God is my Refuge

 So often a new missionary thinks, "If I can only make it through deputation, things will look better and get easier."

While some of the challenges deputation brings comes to an end, the adventure has only begun! Starting my 5th year on campus at Syracuse University, I can say that the challenge to remain in full trust mode before God is stronger today than the toughest stretch in deputation. I say this not to discourage but to point out that we never stop learning to trust and grow in our relationship with God! 

During deputation, the challenges were to trust God for churches to see the need and vision for your ministry. You stressed about plans for travel, balancing ministry with family, financial needs, running vehicles and, support level. 

Now the challenges are plans for travel, balancing ministry with family, financial needs, running vehicles and, support level. Added to that is the stress of the actual ministry that God called you to, the demand for reporting to your Ministry Support Team, a desperate need for taking time off and the frequent feeling that you are alone.

David felt much of this at times in his life (Ps. 142:1-4). His response found in verses 5-7 was to call on the Lord, trust Him as his refuge and lean into Him with his life. The goal of this prayer was not to make life better but that all the righteous would see God at work and rejoice with David in His answer to prayer.

Our desire as life and ministry get crazy is to do as David did, trust God as our refuge, ask Him for wisdom (James 1:5), acknowledge and fully trust Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). My goal is to make Him known through His work in my life and allow that, not my effort, and to glorify Him.

Lesson 2 from our Mission trip

 

The second lesson learned during our mission trip to NewMexico was one that most believers know and understand but here in America but seldom experience on a large skale. Here it is: Being part of God's family means more than simply "going to church". Here's what I learned about this simple concept.

1. Not everyone does the same job.

While there were only 8 of us that embarked on the mission trip, there were many more than that involved! Yes, there are the envaluble financial supporters who helped fund the trip. There was also an army of Prayer warriors before and during the trip. When I look back, there were many more who took part in this adventure!

   - When Beth had to head home early, one woman from church took it apon herself to call the airline to try and get her the quickest flight home. Dropped everything instantly to assist from 1,900 miles away.

   - When Beth arrived home, she was not only picked up at the airport but she was supp

lied with groceries and anything else she would need after arriving home early. God's family didn't just provide physically for Beth they constantly called, stopped by and cared for her shile I was still in NM. Family cares for family.

2. "Love one another" means a lot more when you feel helpless

When Beth left and was so sick, I felt helpless and out of control. My wife was sick, I could be life threatening and she was leaving me. How was I to focus on a week of ministry in a challenging environment knowing that she was going home alone?

It was a battle for me to let her go and fully trust that God had her. I fought with Him most of the way back to camp after dropping her off at the airport. I was reminded of truths from the Bible like, "Be still and know that I am God" and "Trust in the Lord with All your heart...". God was at work.

To hear what God's family was doing for Beth in my absence was a lesson on what it means to love one another! Every time a friend from church of other brothers and sisters in Christ called or stopped by to make sure Beth was OK and had what she needed they were showing love. They were also showing me love from 1,900 miles away, reminding me that Beth was better off in His hands than in mine. A humbling yet confidence building lesson!

If I had to sum this whole experience up into a brief statement, it would be something like this: When I am weak, He shows Himself faithful and trustworthy.

God is Good all the time!

God working at 7,000 feet

 My family had the privilege of being part of a mission trip through our home church here in New York. We went to help Joe and Dawn Lee (BMM missionaries to the Native Americans) at Whispering Cedars Camp in New Mexico. After weeks of preparation, we arrived at the camp on June 10. We were so excited to experience a new mission field with our kids and see God work through them during the week of what promised to be a "out of my comfort zone" week. Little did we know that God was working in ways we still don't understand. 

This is where the lessons arrive! 

Trusting God even when it makes no sense

A few hours after we arrived at the camp which was at 7,000 feet in elevation, Beth started experiencing a high heart rate and generally not feeling well as a result. As we were warned about having to adjust to being in higher elevation, she drank lots of water and rested a bit... nothing helped. In fact, she continued to get worse. About 10pm that night, I took Beth to the ER which was down the mountain about 35 minutes away. When we arrived, her heart rate was averaging 130+ sitting still. After testing her heart thoroughly, the doctors determined that she was experiencing high altitude sickness, something that the medical world knows to be real and serious for some but still can't figure out who and why some get it and some don't. Beth was evidently one who did.

