Autumn Update

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Autumn Update

To begin this update, I’d like to introduce you to the newest member of our family. This is Tess. She is a five-year-old Lakeland/Patterdale Terrier mix. She came from a good home, but due to some changes in their work environment, she was having to be left home all day every day, and her owners knew that wasn’t fair to her. We were in the beginning stages of looking for a dog, and the Lord allowed us to see Tess. We fell in love with her as soon as we met her. We’ve had her for a couple of weeks now, and she’s definitely become one of the family. She’s also been great for ministering because everyone who sees her wants to pet her and love on her. Yes, I believe she’ll lead to many open doors for us here in the community.

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Waiting Time Isn't Wasted Time

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Waiting Time Isn't Wasted Time

In the past week, we’ve traveled nearly 1,100 miles on our deputation journey, visited five churches, and met many new friends. Our meetings took us to Virginia and various parts of North Carolina. We’ve driven through the fog and the rain, up and down curvy mountain roads, and through the land of waterfalls (which is beautiful). If I can say one thing about deputation, it would be this—it’s never boring! There are always new people to meet, new places to visit, and new things to learn along the way. We’ve been blessed at each meeting God’s provided for us and look forward to those we have coming up.

When we’re not attending meetings (or driving to them), we’re busy trying to book new meetings, keeping up with the paperwork side of the ministry, and of course, working on the house. In regards to booking meetings, things have gone fairly well though we still have more open dates on our schedule than we wish to have. Still, we know God will give us the right opportunities at the right time, so we’re planting the seeds and trusting Him for the results.

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On the Road Again

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On the Road Again

Over the past two weeks, we’ve been in three missions conferences, four other church meetings, and several different outreaches ranging from visiting the nursing home to presenting our burden for Wales to elementary students. We’ve met several fellow missionaries and many wonderful pastors and church members with a desire to see the gospel spread across the world. We’ve traveled hundreds of miles and unpacked our suitcases more times than I can count, but I can assure you, it’s been worth it.

Not only did we have the opportunity to forge many new friendships, but we’ve also had the blessing of raising our support level since several of the churches we’ve visited recently have taken us on for monthly support. And while we were in many church meetings and had many opportunities beyond those meetings to present our ministry, there was still a little time for fun and games. At one stop, Jason and I took a few hours to visit historic Bethabara. It was a lot of fun and very educational. During another conference, our host family took us around town and showed us some of the sights, including where the Dukes of Hazzard was filmed, some antique shops, and a Civil War graveyard. It was a joy to spend time with our new friends, and we hated to say goodbye, but all good things must come to an end.

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Are We There Yet?

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Are We There Yet?

Have you ever begun a project and wondered if you would ever see the completion? This house renovation has given me a new appreciation for the children of Israel and their ability to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in a mere 52 days. They had no power tools or home improvement stores, yet through God’s great and mighty power, they accomplished the task in record time, and all the while, the enemy was hard at work to stop them.

Yes, with each passing day of home improvement, I marvel at the miraculous nature of the feat Israel accomplished under the supervision of Nehemiah. At the same time, I find myself rejoicing that I serve the same God, and He is no respecter of persons. Just as He strengthened the Israelites and equipped them with skill, so will He do for us. In fact, He already has. In a mere two months, we’ve accomplished far more than I thought we could. Yes, my friends, God is good and faithful.

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Walking and Waiting

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Walking and Waiting

I came across this quote in my devotions yesterday:  "Waiting is much more difficult than walking."  I heartily agree with that statement, and so does Barnabas.  In fact, he demonstrated this very principle on our morning walk.  

Our dog is all about the go.  He loves to walk and hike, to explore and sniff.  Unfortunately for him, our morning walks involve crossing a few busy streets, which means we have to stop and wait for traffic to clear.  Barnabas spent some time roaming the streets before we adopted him, so he has great respect for traffic and knows to stay clear of cars.  That being said, the process of waiting to cross the street nearly drives him crazy.  As each car passes, he looks up at me like, "Can we go now?"  If I give him the go ahead, he takes off like a horse out of the gate.  If I tell him we have to wait a little longer, the look he throws my way is comical because it reminds me a sullen teenager who isn't getting his or her way. (If you've ever owned a dog, you know how much they can act like children.)

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