But if we hope for what we do not see...

Hello Friends,

I promise that eventually these blog updates will get more exciting. They have too...and I guess that is my point in writing this. We are in the days of the mundane right now. Our goal of being in Liberia stills seems far off and we are just trusting that the Lord is faithful to complete the good work that He has begun as He promises in His Word.

These are the hard days. The days of "I don't know" and "We're not sure" and I have to say that my spirit (Jessica here) doesn't like these days. I am someone who likes purpose. I like to know how close I am to a goal or how far away. Right now we are anxiously awaiting our first report so that we know what our trajectory is for raising the remainder of the support we need to leave by late summer/early fall. Kyle and I are both restless souls that don't like to stay in one place too long. That has always amounted to a trial for us living here in Asheville (or anywhere for that matter). We love Asheville and all the people and blessings that the Lord has brought into our lives are beyond what we dreamed when we made the move. I could go on for days about the hand of the Lord during our time in Asheville. We have seen so much fruit and purpose in our stationary time here in Western North Carolina that we cannot help but know that God is working His purposes now as we prepare to leave.

Nonetheless, it is the outworking of those purposes that provides the test for our faith. The whole by faith and not by sight thing is really kicking in right about now and inevitably you know that you are in the midst of a refining fire when you encounter those words. So IF YOU WANNA KNOW HOW TO PRAY FOR US pray that we would remain steadfast in believing that God is going to complete this work. Pray that we will be content to follow when we cannot see and to trust when the way seems dim. As I said these are the days of the mundane, the drudgery of daily life leading up to this year of focused ministry in a foreign land. The groundwork in our hearts is being laid. The fallow ground of our hearts must needs be plowed in order to make a way for the Lord to work. This is where that begins in the midst of the "I don't knows" and "We're not sures". He is faithful. Here are a few reminders:

Philippians 1:6 "And I am sure of this that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Romans 8:23-25 "And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."

In Christ,
Kyle and Jessica