After consulting with the doctors who where both very kind and knowledgeable, we knew she had to get her out of the higher elevation and home to New York. Her condition was bad enough that she could have had cardiac arrest, etc., had she stayed. God used a woman named Jackie at our church in NY to help adjust Beth's plane ticket and Beth and I made the 2.5 hour journey back to Albuquerque and the Sunport (airport). God got her home safely (a part of the second lesson).

We may never know why God allowed Beth to miss the trip and have a long recovery from a "random" illness. God uses things in our lives to drawl us closer to Him and make us more like Christ. We have seem a few blessings come from this experience even though the disappointment, fear and discouragement was real:

1. God forced me to work with elementary age kids without my wife to lean on for the first time in our married life! He taught me a new level of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2. Both Timmy and Olivia were forced into responsibilities during the week that required them, in mom's absence, to trust God and not lean on parents. I was one of the boy counselors so I was pretty busy! We saw both kids grow in their maturity as well as in their relationship with their Heavenly Father!

We had the privilege


during the week to see 5 kids make professions of faith! God was working even though we did not understand His whole plan! HE IS GOOD!

Lesson two coming soon!

God is Still at Work!

 Now that we are full-time serving on campus, our "deputation" type stories come far less often. This does not mean that God has stopped working and teaching us lessons! For example, Our trip to visit a supporting church last week is just another chance we got to witness God at work... Here it is.

We visited a church about 2 hours from home here in NY. We really enjoyed the visit and renewing friendships with several families. On our way home, I began to sense the Ford Flex was not feeling right as I drove. We made it home and on Monday I went out to check the tire I suspected. I could literally grab the tire and pull it back and forth! It was God's protection that the tire didn't just fall off on our trip the previous day! 

We limped it to the repair shop where it was repaired within the day. The Cost you ask? Well, that is where, once again, God showed Himself more than capable of taking care of us! The generous love gift that our supporting church sent us home with that past Sunday was about $25 more that wat we needed to pay for the repair! 

Ministry changed its look,
but our God remains faithful no matter what He has called us to do!

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

A New Lesson in Trust

When on Deputation, It is easy to think that you have learned enough about God and His faithfulness to be allowed to "enter" fulltime ministry. I am here to share a story, though it may not seem real, I tell you, my family have experienced everything I am about to tell you...in the 3 weeks since Christmas! It shows that God is never finished with teaching us who He is and how we can, and should, trust Him.

We returned home to NY a few days after a fantastic visit home to PA(12/29). That night, just short of 9pm we arrived to a house literally covered in mouse poop. Every floor in the house, in the couch, on ALL of our beds, you name it we found it there! Welcome home to a family who already has been working through making NY and this house home!

As to place an exclamation mark at the end of this discovery, New Year's Eve arrives and we planned a Pizza and video night as a family, together, at home...until we turned the oven on. A stench that you would only understand if you have had mice take over an oven penetrated our house. Needless to say, we ordered pizza that evening. At this point, we were placing traps everywhere and were now without a stove. 

The lesson in faith from our resident mice: 

   Our landlord is a believer and began working with us right away to deal with the issue of mice. Added traps to a house that already seemed a bit dangerous for someone to walk around in it barefoot! He and I tore apart the oven to confirm the damage and the next day they ordered a new one for the house... that would arrive in a week(1/6 - 1/13). Enter our new church family... We had shared our dilemma with Pastor and word got around. Within 24 hours we began getting texts or phone calls of people we only started to get to know asking us out to eat, inviting us to their homes for dinner or willingly dropping off dinner. They filled the entire week with amazingly delicious dinners! We never needed an oven! Our landlord brought in the "PROs" to take the fight to the next level and out new oven looks great! God not only provided dinners and an oven, He also orchestrated a way for our family to get to know several of the families from our new church! He knows what He is doing... right?...

