Friday, September 21, 2018

Mid-Equip #40

Thanks much for your prayers for Equip. We are doing well. There are some light "cold" symptoms floating through the group though, so we would appreciate your prayers for a restful weekend so we might finish well next week. These new colleagues are headed to places all around the world - some to be translation/language workers, others to do other things like aviation management, counseling, or even small engine repair in a developing country. All of them will be working to accelerate Bible translation. Your partnership through your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry means you are impacting their ministry, too. God is so amazing to use all of us together in this way!

I am grateful for your sustaining prayers and your many encouragements regarding my health. I have been through a process of non-surgical alternatives for the osteoarthritis in my back and hips, but we are reaching the end of their effectiveness. The issues are beginning to negatively impact my daily activities, so it's time for a next step. Next week, I have an appointment with a spine surgeon and with an orthopedic surgeon for initial consultations. I'll be asking the surgeons to consult with each other and with my referring doctor to recommend the best direction. I'll keep you posted as plans take shape.

Following this Equip, there is some time and space in the schedule to prepare for the last two Connection programs for this calendar year. We look forward to serving our returning co-workers and celebrating how God has been using them in Bible translation. Then it is time to rest and plan for the coming year!

Friday, September 7, 2018

August's Encouragements

It was such a joy to see so many of you during my two weeks in Indiana. It was a privilege to share my Faith Story on Sunday, August 19, as a part of the summer Connection Class series at Faith Church. There was an audio recording done of the first session, so feel free to take a listen if you weren’t able to be there. It was my opportunity to share a lot of the “back story”—how God so obviously moved in my life to bring me to where He has me now. It was really very interesting to look back and see how many times the Lord used people to move me toward His next step. Many of you may hear your names mentioned. I share for about 30 minutes, followed by some Q&A time. That means the whole recording is almost 45 minutes long, just as a warning. The link also has access to other stories shared this summer—so many evidences of God’s handiwork in people’s lives! May you be encouraged as you listen.

Faith Stories—faithchurchindy.com/resources/faith-stories/

What’s Next?

Our next on-campus program will be Equip new missionary orientation, September 15-28. We anticipate 24 new colleagues and 15 of their MKs (missionary kids). As you pray for us and for them, your ministry extends to all those whom they will one day serve. Thank you in advance!

This will be the final Equip for one of our “core” crew members who will be retiring, so there will be some bittersweet moments for the team with which I serve. I have learned so much from Diana these past eight years, not only about partnership development—the main content we teach, but also about a deep, ever-growing faith and trust in Jesus. Diana has a deep appreciation for the beauty of nature and the joy of the Lord and gives strong testimony to both. We look forward to the next chapter the Lord has for her but will miss her in our world!

Personal Update

Thanks again for your prayers about the cortisone injections. The issue with my back and leg are essentially relieved, but good ol’ osteoarthritis in both hips is making a big move now… or should I say, NON-move, as it is complicating even simple things like sleeping and walking, two activities in which I engage regularly! More imaging is scheduled so the docs know exactly what is going on and can plan a course of future treatment. I continue to be grateful for knowledgeable and capable medical professionals and for your prayers and encouragements!