It's beginning to feel like home.

A few weeks ago we crashed the home of a missionary family to spend a little with them before the head back to the States. We have not worked directly with this family but spent three weeks with them last summer in Cross-Training. Like good guests we requested that they pick us up at the bus stop and bring us back to their house to eat their food and sit in their living room. It was lovely.

As we talked about life and ministry our friend asked us a question that I had not given a lot of thought to. ¨When did Spain start to feel like home?¨ For this family it was about the ninth month. Funny enough, they are finishing up a 11ish month term and will be heading back to the States to press play on their lives in Kentucky.

I think at that point (a few weeks ago) we had already began thinking of Spain as home. Earlier I began training myself to stop referring to North Carolina/The States as home. Think what you may about that but, it just didn't seem right to me. Sure, I will always have ¨a home¨ there, but for me, now, Spain is my home.

Sometimes it is a scary thought. Sometimes it's intimidating and frustrating and a lot of other negative emotions. But other times it's beautiful and peaceful and better than I ever imagined. Every time I look out our window or otherwise catch a glimpse of the mountains that surround me almost all the time, I am reminded of the promise that God gave me.

The mountains will sing. 

Sometimes it might be my own single voice singing praises to God. Sometimes others will join and will make a chorus of joyful songs. But God promised me mountains. And to me, that promise is home.

The thing I am not thinking about...

In less than two weeks Jeremy and I will celebrate our third wedding anniversary. Today as I look forward to entering our fourth year of marriage, I really have no idea what it will look like. Many thoughts come to mind, but they are all sort of jumbled together and nothing seems very clear. Except for one thing.

May also marks our sixth month of living in Spain- half of a year. This time last year we were planning for graduation, leaving jobs and heading to Indiana for cross-training. Now, we don't have many specific goals or deadlines pressing. Well, except for getting a valid drivers license in June/July- no biggie. We have residency, we have a car (mostly functioning), we have an apartment and we're working on the whole language thing. 

I have realized something, for the last 7 or so years of my life, I have always been looking forward to something. Something that seemed better or more significant than I had on any given day. An accomplishment, a goal, something ¨bigger.¨ Now, finally, I am living in today.

Jim Elliot, a man who many Christians and missionaries admire, said this-

“Wherever you are, be all there! Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” This quote has stuck with me for years, but not until now have I really taken it to heart. (If you get the chance, read the book ¨Shadow of the Almighty¨)

CS Lewis said, “To walk out of His will is to walk into nowhere.” I fully believe that Jeremy and I are living in the will of God in Spain. And with that said, I can answer the question that many have asked.

As I look into our fourth year of marriage, I do not see us leaving Spain. We are making Spain our home for as long as we can. I mean goodness, I have packed up all my things and moved them 7 times over the last three years- I just don't want to move again!

But really, I believe by this time next year, we will still only be crossing the starting line. There is still much work to be done- I do not believe that God called us here only for two years or even only four years.

I know, I know, you're thinking ¨Sweetie, none of us know what the Lord has planned.¨ And you are right. I don't and neither do you. Right now, I am happy finally embracing a day to day mentality when it comes to my life planning. So here I am, enjoying my new home, and blissfully NOT planning my next pack-up-and-move-everything event.

Life in the Works

Jeremy and I have been in Spain 139 days- almost five months. That number seems crazy. Some ways, it seems too small and in other ways, it seems too big. The first month and a half we spent living in a seminary dorm. The first three months we spent in language school. And March, well, it was something of it's own.

I had hoped that March would be our month of establishment. Establishing ourselves in the town, with the team and as a couple ministering in Spain. That didn't really happen. We finished our time in language school the very end of February. The first week of March we attended our first team meeting and had our first sessions with our tutor (who we love!). The second week we were in Croatia for a retreat/conference/workshop with OMS. We enjoyed time with friends from HQ and missionaries in other European countries. We heard about ministry and work in other fields and we worked as a team to consider our own field. We were home for another week and then I left for Ireland.

Our friend Megan is in Spain for six months with the Algete team and needed to leave the country in order to renew her tourist VISA. We arranged a trip to tour the OMS work in Ireland. It was an encouraging time to spend with her and with experienced missionaries who shared stories of work and life around the world (including Spain!)