At the same time we are dealing with the mice, God had provided a 2011 Kia Soul as a second v
ehicle so we could get the kids involved in some HS co-op activities. It was under budget and we have been grateful for it! A week ago (1/7) I was running an errand for CBF and when I went to leave the store, the Kia would not start. After I tried to play (as every guy has to!) a bit, I called one of the only people in the area I knew, Pastor. he directed me to a reputable mechanic in the area and as I talk to him on the phone, the Kia fired up and I got home.

The next day (1/8), I got a couple of hours free and went to shoot some wildlife photography about 1/2 mile from home by the river. I enjoyed my time and went to go home... car wouldn't start again. I tried the same strategy that worked on Friday (pray and turn the key) and nothing. You need to know that it was 18-20 degrees out at this point with wind chills nearing 0. I called my landlord (and neighbor) for thoughts on what to do. He came down and spent a couple of hours figuring our what to do after we decided it was not going anywhere on its own power! Again, God shined. Mike (my landlord) called his pastor who "happened" to have an extra tow through his AAA. He was gracious enough to give it to me for a 1/2 mile run home! 

Monday (1/10), I called the dealer I bought the Kia from. They told me that they would definitely take a look at it if I got it there (for future reference in the story, they don't cover towing under warranty). I payed $85 to have my car towed to them and by the end of the day, it had a new starter in it at no cost to me! 

Then came yesterday (1/13). My wife took the Kia over to a friend's house for hot cocoa and fellowship. When she got in the car to come home, She could not put it in drive. She called me and when I told her to try shutting the car off and moving the shifter, the car would not start and the shifter remained stuck in neutral. I drove down with the Flex and called the dealer again to tell them what was happening. All said and done the dealer paid for a tow back to their shop so they could look at it. The dealer, again, repaired the vehicle at no cost to me.

So what have I learned from this little adventure?

1. God's network is bigger than ours - Just moving here in September, we have very few connections. God showed His connections are much greater than ours - confidence builder for trusting Him!

2. Having a community of believers is huge! - With all who stepped in and assisted in one way or another (towing, car, mice, meals, etc.) having a community of believers is a great thing for help, encouragement, prayer support. I only pray that I can be support for someone within the community of believers God has given us!

3. Once again, God's provision - Once again God shows His promises to be true. Once again I find myself marveling at what He has done... Will I ever get this
before I get to Heaven???

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.

Ephesians 3:20-21

Ready, Set, God says GO!

 

It all Started on Monday, July 5^th, 2021 at the BMM Family Conference. When we arrived, our family was sitting at about 93% support and were anticipating a conversation with our new field administrator, Steve, to start to formulate a timeline for transition to Syracuse. We have a meeting with him and the Jewells on Tuesday (July 6^th) evening and through the conversation we learned that Steve and the Jewells thought it would be good for us to move to Syracuse ASAP to get involved in the ministry this fall and finish our support raising there! The approval process was that I needed to talk with my sending pastor, Pastor Dave, to get his ok on the plan and then Steve would get in touch with the administration for final approval. He said that this may take some time.

The next day (July 7^th), We met with our pastor for dinner and he was totally behind the idea without question! I approached Steve again so he could get things going with the administration. On Thursday morning (July 8^th), He came to us and said that we were given the ok to move as soon as we could find housing! This threw our world into a spin! We never thought we would leave the conference looking to move to Syracuse right away! Also, during the week, we also saw our support slowly rise to just under 96%... God was at work! As if that was not enough, we received a letter Thursday afternoon from an individual from a supporting church that was sent on Monday (July 5^th) before we knew about moving. In this letter, the gentleman explained that God placed it on his mind to help in our move to Syracuse and gave us a check for moving, $1,000!

Since the conference, about 2 weeks, God has increased our support to about 99%! The story is not finished yet, we are still waiting on God to provide housing in the midst of a very difficult housing market. After all the God has orchestrated in the past 3 weeks, I believe it is a matter of time before God opens the door for a house in Syracuse! In the meantime, we pack and prepare while we look at housing  and wait on HIM.

