He gives and takes away...

How many times have I sang that? This month, the true meeting set in.

This month God has taken away a lot of what he so graciously gave us 20 years ago. Three weeks ago, He took back our 23 year old dog, Rascal. This past week, He took back our 20 year old dog, Crickett. Today he took back our 10 year old parakeet, Baby Bird.

These were wonderful family members that He gave us to cherish, love, and look after. We enjoyed a full 19+ years with both of our dogs. Before we were married, before we had our children, we had our two dogs. We taught them much, and they loved us more. We did our best to look after them and treat them like kings/queens. We hope that God was happy with the life they had here, and we hope that they are waiting at the pearly gates for us to "come home".

10 years ago, God gave us a horse farm to start building our dreams on. We taught many students, and they became our extended family (we even had the privilege of watching one family give their lives to Christ). We birthed three foals on these grounds, and buried many of our pets. We've laughed, we've cried, we've almost given up, we've started anew...and now we prepare to give it all back to God.

It's so nice to receive, but sometimes it's so hard to give it all back. But, as soon as God takes away, He gives us back so much more.

Today, after such a hard month of losses, we received word that our sender has approved us for our next phase in our journey. The committee has approved our application, and we now move to LAUNCH training! This is such a relief and a joy...mingled with our sadness.

We are now ready for the sale of "our gifts", and giving up of all of our possessions. We are taking only some clothing, our chihuahua (Chiquita), and our cat (Holly) with us when we leave. Everything else will be re-housed or sold (with the exception of a couple of family heirlooms-which will go into a storage facility).

My heart will choose to say "Blessed be Your Name"!



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Prayer Requests:
Brooke to finish her schooling (on track for Spring 11)
Tom to finish his schooling (same)
Clara as she transitions from public to homeschooling this fall
Strength and wisdom in preparing our house for the market
Quick sale and good price on our farm
Good/loving neighbors in Italy
Housing in Italy
Finding good/faithful partners in our journey both in finances and spiritual
Getting through the grief over loss of our beloved pets
Praises:
Starting the next phase with our sender
A great FIRST mission's presentation
Tom's Kairos training

"The Mighty Angel and the little Scroll"

In Revelation 10 it talks about a MIGHTY ANGEL and a LITTLE SCROLL. When I read that, for some reason, my mind always reads "the little angel". I have no idea why, but it always gets turned around at that same place.

Maybe it's because I'm short, so my mind wants to find similarity?? I have not idea, but as soon as I start to read the chapter, it goes into detail over the look of the mighty angel. He gave a shout "like the roar of a lion". But he held out a little scroll.

The little scroll told a BIG STORY. It told of two witnesses, who would come and prophesy for 1,260 days and eventually be raised from the dead in 3 1/2 days.

Big things come in small packages!!

This week has been full of little messages from God.

Our "LAUNCH", originally scheduled for March, was pushed back to May.

At first we were sad, because we really want to "get started" and find out what the next couple of years look like. But then we understood the postponement was a gift from God.

Our water heater went out, and the cost for repairs was almost (to the penny) the exact amount of what we had saved back for the sitter (who will stay here for the two weeks we'll be gone for launch).

God had our backs again :) Actually He continues to hold us in His hands, which is better than guarding our backs! When those attacks come, I'm not sure we can handle them, even face to face. But God knows, and He holds us. He strengthens us. He protects us, while allowing us to grow.

So, in the meantime, while we are waiting for our LAUNCH, we continue to grow even when we feel so very little.

Prayer Requests:
Pray for partners in our mission (on the home front and abroad)
Pray for our future homestead in Italy (perfect neighbors, perfect apartment, perfect will)
Pray for our children as they prepare for a new lifestyle
Pray for the quick and perfect sale of our home/animals
Pray for the moving of other animals
Pray for continued finances
Pray for Spiritual Protection overall

That's what friends are for...

"Keep smiling, keep shining, knowing you can always count on me" Dionne Warwick made this song popular, but it could be the theme song of Jesus. Corny but true.

This is what we, as Christians, try to live up to every day. We don't always succeed, but we know that there is always a new start tomorrow.

We've taken our psych evaluations, and prohibiting something awful, we will be go to a "LAUNCH" process which will be a schooling/planning of sorts and start our launching process into missions.

Until then, we wait. We will also be getting the farm ready to put on the market. After it sells (hopefully quickly), we will get an apartment in town...closer to everything, while allowing the kiddos to continue in their schools, and allowing us the freedom to travel (no horses/farm/obligations).

While we wait, we continue to grow spiritually and keep being the friends we are supposed to be...smiling, shining, and accountable.

We continue to meet many new foreign friends almost on a weekly basis now. God is just putting them in our path...almost like a gathering. We have also had several people come to us, unsolicited (except by God) to let us know that they want to be contacted when we start raising support...yeah!

Think the end is drawing near? Open your eyes and see for yourself. God is working overtime to open eyes...and satan is working just as hard to blind them.

