Lessons from a "Shelf Elf"

I started writing this blog the other evening and quickly put my "pen" down. My fear is that the "Elf on the Shelf" phenomenon has so quickly escalated that it has risen to a place where there's more focus on him than on Jesus, and I didn't want this blog to further perpetuate that. However, the more I thought about these lessons I've learned from our very own Elf (Santie-Carl), I believe that perhaps instead of this blog taking us further away from the true focus of Christmas, it may reorient us right back to the center of it all, Jesus Christ.

This is the second year now that Santie-Carl has made his appearance. Some of his overnight gags have been tasteful and cute; others have been clever and witty; yet, there are still others that have been messy and gross. Yet despite the variety, there are three lessons that our elf (or perhaps our boys, through the elf) has taught me.

Disclaimer: for the sake of some of our older boys, allow me to say that not every one of our guys is as enamored and excited by the elf as the others.

Now to the lessons:

1) Jesus is present...every morning our boys wake up, they wake up looking for Santie-Carl. "Where can I find him?" He's been found in the tree (last year); behind a plant (wonder what he was doing back there); even hanging from the ceiling fan cord. Yet, day after day, regardless of where he is, our boys go searching for Santie-Carl. What if I woke up each and every day searching for Jesus? What if I spent the entirety of each day looking for Jesus; looking to find him? The Bible says he's continually with us, but do I always look for him? Do you always look for him?

2) Jesus is working...each evening that our boys go to bed, they go to bed with anticipation and wonder at what Santie-Carl is going to do while they're asleep. Will he cover the bathroom entrance with toilet paper; will he write on the mirror; will he leave "something" on the table or in the toilet? Regardless of what Santie-Carl should do, there's always the anticipation of it. This Christmas season, what am I, or what are you, anticipating Jesus to do? Is your life filled with wonder at what he wants to do in you, through you, and for you?

3) Jesus is returning...for the sake of preventing embarrassment here I'll not name which boy, but one of them literally cried for hours when Santie-Carl "went away" last year. It was so bad, that Santie-Carl had to sneak away from the Elf Factory to surprise him on his birthday. But do you know the impact that left on my boy? All year he has been living with the hope that Santie-Carl would make a return appearance. What about you? What about me? Am I living my life with the hope of Christ's return? And not just with the hope, but living it in such a way that when he does return he will find me worthy. In this Advent season, let us remember that the glory of Christmas does not lay solely in the fact that Christ came as a baby; he is coming again, triumphantly and gloriously - are we ready!

Merry Christmas, from my family (The V-Team) to yours,
Barry

El Salvador or Bust

Do you believe that God still provides? Do you believe that He meets every need? Do you believe that He even gives you the desires of your heart? I am here to tell you, "He most certainly is that God!"

Back in September, I was invited by our esteemed District Superintendent, Rev. Greg Reynolds, to be part of an administrative trip he was leading to El Salvador, December 4-11. It would be a trip focused on encouraging the Wesleyan work in that country; intentional investing in our national leader there (Rev.'s Rene and Zoila Melendez) as well as the other pastoral families. There would be visiting of churches, teaching of lessons, preaching of sermons, and whatever else we could do to be a blessing.

I was stoked at the idea of visiting one of the countries that we will be working with once we get to Central America. The only problem - the cost. As Pastor Greg outlined the costs involved, my heart slowly sank little by little. I knew there was no way possible we could swing the money for me to go. So I gave the "pat" Christian answer - I'll pray about it - even though I knew it would never happen.

About six weeks later I received a phone call that demonstrated once again how God truly is the Great Provider; how when our desires our lined up with his desires, he removes the "im" from the word impossible. Long story short, 100% of my trip is being taken care of. How cool is God?!

Now for, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story...

Given that none of us who are going are fluent in (or speak any) Spanish, there has always been an interpreter traveling with us. As God would have it, our traveling interpreter is none other than our Area Director, Jarvis Ferguson. That detail in itself only worked out in the past month. So now, not only do I get to be part of everything I've already mentioned, but I also get to be engaged in the work there with an toward future ministry and partnership. "What will theological training look like on the ground there?" "How can we mobilize disciples there to become missionaries themselves? "What are the goals of the national church as it relates to..."