Megan and I at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

Visiting Anne (working with OMS through the Y and Innovista) in Dublin.

But now here we are in April and what are we doing? To be completely honest, some days it feels like a whole lot of nothing. With our limited language we are helping in all the ways we are able. We are generally just trying to get involved in the town. Jeremy is working on a new website for the group. I will be working more with an English group. We walk a lot. We get coffee. Jeremy is taking another Spanish class at a community center. I joined the sports-center and survived my first spin class this morning.
Let's just say, life is in the works.

I sit in my window and look out at a huge, 600 year old monastery seated on the mountain and wonder "how will we change the landscape of this town in such an unmistakable way?" But God has reminded me over and over again of the scripture He gave me when I was 15...

"You will go out in joy
    and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
    will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
    will clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12 

Our lives may be in the works, but God's plan is established in Spain and around the world. 

Thoughts on routine, adjustments and language.

After two and a half weeks in Spain, we are beginning to feel slightly more normal. We have adjusted to the time change, are learning our way around town and into Madrid and found an apartment to rent. We still have a few daunting tasks ahead; residency, buying a car, getting a Spanish drivers license and actually speaking Spanish.

We have settled into a daily routine for now. We are up and ready in time to catch the 7:28am train into Madrid. The ride in is really quite scenic. Out one side you can see the sunrise over the four skyscrapers of Madrid and the other; trees, dry fields and a river as you approach each town. The train part of our commute is about 45 minutes. We get off at Principe Pio and quickly make our way down to catch the metro. I really don't like to miss the first one, not because of the time but mostly because this station is not enclosed so it is REALLY cold in the mornings. I often consider that we may have accidentally taken a train to Alaska.

We push our way in with dozens of others and ride silently three stops, each time making our way across the car to get out on the other side. We have made a routine of stopping for coffee around the block from the school. This gives us time to breath and review work before class.

This morning we skipped class to collect a document for our residency card and figure out what is happening with the electricity at our apartment. The paper we need will be ready tomorrow and our electricity should be on in three or four days. Last night we found a car and plan to pick it up on Friday.

It feels strange that it has been less than a month since we arrived in Spain. The days have gone quickly but it seems like a lot has been accomplished. Each day I feel more and more at home in El Escorial and blessed to be surrounded by a team that desires for us to be involved in the ministry.

We know that in order to be effective in ministry, we must be proficient in the language. For the next couple of months we plan to focus our efforts on language learning. Please pray with us that our minds are receptive to the material we are learning and our mouths will speak well as we begin to speak more. Pray also for humility as we know mistakes will come.

We very much want to communicate with this community around us.

Instead, here we are.

Tomorrow should have marked our first week in Spain.

I have wanted to write about the past few weeks for well, the past few weeks. It started with wanting to share about our last few days here, with family and friends. I wanted to talk about our commissioning service. I wanted to talk about being a little nervous but mostly excited for this big move.

But instead, here we are- at home- in North Carolina.

The truth is, I knew for weeks that we were not leaving on November 5^th. It never seemed real because we didn’t have our VISAs. I knew without them, we couldn’t leave. So, driving to D.C. Monday morning, I wasn’t worried about getting home to get packed or saying final goodbyes. I knew that we were not leaving the next day. Still, when the man at the desk said that our VISAs had not yet been approved, my heart dropped. I cried all the way to the post office several blocks away. We turned over our passports and an overnight shipping envelope and headed out of D.C. almost as quickly as we arrived.

As frustrating as the situation is, it isn’t the situation that has me most upset. What is most frustrating is that I don’t really want to talk about it. I don’t mean to be rude, I promise, but it IS frustrating. Even though I had that gut feeling, I was still day dreaming about seeing Spain again, but this time as our new home. But, now we are waiting in anticipation for an email to appear in our inboxes one morning with the much desired news. And really, the anticipation kills me sometimes.

But then there are times when I hear the most simple and encouraging words. The seventh grader who says he is praying for us. The friend who says that while she is praying for the process, she is glad that we will be around for a few more weeks. Or the one who says nothing but just hugs the life out of me.

