We've been learning a lot this week about taking ourselves out of the equation.
When we talk to people about partnering with us financially, we talk a great deal about ourselves. Mostly because we think that's what they want to hear. And because they ask us questions about us. We spend valuable talking time focused on US and the work that WE will do and how God will use US in his service.
We.
Us.
Me.
My.
I.
We have to
must.
need.
to stop talking so much about ourselves and talk more about God. God is doing this amazing work in the world and he wants his people (read: you and me) to join in the work.
Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who labor build it in vain.
psalm 127:1
We can talktalktalk about how the Lord has called us into missions and tellyoutellyoutellyou all about what we will do. But we will quickly run out of things to say and we will sound like a broken record. Sound like a broken record. Sound like a broken record.
But when we talk about the Lord, we never run out of things to say. Let it be Him who builds our house. Let it be Him who shines brightest. Let it be Him who we continually glorify.
I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
psalm 89:1
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Birthday cards and internationally mailed homecooked meals
We got our first card from someone we don't know.
It's kind of a weird thing about being a missionary. Lots of people know you, pray for you, see your picture, and share your stories but you have never met them. We don't know the names of all the people who lift us up in prayer or who think of us on our birthday or who give an update about us to their missions committee.
We trust that they are there, though, because without them we wouldn't be missionaries.
Grace's brithday is coming up later this month and she got a card from Bob & Pat Smith (their names were not changed because their names are Bob & Pat Smith). A 7 year old's birthday is kind of a big deal.
Just in case you forgot.
So, even if you get a card from people you've never met, it's awesome.
There was much excitement when Grace opened the birthday card from from the aforementioned not-high-risk-of-identity-disclosure-so-I-didn't-change-their-names Bob & Pat and their congregation, which we'll be visiting in December. It was really special to sit at the kitchen table and listen to her read in halted 6.99 year old reading all about the weather, Bob & Pat's grandchildren in between peppered questions about being a missionary kid and hopes for a happy year. They described how our picture is on their Missionary Letter bulletin board.
What a gift for our children to be folded into the families of those who love and care for us as missionaries.
Supporting a missionary is more than the money. The money is necessary, let's be frank. The biggest thing I've read, however, in my internet trolling of missionary blogs is that missionaries are lonely. Sometimes they are literally lonely because they serve in an isolated location. Often, it seems, that missionaries are lonely because they're L.O.N.E.L.Y. Alone in a crowd. What makes you feel better when you feel alone in a crowd (because we've all felt that, missionary or not)? What makes you feel remembered?
A birthday card from a congregation that's never met you but is praying for you and celebrating with you?
How do you take care of your missionaries? This has really shaken up how we try to care for missionaries we support both locally and far flung. Cards, emails, home-cooked meals (not ideal for international mailing), and care packages (better for international mailing) are part of our routine now. And now that we've been on the receiving end, I realize that our commitment to missions is more than the monthly donation.
It's kind of a weird thing about being a missionary. Lots of people know you, pray for you, see your picture, and share your stories but you have never met them. We don't know the names of all the people who lift us up in prayer or who think of us on our birthday or who give an update about us to their missions committee.
We trust that they are there, though, because without them we wouldn't be missionaries.
Grace's brithday is coming up later this month and she got a card from Bob & Pat Smith (their names were not changed because their names are Bob & Pat Smith). A 7 year old's birthday is kind of a big deal.
Just in case you forgot.
So, even if you get a card from people you've never met, it's awesome.
There was much excitement when Grace opened the birthday card from from the aforementioned not-high-risk-of-identity-disclosure-so-I-didn't-change-their-names Bob & Pat and their congregation, which we'll be visiting in December. It was really special to sit at the kitchen table and listen to her read in halted 6.99 year old reading all about the weather, Bob & Pat's grandchildren in between peppered questions about being a missionary kid and hopes for a happy year. They described how our picture is on their Missionary Letter bulletin board.
What a gift for our children to be folded into the families of those who love and care for us as missionaries.
Supporting a missionary is more than the money. The money is necessary, let's be frank. The biggest thing I've read, however, in my internet trolling of missionary blogs is that missionaries are lonely. Sometimes they are literally lonely because they serve in an isolated location. Often, it seems, that missionaries are lonely because they're L.O.N.E.L.Y. Alone in a crowd. What makes you feel better when you feel alone in a crowd (because we've all felt that, missionary or not)? What makes you feel remembered?
A birthday card from a congregation that's never met you but is praying for you and celebrating with you?