It is most definitely a God-orchestrated trip for which I am most humbled and grateful! I have the most amazing family who I hate leaving behind (hopefully the next time I touch down on foreign soil we will all be departing the USA together). Yet they have sacrificially released me for such a time as this.

I would be honored if you would consider praying for the trip. I would also be grateful if you remembered in prayer the rest of the V-Team who will be stateside.

Lovingly and appreciatively,
Barry

Thankful for Cat Food

I'm not a big fan at all of cats, but today I'm awfully thankful for cat food. Want to know why? Keep on reading.

I intended to write a very different blog this week. It was going to be more of a "Part 2" to last week's blog. I was going to share how, in response to my vulnerability on that Sunday I shared about, God did some pretty awesome things in our life; some things that I was going to share thanks about in advance of our upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. In particular I was going to share, and maybe will in more detail at a later time, how God made it possible for me to be part of an upcoming mission trip to El Salvador by paying my way completely.

However, that all changed today as I had a flashback in, of all places, the pet food aisle of a local grocery store. As I watched my grandmother pick up (and subsequently throw down into the cart) two containers of cat food, my mind quickly tracked back in time to about 30 years ago. There I was, an nine year old boy, hurriedly pushing the grocery cart up and down the aisles of another local grocery store, trying to keep up with grandma as she meticulously eliminated items from her shopping list, one by one. The trip this day was a lot more slower paced and grandma, herself, pushed the cart as she leaned upon it for support. Instead of a buggy full of groceries, she had just a few items to cover the next few days. And, in a spirit of transparency, perhaps I should have come back from my memory a little sooner; perhaps then I would've been able to keep Grandma from running into that other shopper. Oops!

So, what am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? I'm thankful for another opportunity to go grocery shopping with my grandmother! (I know, who would've thought that the guy who hates everything to do with shopping would say that). Yet, at much as my thanks is related to this shopping experience, it's really about so much more. You see, my grandmother is truly my spiritual hero. She's the one, along with my grandfather, who showed me what it meant to live in relationship with Jesus and who subsequently introduced me to him. It was she who invested in me, day after day, month after month, and year after year. It was her persistent prayers that caused this rebellious teenager to turn his heart back toward Jesus. I could go on and on, but I think you get my point.

At 93 and counting, I don't know how many more Thanksgiving holidays my grandmother will get to celebrate this side of eternity. But I'm thankful she'll get to celebrate this one; and I'm even more thankful that I'll get to celebrate it with her.

Who are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Be sure you let them know!

Humbled and thankful,
Barry

The Death of a Pastor

Blackness...Void...Depression...Grief...

Those words don't conjure up very nice and flowery images; and they're probably not the way one should start a blog, especially a blog dedicated to chronicling the adventures of a family who's called to serve Jesus overseas. However, to ignore those words is to deny their very existence in my life.

What if I told you that I died this year? Would you believe me? What if I told you that I died on June 1, 2014; would you believe me then? Obviously, I'm writing this blog so you know we're not talking about a physical death, but it was certainly a death nonetheless. June 1st was the day I died as a pastor. While I concede to your argument that since I'm still an ordained minister, I'm still a pastor, the reality is that for me, being a "pastor" is directly tied to serving in a "pastorate" and that all ended for me nearly 6 months ago now as I stepped away from local church ministry to follow Jesus, alongside my family, to another part of the world.

As excited as I was, and have continued to be, about this new journey, I was dying inside and the sad part is that I didn't even realize it. But with each passing day the clouds grew thicker and the storm raged louder and pretty soon there was nothing but black. I carried on with the everyday affairs of life; with getting my family ready and out the door every day; with serving at the boys' school; even with the daily and weekly grind of Partnership Development. Yet, little by little, my joy and exuberance for life were being stolen from right underneath my nose.

Why wasn't I more motivated? Why was I so emotionally distant? Why...why...why...I had lots of questions but very little answers. That all began to change one late October day as I received a letter and enclosed gift. It was given to me as a "little something" to express gratitude during Pastor Appreciation Month. And that's when I lost it. As much as my losing it was about what was written in that letter, it was about so much more. It was about the God of all the Universe, who cared enough about me, that he would use that letter to open my eyes to the reality that I had spent the past five months grieving a death, The story doesn't end there however...