In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t a huge deal. We don’t have a pressing deadline to be in Spain. We have somewhere to stay and money in our accounts. It isn’t as if our applications have been denied- they just haven’t been reached yet. We are still in the one to three month time frame so I’m really not too anxious.

I want to be in Spain. I want to meet the rest of our team. I want to find our place in the team. I want to be in language school so we can communicate with the people around us. I want to be where the Lord has led us.

But, here we are. Still waiting and all is well. The Lord is still good. He is still faithful. He still hears our prayers and knows our hearts. We know His timing is just right. We know His intentions for us are good. We know He has spoken to our hearts and His word will not return void.

We know these things and in faith we are living in His truth. He has led us this far and He will not leave us. Right now, I believe, wholeheartedly, that He is growing our patience. This inconvenience is minor in comparison to the suffering in places around the world. But, it breaks my heart to not be in Spain.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:4

I know that as I wait at the feet of our Father, the Holy Spirit will give a new confidence in in this time. 

Purpose- It's more than you can handle

Last week, I shared with a group of mothers at a MOPS meeting. I shared with them about my calling to missions and our purpose for ministering in Spain. I shared with the mom's about how I, as a child raised in the church, felt that I had no purpose. I was normal, ordinary, average. I didn't have anything special to offer. I continued with this feeling of inadequacy until just a couple of months ago.

Jeremy and I arrived at cross-training and received our chapel schedule. And guess who was first in line to share testimonies? We were. I went back to our apartment that night not very happy. I don't like sharing I my "testimony."
I don't even have one.
I am Ordinary. 

In those moments of panic and gut wrenching frustration with whoever thought this was a good idea- God reminded me. He reminded me that while I am the plainest of the plain- He is the EXTRA to my ordinary. 

When I was 15, God took my life and gave it purpose. He placed a calling on my life that has given me confidence for each step I take. I didn't realize at that time where this calling would take me- but I took each opportunity I could find. The Lord has given me faith to trust Him as He leads. 
He has provided for my every need- including my need for a companion for the journey.
He provided me with a husband- a husband who has stepped up to the plate in so many ways along this path. Jeremy heard the Lord's calling and responded immediately. 

There has never been a time when God has not provided just what we needed. 
My journey to the mission field looks nothing like what I had expected. Instead it has been just what I needed. It has been much longer and much more exhausting than I hoped. It has brought me to my sobbing, frantic and painful wit's end more times than I would like to admit.

But the truth I have found is this: God ALWAYS gives you more than you can handle. Even when I felt that I had no purpose- I couldn't handle it. I could not muster up my own purpose. God had to give it to me. If our lives are not more than we can handle, then our lives will never bring God glory.

If you are not stepping out in faith, then you are coasting along on your own strength. Your own strength will ultimately fail you. Your own planning will fail you. Your own purpose will fail you. 
God's strength, God's planning and God's purpose will not fail you. It will bring Him glory. 

Take a step of faith. Put your foot into the rushing waters of life and allow God to part it for you. 

"Joshua told the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.'
...So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground." 
-Joshua 3:5,14-17

Acting According to His Faithfulness

Jeremy and I are in a season of life where we are constantly asking and asking a lot. We are asking a lot of our family, friends, supporters and asking a lot of God. However, as we are constantly asking, I am trying not to neglect being thankful. I am trying to reflect on God's faithfulness to us in the past as we look forward to His faithfulness in the future.
"I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations." Psalm 89:1

We are thankful for how God has not only saved us but also how He has given us a purpose. It is an amazing thing to know that God has saved you. It is even more amazing to realize that even before you asked for His salvation He had a purpose for you. I am thankful that God has given my life purpose.

"I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. "Psalm 40:10 

I am thankful that as we have taken steps of faith in order to obey His calling, He has provided. Before we even knew this season of our lives was coming, God orchestrated our lives according to His timing. His calling and subsequently His provision came, and will continue to come, at just the right time-whether we realize it or not.

 I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Psalm 89:2

As we continue to ask for support, I will continue to be reminded of God's faithfulness thus far. I will reflect on where we have  been and look forward to where He is calling us. I pray that my actions will always be in response to the faithfulness I have experienced.  Never doubting, always trusting. Never looking back, always looking to Him. Never acting in fear, always acting in His peace. 

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 

This is your legacy.