How do you take care of your missionaries? This has really shaken up how we try to care for missionaries we support both locally and far flung. Cards, emails, home-cooked meals (not ideal for international mailing), and care packages (better for international mailing) are part of our routine now. And now that we've been on the receiving end, I realize that our commitment to missions is more than the monthly donation.
 |
| Grace's card -- embellished with some of her handiwork ;-) |
Friday, August 8, 2014
On receiving gifts
What is the proper way to receive a gift? We'd better figure this out because we will all be faced with this situation at some time or another.
I've brainstormed some appropriate gift-receiving responses:
HUGE smile
Clapping (if you're under age 6)
Exclaiming something along the lines of -- "Oh my gosh! How did you know?" or "Wow, I am SO surprised."
Hugging the giver
Saying "Oh, you shouldn't have" or "You didn't have to do this."
Make a big deal out of it and say how you can't believe you forgot their gift, ohmygoshthisissoembarrassing.
Sweat.
Or
just
receive
it
with
a
grateful
heart.
We tend to downplay ourselves by intimating that we are not worthy of the gift. Is that for us to decide? Or the giver?
We have had several weeks of being on the receiving end of gift-giving as more people have partnered with us in missions. I think we've gained 13% in just 6 weeks! While we were driving home Andy brought up the topic of how we respond to God's gifts. We praise Him for his provision, express amazement at His goodness, we thank Him for using believers to advance the gospel. While those are appropriate responses, they are kind of grown-up versions of the list I brainstormed above.
Thank you thank you thank you! Oh, Lord, you shouldn't have.
Thank you God, but you didn't have to do this.
How did you know, O Lord, that I needed this? Thank you so much!
Oh, thank you God, but I don't deserve this, did you save the receipt?
Recently, we were blindsided by one individual's generous gift. It is a major purchase and we had already been planning how we were going to squirrel money away. Over the next several days, Andy became increasingly self-deprecating, wondering why he had received this gift...we hadn't even done a polished presentation...we fumble over our words when we talk with folks about financial partnership...how could this have happened?
As if it was a curse rather than a blessing.
While Andy was mulling over the situation he happened to get together with his friend Jeremy. He shared the story and his subsequent thoughts/emotions and Jeremy, in true Christian love, knocked some sense into Andy. It was sort of backwards route to getting Andy to not only see the gift for what it was -- A GIFT -- but also recognize his sinful pattern of thinking.
"Don't you think you are good enough for someone to buy something for you?"
Poke.
"Do you think you need to be worthy of this gift?"
Poke.
"Aren't you good enough?"
Poke.
Well, no.
Will we ever be good enough? No.
But we are missing something. The thing that helps us transition from knowing we are unworthy to accepting a gift despite our condition.
Expectancy.
Anticipation.
Confidence.
Hope.
Ok, four things that mean the same thing.
In the Jesus Storybook Bible, the story of Jesus embracing the little children is adapted. As the disciples bicker about who will enjoy the gift of sitting at Jesus' right hand, Jesus slips away and joins the play group of children running around nearby.
"So while Jesus' friends were arguing, some people who knew all about getting gifts -- in fact, you might say they were gift-experts -- had come to see Jesus. Who were they? They were little children" (pg. 258).
Now. My kids are not always ideal specimens at receiving gift but just roll with the analogy. Anytime you over-think an analogy, it breaks down. This analogy is used in the Bible. though, so I think it should hold up fairly well.
Children don't have the the guilt and angst and over-analyzing-tendencies and mis-placed humility and BAGGAGE that we do.
They simply receive. They don't presume to deserve the gift that is offered. They don't plan to behave in a certain manner when a gift is given to them.
But they are so grateful. So smiley and huggy and full of electric happiness down to their toes. They also, with an innocence only available to newer humans, expect to receive gifts from people who love them. They are disappointed when there is no gift from a favorite aunt or from grandma.
People who love each other give each other gifts.
God loves us.
God gives us gifts.
We need to develop our sense of anticipation along with our response gratitude. Should we be surprised when God provides? No. Should we be smiley and huggy and full of electric happiness down to our toes? Yes.
by Trisha
I've brainstormed some appropriate gift-receiving responses:
HUGE smile
Clapping (if you're under age 6)
Exclaiming something along the lines of -- "Oh my gosh! How did you know?" or "Wow, I am SO surprised."
Hugging the giver
Saying "Oh, you shouldn't have" or "You didn't have to do this."
Make a big deal out of it and say how you can't believe you forgot their gift, ohmygoshthisissoembarrassing.