We showed up to a church that next Sunday to once again share our story. My plan was to end our presentation the same way I had countless other times, by sharing out of John 21. Yet as soon as our worship encounter began, I knew God was prodding my spirit to do something different. For the next 30 minutes I went back and forth with God...I hadn't planned this particular text...I hadn't developed it as fully...is this more about me than the Church...As Christy and I began our presentation, I still wasn't convinced I had accurately perceived the Holy Spirit. While I spoke to the congregation, I didn't think much about it. But every time Christy stepped up to speak, I was consumed with which direction I was supposed to go. Finally it was crunch time; Christy stepped off the platform and I had a decision to make. By this point I knew God was directing me to speak out of this other text but would I be obedient was the question. As I hemmed and hawed for a few moments (that's when Christy snapped the above picture, knowing something was up), I just released the moment to God and began speaking from this other text...Acts 27:13-26.

If you're unfamiliar with this passage, this is the account where the apostle Paul got shipwrecked; although he was now a prisoner, he was on his way to bring the Good News of Jesus all the way to Caesar. While he knew in his heart that was his mission, I don't imagine he envisioned getting there in this capacity. As I started reading verse 20, my voice began to quake: "When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved." In a moment of transparency I began sharing my story; this journey of grief and depression that for so long had entrapped me and to which I wasn't even aware.

And then we came to verses 22-24: "But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night, an angel of the God to whom belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.'"

Did you catch what God was saying to Paul? This storm and looming catastrophe will not take you out! You are on a mission from me and together we will make it there.

And what God did in those next few moments was truly miraculous and benevolent! In my vulnerability and brokenness and transparency, God brought about his mighty hand of deliverance. In those moments I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that God had just set me free from the bondage and shackles of depression that was associated with my grief. In a split second he turned my mourning into joy! And all across that sanctuary there were others being freed as well.

I realize now that death, my death, had to happen. And the promise of scripture is that death, in Christ, is the gateway to life. In death, there is resurrection and that is the hope I have. If you noticed the tombstone, it has the word "HOPE" etched on it. I am filled with the hope of not only my salvation, but of the fact that dying to the pastorate will (and has) bring life to our mission to Central America.

Thanks for your prayers; thanks for carrying me through this most difficult season that perhaps, you like me, didn't even realize I was on. You are most loved and greatly appreciated!

Barry

$4.80 Repentance

We were recently on the road again, this time to WV (State slogan – “Wild and Wonderful”). Little did I know upon our embarking that the first part of our trip would be more wild than wonderful. It all began with a quick stop-off for breakfast; upon leaving the restaurant, my coffee went from being carefully contained within its Styrofoam container to being bumped and thus freely flowing down my arm. Fortunately for me, I was wearing a light coat and so I ripped off the now wet and stained garment, threw it in the back of the vehicle and subsequently slammed the trunk closed. Words were then shared (mostly loud and one-directional) and then we were off again.

Life was “good” for the next 17 miles…until I realized we were quickly approaching the first of three toll booths along our route. At $2 per toll, 6 booths round-trip, that’s $12 total. While a bit aggressive on the fee, it’s alright because I have my trusty EZ-Pass automatic toll transponder stuck to my windshield. Oh wait, that’s right I don’t have that transponder after all. Months back it fell off its adhesive strip, and so when I decided to take my more fuel efficient vehicle on a previous trip to Michigan, I brought along the transponder just in case I needed it and of course forgot to put it back in the present vehicle. That’s okay, we have cash; NOT, who carries cash with them anymore? What in the world are we going to do?

As we near the toll booth I realize I do have $4 in my wallet, but that won’t be enough to clear all the tolls. Perhaps they take credit cards; in case you’re wondering for future reference that would be a NO! “We only take cash, sir, but don’t worry, you can do a no-pay and we’ll send you a bill along with a $5 surcharge per toll.” Are you kidding me? My $12 in tolls just went to $42? I decide to just pay $2 here and then find an ATM at one of the travel stops along the way. At this point you can only imagine how grace-filled my exit from the toll booth was! And now for the icing on the cake…I had put my wallet on the dash to more easily manipulate the opening and closing of it at the toll booth. Now, as I went to return the rejected credit card to its rightful place within the left tri-fold of the wallet, the entire contents of my wallet spilled out between my seat and the center console. With a gentle (or not-so-gentle as you’ve probably picked up on) toss, I heaved my lifeless wallet to the floorboard in front of me.

