This has been quite a month. Over the last month, Kristin and I have been asking God to show us his will for our lives. We have had an emotional roller coaster and in the end, as most roller coasters do, we glided to a smooth steady halt. But unlike the roller coaster analogy, the ride is far from over. We have been praying and fasting over the month of December in order to see more clearly what the Holy Spirit has planned for us.
Not many people currently read this blog and I feel I know the names of most who do so I hope I can safely write the things that need to be said. I ask that unless previously stated, the contents of this blog will remain only in the hearts of those invited to read. A time is quickly coming when all will know what God has planned for us but today is not that day.
Over 10 years ago, God began to speak to Kristin and me about his plan for our lives. We began to feel a burden to become missionaries. As I am accustomed to doing, I took it upon myself to "figure out how this would look in the future" and after visiting the Predisan clinic in Honduras back in 2001 I was convinced that God wanted us to do full time medical missions in that region. We spent many years waiting for God to bring about the right time for this transition but he just kept saying, "No, this is not the time".
After moving to Tyler, Texas we settled into a life that was pleasant and plentiful and enjoyed this for years. The burden of our student loans and the need to begin a journey towards becoming debt free began to weigh us down. Now looking back this journey has been intermingled with the journey to fulfill our first desire. To become more for God. We had no idea that both would come at us in such amazing, but painful ways.
When we sold our house in 2005 we were just numb from the experience. We new we could afford it, we knew it was a good size for our family but it was just painful to us to be bogged down with that much debt. We began seeking God's help with our debt and after taking Crown Ministries debt class we felt that we could do more and that God had a purpose for this pain.
When we sold our house in 2005 we were just numb from the experience. We new we could afford it, we knew it was a good size for our family but it was just painful to us to be bogged down with that much debt. We began seeking God's help with our debt and after taking Crown Ministries debt class we felt that we could do more and that God had a purpose for this pain.
We spent and amazing weekend last month with Marty and Louise Koonce and after spending hours with them we have realized that God was calling us to the mission field very soon. But, we could not understand why he was not calling us to Honduras. In addition to this, we had become comfortable with where we were at and have become "emotionally attached to our future". After a month of praying and fasting we were blessed with the chance to meet Murphy and Christine Crowson while they were on furlough in Ft. Worth. We fell in love with them immediately, just as I had experienced with the Koonces. We just felt that God had pulled us together do something greater than we could have imagined for ourselves. We discovered that they and their parents had been praying for more teammates that were skilled and wired in a way that complimented their skills and personalities.
Now we look back over the last 10 years and realize that God has been calling and preparing us for this very task at every turn.
Kristin and I are giving up our emotional attachment to our future, this is painful, and we are taking our family to Rwanda in 2009 and we will accept both the difficulties and the great joy God has planned for us and our family among a people who are so spiritually scarred and lost.
We ask for the prayers of everyone. This blog is open to all who will support us and as of today it will become a place to read about our journey to Rwanda.
Now we look back over the last 10 years and realize that God has been calling and preparing us for this very task at every turn.
Kristin and I are giving up our emotional attachment to our future, this is painful, and we are taking our family to Rwanda in 2009 and we will accept both the difficulties and the great joy God has planned for us and our family among a people who are so spiritually scarred and lost.
We ask for the prayers of everyone. This blog is open to all who will support us and as of today it will become a place to read about our journey to Rwanda.