The past three weeks at Cross-training has been full of incredible moments. But what I think I will take the most from is hearing the stories that our fellow missionaries have shared with us in Chapel. On Thursday the last of the group shared their stories and summed up what we were all thinking perfectly.

Mike spoke about legacy. He shared about a number of people who impacted his life and how he was a part of their legacy. And he shared about the legacy he would leave.

Have you considered your legacy?
Whose life have you impacted?

The truth is, we may never know the legacy we leave behind. We may never see the fruit of the seeds we have planted in the lives of those we encounter. The people we meet in passing. The people who witness our acts of kindness, or acts of harsh judgments.

“Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

We may never know our legacy. But we all have one. A legacy that reflects each area of our lives.

In what ways is your life impacting the Kingdom? Are you making choices that reflect a desire to see souls brought to Christ? Does every area of life reflect this? Or are you holding on to something?

Are you holding on the comforts and security money seemingly provides? Or are you really, truly, wholeheartedly  trusting God to provide? He is worthy of your trust. He has provided. He will continue to provide.

Leave a legacy in lives around the world. Trust God to provide for you. Make a sacrifice. Maybe you think you can’t do enough. Maybe you think I’m asking too much. Consider all that Christ has done for you. What would you give to see that work done in the lives of others?

“Therefore, having such a hope, we use great boldness…Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:12&17

So I encourage you, I challenge you, leave a legacy that speaks boldness, faith and freedom in all areas of your life. Consider the sacrifice made for your salvation.  What is the salvation of others worth to you?

This is your legacy.

Comfort and Peace

Jeremy and I were asked to lead a youth Sunday school class yesterday morning. The regular teacher told us that they had just been talking about the Holy Spirit, and requested that we share how we knew when the Holy Spirit was speaking to us.

I rattled off some sort of coherent response… I think. But as the service and day went on, I continued to think on the question. How do I know the Holy Spirit is speaking to me? How to I feel His presence? What makes His direction clear to me?

Finally, I put all the pieces together and connected the dots-

I was left with only two words.

Comfort.

Peace.

How do I know that we are in God’s will? I have comfort and peace about our decisions.The Holy Spirit has consistently manifested Himself as peace and comfort in my life. 

Most recently He has given Jeremy and I complete peace with the decision to leave our jobs. The actual decision was made months ago but it has become very real for us over the past few weeks. Our last paycheck will be deposited into our account tonight. I have four more days with a family with whom I have spent the past five years. 

But still yet, I have peace. I have comfort in the provisions God has given us. 

He has give us wisdom  in how to prepare for  weeks or months without income. He has given us resources and people we can trust. He has given us His promises to provide and work all things for the good of those who serve Him.

I have peace about walking away from secure jobs and income. I have peace about an uncertain future. I have comfort knowing that we may not have a lot and we may not have all we need to depart for Spain, but we have a God who has it all.

I am not concerned with stepping out my “comfort zone” because with every step forward my comfort zone grows. Little by little God is revealing His plan and purpose for us. He is providing all we need and comforting us with each revelation in His will.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:26-27

Days like today seem a little surreal. Life is happening fast and I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon. But peace and comfort are here to stay. They will lead as we follow the path revealed to us.

                                                                                                                                                                                              

Gentle Teaching

Thirty-seven percent. That is where our account sits at this point.

I punch these numbers in the calculator on my phone multiple times a week. On days that the first numbers goes up- I punch them in over and over. Amazed at how the result changes.
When nothing changes for a couple of weeks my mood changes. I become frustrated. I wonder where the disconnect is.
Why isn't anything coming in?
Is it something I am saying during "the ask?"
Are we not making our purpose clear enough?
Do we need to change something?
Take a new approach?
Why isn't the money coming in?!

I wonder these things and I pray. I pray that God will send us to the right people at the right time. But I don't often stop to think that- maybe the right time hasn't come yet.
Maybe the right person isn't ready yet.
Maybe we aren't ready yet.

I really did think that we would be further along than 37% by now. I really hoped we would be at least half way. Maybe closer.
But we aren't. Here we sit- at 37% funded. Looking forward to Jeremy's last month of work. Cross-training and the potential of months without steady income.

