Direction

Today I drove to work.  It is a new route coming from a different way.home.  Many mixed feelings today. Tears too.  I have driven the same way to work for 25 years and from the same house for 17 years.  As I look through the years I remember moving out of my childhood home to go to college.  Then I got married and moved into an apartment.  We went from a one bedroom apartment to a two bedroom apartment and eventually a another two bedroom apartment with three kids.  God blessed us with a home and eventually the money and skill to make that house into the home  we sold yesterday.  Now we are back to a basement.  The basement is spacious and our friends are sharing their beautiful home with us, making us feel very welcomed. But it still seems weird. Our permanent address right now is a PO box. Eventually we will move to Papua New Guinea and have another home.  God works in mysterious ways. His plans are higher than mine. I know I can always trust that He will take care of me.  I want to be where He wants me to be.

The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. 

 I will advise you and watch over you. 

Psalms 32:7-9

Less than 2 weeks

Less than 2 weeks and we will be out of our home for the last 17 years.   There are many things I will miss.  Some of the things that seem silly….my home phone number, my address, using my washer and dryer.   

So we are trying to pack.  What do we take with?  What do we sell?  What do we save?  Those are the questions that go through our mind.  

Empty China Cabinet Saving china for daughters

What/How does a 16 year old pack?

I have always prayed "Lord don't give me too much(physical belongings) that I can't give it up to follow your calling."  Lord help me now to do what you have called us to do. Hoping you are doing the same thing..."what God has called you to do"

Standing Still

These days I feel like things are moving quickly me but yet I am standing still.  We have about a month left in our house.  People are asking if we are having a garage sale.  Yes I answer. However we are running out of weekends.  We just returned from taking Danielle to college.  Next week we have another trip planned.  Our visa papers are being examined.  It is time to write another newsletter.  The number one question is “when do we leave?”  We have no answer for that other than as soon as possible. God has called us to work with Wycliffe. He is making a way for us to go to Papua New Guinea.  We are trying to follow Him daily.

 

I am grateful that I have a Bible to read in a language that speaks to my heart and reassures me that God is with me. …guiding me.  I am excited to go to PNG where so many translation works are occurring.  I will be working in a medical clinic supporting the many translators. The staff in PNG has also been asking “when are we coming?” They are short nursing staff and are anxious to have more help.

Our partnership has to reach 95% before we can purchase plane tickets and 100% before we can leave the country.  We are standing still around 72%. Wycliffe has to know we will have finances coming in to live on while we are there.  The people that partner with us become part of our team and play a role in Bible translation just as we do.  So if missions, translation work, the Bible, or us are a significant part of your life please consider joining us on this adventure. We are excited to have the 45 friends partnering with us financially on a regular basis already. THANK YOU! Feel free to contact us, sign up to give and or pray.  You can use the link on the upper left hand column for giving or email me if you want to join our prayer calendar.

Exodus 33:13

Guide me clearly along the way the way you want me to travel 

           so that I will understand you and walk acceptably before you.                           (Living Translation)

saying good bye to Danielle

 

? Days left

This is a new video that was recently produced by Wycliffe to  explain briefly how the translation work is done.  I thought I would share it with you.

So what else can I share?  Days left?  

5 days until John and Courtney come for a visit

8 days until we take Danielle  to college

32 days until the last shipment leaves for PNG this year. 

?? days until my last day at OSF St Anthony's

?? days until we are 100% financial partnerships

?? days until we leave for PNG

This is our count down.  Not sure of my feelings but I know we are walking in the path God has designed for us.  A friend reminded me again of "joy in the journey".  This is my request...that God will continually grant us joy in these days ahead.  Days of letting go and saying good bye.  Good bye to perishable belongings as well missing the people who we will not physically be with. In the midst of my sadness it comes to my mind that on August 4, in Madang Province of Papua New Guinea, a Scripture celebration took place in honor of the completed Marik New Testament translation. People are receiving God's word in a way they can understand it. That is exciting and brings joy. May God continue  to make Himself known in my life as well as lives around the WORLD!  Thank you for joining me on this journey.

May I take joy in doing your will, my God

for Your instructions are written on my heart.

From Psalm 40:8 (NLT)

Work Permits

Publish His glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does” 

(Psalm 96:3, NLT).

What is God doing?  God is moving to advance us in our ministry.  Monday July 2nd we mailed our work permit papers to PNG.  No one one knows how long it takes to get them processed.  Someone said 2 months....Someone else said a few months.  Well we just received news that PNG has our work permits approved.  WOW.  

In my last blog I shared about our house.  It is under contract and if everything goes through the closing date will be September 21st.  Many people are amazed with that news.  If you want to see more of the home I will miss check out- http://www.shorewest.com/homes/1258737_METRO-120_N_5th_Ave-Walworth-WI-53184-9618#

What is next?  Next we send in more paperwork to get  our visas.  And of course we are not going alone.  We have many people committed to coming with us as they contribute financially.  Thank you! But we still need more.  So if you have a heart for missions and want to see lives changed because the Bible is written in a heart language that opens people's eyes to God's saving grace, consider partnering with us.  (See upper right hand column)

 

We are grateful for the many people out there praying.  Be encouraged, keep praying and thanks.  Please feel free to share with us what God is doing in your life.

House for Sale

This summer  along with the wedding we were  preparing our house to be for sale.  It went on the market in May 24th.  We showed the house once before the wedding.  There was another showing last Thursday.  This time they want to see the house again.  The realtor is hopeful they will make an offer.  This brings up many emotions.  Yes we have agreed we cannot keep the house.  It is too hard to manage a home living half way around the world.  Our kids as of right now do not live here. It belongs to God.  It is His.  But what do we do with all the stuff in it.  We have lived in the same home for over 17 years.  We have accumulated a lot of stuff.  What do we store, sell and take with?  It is God’s.  Help us remember and give us wisdom.

We have missionary friends with Wycliffe that state on their blog Matthew 13:44.... 

"selling everything to buy a field"

June 24th

Many things are happening in our lives these days.  The first part of our summer was spent preparing for the wedding.  The beautiful day happened June 23^rd.  Many friends and family celebrated the day with Kristol and Cullen.  It was a grand celebration of God joining two people together who each love Him. Now they are making their home in Minneapolis while Kristol completes one more year of education at North Central University and Cullen completes his 2nd year in a manager in training program at US Bank. It was the day after the wedding watching our daughter pack up and drive off with her husband that I again reminded myself that Kristol belongs to God and He will take care of them.  We are grateful they both love God and seek His ways. 

  Lord, I pray that You will direct their steps, that they will know that You delight in every detail of their life, that even if they stumbles, they will never fall, for You are holding their hands.                       From Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)