At that moment I began having a pity party and the only person invited was me. “Are you kidding me Lord? Here we are trying to share Your story with Your church and look at this morning. First my coffee; then the toll booths; now the wallet. Don’t you care?” God remained silent for a long time; at least I couldn’t hear him for a while. About 2 miles before I was supposed to pull off at the next travel stop (to get cash out of the ATM for the remaining tolls) I sensed the Holy Spirit beckoning me to look at the GPS and rethink our route. (HINT: this is where God’s humor and provision come in) As I look at the GPS, telling me I’m getting off the toll road in 5 miles, I quickly realize (because we travel this way often) that the other two toll booths are beyond my exit. Sure enough, as we got off Exit 48 we paid a measly $0.40 toll, which Christy had in her purse.

“Wait a minute Lord…are you telling me that even though I forgot the EZ-Pass and even though I only had $4 in cash (and I don’t usually have any), you’ve made it be enough?” I have to tell you, there was plenty of repentance and forgiveness-asking going on in that car. First and foremost, to my Lord and Savior and to my Great Provider. Secondly, to my wife who took the brunt of my frustration. Lastly, to my boys who had been left a terrible example of how to respond to adversity.

If you’ve ever wondered if your prayers for us make a difference, let this past Sunday be case-in-point that they most definitely do. It was your prayers that brought me to repentance over $4.80. It was your prayers that helped me battle back against the enemy. It was your prayers that saved the morning and the day for the Kingdom of God and for what God wanted to accomplish in our hearts and in the hearts of the folks we shared with. Thanks for your continued prayers for the V-Team; prayers that we (particularly I) would respond more healthily and God-honoring during adversity.

Grateful for you,
Barry

"Faith of a Mustard Seed"

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

This verse seems to get spouted quite often when telling someone to “just have faith.” Yet, I think there’s something even more powerful going on here. The context of this passage is that Peter, James and John have just gone up the mountain with Jesus and there they got to behold the glory and awesomeness of Jesus, the Son of God. At some point after coming down the mountain, a man brings his son to them in order for them to cast out the demon and they are unable to do so.

How often are we (speaking to myself) just like these disciples? As soon as we “come down from the mountain”, we too forget about the awesomeness and power of our God. Yet, how incredible, that our God is the same God on the top of the mountain as He is in the bottom of the valley!

If I’m (Barry) being honest with you, we are facing an incredible mountain in our lives. We believe it is part of God’s plan for us to be in Central America this January. However, in order for that to happen, we must be 100% funded. We are presently right at 22% (my apologies for unknowingly misrepresenting that number previously). We have certainly been witness to the glory and awesomeness of Jesus in our lives these past 9 months since we were appointed as missionaries. However, the enemy is trying to use this mountain (this financial hurdle) to bring doubt into our life and to distract us from the goal ahead. Yet we are choosing, by faith, to say to this mountain, “Move from here” and we believe that God wants to use you to help move this mountain.

While 100% funded by the end of the year is our ultimate goal, our immediate goal is 50% by the end of September. Ultimately, that is an additional $3,200 per month. How does that break down? If 32 people each committed $100 per month, or if 64 people each committed $50 per month, or even if 128 people committed $25 per month, we would reach our goal. Are you able to commit to one of those levels; maybe more, maybe less? Regardless of what you can commit, every commitment helps release us for God’s “Next” for our family!

Some of you who just read this are already monthly financial partners (46 total) and we say, “Thank you!” Others of you (360 total) have already signed up to be on the Team, just not as a monthly financial partner and we thank God for you as well. Would you be willing to make a monthly commitment and become a financial partner as well? Still, for others of you who have read this, we haven’t even had the opportunity yet to talk to you directly about being part of the Team, but yet we present to you the same opportunity.

To make that monthly commitment, just click this link http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/minfo/WM04-0393 and it will take you directly to our page on the Global Partners website. Once there, just click "FAITH" (under our picture) and a new page will open up where you can register your commitment.

Thanks in advance for being part of the blasting crew in removing this part of the mountain!

The V-Team is M.I.A.

Maybe you have noticed that the V-Team has been M.I.A. 

(missing in action) or maybe not.  Although there have not been many blogs written, the Lord has been writing several fantastic pages in our chapter of life called, "A Summer of Partnership Development."