I have started reading more out of Streams in the Desert. Because, well, it's appropriate and maybe a little cliche.
But, honestly, it couldn't be more encouraging.

I had not read out of the book in several days, so (I as sweated my way through 20 minutes on the elliptical),  I opened it up to May 22nd and I re-read the verse at the top.
Commit you way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this. Psalm 37:5

I flipped tapped a couple of pages over on the Kindle...
I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me. Psalm 57:2

May 23rd
They were at their wits' end. They they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. Psalm 107:27-28

May 27th
Bring them here to me. Matthew 14:18

To me the Lord said, "Bring what you have to me. That $1,851 you have in pledges? Give it up. Let me have it and do with it what I want. You don't have it all. But I do. They don't have it all. I've got it."

My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

"You hear that? I've got it. I am the the source. I am the means and the way in which to receive it. You can't do this on your own. Give. It. Up."

May 28th
I will not let you go unless you bless me. Genesis 32:26
Not my will, but yours be done. Luke 22:42

I will no longer work by my strength alone. I will not work against the time He has allowed to pass. I will find the joy in this preparation and be grateful for the gentle teaching He has given me.

A New Season- A New Love

This past week has been one of many, many blessings, both small and large.
Together, Jeremy and I celebrated a huge milestone in our lives and preparation for ministry- We graduated! I walked across the stage to receive with a Bachelors in Intercultural Studies and Jeremy graduated with a Masters in Ministry. Now, after-the-fact, it does seem a little surreal.

Our time at Laurel University is quickly coming to a close. Jeremy has been a student at the school for six years. Five of those years he has worked full-time in the Admissions Department. The last three of those years he has held the title of "Director of  Enrollment Management"- a title so long they had to abbreviate to fit on the door. Two years ago this past weekend, Jeremy received a B.A. in Pastoral Ministry.

I have been a full-time student since 2009. In the fall of 2008, while Jeremy was a sophomore, I came to visit the school with my Mom. I had no idea that I had met my husband that day. Jeremy was currently working three part-time jobs and attending classes. He was a work-study student in the admissions office so he gave me a tour around the two-story, all-inclusive building that is John Wesley College/Laurel University.

At that time, I was dead-set on becoming a full-time missionary, with or without a husband. I had no intentions of being a local pastor's wife or even living in the U.S. past finishing my degree. About eight months into our relationship, my plans had begun to change right before my eyes. Or so I thought. You see, God sure has a funny way of doing things. I continued to jump on every opportunity I had to travel. I joined the school on trips to Mexico City (Jeremy's first trip outside the country), Kenya, and Colombia. 

Now, Jeremy is preparing to train the lady who will soon take his office. I am preparing to leave a family who has been so good to me as their babysitter/nanny over the past 5 years.


The next two months will be the end of a season in our life that has forever changed us. We are asked over and over again if we are ready for the move. At this point, we are as ready as we can be. I trust that God has prepared for this point and He will continue to prepare and guide us as we go. We still have a ways to go in our monthly budget requirement and we will have weeks of formal training ahead of us. But, at this point, we are as prepared as we can be.

I will say this to close- My heart is ready to see the hearts of Spanish people turn to Christ. It is hard to explain how you can love a people and a country you hardly know. But part of God's preparation has been to give me a love for these people. I desperately want to see them know Christ. As this season of life ends for us, I can sense the turning of my heart towards new things as God gives me a new love for His people.

Another (not so) Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!
Again, I'm not so great about posting actual weekly updates, but it has been a busy few weeks!

Jeremy and I are settled in our new temporary home thanks to some awesome friends!
We will be living here for the next few months until we head to Indiana for training in July. We are so very grateful for a place to stay and the great people God has put in our lives. God has continued to prove faithful in providing for all of our needs as we move forward towards His calling.

We just returned home from a quick trip to Washington D.C. on Tuesday. We celebrated my birthday and enjoyed time just to be together.

I may have also enjoyed a cupcake or two!

This weekend we are headed out again! This time up to headquarters with several Laurel University students for ONEWeekend, a retreat for those interested in missions. We will also be meeting with the head of Hope61 to discuss more details about how we will be involved in anti-human trafficking. We are excited to bring the desire to combat this evil to Spain.