Be Still

 Psalm 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God..."

Life at the beginning of 2021 seems more like "2020 won" than anything! Our family was sick most of January and part of Feb. Thankfully we are now on the mend. Our support took a big swing to just over 87% and our hopes for finishing deputation rose quickly, then the wheels started spinning and we are now in another holding pattern in support raising. Our meeting schedule has picked up and we are busy each weekend with ministry in different churches, School for the kids is going strong, youth group and AWANA have started up again, and we are having car issues and can't find the part needed to correct the issue yet... Tired just writing all that is going on!

Be Still... I am learning that I need to stop  sometimes. No, I may not be able to stop physically all the time (though that is heavily recommended for all of us!) but it can be emotionally and spiritually stopped.

Be still and know that I am God... When I force myself to stop, I can them remember who is truly in charge over all this craziness in life right now and always. God is the God of order, He offers peace, strength, wisdom. He is not the author of confusion.

When I feel like the first paragraph - overwhelmed, tired, discouraged - I need to stop. I need to reflect on Who is overseeing and orchestrating my life. I like to remember verses like James 1:17 -"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." 

Or Philippians 1:6 - "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"

In the midst of chaos, Be still, Gods got this, in my weakness, His strength will show.     

BE STILL.

A Thanksgiving Reminder

 

2020 has been a year of unexpected twists and turns with COVID-19. From a deputation standpoint, 6 months with no meetings with half of our meetings canceled seems like nothing but discouragement! This week is Thanksgiving week and we are being encouraged to be thankful from a distance because the virus is increasing. Did I mention that we all need to wear masks?

All this going on and Thanksgiving is still upon us. When I got to thinking about the history of Thanksgiving in America... Then my perspective started to change.

 The inexperienced pilgrims from England arrived in a barren country in late fall and had to quickly prepare for  winter . They had primitive shelter, limited food and around 100 mouths to feed. The conditions deteriorated as the winter progressed and nearly half of the population of the settlement died leaving orphans, widows and widowers to face an uncertain spring. William Bradford described it like this:

 But that which was most sad and lamentable was that in two or three months’ time half of their company died, especially in January and February, being the depth of winter, and wanting [lacking] houses and other comforts; being infected with the scurvy and other diseases, which this long voyage and their inaccomodate condition had brought upon them, so as there died sometimes two or three of a day, in the aforesaid time, that of one hundred and odd persons, scarce fifty remained. And of these in the time of most distress, there was but six or seven sound [healthy] persons who, to their great commendations be it spoken, spared no pains, night or day, but with abundance of toil  and hazard of their own health fetched them wood, made them fires, dressed [prepared] them meat, made their beds, washed their loathsome clothes, clothed and unclothed them...                                                                          -William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, 1656

 As weather improved, the recovery process started. Families had been desolated, care for the children who survived their parents, planning for food and shelter. Not an easy time! By fall or that year, God had provided the Indians to help them prepare better for the coming year. A time of thanksgiving was declared to reflect on the good, not the negative.

In 1863, midway through the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to be a national holiday. His words were focused on the civil war but are applicable to our nation today! 

 I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

As I approach Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the blessings God has given to me and my family. I am thankful that He saw fit to save me and allow me to serve Him. I am thankful for a warm house in which to celebrate Thanksgiving. I am thankful for my family, both immediate and extended. I am thankful for God's provision, direction, protection, grace, mercy, love and the list goes on (and it should!) Yes, we are having hard times this year. but remember, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 

Calm in Chaos

 

Chaos. This word describes the world around us today. With rioting over law enforcement actions, Covid-19 and all it brings to the table, and the national election, there seems like nowhere to hide from it all. Closer to home, my family has seen a bit of chaos lately as well. We have parents who are homeless while looking for a place to live, Health issues, navigating C19 in deputation and, looking toward a ministry we have been called to that is limited and finding out that we are the youngest CBFI staff with no one behind us joining the ministry at this point.

