Saturday, November 29, 2008
A Happy Thanksgiving
Friday, November 28, 2008
The Smiling Face behind the Frown of Providence
"Our God is definitely the God of all circumstances. There are times in our lives when we really just do not know what He is up to. In those times it is important to cling to the tri-fold truth that God is good, God is sovereign, and God is wise. Indeed His goodness, power , and wisdom are our sure anchors in all the storms of life.
I (David) write this in a prayer update because Katie and I feel as if we have just encountered one of those confounding times in which we were totally surprised. The bottom line is that we will not be going to the field at this time. What!?!!?
I know, I know. We know, we know. All of the inertia of the last year has led us to the point of serving with the International Mission Board as missionaries to Zambia. Indeed that is why you are receiving this email. You are our prayer partners for this mission endeavor. Many of you have given to us, prayed over us, and committed to partner with us in the work. The last time most of you heard from us it was at the beginning of our 8 week orientation in Rockville, VA. Now we are a few weeks from finishing that orientation and you are reading that we are NOT going to the field. Why?!!
Without taking up too much room in your inbox I will try to explain. Ever since we have been at this orientation we have had to leave John David in day care every day. This was very hard but we simply chalked the difficulty up to first time parents leaving a child for the first time in a pre-school environment. After a few weeks had passed and John David was still not warming up to his peers at day-care his teachers raised concern. This concern sent us on a two week process of meeting with various medical professionals as we attempted to find out what this issue was.
It has been determined that John David has a mild form of autism. At first we balked at such an assessment. That was before we rightly understood how wide a spectrum the autism spectrum was. After talking with a few specialist, however, we concluded that this diagnosis is legitimate.
What this means is that John David is going to need certain services that were not going to be available in our place of service in Zambia. That initial news flash was a blow to the gut. To hear, “you are probably not going to be able to go to Mporokoso” really knocked the wind out of us. The folks here at the IMB have been so gracious and accommodating to us. They tried to find other options for us but in the end it was jointly determined that the best decision for us at this time, at least, would be to not go to the field right now. It just did not seem wise, or kingdom profitable, to try and learn a new culture with little support structures as we try to simultaneously learn the “culture” of autism.
After much counsel and many tears the Lord has truly drawn near to us in this time. He has given us a peace about our decision and a grace to not only be okay with our situation but even be excited about what he has for our family. We think about those in the word who were faced with trying circumstances for reasons they could not understand. Paul told Philemon that “perhaps” his servant had left him so that their reunion would be sweeter. Mordecai told Esther that “who knows whether you have come into the kingdom for such a time as this.” Behind these and many other Scriptural statements is the firm belief that our God engineers all events that ever come about for His glory and our good! It might be difficult to always see exactly how that works itself out, but it always does.
Sorry for the length of this. We just feel like you all, as our covenant prayer partners should know the scoop. We still covet your prayers as we seek what the Lord has for us in our next chapter. Nothing has changed in our hearts. Our prayer is still the same: “God, take the wet wood that we call the sacrifice of our lives, light it on fire with a passion to know You, and let all who are around us simply watch us burn for Your GLORY!!” All that has changed is geography. We love you all and look forward to keeping you posted. Thanks to all of those who have already responded in prayer to God and encouragement to us.
Knees to the earth,
David , Katie, and John David
Trust not the Lord with feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace.
Behind a frowning providence
There hides a smiling face."
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thankful
Monday, November 24, 2008
Precious Moments in Quad #4
Monday, November 10, 2008
For the sake of the grandparents :)
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Our New Family
For the record, let me start by saying that David, John David and I feel that our families are completely irreplaceable! However, one of the joys of being a missionary with the IMB is that “aunt” and “uncle” are the titles you inherit when you are approved for service. Our fellow missionaries are not replacements for our families, just extensions. For example, we have been so thankful for those with whom we have been sharing our quad. The quads are set up with a large living room in the middle and four aparments attached to it, one off of each corner of the living room. John David has fallen in love with our quad family. Aunt Amy and Aunt Kelli are first-time aunts, and Uncle Truitt and Aunt Cindy…well, they do not have grandchildren yet; it as if they are first-time grandparents. Within our quad, John David has inherited 2 new cousins, Tyler (age 10) and Evie (7), whom he adores! Praise the Lord for this familial extention!
“So Jesus answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time – houses and brohers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecustions – and in the age to come, eternal life.’” Mark 10:29-30
Sunshine and Dandelions
The Importance of Your Prayers
Things are going well for us at our orientation in Virginia. Thank you all for your prayers on our behalf. We are so grateful for faithful intercessors and can clearly see God’s ever faithful, kind, sovereign hand at work in our family. Please do not cease praying for us. The Lord is doing a number of things in our hearts and lives to prepare us for what He has in store for our family overseas. I am learning more and more about the importance of daily, intense and specific intercession on behalf of others, especially those who are taking the Gospel to people who have never heard, where our enemy does not want The Truth to go. We know that we face great opposition, but our God is infinitely Greater. Of course our family is not “taking God” to the Bemba people; God is already at work there, as He is all over the world. The nations belong to Him. We just pray the He will allow our hearts to burn with the same passion as His…to see all nations worship before Him. We are so grateful to be able to be a small part of what God is already doing in Zambia. We are also so thankful to have you play such a special role in what He is doing in our lives and in the lives of the those whom we will be serving.