Our support account is continuously growing. We are over half way to the amount we need in our account to depart. But, we are at 22% of our needed monthly pledges. We must have 100% of our monthly pledges in before we can depart for Spain in September. If we are not, then our goal date will have to be pushed back.

We continue to pray for God to show us the people who will join our team. We take every opportunity to share the need in Spain and how YOU can be a part of this calling. We thank God for each person who has supported us so far and those who will in the future.

We are thankful for your prayers and words of encouragement. We are thankful for your ears that listen as we share our calling and desire for the people of Spain to know Christ. Our responsibility is first to God to go as He has called us, but also to you as you will make our sending possible.

We do ask for you continued prayers. But, I will ask that you sincerely seek how God may lead you to reach the people of Spain as well.

Love and prayers,
Melissa

...I go to Spain.

Learning and growing in our calling has been a process. It has been a process of learning to sacrifice, learning to trust God and each other, and learning to stop and listen. It has also been a process of growing as a couple, growing as students, and growing in Christ. 

As we reached the point where we knew God had called us into overseas missionary service, that was where the real seeking began. We had to wait for God to present the place. We looked at Great Britain, Colombia, and Ireland, but the doors continued to close. God laid a burden on our heart for Spain, but, as we have learned, we have been burdened for the lost in other places as well, so we could not take this as confirmation, but as another avenue to seek an opening.

Through the next couple of months, we received confirming moments and began to set our hearts on this place. The confirmation that I truly needed came through a desire to read God's Word while I was at work on September 14, 2012. I was flipping through the Bible, not really sure what I was seeking, but just knowing that God had prepared something for me. In my turning, I stopped and began to read.


"But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain." Romans 15:23-24 


There it was, simply laid before me. I have read through the Bible cover to cover several times, and generally a passage like this would be one I would read and move on. I know this little bit of Scripture doesn't seem like much, but it was to me. I have been involved in some form of ministry for a few years now (although as Christians, we are all in ministry). For a few years, I was a youth pastor. Since then, I have served as an Admissions Director for a Christian University, giving me more opportunities to reach out to people than I could have asked for. 

I have loved the time I have served in ministry here, and I have met so many amazing people who have been of great encouragement in this calling pursuit. Now, God has called my wife and I to a new ministry - a ministry to a population that is starving for, while also resisting, the Gospel. Check out this article to see just how resistant Spain truly is. A population where most consider themselves Catholic, yet only 10% regularly attend a worship service. As I've mentioned before, 47 million people live in Spain, yet less than 1% claim to be evangelical Christians. Spain has some tough soil to plant on.

Anyways, back to the passage. While there is much work left to do here, God is revealing that this is not where He wants us to stay. So here we go, we're moving on to Spain. 

Sadly, I know that we have not seen many of you who read this blog in some time. We hope to do that as we continue through the process. We want to visit you, we want to talk with you, we want your prayers and support, and we want to build our relationships here. I am learning, as I speak with veteran missionaries, that our relationships with you will be more and more important while we are on the field.

If you have not already, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter. We'll start sending out regular newsletters soon, and we want to make sure we are sending information to the right address and email. Also, our OMS profile page is now live, so check that out. 

As always, thank you for your prayers and support. Mel and I are trying to open ourselves up as much as possible for God to use us freely. We'll both be finishing school a semester early, so that is requiring more work in a shorter amount of time. We'll be starting Spanish language training soon and scheduling appointments to develop partners for ministry. It's going to be a busy year as we hope to be on the field early fall 2013, but God is faithful. 

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of a small baptism service that just happened Tuesday where a lady named Veronika wanted to profess her faith through baptism after a Sunday morning invitation. This happened as a result of one of the house churches that were planted by the team in Spain. As Mel said in her last post, it is great knowing our assignment (Vision Sierra Oeste church planting team), and knowing that efforts already established are working.

Weekly Update #1- Funding Class

Each week as we prepare for Spain I plan to post a quick update about where we are in the process and how things are going. Please check back to keep up with us! 

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" 
-2 Corinthians 9:8

Jeremy and I started our fundraising class today. This class will prepare us to reach out to potential supporters and be fully funded in (ideally) nine months. We are excited for this class because not only are we going to learn the best way to raise support but we will also be connected with one other missionary couple and three single missionaries. The seven of us will be journeying through our fundraising and preparation together.  