We love you, and appreciate all of your prayers. Starting this month, I will have specific prayer needs posted below my entries.

Thanks for reading, and we'll update as soon we hear anything new...or the Lord prompts.

Prayer Requests, specific to our family:
+Positive outcome from psych evals
+Protection over our family
+Home placement for horses (specifically Theo, Arab, Larry, and Mr.P)
+Sale of house (to sell quickly and for what we ask, and to horse people that will love our facilities)
+Dealing with the loss of our pets (some to death, some to new homes)
+Kids schooling - Brooke's early graduation
+Pray that we find the perfect team to partner with, and for our neighborhood in Italy (good neighbors, friends for us/the kids)

Raising Missionaries :)

Our next hurdle with our sending team is our psych evaluations. Although this is a "shoe in" (tongue in cheek) it isn't what it seems. It is basically, looking/finding stress points, to get them- before they get us, in the field :)

So, while waiting on these tests and results, which will take about a month, I'm getting ready for the next phase in our training...fundraising.

This is the thing that I've been dreading since we told God yes. Why? I have no idea! Other than maybe the humbling part?? I hate to "beg for money", as I've always thought it was...but I've been reading a book, that is (once again) changing my attitudes and thoughts.

The book is called "People Raising" by William P. Dillon. Although I've just started the book, the following passage has kicked me in the butt: "
'Oh, so you're a missionary. I see. That's nice. Uh...very interesting. Well, best of luck. See you later."
I could almost see the wall of nonunderstanding develop in some cases.
'A missionary? Wow, I'd better be careful what I say. This guy must have a hotline to God. Why would anyone want to throw his life away like that? I feel sorry for him--all that suffering and persecution he will go through in some out-of-the-way corner of the world.'
Oh, the monologue was never spoken, but I could read it between the lines. And it made me uncomfortable. I didn't want to be different; I wanted to be a plain old ordinary sinner, just like everybody else. I didn't want to be a hotline to God. Sometimes I wasn't even sure I knew His number. And most of all, I didn't want to be pitied. That turned my stomach.
Maybe it was that word--"missionary". Maybe it should be thrown out...Too many barnacles clinging to it... Anyway, it's not my fault that people don't understand what a missionary really is--or is it?"

I'm only on page 51 of almost 300, but I've learned (so far) that we are not to be bothered with "raising funds", but raising stronger Christians. God will provide our every need, and He will use us to touch hearts, so that our every need is provided for...THROUGH HIM.

Let me try to explain a little. As Christians, we are to worship God...period. Part of that worship experience is to give back to God and to share His love with others. We do both with mission work.

We share our faith/love of God to the world, and we allow our friends in Christ to partner with us and share the rewards through the fundraising experience.

Not everyone is called to go to the actual field, but we are all called to share our faith. When someone supports financially in a missionary, they share the rewards given to that missionary (through God). They are taking part in the mission field, just as if they were out there themselves, physically.

This verse just came to me, as I type this out: 1Samuel 30 David and his men were at war with the Amalekites. Some of his men became wore out and were left behind, while the rest of the army went on to attack and plunder the Amalekites. As the army returned, they were greeted by the ones that stayed behind. "As David and his men approached, he greeted them. But the evil men and troublemakers among David's followers said, 'Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder.'...David replied, 'No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us...The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.'"

Wow, take a minute and breathe that in...words straight from God to your eyes :)

I'm now getting excited to share our ministry needs, when the time comes, with others. It's not "begging for money", it's joining forces and allowing EVERYONE to partner with us. It's getting our rewards in Heaven while we build HIS KINGDOM in worship :)

Loving God, Loving Each Other, Serving God, Reaching the Lost, Growing and Maturing

Today is a growth and mature segment...and I thank you for sharing it and partnering with us!

Please continue prayers for us as we prepare our house to go on the market in the next several months, place our horses in good homes, and continue in the testing process (spiritually and physically).

Judge Not...

Another meeting with our home church! An "adjustable" timeline has been set with them. We won't know more definite dates until after March, but it looks like departing late summer of 2011 is on paper! Over the next 20 months, we have some online theology classes, some traveling with other classes (Louisville, KY and Colorado); and at least three different short term "out of country trips" (two to Italy; and one, elsewhere).

I started the LONG process of apartment hunting. We are in a catch 22...if we put our farm on the market, and it sells fast, we are homeless. However, if we wait to put the farm on the market, and it takes a while to sell, we will have to remain here (in the US) until it is sold. UGH!! So, we are making a tough decision of WHEN! It looks like, right now, we may put the farm on the market in the Spring. If it sells slow then we will have over a year to contend with the realtor. However, if it sells right away (and it just might with the deal we're giving) we will need to move to an apartment.

