The Stretching of Faith

Christina writes,
So as I sit here contemplating this adventure Josh and I are about to take, with details that still need to be worked out, I can't help but feel uncomfortable.

My wonderful "I can handle it" humaness has been stripped away layer by layer, I feel vulnerable and dependent on God like never before.  I don't consider myself trapped by materialism but when I see the bills and required expenses and I see our bank account...well I'm not a genius but the two don't add up.  And I know God can move mountains, but this mustard seed of faith, that's mine, has yet to sprout.

I don't doubt our mission to go, that God is working in the Philippines.  That he wants to use me, to train me to help women who are pregnant, to show His love in a tangible way.  But right now I don't feel so useful.

Faith is the evidence of things unseen.

There's a memory verse I'm working on retaining:
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."  -Psalm 20:7

May you be blessed and encouraged by these words of truth.

Time to Update:

So I figure it's time to update this thing. The plan was to head to the Philippines in June to find ourselves a place to live for the next two and a half years. While working on other plans, it turns out God had a surprise for us. It turns out there is a family in the Philippines who are returning home for six months and needed someone to watch their home in the Philippines. And God filled their need through another family in the Philippines who are looking to eventually return home for some rest. So they would watch the home for the six months and get a chance to save money for their trip home and their future. So God filled their need for an "exit strategy". But then they needed to do something with their own home and all their furniture. That's where we come in. We will be taking over their home and purchasing their furniture. So God provided for their need to get out of their home and also provided us with a furnished home before ever setting foot in the country. How awesome is that? I'm amazed at how God can provide for three distinct families by getting everything lined up like that.

So, now this means we do not need to arrive in the Philippines in June to find a home. So we will be flying out of PA in early August. We fly to Oregon for a few days of orientation with the others who were accepted into this program. From there we all fly to the Philippines together. It sounds like an incredible opportunity and I'm told that they have never had any of their married couples there. So I guess I'll be breaking into some new territory (or something like that).

Right now we are working on plans to raise funds and figure out just how to make that all happen. We also are working on paperwork for getting our missionary visas once we arrive in the Philippines. Then there's the house we live in right now. The plan is to rent it out while we are gone. That in itself is new territory for us and is a bit stressful. Not to mention the fact that in three months we will have started the actual physical journey. It excites me so much to think about it. And yes it does frighten me a bit, but I believe in a God who has already provided me a home away from home. And I believe that He will take care of things for us as long as we let Him do the work for us.

Grace and Peace to you all.

The Time Has Come (well, sort of...)

It's official. We have been accepted and approved to go to the Philippines! Now, the work of planning details has begun. It looks like we'll be leaving in early June. And there's just so much to figure out before then. Sometimes it seems overwhelming, but then I realize that if I trust God with the details and just give Him my life right now as it is, then He will get it all to work out in the end. Not that it will be a cake walk, but it will all work out. Three years from now I'm sure I'll look back and say this was the toughest time of my life, but also the best time of my life. Now to just go out there and live it! I had better buckle my seat belt. It's going to be quite a ride!

Update

Both Christina and I have been contacted about holding phone interviews with the leadership of Mercy Maternity. No times have been set up yet. We are both getting a little anxious to really get active in making plans to actually move. We are down to just over three months until we would need to be leaving and there are a lot of things that need to be done. The nerves are setting in.

The Waiting Continues...

February has arrived, and that means more waiting. Yesterday was the deadline for submission of materials to Mercy Maternity Center. So hopefully we will hear something from them very soon. Last week, Christina received an email asking me to answer a few questions about my feelings and expectations regarding the possibility of Christina volunteering a full-time at the clinic. I suppose it was so they know that I know just what we are getting ourselves into. I took the questions seriously, and I really am looking forward to this opportunity. They also asked when would be a good time to conduct a phone interview once they review Christina's application. So I know they are looking at things and it is just a matter of time until we get word from them. Once we hear anything, we'll be posting it on here.

I've been reading a book about the culture and customs of the Philippines. So far I've only read about the history, but that part was quite enlightening. I didn't realize that I'd actually studied a small part of their history in school (mostly pertaining to World War II and a little bit of the early 20th century). It is an interesting book and I'm looking forward to reading more.


Did You Know?... Ferdinand Magellan, the explorer credited with being the first to circumnavigate the globe (who technically did not, though part of his crew did), was killed on the island of Cebu, in the Philippines?