More Than Leaves Change

We completed our first term as missionaries living in another country half way around the world. We have returned to the States and have been here for five months. I love being here. I love my friends, my life that I had for almost 50 years.  I have worked in the same place for 25 years. We now have grandchildren to love. I love the Midwest and autumn time.

Yes we have always felt a draw to be missionaries. To “go”. I have no doubt God has positioned us where we are. I thought I counted the cost when we gave up everything 3 years ago.  What I did not count was that I would have to do it again. I did not count on all the change. My missionary friends change because they come and go as God calls them. My role changes in my job as workers come and go.  This all wreaks havoc on my emotions. I have never been one to like change.

At the beginning of the month I attended a missionary conference. God spoke to me directly as a speaker stated

 “MY LIFE IS NOT MY OWN.” 

I know I cannot do it on my own. Many days I would go to work praying I cannot do this Lord. It has to be You doing it. But this phrase echoes in my mind 

“MY LIFE IS NOT MY OWN.”

Jesus gave his life for me.

It is not my life. 

It was bought with a price

Thank you for any prayers as we set a date to return to our other home.

Grateful for

So many things to be grateful for:

 

I want to take time to praise God for His provisions for us. I have been thinking of the many blessings God has poured out on us in the last few months and I want to praise Him.

As many of you know Jay and I are in the States on what is called “home assignment”. This is our opportunity to reconnect with family, friends, partners, churches, evaluate our first term on the mission field and share about what God is doing through Bible translation.

Jay, Elijah and I left for Papua New Guinea in December 2012. We sold our house. So upon return to the States God provided places for us to stay. Kristol and Cullen welcomed us into their home as well as John and Courtney. Even Jay’s parents and sister made room for us while we visited. We did a lot of traveling between Minnesota, southern WI, Illinois,Tennessee, Georgia and Florida the first 2 months we were back. A dear friend in our home area had us to live with them whenever we were there.

With no place to live or no vehicle to drive we sought God for answers last spring when we were preparing to return to the States in June. We made our needs known in our newsletter. Two months prior, through a connection with a friend a missionary home opened up for us to live close to our original hometown. The middle of September we moved in and have a place to spread out in.

visitors in our backyard

One month prior to our return our home church found a van we could use throughout our furlough

.

God continues to meet our needs. Thank you for partnering with us. We are grateful for the way God is providing our physical needs but I am just as grateful for my friends who spend time with us and share their life experiences as well as listen to ours. 

Most praise to our God who we live for.

Please pray for our friends in Papua New Guinea who are in a drought. Most Papua New Guineans feed themselves through the gardens they grow. Water is scarce thus food is becoming scarce. Please pray for rain and that God will be glorified.

AMAZING

AMAZING

This is the word I keep thinking of over and over the past month. I am sure many of you will agree with many of my thoughts…especially those who are experienced grandparents.

Amazing is……

Watching the love of a man and wife when one of them is your child.

Watching your son in law love your daughter by making her laugh, encouraging when she is tired of   being pregnant or in the midst of painful contractions and that he is allowing you to observe all of this.

The birth experience…..observing as your daughter carry, labors, endures pain and delivers a beautiful baby.

Watching the crown of the baby come, and then the whole 8 lb. baby come.

Are the health care workers (midwives) who work together through good communication and education of the couple to make it an extraordinary experience. 

My daughter, who is also my friend wanted me to share this experience with her from walking the Mall of America, giving birth to cleaning the house.

 My husband who allowed me to be gone for 5 weeks to experience this.
 
 The joy you see demonstrated by your children to their children.

 GOD who created man and women, made our bodies to carry babies and birth them.

Judah John

Silas Andrew

Psalms 111:2

How AMAZING are the deeds

of the Lord!

All who delight in Him

should ponder them

Psalms 96:3

Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.

Tell everyone about the AMAZING

things he does.    

John and Courtney

Kristolyn and Cullen