Learning Lessons

We are learning...so many things. Of course we are always learning, but it seems as though, as we step out in faith and  move ahead with what we believe God is calling us to, He continues to point out our weaknesses. We have the head knowledge that we are all weak and need to rely on God for strength, but it is times like this that we are made painfully aware of our deficiencies. 

LESSON #1

We have overcome so many obstacles in the past few weeks; needing new brakes, broken washing machine, leaky roof, and have not let anything distract us from God’s calling. But...this past weekend, we were forced to look at some family relational issues that needed some work. Nothing major, but issues nonetheless. 

We decided on Friday afternoon that we should have a hot chocolate stand to help earn money for our training with HFI (Hope Force International). We were successful in pulling this together in a short amount of time...but not without bickering. I know....its shocking!! I can hear you all now: 

“Wait! Your kids fight, too?”

YES!! And Saturday was a special day for that!! For the most part, the kids did a great job. They worked hard to get everything gathered and packed and moved to the corner, they were enthusiastic salesmen, and they enjoyed being out in the rain and cold (no, really, they did). At one point I had to tell Max and Bailey to put their shoes back on because I thought it would be a bad reflection on our family to have them running around in the rain and cold barefooted. 

But....they bickered....probably my biggest pet peeve.  Little things became big things and bickering turned to arguments. On any other day, we would deal with things like this in the usual way and move on, but on this day, it was as if my eyes were opened to a problem that had been festering for some time. Its easy to get caught up in the busyness of our lives and NOT deal with the little relational issues between siblings. Its easy to chose to separate them or distract/redirect them. But what I realized (really re-realized) is that we needed to deal with their hearts. 

We had some work to do. I decided that if we are going to serve others as God wants us to do, we were going to need to work on serving each other in love so that we can have an effective witness with others outside of our family. So let the work begin: 

“For the love of Christ controls us. because we have concluded this:

That One has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live

might no longer live for themselves

but for Him who for their sake died

and was raised.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

This is the first of many verses that will be memorized as we learn to serve others as Christ served us by dying on the cross for us. We are and always will be a work in progress. 

LESSON #2

God does not require perfection. I have known this for a long time. I am the first one to admit that I don’t always do everything the right way; in parenting, in my personal walk with Christ, in life in general. But for some reason, when I think of people who have been called by God to go serve as missionaries, I put them up on a pedestal and have some grandiose idea that they somehow are more perfect than myself and someday I may be as spiritual as they are and THEN God could use me.....I know....its ridiculous. 

The fact is, God will be glorified in our weakness. We are ALL broken and in need of a saviour. Our brokenness is what allows others to see Christ. There are countless stories in God’s Word about broken people being used by God to achieve amazing things. 

So, God....we are broken....so that Your light may shine through.

LESSON #3

After Saturday’s sale, we were officially half way to our support goal. Praise God!! But that meant that we still had $1500 to raise in less than two weeks. This also meant that we needed to make a decision to go ahead and make arrangements to attend the February training, trusting that God would provide the rest, or put it off and wait until August. We didn’t have exactly what we had set as the goal for that decision, but we got another donation on Sunday afternoon that helped us to see that God was working and had a plan. His plan was that we needed to trust him!! 

So we took a huge step in faith and made our plane reservations for the February training. I love when God gives affirmation when you need it the most. Shortly after we made those reservations, we received two more donations!!! God is faithful and He has a plan. 

We are learning so much as we follow the path set out for us. We are so very thankful to the people who are supporting us in prayer. Please continue!! Also, to those who have donated...Thank You, Thank you, Thank you!! 

Financial update: We still need $1,300. We are waiting to hear if HFI has found a place for us to stay in Washington. This would cut costs by about $300. If you would like to donate, you can click the donate button at the top of the page, or you can give directly to our missions bank account.

Chase Bank

Acct #3070660799