We have been blessed to travel from side of the United States to the other.  On the way we have rekindled some amazing relationships, create some new relationships and have taken time to grow professionally in this new field of missions.  The boys have had fun and have been growing, as well.

Here is a quick overview of our travels from the beginning of June to the beginning of July.

I, Christy, traveled to the beautiful State of Washington for a high school graduation

We love you, Amber, and are so proud of the young woman of God you are!  Looking forward to hearing all that God has in store for you!

The boys came to pick me up from Wisconsin.  We were able to see several dear friends and spend some time visiting Lake Michigan.

We left Wisconsin to celebrate my father's 60th birthday and then Father's Day.  We were blessed to share our story with Lakeville United Methodist Church.

After our Father's Day lunch we left Lakeville and traveled to Indiana Wesleyan University for "Missionary Training Institute" with Global Partners.  We spent two weeks with intense training (the boys had their own training during our training).  During our stay in Marion, IN we were blessed to meet up with friends we hadn't seen for a while and share our story with Eastview Wesleyan Church.

We ended the two weeks being commissioned to serve as Global Partners Missionaries to Central America!

We left Indiana and drove to Virginia Beach where we shared at Broadcast Church all that the Lord has been doing in our lives.  It was great to hear and see the vision Pastor Jess has for the Chesapeake area.  After our visit at the church we look a small two day break at the beach.  We were very excited to spend time with Barry's cousins (Diego, Casey, Carmen and Ashley).

And the boys' passports came in!!!!

We left the Beach to return to our new home (my sister's house).  We were so excited to re-unit with some of our dear friends.

During those travels,the Lord blessed us with many new relationships, more prayer partners and some great financial partners.  We are so blessed to have so many people joining our team and being Jesus' hands and feet in Central America.  It is exciting to see the number of people "going (figuratively not literally)" to Central America with us growing.

We are excited to be able to get our feet in Central America.  Please join us in praying for our ministry to the North American Church as we prepare to leave.

As One Chapter Writes Its Final Words a New Chapter Writes Its First Words

Sunday, June 1st the Lord was writing the final pages of The V-Team's time as the pastoral family at Radford Wesleyan Church.  It grieves my heart (puts knots in my stomach and tears in my eyes) just to type that.  

RWC has been home for 11+ years.  She has been a part of many wonderful days (the birth of two of our boys, the salvation story of all four of our boys, the Lord calling me into full-time ministry, my graduation from graduate school, both Barry and I experiencing freedom from things in our pasts, and many more).  She has also walked alongside us during life's challenging times (my parent's separation, their divorce, their new marriages, a newborn with breathing concerns, and so much more).  RWC has allowed Barry to grow in to an amazing pastor, mentor and leader.

Radford Wesleyan sent our boys out with a special blessings.  Each first Sunday the church has a "Penny March for Missions."  For the past three months the church has been "secretly" saving the "Penny March" money to give to the V-Team boys as support of the boys' new ministry.

They then had the church pray over our guys and the new ministry they will have.  What a blessing to have a home church who cares about our kids' lives and ministries'.

We were then blessed to have two of our good friends sing a special (this was the first time John had sung publicly).  

Barry preached his final sermon at RWC; challenging the people to continue their partnership with Radford Wesleyan Church.  I continue to be blessed by MY pastor's leadership and heart for the church (whether that means he is the pastor of that church or not).  We both believe, with all our hearts, that Radford Wesleyan's best days are still to come and that God has something special in store for her.

Today, Saturday, June 7th, as I on the other side of the United States in the state of Washington, the V-Team Boys are moving out of the place we called home for 11+ years 

(1011 Dundee Drive, Radford, VA 24141).  They are bringing Austin's pet guinea pig, Cocoa, to her new home with The Deu family.  

Then they will move into our new temporary home and our permanent address, 

for while we are in Central America , 

(3020 Mud Pike, Christiansburg, VA 24073).

This upcoming week we will begin all our summer traveling.  We covet your prayers for our family as we head to Missionary Training Institute (June 15th - June 27th).  We will be learning a lot of information, the boys will be learning as well.  Please pray that we will be able to be Jesus' hands and feet even as we grow and learn.