Sweat.
Or
just
it
with
a
grateful
heart.
We tend to downplay ourselves by intimating that we are not worthy of the gift. Is that for us to decide? Or the giver?
We have had several weeks of being on the receiving end of gift-giving as more people have partnered with us in missions. I think we've gained 13% in just 6 weeks! While we were driving home Andy brought up the topic of how we respond to God's gifts. We praise Him for his provision, express amazement at His goodness, we thank Him for using believers to advance the gospel. While those are appropriate responses, they are kind of grown-up versions of the list I brainstormed above.
Thank you thank you thank you! Oh, Lord, you shouldn't have.
Thank you God, but you didn't have to do this.
How did you know, O Lord, that I needed this? Thank you so much!
Oh, thank you God, but I don't deserve this, did you save the receipt?
Recently, we were blindsided by one individual's generous gift. It is a major purchase and we had already been planning how we were going to squirrel money away. Over the next several days, Andy became increasingly self-deprecating, wondering why he had received this gift...we hadn't even done a polished presentation...we fumble over our words when we talk with folks about financial partnership...how could this have happened?
As if it was a curse rather than a blessing.
While Andy was mulling over the situation he happened to get together with his friend Jeremy. He shared the story and his subsequent thoughts/emotions and Jeremy, in true Christian love, knocked some sense into Andy. It was sort of backwards route to getting Andy to not only see the gift for what it was -- A GIFT -- but also recognize his sinful pattern of thinking.
"Don't you think you are good enough for someone to buy something for you?"
Poke.
"Do you think you need to be worthy of this gift?"
Poke.
"Aren't you good enough?"
Poke.
Well, no.
Will we ever be good enough? No.
But we are missing something. The thing that helps us transition from knowing we are unworthy to accepting a gift despite our condition.
Expectancy.
Anticipation.
Confidence.
Hope.
Ok, four things that mean the same thing.
In the Jesus Storybook Bible, the story of Jesus embracing the little children is adapted. As the disciples bicker about who will enjoy the gift of sitting at Jesus' right hand, Jesus slips away and joins the play group of children running around nearby.
"So while Jesus' friends were arguing, some people who knew all about getting gifts -- in fact, you might say they were gift-experts -- had come to see Jesus. Who were they? They were little children" (pg. 258).
Now. My kids are not always ideal specimens at receiving gift but just roll with the analogy. Anytime you over-think an analogy, it breaks down. This analogy is used in the Bible. though, so I think it should hold up fairly well.
Children don't have the the guilt and angst and over-analyzing-tendencies and mis-placed humility and BAGGAGE that we do.
They simply receive. They don't presume to deserve the gift that is offered. They don't plan to behave in a certain manner when a gift is given to them.
But they are so grateful. So smiley and huggy and full of electric happiness down to their toes. They also, with an innocence only available to newer humans, expect to receive gifts from people who love them. They are disappointed when there is no gift from a favorite aunt or from grandma.
People who love each other give each other gifts.
God loves us.
God gives us gifts.
We need to develop our sense of anticipation along with our response gratitude. Should we be surprised when God provides? No. Should we be smiley and huggy and full of electric happiness down to our toes? Yes.
by Trisha
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Summer Days
Our summer has been full and fun so far! Here is a glimpse of what we've been up to in June and July.
The kids finished Soccer Shots!
 |
| Grace had her last day of KINDERGARTEN!!! It's off to 1st grade! |
 |
| Chillin' in the back yard |
 |
| Happy Father's Day to Andy! Micah was really in a festive mood... |
 |
| Andy and Micah enjoying some s'mores! |
 |
| More s'mores! |
 |
| Grace got her first driving lesson from Poppy :-/ |
 |
| Bikes, fireworks, swimming...what more could a kid want??? |
 |
| Celebrating Emily's birthday! |
 |
| Micah's first trip to the ER...thankfully not a true emergency, just a bloody stubbed toe :-) |
 |
| A visit to Spiral Path Farm to dig for potatoes and enjoy some homemade ice cream! |
 |
| For the record...Micah DID NOT help AT ALL. He posed for a cute picture but for the most part he just banged himself on the head with the container until we needed to fill it with more potatoes. |
 |
| A trip up to Chautauqua Lake...one of our favorite places! |
Friday, May 23, 2014
Costco --> it's been real!
