The Final Week

Well here we are, in yet another familiar time of our life.  Packing and Cleaning, cleaning and packing.  I guess this is the life of a missionary, one move to the next.  I have realized that there are so many things that a person can accumulate through only a few years and I believe that this whole moving thing could prove to be good for me!  I had my family weed through the stuff we picked and gathered through the year and thought we were doing rather well, we had our give away pile and our keep pile and our Papua New Guinea pile.  After everything was sorted and put into totes and then piled against the wall I realized I have way to much STUFF!  So, it comes down to this....if it fits in the moving truck it goes and if it doesn't well....maybe we will make another trip back to Missouri.  Our girls have been busy helping us and enjoying a few days off of school due to snow.  We will be leaving here Friday morning and it looks like snow is in our forecast so please pray that we will be able to leave on schedule and for good roads.

The Verdict is in.

Well the answer I was waiting for was given today.  As I continued to seek God out on what to do about the Tech class or the next semester I found myself looking into other options.   I may have at one time glanced over it, but today I spent more time looking upon it.  I stopped to see if our time in training, our life here in Missouri was up.  Maybe the Lord was wanting me to see that it was time to move on and get busy with pursuing the ministry He has been preparing us for.  So I began time in study, in prayer, talking with the family and calling our pastors and prayer partners.  Once again we found ourselves at the dinner table talking about our choices and wanting to decide this as a family.  We decided to put it to a vote, and the vote was unanimous.  So we now find ourselves moving and preparing for the trip back to Nebraska.  We have decided to sell most of our things again and return home only with the things we know we will be taking overseas.  Our focus is about getting over to where the Lord has directed.  Our focus now becomes more direct and specific.  Looking at the class of my friends and co workers who are signed up for this Tech class I find assurance and peace that these 9 will service many needs around the world and bless many with their times and skills.  We have been so blessed to be able to partake in these last 4 years of training but now its time to put all that we have learned to work.  We are looking to be home and have the girls in school no later than January 31st.  We thank everyone who has partnered with us during these wonderful years and ask if you will continue on with us as we move onto the next assignment.  Praise our Lord for working the way He does.  The assurance and peace has been found and there is no place like it.

Missions Training Center Graduation 2010

Nikki and myself  receiving our diplomas after the completion of the MTC and earning our Bachelor of Intercultural Ministries

Missouri Bucks!!!!

                          Blessed I have been!!

A Litttle Tid Bit on Paupa New Guinea

Independent State of Papua New Guinea

PROFILE

Geography
Land area: 462,840 sq. km.; about the size of California.
Cities: Capital--Port Moresby (254,158). Other cities--Lae (78,038), Mt. Hagen (27,789).
Terrain: Mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills. The largest portion of the population lives in fertile highlands valleys that were unknown to the outside world until the 1930s, but that supported agriculture some 10,000 years ago, possibly before agriculture was developed elsewhere.
Climate: Tropical. NW monsoon, Dec.-Mar.; SE monsoon, May-Oct.

PeoplePopulation (2008 est.): 6.5 million.
Annual population growth rate (2005-2010): 2.0%.
Languages: Three official languages are English, Tok Pisin, and Motu. There are approximately 860 other languages.
Education: Years compulsory--0. Literacy--49.3%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2008)--69/1,000. Life expectancy (2008)--62.0 yrs.

1 John 1:7 Translated

Tok Pisin

Blut bilong Jisas
pikinini bilong God, em i save
tekewe olgeta sin bilong yumi
na yumi kamap klin.

1 John 1:7
Blood of Jesus son of God, I know takes
away all sin that belongs to you- me, now you- me come up clean.

Assurance and Comfort found in Him!

Why does fear grip us so.  This has been something I have struggled with even though I know what is said about fear.  My life verse is Philippians 4:6 " Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God." The “anxious” part is what grabs me.  Often I find myself fearing not what answer God will give, but when will He give it.  We know that God will always answer our prayers.  We know He does not always answer the way we desire.  But what do we know about when will He answer.  Here is what I mean.  I have signed up to take the Tech course here at MTC.  It starts January 18th and it requires and substantial down payment which we do not have.  I have sought wise counsel and have spent time in prayer over this.  The reality is we either have to have the money buy January 18th or pack up and move back to Nebraska and start our partnership development.  All counsel advised we stay and take the course, logic says stay and take the course, and God has never told me not to take the course.  So after looking at all things we have decided to stay and continue on with schooling.  But when will God confirm this is what He wants.  I want Him to either give us the funds needed or tell me to go so that we can get on with things.  Fear of not knowing what the future holds grabs me and the anxiety sets in.  As I continue to say O.K. Travis its about faith.  Faith is not whats in the past or present but what is unseen in the future.  Ya that definitely seems to be my issue, I think.  Again I know God will answer and I would be great with either answer its just the not knowing when He will answer.  I find myself trying to put God back in this little box and seeking Him to function in a time line.   Why won't He just answer now!! or We have to have an answer by the 15th or I will have to take control, Again.  Even though I know from the past that it never works out when I try to take control.  So here I am waiting for God to answer and give me clear direction.  After reading though a short devotion this morning I saw God confirm a few things.  Things I need to hear today.  "God does not open paths for us before we come to them, or provide help before help is needed.  He does not remove obstacles out of our way before we reach them.  Yet when we are at our point of need, God's hand is outstretched."  This is just a writers opinion but yet it challenged me to this thought.  I am worrying, fearful and anxious over not having the funds to make this down payment now.  We are still a half a month away from needing the funds.  I am finding myself faithless in many cases.  I know from the past especially the last 4 years the Lord has Never and I mean Never failed in providing.  I just had to smile as I read through scripture today and just find the peace and rest that is overflowing in being a child of Christ.  Why waist today worrying about tomorrow when we can enjoy the day and grow in our faith.  So we live today putting God in the center and thank Him for yesterday and as for tomorrow, well if we live to see it we know that God will stretch out His hand and bless us with the grace we need.