Getting Closer!

As our time in Idaho winds down we are growing sad at the thought of leaving the church that we love and the friends that we cherish. God has truly been gracious to us over the past five years to have brought such a great "family" into our lives. But while we are sad at the leaving of friends in Idaho, we are excited about our future ministry in Senegal!

My last Sunday as pastor of NorthRidge Fellowship is February 27 and we plan to head east the first or second week of March. We will be making stops along the way in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas to see friends and family and then park in northeast Florida. Our hope is to be able to speak with churches and individuals along the way about our ministry and ask others to join our growing support team.

While the calendar tells us that we are getting closer to leaving Idaho our support team tells us that we are getting closer to Senegal. As of last week 30% of our monthly support was in place! Our family is deeply humbled as God uses individuals from many parts of the country, walks of life, and denominations to work together to "send" us to the mission field.

We could go on and on about all of the ways that God has blessed us recently as we are preparing for the mission field. Let me share with you just two: Last week our family received a grant that will pay for our three month training at the Center for Intercultural Training in North Carolina. We will receive this grant once 60% of our monthly support is in place. (In a later post we will have to share with you how the grant came about; it was a total "God thing.") Also, we have been blessed with a place in Florida to stay rent free while we are there raising our support team. (Once again, a total "God thing.") God continues to show His faithfulness to us in every detail of our journey.

Please be in prayer for our family over the next month-and-a-half as we prepare to relocate. Pray for our children as they prepare for this new journey of faith that will take them to new places and away from friends and the familiar. Also, please pray that God would continue to speak to the hearts of those who hear about our ministry. We are praying that over 60% of our support is in place by May so that we can prepare for training. Please know that as you pray for us you are fulfilling a vital role in this ministry.