Jig Saw Puzzle

    The other day I heard a pastor speaking and he was using this analogy about jig saw puzzles.  It really made sense to me.  At this point in our lives that is where we are at.  When I do a jig saw puzzle I start with all the straight lines, the outside border and then work my way to the middle.  Fitting all the pieces together.   Right now we got the four corners out and are getting all the flat edge pieces out to start the border.  As we put the pieces together we will see the picture more clearly.

     The border for us is going to bible college and getting a firm foundation.  Getting well prepared that way we have the message to bring.   A lot of people have asked us why go to school just get out in the field.  I had struggled with that until I was sharing with a pastor and he told me a bible story.  It was when Davids son Absalom was in rebellion.  Davids men ended up killing him.  They were getting ready to send out a messenger to report to David and there was one guy who kept insisting to let him go because he was faster.  Finally they said ok go.  He ran and ran, he was much faster than the other messenger no doubt.  David saw him coming from a distance, covering a lot of ground.  David knew that he must have an important message.  As David went out to meet him the messenger was out of breath.  David said what is it?  What happened?  The messenger said " there was all kinds of dust and commotion!"  David says "AND WHAT HAPPENED?"  The messenger replies "There were many men and fighting"  David again responds "WHAT HAPPENED?"  The messenger didn't have the message.  He was there he saw it yet he couldn't deliver it.  How important is it that we have the message and are able to bring it to people so they know what that message is. After hearing that it gave us such peace that we are taking the right steps.  That is why we are going to school first.  While in school we will be learning to live cross culturally.  Learning the language and how to serve to people.  It will be an important time.
    As we get more of the pieces plugged in, we will see what the Lord has in store for us, but we are just one piece at a time.
  

Back from Peru!!!!!

We are back from our short trip to Peru.  It was such a blessed time.  The staff and the students were very welcoming.  The Lord is definitely continuing to guide us in that direction.  We foresee one of the struggles we will encounter, which is family time.  I will be very busy with school and practical ministry that we really won't have a great amount of just family time.  Please pray that we can set a schedule so that we have some quality time.  On the positive side the Peruvian culture is so warm and they love kids.  Also the school seems very kids friendly.   At this point we are starting to get everything in order so we can leave in late July or early August.

Going to "spy the land"

We are heading down to Peru today to get a feel for the area.  We will be down there for about a week checking out the school and all the ministry opportunities.  Very excited to see all that the Lord is doing in Peru.  Please pray that the Lord will gives us direction on our housing situation.

Responding to a call

Over the past year or so the Lord has been calling my family into the mission field.  After struggling with this call and its implications we have come to the point of obedience.  I'm starting this blog to share what the Lord is doing and hopefully encourage others to follow what the Lord may be calling them to as well. I ask that whoever reads this would lift my family up in prayer as we will need all the help we can get.  I will be posting the good, the bad and the ugly.  Basically to sum up what has already taken place I can say   in the words of Isaiah the prophet "Here I am Lord send me."  That became our cry and the Lord has continued in His calling.  We are preparing to head to Peru to Calvary Chapel Bible College.  It will be a season of preparation.  We are planning on being there for two years studying and serving and waiting upon the Lord.  Our hearts at this point are leaning towards going into Brazil and planting a bible teaching church, yet we remain flexible and open to the Lords direction.