Six Weeks In!

Wow -- it has been six weeks since I began in the new roles. I'm learning a lot and connecting with a number of folks in the organization who are new to me. I am not only getting to know the teams I have joined, but my work now interfaces with entirely different teams than I did previously. It's been great to begin to get to know a whole new group of colleagues. With the Member Finance team, I am learning there are intricate processes in place to keep things running smoothly. With the Stateside Care team, I am beginning to connect with many who have been with Wycliffe for decades... and we get to help care for them and encourage them to continue serving well.

In the previous paradigm, I had longer contact to help a smaller group of Wycliffe people. In the past six weeks, I've touched base with 14 households about budgets and introduced the services of the Stateside Care team to 73 households. Each of these co-workers impact Bible translation and your partnership through your gifts and prayers for my Wycliffe ministry impacts them. Thank you! I am amazed at and grateful for God's ways of using each of us where he has placed us to accomplish his purposes. This video expresses the gratitude of Wycliffe for your part!

Celebrating 80 Years of Bible Translation!

New Roles

Thank you for your prayers for Equip #53. The two weeks went very smoothly. It was an honor to be a part of the "Crew" to serve our new colleagues. The Lord is already using them to share about Bible translation. Our prayer is that God will provide teams of prayer and financial partners for their Wycliffe ministries so they may go on soon to their service assignments.

This past Monday, I began training as a "member financial liaison." I'll be in that role half of the time, guiding new members through financial policies and requirements, helping them to understand and initiate their financial relationship with Wycliffe USA in a manner that is competent and timely. There have been open positions on this team for months. It is a highly detailed role, so it will be a good brain stretch. Last week I was a "teacher" -- now I am a student who has much to learn! I'm encouraged that most of my first clients came through virtual Equips, so we have worked together already.

The other half of my time will be as a "stateside care facilitator," helping care for and celebrate U.S.-based staff and assisting in connecting them with the Wycliffe people and services available. The goal is that U.S.-based staff feel valued and encouraged to continue serving well. I've had the opportunity to meet and serve a number of these colleagues already as they came through Wycliffe Stateside Connection programs in Orlando.

This year, Wycliffe Bible Translators celebrates 80 years of serving minority communities around the world through Bible translation. As of February 9, I will have been with Wycliffe for 12 years. All those years, your prayers and gifts have been used by God as he has been transforming lives through the translated Word.

Thank you for your faithful partnership and encouragement. Please let me know how I may pray with you.

Bible Translation and Mission

Eddie Arthur of Wycliffe UK writes...

...translation is a normal feature of life in a multicultural, multilingual family. More importantly, our involvement in Bible translation imitates the way that God has worked through Scripture and history. The Bible paints a picture of a God who reaches out to people to meet them where they are. He does not expect people to climb up to him, but he comes down to us and communicates with us in a way that we can understand. The climax of God’s self-revelation comes through the incarnation of Jesus Christ; God in human flesh, speaking a human language and living a human life. God translated into human!

(There is much more to this article! If that paragraph intrigues you at all, I'd encourage you to consider reading: Bible Translation and Mission: The Big Picture.)

What a thrill to be a part of Bible translation! Thank you for your part, as together we seek to be used by God as he continues to reach out to people through the translated Scriptures.

Tomorrow, we begin another virtual Equip. It is most likely the last Equip for me -- my 42nd, if my count is correct. This will be the 8th virtual session. What a joy it has been to be part of the team helping facilitate these orientation sessions! And, through your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry, you've been a part of "equipping" hundreds of new Wycliffe colleagues.

Would you pray with me for Equip #53 - January 15-27?

• Health and clear minds for participants and "crew."
• Good internet and technology for all.
• For the crew to serve these new colleagues well as they begin their Wycliffe journeys.

Then, February 1, I'll begin my new roles. (Yes, two of them!) More about that next time!!

Thank you for your faithful prayers and encouragements. Please let me know how I may pray with you.

Merry Christmas!

 

Wycliffe's Christmas Message

Hear, Listen

Christmas can be a very busy, noisy season. It can be hard to hear God’s voice in the midst of it all. Why not take some time to listen to him each day this week? If you’re struggling, it might be helpful to remember that shema, the Hebrew word for “hear” or “listen” can also mean “pay attention” or “obey.”

Pray that the Lord will help us to pay obedient attention to him over this Christmas season which is so full of distractions.

One of the easiest ways to hear God speak is to listen to an audio Bible. Shema closely: let the words reach not just your ears but your heart and mind too – listen with attention and obedience to God. The big challenge now is to do the same thing every time we hear or read a verse or passage from the Bible this Christmas – especially when those passages are very familiar.

Praise God that he communicates in ways we can understand – above all, through coming to live as a human – God with us.

In lots of places around the world, people prefer to learn and share information orally. In these contexts, it is often effective to share the good news of Jesus through Bible storytelling and Bible-based songs. And when people can hear it in the language they understand best and in a way that makes sense to them, it is so much easier to pay attention and obey.

Praise God for people who want to help others understand the Bible.

Read more at wycliffe.org.uk/stories/have-you-not-heard/

Personal Update

Thank you for your prayers for a smooth move to Indiana. The Lord provided the right people at the right time to help sort, pack, load, and unload. My trip north was encouraging. I am grateful for friends over the years and the miles. Then I was able to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. The last time I had done that was immediately before the move to Florida in 2010.

The time-sensitive essentials are now in place and I’ve begun to settle in… not only into my childhood home, but also into a more permanent life back in Indiana. It feels very different than all the wonderful visits here I’ve had over the past 11 years.

For the next few months, I’ll be in transition in my role with Wycliffe, too. We’re preparing for another virtual Equip (orientation) in January. I’m still helping with logistics for upcoming programs. And, I’m part of a group who is defining a new role/team to facilitate care for approximately 800 Wycliffe staff who live in the U.S. but are outside the Orlando Headquarters area. To me, it is providential that I am now one of those folks!

For an additional personal update, visit my google group.