We can't do it all! (Update on our Mission)

 It has been a while since updating you on our newest adventure.

    Most of you know Stephanie and I are in the process of pursuing ministry as missionaries serving with Missionary Ventures, possibly in Germany. 

For those that are unaware of that, now you know! 

We feel God is calling us to this crazy new adventure, but are still deeply in the process and waiting for God to show us the path in each of the small steps along the way. We are signed up to complete some training in March and April. We are planning on an exploratory trip in April or May. Our final training and orientation with Missionary Ventures is scheduled for the end of May. THEN we will start our process of fundraising as this new adventure will have additional costs outside our budget capacity. 

SO, we have a lot of hurdles to overcome and challenges ahead of us. A great example is the challenge we are facing finding health insurance over in Europe. I am a diabetic and this "pre-existing condition" is a problem. We are working with underwriters and certainly praying about this. God has his plans!  But, that is just an example of the challenges ahead of us. God only knows the time frame and the path of the story he is presenting to us.

Another barrier is our family and current ministry focus. We have served with the Christian Motorcyclists Association for over twelve years. When we retired all of our resources and energy were focused on this ministry. Whatever time we did not spend with CMA, was spent with our family. We have three daughters and fourteen grandchildren/great-grandchildren. Now, this adventure will change that focus and those relationships will change. 

If you can put yourself in the place of our daughters and their families, you can understand their concerns. We have been in serious prayer about this change in the lives of our daughters, their families, as well as our CMA family. We are taking things slow in order to make sure we are following the will of the Lord.  We also are aware that as we focus more and more on ministry, Satan is more likely to attack. Both Stephanie and I are devoting much time to prayer, searching the scriptures, and listening to the voice of God. 

Today, I was studying Luke 4:23-30 ---

"Then he said, "You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: 'Physician, heal yourself' meaning

do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum. But

I tell you the truth -- no prophet is accepted in his own hometown. “Certainly there were many needy widows in

Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe

famine devastated the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a

foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. And many in Israel had leprosy in the

time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.” When they

heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. Jumping up, they mobbed him and

forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him

over the cliff, but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way. '

Luke 4:23-30

https://my.bible.com/bible/116/LUK.4.23-30

I have read this scripture many times. Today, the words about Elijah and Elisha really spoke to me. Through these two great prophets, God sent me a message:

"You are not called to do it all!"

As a follower of Christ, someone dedicated to the great commission, I want to save the world. I want everyone to become disciples of Jesus Christ. I want my family to grow in their love of Jesus. I want all my biker friends to grow in their love of Jesus. I want my past co-workers, my snowbird family, and I want my Muslim brothers and sisters to grow in their faith. When God says "go into all the world," he has a specific place picked out for us to go. For some that is your family, for some it is your neighborhood, your community, your nation. But, for some, like Elijah and Elisha, part of their call was to go to the foreigners and minister. But, We are not called to save them all. 

Elijah and Elisha have one thing in common. The choice of their ministry came directly from God. As I look back at the greats of the Old Testament, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, and Elisha, they were all successful when they followed the calling of God. They prayed to God about everything and God led them on their path. But, when they stopped praying, seeking God's guidance, and did things on their own, they stumbled and suffered terrible consequences. 

Stephanie and I remain in prayer about the insurance and all the other little details that need to fall into place.  We are consulting the Lord and waiting for him to act. He has called us to serve a specific group of people and we are willing to obey. If he says, "Go here," we will go. If he says, "Go there," we will go. We will follow him to northern Indiana or we will follow him to the ends of the earth. Wherever he calls we will go. 

Please pray for us as we continue this wonderful journey!!!!!!!!!