April Ministry Update

“The heart of man plans His ways, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

The Lord has blessed us with making a few connections in the Mid-West and the original plan was to fly to those meetings and connect with the churches. Figuring it would just be myself and Kathleen going. Then the Lord began bridging the weekends between those meetings. We had already been offered to stay at the Missionary House offered by Berea Baptist Church of Steven’s Point, WI so it was easier to say let’s just make a 6-week trip to Wisconsin. Little did we know that it would turn into 8-weeks just prior to leaving and then into 10-weeks while we were here. Being charged to just go and be faithful we couldn’t say “no” to any of the opportunities. While we prepare for the last couple meetings of this trip, we must look back in thanks to all that the Lord has done, and we are excited to share some of that with you.

You may be wondering how the kids are doing with all the traveling, and I could give a generic answer and say everyone is great, but truth be told, they are ready to be home. Kathleen and I were speaking not long ago and were greatly blessed to have such an amazing team with us. Yes, they want to be back in their own beds, and I cannot blame them for that. However, they have been doing really well adapting to life on the road.

We got spend some time with our friends, the Chapins, in northern Iowa again! While it was cold outside, we were still able to get out for some fun. Not everyone is so adventures to ride the quad with daddy. Those ones you have to spoil in their own way!

We really have spent a month making memories. We have connected with friends that are faithfully serving in Asia and others serving in Europe. Both of which invited us to join them. We grew in our love for family and were encouraged by growth in their spiritual walks. We made new friends and connected in ways we never could have imagined. I cannot even write this update without tears of thanks to God for all He has done.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh;”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

We get to be part of people’s lives and ministries for such a short time. Often it is just a weekend here and an email there. However, for a time we get to be part of a life and we pray regularly to be sensitive to how the Lord will use us in that time. Many of you get to be part of our lives for a time and we are so thankful that you have chosen to be used by God in those times. You have allowed us to share our testimony and our ministry, but more importantly you have allowed us to just be us. This month the Lord used a situation to shed my coat and express a need to someone like I never have before. That man understood, he was sensitive to my need, and he offered to help. I pray that we embrace the season God has us in to learn, to grow, and to lean on the everlasting arms of God.

Where do we go from here? Currently we are just shy of 73% and praying to end this trip at 75% or more. We wrap up this weekend and begin the drive home on April 5th. Praying to be back at Grace Baptist Church of Kennewick on April 10th. Once we are at 75% we will apply for language school with a goal of being 100% this fall and head to language school in January. Language school details are being worked out and we are excited for how the Lord is leading, but we need your continued prayers.