As you might know, we have been preparing to leave for an 11-month missions trip in January. Recently, we attended training camp in the mountains of Georgia to help prepare us spiritually, mentally and physically for the journey we are about to partake in.
As the camp progressed, we began to feel the deep conviction that we needed to take a step back and re-evaluate our decision to leave in January. Neither one of us wanted to listen to the still, strong voice in our heads, but both of us knew what decision had to be made.
After talking to the leaders of Adventures in Missions (AIM), we came to the conclusion that it would be better for us, as a married couple, to leave in July with a different group. The group we decided to leave with has several other married couples on it, something the January trip lacked.
As you can imagine, this decision was not easy for us to make. Fortunately, we have great parents and a wonderful support group around us that gave us wise and timely advice as to the decision we faced. This group of family and friends helped us sort through the questions and finally helped us come up with some answers.
So with all of that said, we wanted to give you an update as to our future plans. We are still planning on traveling abroad with AIM and taking part in the World Race as missionaries. We will still be traveling to 11 countries in 11 months but will be leaving in July instead of January. Leaving a few months later will not only give us more time to raise support, but will also give us time as newlyweds to build a stronger foundation for our marriage.
To us, nothing should ever stand in the way of a strong, God-centered marriage, whether that is our daily routines in the work force or our heavenly calling to be missionaries to the nations. Our parents, as well as the leadership at AIM agree that our marriage is the number one priority.
We feel that too many times, Christian organizations and churches send people into the field to do God’s work with the expectation of results without the proper foundation to support them. Just like the man who built his house on sand fell prey to a storm, we do not want our relationship to suffer in the same way. We feel that the more prepared we are to take on the challenges of full time ministry, the more good we can do.
Now, this is not to say that God is not all powerful and can’t use us no matter what state of life we are in. We whole-heartedly believe that God does not call the equipped, but He equips the called. Yet, we also believe that the more equipped that we are, the more God will be able to use us.
This created quite the spiritual and emotional debate within both of us. Up until we left for training camp we felt, without a shadow of a doubt, that we were supposed to leave in January. God had a different plan for us and we are willing to be patient and wait for the clear reason God has asked us to do so.
We are so excited for the opportunity God has given us and are ready to follow his lead, no matter where it takes us! Along with being willing, we have to be prepared and we have every confidence in the truth that God will provide for our needs along the way.
Thank you for your support!
