We’ve Reached a Milestone

We have accomplished the first big goal we set for our support raising process! God has been graciously providing these past few weeks, and we’ve reached 30% (actually 33%) of our total support goal. We are a third of the way there! It’s exciting to see progress as we move towards our ultimate goal of church-planting in France. Thank you to everyone who has prayed and committed to give. This ministry is possible only through your partnership.

We celebrated with ice cream (Jenis salty caramel, yum)

Please pray with us that we would reach our next big milestone of 50% by June.

Our Call to France: Looking Back

We have been on this journey to France for a while. Really, it has been 5 years since God first planted the seed in our hearts to go to France and begin new communities of believers. So, on the journey there have been times when God’s leading is crystal clear and other times of less clarity and more “walking in faith.” January and February were more “walking in faith” months because progress felt stalled. One such night last month, I was reading an old journal when I stumbled upon an entry I thought was share-worthy. I wrote it in May of 2006, a few months into dating Ryan and long before we had discussed going into missions and certainly before the idea of France became a regular discussion. I will jump right in. Earlier that night, I had seen a movie that was set in Paris:

“Sometimes I have real glimpses of God, typically it is in nature, but tonight I had a similar experience with this movie. I felt homesick, but homesick for the city of Paris. I don’t understand it at all, but I feel like God has given me a strange connection to that city. And tonight while watching the movie, I felt like I was there or supposed to be there.”

I was so encouraged and re-energized by this reminder, that God has been preparing both of us for this even longer than I realized. He is and will continue to be in complete control.

RACE Week

It is hard to believe, but it was one year ago this week when Ryan and I were at World Team’s sending office being evaluated as missionary candidates. It was an intense week, but also very worthwhile. We were given tests that surveyed our personalities, gifts and knowledge, and then… as a team of candidates, we were assigned hypothetical tasks and challenges that we had to work together to solve (all while a team of assessors observed us and jotted notes about our strengths and weaknesses). Also, throughout the week, we learned more about the World Team and what it would mean and look like for them to be our sending agency. At the end of the week, we had personal interviews and then an interview as a couple, during which, they reported back on all that they had observed, gave recommendations for our growth, and invited us to join World Team (to our delight). We accepted and, in the following few months, were invited to join the team in France.  

This week, another round of brave candidates are going through the same intentional process, and I just wanted to say (in case any of you are reading) that our prayers our with you, and we hope that the week is revealing, as you learn more about yourselves and God’s mission, and as your next steps in that mission become more clear. 

The city

“In cities, you have more Image of God per square inch than anywhere else in the world.” — Tim Keller

Paris is a city like no other. It has a rich history with artists, thinkers, and revolutions. Its architecture, monuments, and museums are full of charm and beauty.  Its cafes and bakeries are truly unique. In other words, it’s a great place to visit. But one of the main reasons to go to Paris to plant churches is because it has people, lots of people. The greater metropolitan area of Paris has over 12 million people. When you consider that people who consider themselves followers of Jesus make up around 1% of the overall population of France, it means that there are over 11.8 million people in Paris who do not have a saving relationship with God. 

Please join with us in praying that God would move mightily in the city of Paris, because “should He not have concern on that great city” (Jonah 4:11).

Visiting First Baptist Church of Rockport

We recently had the extreme pleasure of being able to share about our ministry and spend time with the First Baptist Church of Rockport, MA. It is so encouraging to be with people who are passionate about Jesus Christ and who long for people everywhere to come into a relationship with Him. It makes sharing our ministry a privilege and a delight. As we press on to serve the Lord in France, Paul’s words to the Philippians seem the best to describe a church like this: 

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:3-6). 

We are honored to have partners like these.

February Newsletter Excerpt

Below is a brief excerpt of our February 2012 newsletter. If you do not currently receive our newsletter but would like to, please provide your name and email and I'll add you to the list. Thanks!

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The journey to full-time church planting ministry in France is a long one, at least it feels that way at the moment. While we cannot yet do what we feel God ultimately calling us to, right now what excites us most is the opportunity to sit down with individuals and churches and share the vision God has given us. Every meeting we have reignites our passion for France and our desire to share the Gospel with its people. This past month we have presented our ministry to three churches. Two we have met with in person, Byfield Parish Church in Georgetown, MA and Netcast Church in Beverly, MA, as well as one church remotely via Skype, an Apex House Church in Dayton, Ohio. We have also met with several individuals to invite them to partner with us.

Is Raising Support Ministry?

Is raising support (for ministry) ministry? The short answer is yes.

I don't know if I really believed this at first, but I have come to realize that we are in the thick of ministry, right now. Do we have a lot to learn? Well yeah, probably almost everything to learn. Do we mess up and get the wrong perspective sometimes? Yes, at least every other day. But the awesome thing is... God is showing himself faithful, not only by slowly providing the financial and prayer partners we need, but also by refining us (in many, and at times, challenging ways). Christ is teaching us to persevere. 

One of the tools that time and time again has brought us both back to the proper perspective is a tiny book called The spirituality of fundraising by Henri Nouwen. It is a great resource for people who raise funds for ministry and for people who give (or don't give) towards ministry. 

In the book, Nouwen says: 
"Fund-raising as ministry is grounded in prayer and undertaken in gratitude... In prayer we slowly experience a reorientation of all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves and others... Gratitude releases us from the bonds of obligation and prepares us to offer ourselves freely and fully for the work of the kingdom." 

And this is all we want... to offer ourselves freely and fully for the work of the kingdom, both now in striving to get to the field, and once we get there.