With so much uncertainty in my life, God has reminded me that He is consistent. His plan is still on track, His promises are still true. Here are a few of my favorite reminders of God being the same even though my circumstances do:

1. God is Sovereign – He is in control of the chaos

Daniel 2:21 - And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

Ephesians 1:11 - In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

2. God is the Source of all truth – no matter how many lies are circulating

John 14:6 - Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 17:17 - Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

3. God never changes – even though everything else seems to change daily

               Malachi 3:6 - For I am the LORD, I change not…

               Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

4. God will provide – He knows what our needs are

Matthew 6:31-33 - Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

When I contemplate the consistency of God, the chaos around me will not distract me from doing what God has called me to do. He is in control, not the Government. He is the source of truth, not the media. He is caring for my family, not me. If we truly understand this, we will have calm in chaos!

A time of reflection as we wait on God's Timeline

 A lesson that I think we all frequently experience but few learn it the lesson that God's time is not our time. He alone knows the exact timeline of life. We think we do until our little world does not go the way we think it should! Think about it. How often when something big happens in life like occupational changes, illnesses, or moves do we get frustrated because things don't happen within the time we expect? 

Deputation is on of those things. We were told that 2-2.5 years would be needed to complete the task of raising full support... that deadline pasted about 2 years ago for us. Once you hit 50% support, things will begin to speed up... hasn't really happened yet. Why? Because God's perfect timeline is not to that point yet.

When I think of this most important lesson, I think of the example of Joseph from Genesis. At the age of 17 he was sold into slavery in Egypt out of jealousy. For 13 years Joseph was enslaved, falsely accused, imprisoned and generally treated poorly or neglected. This was not his plan or his timing! He would have rather stayed with the sheep and cared for his father in his old age! That was not Gods timing or plan.

So what did Joseph do during that time of waiting on God? Sit around and feel sorry for himself? Get angry and become bitter? No. Joseph faithfully served God in each position he was given. He prospered as the head of Pitipher's household until he was falsely accused by his wife (Genesis 39:2). When he was thrown into prison, Joseph quickly rose to the top of the prisoners (Genesis 39:21-23). Finally, when he was promoted to #2 in the kingdom at the young age of 30, he was successful there as well (Genesis 41:46). 

Regardless of eyebrows being raised at the 5 years of deputation, no matter how discouraging deputation may be, God has a plan for us. He is at work preparing the way. With Joseph, God knew he wanted to place Joseph in a position to not only save Egypt and his own family, but one that would preserve the entire line of the Messiah! For us, well it is still something to be seen. It may be that God is preserving us for a time when certain students will be on campus, maybe protection from dealing with Covid-19 restrictions or maybe it is something entirely different. 

I must be faithful in where God has placed me
today. Serve Him in whatever He gives me now. And trust, as He did with Joseph, that He will move us forward when He knows the time is right.

Perfect Timing!

God's timing is (as we all know) not always my timing. This has been so true throughout deputation. As I look back over the last several years, I see times where God was at work while I was getting frustrated with nothing going on. Here are a few examples:

   

When our family was just a year and a half into deputation, all meetings seemed to completely shut off. I was not able to get any meetings for about a 3-4 month period no matter how hard I tried. That was discouraging! Looking back, I see that God was opening time up for a major ministry transition direction. It was during that time that we had many meetings with BMM and CBFI  as we mat the change from Utah Valley University to Syracuse University. God knew, I should have trusted better.

   Another example is COVID-19. This has been a crazy time in American history! Stay at home! Wear a mask! Avoid people! As I have written in another post, deputation shut off. No meetings for several months. Again, I start to get frustrated. We wanted God to get us on the field this year! So what has God's timing been for this time? Some of these answers have yet to be revealed. There are some cool things God has used it for! My leg issue had reached a point pre-COVID that I had to cancel a meeting, couldn't drive. God used this time to help it recover as well as open the door for the procedure to correct the problem and recovery time. Beth and I both had opportunity to connect in different ways with some of the young people we have in Bible study each week including walking through some tough choices one was having to make.

I guess I write this to remind myself that God has perfect timing and I don't. This is a hard lesson to get right. We like our plan and often get easily upset when things don't go our way. It feels like we have been left in the desert to dry out! 