The class is three weeks long, meeting for an hour and half, four days a week. Additionally, there is reading and prep work to be done outside of our meeting times. We know that this class will be extremely beneficial but we also know that it will require many hours over the next few weeks. But this is only a taste of the busy times that are to come as we continue to prepare. 

We are already so thankful for the support of One Mission Society. We are so excited to connect with other new missionaries. We are so excited for the support we have already received from friends and family. We are so blessed to have friends and family who are as excited about our calling as we are. 

As I look ahead to what God holds for us I am not scared. I'm certain there will be days I am frustrated or even discouraged but I am declaring now that I will not let fear become an obstacle in our preparation. 

Prayer Requests-
That God will continue to guide our steps.
Time management as we work through this class as well as work and homework for school. 

Our Purpose and Our Passion

“I set myself on fire, and people come to see me burn.” – John Wesley

This quote has come to my mind a lot recently. When I think about it, my immediate mental interpretation is that I would certainly run to the person on fire, but I would probably bring a hose. It’s not a statement that you generally hear someone say, but this was Wesley’s response to a question about why such large crowds of people would travel for miles to hear him preach.

Wesley had lived much of his life clinging to an outward Christianity - the Christianity where the works you did were the focus. He said that he hoped to be considered a good Christian by following three basic principles: “(1) Not being so bad as other people, (2) Having still a kindness for religion, and (3) Reading the Bible, going to church, and saying my prayers.” To have an enthusiastic passion for Christ was a distant concept, because salvation came largely from the works you did.

Mel and I came together with two separate thoughts of how our lives would go, but through the process of becoming one flesh, we have spent time with God trying to find our combined purpose. This quote comes to mind because at times it has been difficult for me to find the burning passion of following Christ. I have been in ministry for a few years, and in that time, I have had highs and lows, but I don’t feel that anyone ever rushed to watch me burn. Until recently, I still had this feeling that the spark was missing from my relationship with God.

On a recent trip to Medellin, Colombia, I found my passion. In an individual prayer time, I had to break away from my wife so that God could speak to me individually. As many of you know, Mel has had a passion for missionary work since she was 15 years old, and our marriage had left both of us confused about the calling on our lives. I was resisting the combining of our gifts and abilities and Mel had times where she wondered if her calling was lost or misunderstood.

I realized during this prayer time that I need to quit being resistant and just be open to His leading, so I asked – “God, what do you want for us to do?” And then the answer came – “Go.” I’ll be the first to say that God doesn't speak audibly much, but I think sometimes it takes a life changing moment for Him to clear His throat. In that moment, I found my passion. In that moment, I found the burning desire to follow Christ with all that I have. In that moment, I found hope and a purpose.

After much prayer and conversation, Mel and I took this message and redirected our path. Questions began to surface – Where? When? What organization should we go with? How long? What about our friends and family? – but these questions seemed minor in light of God’s plan. If He has told us to go, then he’ll reveal the path to get there.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

A couple of weeks ago, Mel and I went to Indiana to interview with One Mission Society. We had been working through the application process for several months and had finally reached this pivotal point. We spent a day getting to know the inner workings of OMS and the expectations placed on us as missionaries. We met people from different offices and learned more about the philosophy of ministry that One Mission Society has had for over 100 years. Today, we received a phone call notifying us that we were approved as Missionaries with One Mission Society!

Over the last few months, God has laid Spain upon our hearts. This is the country where we feel that God is calling us to serve. 1% of the population of Spain consider themselves Evangelical Christians. 1% of 46 million people… and this is where faith comes into play. How exactly does around 500 thousand people reach out to over 45 million others with the Gospel of Christ? “I set myself on fire, and people come to see me burn.” The Gospel of Christ is attractive if there are followers that are serving Him passionately. I want to be one of those followers, and I believe that passion comes from purpose. With Christ, we all have a purpose, and I’m excited that Mel and I have reached the point of understanding that purpose.

More updates will follow, and I believe Mel will be posting something really soon. If you have any questions about the process or any questions for us, feel free to post a comment or to email me at reese.jdr@gmail.com.