Andy's last day at Costco will be June 17! As long as we've known we were headed into full time missions, we knew this day would come. There are not enough hours in the day for Andy to parent solo during the day, work in the evenings and on weekends, make follow-up phone calls, manage the logistics of fundraising, travel to churches for speaking, and visit individuals interested in our ministry. Trisha does her fair share of support raising work -- mostly correspondence and writing {like right now}. Too much stuff. Good, worthy, beneficial stuff. Stuff we want to do well. Not enough time.
While we all accept a certain level of busy-ness in our lives, there comes a time to change things up. NOW IS THAT TIME!
We know the path the Lord has us on. Andy's job at Costco isn't getting us there any faster. We are just short of matching his current earnings through monthly donors {to MMS}. With a couple hundred dollars to go for this short-term goal, we have felt the Lord saying, "Now. It's time to leave the big-C and focus on getting onto the mission field."
Um. Ok.
Perhaps it is our vivid experience of not having reliable income in the past that makes us hesitant to give up Andy's consistent-dependable-surething-reasonable-paying job at Costco. Perhaps it is our desire to be in control. To determine our own course.
Perhaps we lack the faith to trust God in new ways during uncertain times.
Yes. That's it.
So, a few hundred dollars short of meeting our short-term support raising goal, we need to trust that the Lord will provide. As we sat with this revelation {and it was nothing short of a revelation for us!} we became more certain that the time Andy spends at Costco could be much better used.
For those of you into logistics...you'll enjoy this next part. If you aren't into the nitty-gritty skip down to the next paragraph :-)
Andy will draw approximately a 1/4-time salary from MMS to work on support-raising 15-20 hours/week. We estimate that he could easily do this amount of work given the tasks we have put off for so long since neither of us has time to do them in our current schedule. Some weeks we'll travel to a church to speak. On a daily basis, support raising is very office-y. Phone calls, managing finances, correspondence, searching for elusive receipts, filing, planning engagements...VERY GLAMOUROUS.
You might be wondering what Andy does during the day now as he stays home with Micah. Why can't he do more of these support raising tasks while he hangs out with Micah???
Close your eyes {keep them open, actually, so you can continue reading}. Think back to a time when you tried to accomplish something that required concentration, a non-shaking surface, and both hands while in the presence of someone under the age of five.
Are we good, then? No explanation needed, right?
If you have been considering becoming a monthly ministry partner NOW IS THE TIME! When we say that we know the Lord has been pushing us in this direction, we also know that he uses his people to accomplish his will. Your prayers sustain us, encourage us, and uplift us. Your donation get us to the field to full time service.
For His Glory!
*Please let us know if you are interested in donating through the Bible Fellowship Church Board of Missions.
While we all accept a certain level of busy-ness in our lives, there comes a time to change things up. NOW IS THAT TIME!
We know the path the Lord has us on. Andy's job at Costco isn't getting us there any faster. We are just short of matching his current earnings through monthly donors {to MMS}. With a couple hundred dollars to go for this short-term goal, we have felt the Lord saying, "Now. It's time to leave the big-C and focus on getting onto the mission field."
Um. Ok.
Perhaps it is our vivid experience of not having reliable income in the past that makes us hesitant to give up Andy's consistent-dependable-surething-reasonable-paying job at Costco. Perhaps it is our desire to be in control. To determine our own course.
Perhaps we lack the faith to trust God in new ways during uncertain times.
Yes. That's it.
So, a few hundred dollars short of meeting our short-term support raising goal, we need to trust that the Lord will provide. As we sat with this revelation {and it was nothing short of a revelation for us!} we became more certain that the time Andy spends at Costco could be much better used.
For those of you into logistics...you'll enjoy this next part. If you aren't into the nitty-gritty skip down to the next paragraph :-)
Andy will draw approximately a 1/4-time salary from MMS to work on support-raising 15-20 hours/week. We estimate that he could easily do this amount of work given the tasks we have put off for so long since neither of us has time to do them in our current schedule. Some weeks we'll travel to a church to speak. On a daily basis, support raising is very office-y. Phone calls, managing finances, correspondence, searching for elusive receipts, filing, planning engagements...VERY GLAMOUROUS.
You might be wondering what Andy does during the day now as he stays home with Micah. Why can't he do more of these support raising tasks while he hangs out with Micah???
Close your eyes {keep them open, actually, so you can continue reading}. Think back to a time when you tried to accomplish something that required concentration, a non-shaking surface, and both hands while in the presence of someone under the age of five.
Are we good, then? No explanation needed, right?
If you have been considering becoming a monthly ministry partner NOW IS THE TIME! When we say that we know the Lord has been pushing us in this direction, we also know that he uses his people to accomplish his will. Your prayers sustain us, encourage us, and uplift us. Your donation get us to the field to full time service.
