Time to Celebrate!!!!

As of today we are at ......

Wow, God has been so good and each one of you that has prayed for us and partnered with us financially, wow, we can't say it enough.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU

It has been a year of seeing God move in ways that we could have never imagined.  We have faced many new challenges and celebrated the milestones.  Sometimes even a 1/2 % milestone :-)  It seemed like an impossible task 14 months ago but you made it happen, and today we thank you and invite you to celebrate with us.

Join us Sunday, March 15 at 6pm, Forest Baptist Church, where we will be sharing as part of the evening service, celebrating God's faithfulness in bringing together our partnership team.  And what is a celebration without food.  We hosted a number of dessert evenings over the past months as we shared our story and invited you to partner with us, so what better way to celebrate 100% than with one final dessert night. 

Psalm 92:1-4

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

Ready for the Ride!

 

Hold on for the Ride!!!

 

This picture of a roller coaster and the ride ahead, kind of describes our weekend. 

 

So you know that we have been assigned to the DRC program and living in Uganda, and over the past few months we have been researching the countries, looking at schools for the girls, what housing looks like, what we will need to bring with us and what we don't.   In the process we've become attached to the idea of what life will look like for us in Africa.  Everything has been moving along smoothly for our departure in May.

 

Then we got a call Saturday morning from the MAFC office and those who are instrumental in placing our family.  The information shared with us, was that the program in Tanzania is changing and many of the missionaries there will be moving to the Uganda program.  Meaning that there would be less work for Nathan in Uganda, and would we therefore consider a different location.  Possibly serving in Kinshasa, West DRC or in Lesotho ( southern Africa) ?

 

Wow, we did not expect this at all.  It was like the big plummet on a rollercoaster as it sails down the rails.

Even though we had always known that needs change within MAF as political and civil situations can change almost over night in some of these countries.  

 

We spent Saturday and Sunday, looking up both Lesotho and Kinshasa, wrapping our mind around a year of language training in France as well as a change of schooling for the girls.  Lots of questions, lots of prayer and holding fast to the Sovereignty of God.  Knowing that He has always been faithful, no matter the trial, and remembering that we had said 'yes' to God to serve wherever we were needed.   There is a reason for all that He takes us through and He would be refining us through this new challenge.   I can't say I had fully come to peace about either location but I was warming up to the idea and even the perks of spending a year in France.    We were holding on tight, and in for the ride.

 

Then Monday morning, we received another phone call.  Again from the MAFC office and those who are instrumental in placing our family.  They had been in contact with the East DRC team in Uganda that morning, who are requesting that our family continue on the initial track and join their program in Kampala, as originally planned.   There will still be some changes for the Tanzania program but it won't affect us in our assigned location.   Wow,  we were heading back to plan A, which was our first choice all along, but still willing to go where we were needed. 

 

Why did we have to go through this crazy weekend?  Not sure, but it definitely reminded us that we are to fully rely on God for strength and wisdom in all situations.  We are called to obey Him, no matter what.  So for now it looks like the rollercoaster ride has come to a stop, back at the beginning and we will continue to prepare for life in Kampala. 

 

Saturday, just after our phone call, I received this on my Facebook wall. 

 

He's Always been Faithful  by Sara Groves

 

Morning by morning I wake up to find...
The power and comfort of God's hand in mine
Season by season I watch Him, amazed
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He's always been faithful to me

 

I can't remember a trial or a pain
He did not recycle to bring me gain
I can't remember one single regret
In serving God only, and trusting His hand
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He's always been faithful to me
 
This is my anthem, this is my song
The theme of the stories I've heard for so long
God has been faithful, He will be again
His loving compassion, it knows no end
All I have need of, His hand will provide
He's always been faithful, He's always been faithful
He's always been faithful to me

 

Yes, He is faithful and I can't imagine going through life with out knowing Him.

 

 

The Countdown Is On!!!

We have made the jump, into the final 10% of our MAF ministry support which is so fantastic.  This weekend we had a number of people partnered with us monthly which gave us a real boost and we are still waiting on the final number from our event at Ash's.  Thanks to all who came out and enjoy some great food and made it a fun day.

With 6.3% remaining we can't stress enough the importance of not putting it off, to partner with us today, in this incredible ministry of reaching the people in the DRC with the love of Christ and the message of salvation.  We have said it before, but every monthly gift of $75 move us 1% closer to complete funding.  Every $20 monthly or $240 yearly, covers us for a day of service and fills in one more date on our calander.  Only 23 days left to fill.

Back in September during our visit to Alberta, we were encouraged to set a hard goal of when we thought our funding would be complete.  As eager as were were to say Oct, we knew realistically, end of February would be a good goal.  Having this date in our mind, renewed our ambition and approach as we headed into the final months of the year.  God moved in amazing ways and brought a steady support increase each week and at the end of 2014 we were at 77%.  We were thrilled to be in the final quarter.

Now as we look to the end of February, being only 2 1/2 weeks away, we are almost giddy with anticipation of how God is going to move to bring in the final %.  Nothing is impossible for Him.   It might even happen in the next week.  We will keep sharing our story but it is God who will do the work in peoples hearts. 

We also had some great discussions with people in the office this week and we are ready to change gears slightly and begin departure preparations, working through required vaccines and shipping logistics.
Thank you for your continued prayers as we head to the finish line of ministry support raising and step into preparation mode.

Ephesian 3:20

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,