We would, also, like to ask you to pray as we travel and share our story in several different locations.  Feel free to follow our traveling at http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/minfo/WM04-0393.  We are excited to meet new friends and we are praying for new partners in ministry.

We currently have approximately 25% of our fundraising needs.  We have a long way to go and are trusting God's timing.  Would you like to join the V-Team in helping us get this next chapter written?  You can join our team at http://www.wesleyan.org/gp/minfo/WM04-0393.  Thanks for praying for this need, as well.

"Let it Go"

Last week I had the privilege to spend some time with the kindergarten class at Dayspring Christian Academy during their lunch and recess time.  I had a blast helping them with their lunches and playing with them on the monkey bars (as a principal, with a busy teaching schedule, I do not get the opportunity to do this as much as I would like).

During that lunch hour two sweet little girls came up to me and began singing the popular song, "Let It Go."  At the time I had fun listening to them sing, thinking about the movie Frozen and playing.  However, a couple of days later "Let It Go" has become the theme song of my life.

Within a couple of days people were rummaging through my belongings like vultures feasting on an animal who recently passed away.  I was reminded on several occasions throughout our yard sale that we must be willing to "let go" of our earthly if the Lord asks us to.  At this time of my life, the Lord is asking me and my family to "let it go."

It isn't just our "stuff" that we find ourselves "letting go" of.  We are "letting go" of relationships as we know them, a community we have grown to love, a church family who has stood beside us through several extremely challenging years of life, the safety and security of knowing (just knowing anything...just anything), really I could continue to add to this list.

In the middle of all this crazy busy weekend we found ourselves "letting go" of dear family friends and partners of the V-Team.  Our friends have chosen to follow God to another city in another state.  B3 "let go" of one of his best friends and Barry and I said good-bye to an amazing couple friend who we have grown to love.

The amazing thing is, as we are "letting go" God is reaching down and holding on.  His peace, confirmation and faithfulness have been what keeps our hands being able to "let go."  We find ourselves trusting more.  His faithfulness has not failed and it just seems to grow with each new day.

Please continue to pray for the V-Team as we end our chapter of ministry (and "let go") at Radford Wesleyan Church on Sunday, June 1st.  I am sure our church family would appreciate prayers, as well.  We will be moving out of the parsonage (and "letting go") of the place we have called home for almost 12 years on June 4th (pray for an easy transition for the boys and us).  We will be beginning a very busy summer traveling to Wisconsin, Indiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and New York.  Pray for us as we "let go" of summer as we have known them and embrace the traveling and new relationships.

Thanks for your partnership with the V-Team.  You are a treasure to us!

Caught Between Two Worlds

On the surface, one would think that I am merely referring to the fact that while my heart is in Central America, I am still residing in North America. While that is certainly true, there's more to this than meets the eye. 

For the past eleven years I have been Lead Pastor at the Radford Wesleyan Church. I love pastoring in this community more than words can tell and I love the people even more than that. This has been one of the most gut wrenching seasons of my life, choosing to leave behind those who have given everything to serve Jesus in the trenches right along with me. And so here I find myself, caught between the world of finishing well (June 1st) and having things adequately prepared for my successor and the world of being in the thick of Partnership Development (in order to make dream of ministering in Central America a reality). 

God has blessed Christy and I with four amazing sons (as you probably already know) who have literally become my newest heroes in how they are adapting and preparing for a life unlike anything they've ever known before. And here I find myself caught between the world of ensuring my kids have everything they need/want and are living life better than I lived and the world of asking my kids to be willing to "give it all up" for Jesus.

Who am I that God would call me to serve Him in another part of the world? I still don't have a good answer other than we were just willing to be obedient. And as I think about the stark difference between living life in America versus living life in Central America, I know in my heart that everything and every part of the process is all worth it because what we're about to do, will, if nothing else, make a difference for eternity. And yet here I find myself caught between the world of the temporal (the things here and now that Jesus says will not last) and the world of the eternal (that which Jesus says will last forever.

Maybe this blog post means I'm not qualified to be a missionary. Or perhaps it means that accepting appointment as a missionary doesn't automatically snuff the human-ness right out of you. Just maybe this process is more about the transformation of my spirit than the relocation of my house.

Are you felling "caught" these days? If so, I invite you to press in a little closer to Jesus with me saying, :Lord, whatever you need to do in me, do!"

Thanks for listening,

PB