For His Glory!
*Please let us know if you are interested in donating through the Bible Fellowship Church Board of Missions.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
CaREEr MiSSioNArIeS!!!
After a long application process and a very encouraging interview with the Bible Fellowship Church Board of Missions we got the BIG envelope in the mail.
{baby drummer drum roll please}
Dear Andrew & Trisha,
We are please to inform you that you have been accepted by the Bible Fellowship Church Board of Missions as CAREER MISSIONARIES (emphasis mine, obviously).
Woo hoo!!!!
Well, what the heck does that mean? The BFC BOM (rejoice acronym lovers everywhere) is not a sending board that doles out money. They act as a gateway to the BFC community. It is with their 100% backing that we will approach the network of the BFC pastors and churches as we work towards becoming fully-funded.
The BFC has a high level of commitment to supporting missions and we are excited to share yet ANOTHER way that God is advancing the Gospel around the world. Airplanes. Or rather what and who they carry! Bibles, everyday life and medical supplies, and missionaries! Missionary aircraft make the transportation of goods, services, and people SAFE & EFFICIENT.
This presents a HUGE prayer request.
Visiting churches typically happens on weekends.
Andy works at Costco on the weekends.
This is a problem.
We need $500 in monthly support for Andy to be able to leave his job at Costco and concentrate on support raising. Support raising is a full-time job that he is currently juggling with day-time-child-rearing and evening/weekend work at Costco.
Please pray for $500 in monthly support! We will not be able to start the BFC concert tour...I mean missions-speaking tour until Andy isn't working at Costco. We also have other invitations to speak at churches near and far that we must put on hold until we reach our short-term goal of $500 in monthly support.
Praise the Lord for the opportunity to share about Missionary Aviation with the BFC community!
In other news, Grace has lost 2 teeth and Micah lost all the important Lego pieces (you know, the cool flames and wings and missile launchers). Andy & I have lost our minds. Never a dull moment!
{baby drummer drum roll please}
Dear Andrew & Trisha,
We are please to inform you that you have been accepted by the Bible Fellowship Church Board of Missions as CAREER MISSIONARIES (emphasis mine, obviously).
Woo hoo!!!!
Well, what the heck does that mean? The BFC BOM (rejoice acronym lovers everywhere) is not a sending board that doles out money. They act as a gateway to the BFC community. It is with their 100% backing that we will approach the network of the BFC pastors and churches as we work towards becoming fully-funded.
The BFC has a high level of commitment to supporting missions and we are excited to share yet ANOTHER way that God is advancing the Gospel around the world. Airplanes. Or rather what and who they carry! Bibles, everyday life and medical supplies, and missionaries! Missionary aircraft make the transportation of goods, services, and people SAFE & EFFICIENT.
This presents a HUGE prayer request.
Visiting churches typically happens on weekends.Andy works at Costco on the weekends.
This is a problem.
We need $500 in monthly support for Andy to be able to leave his job at Costco and concentrate on support raising. Support raising is a full-time job that he is currently juggling with day-time-child-rearing and evening/weekend work at Costco.
Please pray for $500 in monthly support! We will not be able to start the BFC concert tour...I mean missions-speaking tour until Andy isn't working at Costco. We also have other invitations to speak at churches near and far that we must put on hold until we reach our short-term goal of $500 in monthly support.
Praise the Lord for the opportunity to share about Missionary Aviation with the BFC community!
In other news, Grace has lost 2 teeth and Micah lost all the important Lego pieces (you know, the cool flames and wings and missile launchers). Andy & I have lost our minds. Never a dull moment!
Monday, February 3, 2014
Missions Monday 2.3.14
MISSIONS MONDAY
Since August of 1975, MMS Aviation has served over 100 Christian organizations who use aircraft in support of their ministry. Sixty-nine graduates have served or are serving in remote locations around the world.
Visit the MMS Aviation for more about how they Prepare People & Planes for Worldwide Missionary Service.
::Each Monday we'll feature some info about missions to help us all broaden our understanding of how God is at work in missions throughout the world::
Since August of 1975, MMS Aviation has served over 100 Christian organizations who use aircraft in support of their ministry. Sixty-nine graduates have served or are serving in remote locations around the world.
Visit the MMS Aviation for more about how they Prepare People & Planes for Worldwide Missionary Service.
::Each Monday we'll feature some info about missions to help us all broaden our understanding of how God is at work in missions throughout the world::
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