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." 

Proverbs 16:9, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." 

I am sure glad that these verses talk about our God! Now just to learn to consistently trust!

Not My Plan

As we grow in age and wisdom, we are taught to plan.  "Where do you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years?" We grow up planning (or should be) our next move; summer vacation, work goals, school, meal menus. This is something that we as rational humans made in the image of a God (who is a God of order) should be doing! During deputation I have the same mentality of planning. I plan meetings out into the coming year, plan for travels and housing as well as what I will be speaking on when at a church. We set goals for number of meetings in a year, how much support we hope to have by the end of the year, the list could go on. This is good.

No matter how much or how detailed I plan, I must constantly remind myself that I am not ultimately in control of my life and plans. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us of this, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps."

In my mind, 2020 is supposed to be the year where God finishes out our support to 100% so we can move to Syracuse by the end of the year and begin the ministry He is calling us to be a part of. We sent out letters to pastors and asked God's people to pray that He would fill our support need this year. That was our plan. As of now, it is still our goal. We know God can do it should He choose to do so.

As we all know, 2020 is not a normal year. COVID-19 grew from a news headline that we watched in China to a world-wide pandemic that has                                                                                                                                                         
impacted all of our lives in ways that we could have never imagined. "Stay at home"orders have been given for most, stores closed, churches not able to have actual meeting times and many are now offering live stream services that are good but not the same as being with our brothers and sisters in Christ for fellowship and worship. Life for many of us seems to have been turned upside down.

As for deputation, new meetings are hard to come by if pastors can be reached at all. Planned meetings are being canceled with the goal in mind of rescheduling for later this year. No travel, no deputation ministry to speak of. This was not in my plan but as Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, they are the steps God has planned out. I have to be still and know that He is God and has planned my steps. They don't look like what I thought they should but God has a perfect plan set up for our family.

This is a good reminder for all of us. Even as I apply it to deputation,we can all apply it to whatever plans we may have laid before COVID-19. Though we plan, we must remember that God is in full control and has planned our steps in the best way possible. We have to trust that what He has planned for us is far better for our future, even if that plan does not include moving to Syracuse, NY in 2020!

An Unexpected Adventure of Trust

Sometimes God works in mysterious ways! He does not always use the methods or timing that we as humans would expect.  He often wants us to remember that His ways are higher than ours and He is in control-not us! The story I am about to tell you demonstrates these truths.

It all started when my father and mother-in-law, Ralph and Debbie, planned a 5 week trip to visit their son, who is a teacher in eastern Europe. The goal was to spend time with his family and to help during Ben’s recovery from knee surgery. The surgery went well, but less than a week later COVID-19 struck the world. This affected the United States, as well as all of Europe. It shut down airports and international borders, potentially stranding my in-laws away from their home in western Pennsylvania.

As the original return date approached, Ralph and Debbie stayed in contact with the U.S. Embassy in the country who were working out options for stranded Americans to return home to the States. These flights would pop up quickly, and decisions had to be made fast in order to make all the necessary trip arrangements. A flight was announced on April 4, which would leave the country for London, England on April 6. Plans began to be made and this is where we see the hand of our Heavenly Father at work. I will attempt to give a summary of all that transpired from the time Ben helped Ralph and Debbie book the flights on April 4, to the completion of their travels home to PA.

Ben (the son they were visiting in Europe) was key in booking the flights home via two airlines. The flight out of the country was just that and nothing else. It would get Ralph and Debbie to the London Stansted airport on the northside of the city. The rest of the trip was up to them. A flight to the U.S. (one of few due to COVID-19) was found, but it departed from the London Heathrow airport, which was about an hour and half southwest of Stansted. Once they landed in England, Ralph and Debbie would need to figure out transportation to the other airport on their own. At this point, God began a series of events that utilized His people around the world! 

