"There was Jesus"

 Over the weekend, I heard this song for the first time. "There was Jesus" by Zach Williams. The timing was perfect. On Saturday, I was given the amazing opportunity to share my testimony about how I ended up in Nepal. Before I wrote down this testimony, I began thinking through my life... all 30 years of it and those three words were the most true of all of it. Through all the crazy times, through the dark times, every minute and every moment (even when I couldn't see it) there was Jesus. It is so astounding to see how God is and was at work in our lives.     

This truth is becoming the core of our focus these days as we are living with a cup full of faith, a dash of uncertainty, and a heaping spoonful of perseverance. This is a perfect recipe to go back onto the mission field. But it is important to remember where to keep our focus. The focus is that we serve Jesus who promised to never leave us nor forsake us. We are not doing this alone. It is almost beautiful to ponder though all the crazy hurdles that have been coming and yet just how faithful Jesus has been in our lives. 

We are going back to Nepal. We know that for sure. We aim to leave October 1st but we trust that if we cannot leave on that day then our date will be moved and we will leave as soon as God wants us to leave. 

The bottom line is that we trust God. We trust Him with everything. So we move forward. 

Praying. 

Praising.

Serving.

Loving.  

Then as He leads, we go. 

Please pray and praise God with us. Pray for His will to be done on behalf of my passport. That it will come back quickly. Pray for the registration with the Nepali embassy that must be done before we leave. P

Pray things will just start going smoothly with all the government work. 

And praise God. He is so worthy to be praised. Give Him all the glory forever and ever for He is good. He is so good. 

We love you all and we pray for you too. 

One Thing Remains

 These are some uncertain times.

 For us, of course and I will share about some of our uncertainties in a moment. But in reality, we are definitely not the only family who are experiencing that adrenaline rush that really wants to manifest itself into worry called: 

uncertainty. 

Why is uncertainty so difficult for us to deal with? Why do we want to feel like we are in charge all the time and that we get to 'call all the shots'? I would like to be so bold to suggest it is from our sinful nature, of course. It isn't so bold to suggest this though. Our sinful nature wants to do whatever it takes to not trust God. 

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible comes from Psalm 91, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' The chapter is very popular and I am almost certain that if you do not already have the whole chapter memorized, you have at least heard it referenced once or twice in your life. 

It is amazing how scripture is completely unchangeable and always remains the most accurate source of wisdom we can ever set our eyes upon. 

So, yes there are a lot of uncertainties happening in all of our lives right now. We could be afraid or allow worry to manifest itself or we could choose to read truth, the scriptures and bask in the wisdom from the unchangeable God of the universe. 

I shared the above photo of Jyoti climbing a structure because it is such a perfect visual to our lives right now. Some background on the photo is this: Jyoti has always been very cautious (this is a very nice way of saying she is scared of  A LOT of things... dogs, heights, water, you name it and she is probably scare of it.) She would not try something new unless someone held her hand the whole way through. One day, we came to this playscape and for the second I looked down at Prasansa she decided to get up and climb. The unfamiliarity of it did not bring fear as it normally would have, instead the fact that she was navigating such unfamiliarity is actually what prompted her to pay attention to every step of the way, which is how she made it to the top without falling. I was so proud of her that day.

It was also this situation that helped me learn some valuable lessons that seem to apply perfectly to where we are right now. 

Many people ask us if we are 'for sure' leaving on October 1st. The truth is, we have no idea yet. Why? Because it is completely out of our control. This is new territory and not just for us. The whole world is navigating new terrain (so to speak.) This means we move forward carefully. We pray through each step as we move forward and fully depend on the one and only unchangeable God. 

If you could pray with us for these things we would greatly appreciate it:

1. Pray Karina's passport comes back quickly

2. Pray they will allow Karina and the girls to enter back into Nepal on Oct. 1st (right now they are not allowing tourists so we are hoping to come back as dependents) 

3. Pray that we can trust God every step of the way. Being present with everything happening around us. 

Thank you

God Has Not Given a Spirit of Fear...

Time keeps moving forward as we slowly approach our leave date for Nepal. In the meantime, the world is still in a chaotic panic with this virus sweeping through the world. I would be lying if I said it doesn't scare me. But in all honesty, a lot of things scare me. But I often wonder if there is a balance between a healthy fear that keeps us safe and then a debilitating fear that prevents us from living. When I think about fear, the first verse that always pops in my head is:

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:17. 

I actually memorized this verse as a child and it has continued to stick with me. This verse is so beautiful as it shares the balance I have been seeking when it comes to the healthy and the debilitating fear. This verse gives hope. God has bestowed upon us gifts of love, power, and a sound mind. 

Also consider:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

I will never pretend to know everything there is to know when it comes to fear, caution, and the Bible. But I am currently in a season of learning all about it. What a better time than now, to understand where we ought to stand while the world seems to be filled with two types of people: those crippled with fear and those careless and proud? (*not that those are the only types of people. But these reactions to the virus to exist and I believe I have fallen into both of those categories a few different times in the last couple of months.)

I do know one thing though:
 Prayer is always the answer. 

Are you feeling anxious about this virus and what the future may hold?

Pray. Present that anxiety to God. 

Are you feeling afraid of what might happen if you get the virus? Or maybe you already have gotten it and you feel nervous of what will happen now?

Pray. Present that fear and worry to God.

I am so excited about our journey back to Nepal. I am so thrilled that God has chosen us to be His vessels to serve Him through teaching and Love/ Justice hands on ministry. 

But naturally, I am also nervous. So, what can I do but pray and ask you to pray with me? 

Pray for peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and minds. 

In Christ Jesus.

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