured that God can and wants to get us involved in his ministry and He can use "Whatever" talents we have to bring.
Friday night Shane Hostutler (my roommate from MVNU) shared a very powerful message. He talked about living on the edge and pointed out how we as Christians can quickly become too comfortable where we stand. Sure there are things that we say we would like to do or wish we could do, but in the end it comes down to the fact that we just get too comfortable where we are. We come up with every excuse in the world to talk ourselves out of the things we think we should do because we get a little uncomfortable on the Edge. We don't want to get out too far on the Edge and lose control. Sure we say we Trust God to take care of us, but instead we we stay on the path that the world has paved before us.
The past few months God has been pushing Becky and I closer and closer to the Edge- untill we got to a point that we had nowhere to go- no safety net to fall into. Our only response was to lift our hands to Him and speak the word "Whatever". Whatever You have for our lives, wherever You would have us go, whatever You want us to do, we will obey.
The speaker Thursday night was a 3 time World Champion Boomerang Thrower. After demonstrating some of his talents (pretty much just showing off), he gave us examples of how we could use our talents for God. Even talents that are not spiritual in of themselves can be used as a tool, a key that can open a door for a seed to be planted. It was encouraging to be reassured that God can and wants to get us involved in his ministry and He can use "Whatever" talents we have to bring.
Friday night Shane Hostutler (my roommate from MVNU) shared a very powerful message. He talked about living on the edge and pointed out how we as Christians can quickly become too comfortable where we stand. Sure there are things that we say we would like to do or wish we could do, but in the end it comes down to the fact that we just get too comfortable where we are. We come up with every excuse in the world to talk ourselves out of the things we think we should do because we get a little uncomfortable on the Edge. We don't want to get out too far on the Edge and lose control. Sure we say we Trust God to take care of us, but instead we we stay on the path that the world has paved before us.
The past few months God has been pushing Becky and I closer and closer to the Edge- untill we got to a point that we had nowhere to go- no safety net to fall into. Our only response was to lift our hands to Him and speak the word "Whatever". Whatever You have for our lives, wherever You would have us go, whatever You want us to do, we will obey.
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