As these plans were being put into motion, We (Ralph and Debbie’s kids in Pennsylvania, USA) began calling family in the States and Canada, asking prayer for their trip. Brad and Becky (Debbie’s brother and sister-in-law, PA) and Matt and Kim (their son and daughter-in-law, PA)  “happened to have” a friend in London, England who told them that because of the COVID-19 restrictions, all of the normal public transportation that would usually be used for travelers between airports had virtually been shut down. Denise (Debbie’s sister, Manitoba,Canada) also had contacts connected with England, who were instrumental in helping book a taxi for Ralph and Debbie. After making several calls to England, Denise found out that the only transportation option available was to prepay a British taxi service, who had contracted with independent drivers. The driver would pick Ralph and Debbie up at the Stansted airport and take them to Heathrow. Ben was able to reserve a taxi for them online- they didn’t have to worry about needing a different currency or making arrangements once they landed. 

 Another one of the relatives we called, Mardelle (Ralph’s sister, PA), had a friend from her church who has much experience traveling internationally. She agreed that a taxi was the best way to get between airports and was able to give good insight into how Ralph and Debbie could connect with their taxi in London. Finally,  we (Tim and Beth) reserved a rental car for the final 4 ½ hour leg of the journey home from Washington DC Dulles airport to PA.

A couple of fun highlights from the trip:

Ralph Made the news during the trip!

• When Ralph and Debbie arrived at the Stansted airport, they had to make phone calls to connect with the taxi driver. This required them to connect with WiFi. Unfortunately, Debbie’s phone would not cooperate. After almost an hour of several individuals attempting to connect her phone to the internet, a young lady behind the information counter graciously connected it to her personal phone’s hotspot. Within a couple of minutes after making that connection, the taxi driver called! God’s timing is perfect and amazing!
• The flight that Ralph and Debbie took to London was the last flight out of the country to England, and the second to last one out of the country at all due to further shut down because of COVID-19.

The planning phase of the trip happened in less than 24 hours, utilizing at least 10 families or individuals from 4 different countries that were in 4 different time zones. God uses us in ways that we cannot imagine in order to accomplish His plan! We may never know all of the reasons He had for this unique adventure, but we can draw a few conclusions from it:

1. God is at work and will accomplish what He started (Philippians 1:6)
2. We can have confidence that, no matter how crazy life feels, He is in control.
3. All is accomplished so we can say, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

Deputation on Pause

In March of 2020, things got a bit crazy for deputation. COVID-19 struck the United States. As the knowledge of the virus spread throughout the country our meetings began to be canceled. To date, we have lost 5 of our springtime meetings. This is not what a missionary on deputation wants to experience! Not what we signed up for! Once again, a situation out of our control to force us to completely trust God. We had been so convinced that He would fill our support and allow us to move to the field and start our ministry at Syracuse University this year! Will that still happen? How will this virus shut down affect churches? Will we lose support? Will we get the virus?

As I think about all the possible scenarios that could happen because of COVID-19, God has reminded me over and over that this is not all about me, it's all about Him. He is working. He knows what He is doing. He wants to teach me something through this. So what are some of those lessons I am learning? Two verses come to mind.

Psalm 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." - We are all terrible at being still. I am no exception. I have been learning that I need to learn to be still in my heart and mind instead of freaking out and trying to fix all the disastrous things happening to my deputation world. Why? So I can Know God better. If I begin to be discouraged, fearful or angry about the virus, I can't know my Father better. I can't focus on Him. I won't be able to trust Him fully.

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." - No matter what God allows in my life, This is true. I seemed to be on the verge of getting the issue in my leg resolved until COVID-19 stopped the progress. God's grace is sufficient for me. Deputation has come the a grinding stop for now. His grace will provide for me. My whole family goes crazy with cabin fever. His grace will be enough to calm our hearts as we focus on Him. His grace will (and is) sustain me!

Blessings of COVID-19 shutdown:

- More time with my family.

- Seeing God's people learn to be more creative in order to fellowship.

- People hearing the Gospel (ans being saved!) because they are watching live stream church services even though they have never been to a church.

- Several projects around home have been accomplished

- More opportunity to interact with our neighbors (whom we have been witnessing to)

Be still and know that God's grace will sustain us no matter what this world can throw at us!