Yeah, I realize haven't written on here in a few, well, a lot of months. I have excuses, but truly, I've allowed myself to be discouraged in the area of writing. I actually had to forgive a certain teacher in high school who told me I was never going to be a good writer. Ironically, I was in her AP English (college credit class), and I scored as high as the valedictorian on the AP test. Unbelievable but true how the enemy can use something so long ago to cripple you from fulfilling your destiny. In exchange for the forgiveness I gave, God told me that He wanted me to write and that it brought him great joy when I did. So here I go again. I hope this will encourage you!
I'll just tell you that so much has been happening in our lives, in our hearts that it would take weeks for me to tell you. So I'll just share with you some of the highlights of God's amazing plan for us as it is unfolding. I won't lie to you. This journey we started almost exactly a year ago has been grueling both in the physical and the spiritual. In one year, we have moved our family twice, sold nearly everything we owned, gave our two sweet labs, Maggie and Belle, up for adoption, withstood occasional ridicule, criticism, and misunderstanding, and we have learned how to be content and press forward when the cabinets were bare, the truck needed repair, and work dried up. I've learned that I really can live without new clothes, more than one vehicle, ice in my drink, a dryer that works, a haircut, going out to dinner, and decorating my house like I want to. But there are some things I have discovered recently that I just can't live without. I know that I need time with God everyday, to hear his words of comfort and to remember His promise to always love me and be there because I am his daughter. I can't live without feeling the Holy Spirit making this vision a reality in tangible ways, the miraculous things that he does to manifest His presence and power before my eyes. I can't have peace each day without His kindness, mercy and favor shown to me through encouraging and courageous acts of love by the Body of Christ, those who are living on the edge of faith with me. And a day is not of any value anymore unless I see the glory of God, which He shows me as he keeps redeeming all the brokenness of my life, resurrecting me to new life. I also see his glory in other's lives as he touches them and changes them. So exactly a year ago, we left our job and home at St. Christopher, and we immediately embraced God's plan to send us to Uganda to make the way for more of his light to shine in the darkness. We're moving forward, taking our experiences, good and bad, with us.
Update: We are living on John's Island as we go on short missions for training around the United States (Maine, Florida, North Carolina). Peter continues to suppliment our living as much as he can with doing small home improvement projects for partners within the church Body. Also, we will soon be working with the newest member of our team, Elizabeth Bumpas, who currently works as Conference Center Director at St. Christopher until the end of August. She has amazing gifts and experience that will be important to making this mission a success. We are proud to be missionaries of Global Teams, an amazing organization with 30 years of experience and some of the best Spirit-led people around.
Praise:
- For God's continued provision, even when it seems impossible, for protection over our family
- For our church, St. John's, John's Island- their faith and willingness to go on this journey with us
- For amazing encouragers who keep us moving forward and focused on Jesus and for the generosity of many
- For the beautiful place we live and get to work
- For the privilege of getting to be part of a big vision
- For the lessons in humility, forgiveness, dependence on God, and reliance on grace
- Continued protection and provision for our family
- For Bishop Johnson and his team and for our Bishop and our team
- For meeting montrous challenges that require more than we have
- Against doubt, fear, or discouragement
- For the gifts, experiences, and knowledge of the Body to come forth in unity
Finally found it! Glad the HS let you see the truth vs. the lie that you couldn't write. I have a few writing awards in the archives to keep that lie at bay. Keep writing. Keep encouraging. Keep inspiring.
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