Another perk in apartments, is that when we have to do all of this traveling, then there are no "at home" obligations (animals/mowing/house watching). Although I can move all of the horses/animals and place them in homes, so that there won't be feeding during this time, there are still all of the other obligations above. I can also place Clara in a better middle school, because the one Brooke attended was AWFUL. Of course, we have to find an apartment with 3 bedrooms and pet friendly, which seems to be a chore. And the prices! Whew!! Oh well, it's preparing me for the high costs we will experience, should we go to Italy (the Euro is 1 1/2 X of the US Dollar currently).

On another note: I had a good friend (who just returned from the mission field) ask me "Are you prepared to be homeless and illiterate?" WOW, I hadn't thought of that. I am going to be homeless AND illiterate in Italy!

How many times have I stood in a line at WalMart behind a foreigner and thought "If you are in our country, shouldn't you know our language?"! I've even gotten aggravated standing there, as the cashier politely explains something very slowly to the foreign customer. How many times have we said, "If you don't like America, then go back home (to your own country)."

"Judge not, lest ye be judged likewise" OOPS!! A lesson is about to be learned! I will be the foreigner trying to figure out how much money (converting Euros in my head) that shirt will cost, and if I can get it in blue (azzurro), and what about the sizing (who measures in centimeters anyway??). EGADS!

Please pray for us over the next 6 months: timing is the key to everything in your prayers for us. God's timing, of course. And patience....lots and lots of patience :)

Equipping

I had a good friend remind me this week that, "God does not call the equipped, but equips the called."

I had heard that saying before, but it really helped me this week.

Satan has been on the attack. We have been fighting emotional, spiritual, and even physical battles this month. Reference forms have been lost in the mail...TWICE, some friends with good intentions have allowed Satan to use them to hit us where it hurts, and this month two different missionaries have had horrible accidents. One was a brother to a missionary in Italy*, in a horrible car accident; and the other was a missionary** (in Taipei) himself hit by a car. Both remain in a coma and both have been bathed in prayer by me (and our family). (*Update: the brother is still in a coma - over 30 days after the accident, please continue prayers) ((**UPDATE: the missionary from Taipei is currently recovering at a private home in that country...praise God.))

In the midst of all of this heartache, I have had God poking me to keep my eyes on him.

One friend told me that when interviewed by our sending party, as part of our reference requests, she told them, "If I were smart, I would say such bad things about Michele. But I have nothing bad to say." This warmed my heart to know that we will be missed so much. Another friend gave me the opening quote, while we were in a deep discussion about the Spiritual battle being waged over our departure.

I really needed that because another friend, wanting to be helpful, told us that we weren't ready to go to the mission field. We weren't smart enough, educated enough, diligent enough, relational enough, determined enough...well I could go on and on, but you get the picture. We weren't "enough" in his eyes. Boy did that sting!

So, we did some self-evaluating. And in OUR human eyes he may have been right. But when you get to praying, you evaluate in GOD'S EYES. Is God wrong to ask us to go?? Is God making a mistake?? That sure is a "dumb" question, because GOD IS NEVER WRONG, or confused!!

"Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God...and all of these things shall be added unto you." That is exactly what we are doing....and exactly what God is and will be doing.

We are privileged to be so ignorant. BECAUSE when God shines through us, it will shine that much brighter!!

Amen

Dying to self...

I'm not normally a procrastinator. When I start things, I like to get it done quick. There are exceptions, Tom can tell you some, but for the most part, I want it done now.

However, this month has been my procrastination month. We have an entire garage full of totes. Totes of toys, clothes, crafts, Christmas decorations, and some that I don't even know what is in them, line the entire floor - stacked to the ceiling of our garage. They all need to be sorted and disposed of. Not thrown away, just given away, or packed for storage. After WEEKS of reving myself up, I've went through two lonely totes. And only threw 5 shirts into the "get rid of" box.

I'm not a fashion diva. None of my clothes are name brand, with the exception of those that were given to me by friends. BUT, I have dozens of T-shirts that I can't seem to part with. Each shirt was a "freebie", but priceless to me.

I have half a dozen "Flying Pig Marathon" shirts from prior choir trips. Dozens of Middle School Camp shirts. I have a "I'm a Prayer Walker" shirt. Each one tells a story. Each one holds a memory of some big GOD ADVENTURE! I just can't make myself go through and dispose of them.

And that is just the two lonely totes...What will I find in the other dozens of totes? School papers? First Christmas toys for the girls? A wedding memento from 18 years ago?

But Jesus is calling us to another God Adventure! One in which we have to put off our old self. One in which we have to die to our longing to keep all of this STUFF. One in which we will carry with us in three 40 pound suitcases, and head across the ocean.

Hmmmm, remind you of the Israelites?? It does me!

We are FREE. We once were lost, slaves, hopeless, and dead. But now we are alive again in Christ.

Please pray for our family over the next several months as we die a bit each day, getting rid of all of our mementos. We are planning on keeping NOTHING (maybe just a tote or two). We need to shed this extra weight, so we can have a light spring in our step and prepare to cross that sea to our new homeland...