Win or Lose, We're Going to Praise God

This past week as we were traveling to eastern Virginia and back for some Partnership Development opportunities, our boys were watching a movie in the car, "Facing the Giants." Even though I've seen and heard the movie many times, it was near the end of the movie that God really began to prick my heart. As a matter of fact, Christy and I had a conversation where I told her these words, "I'm not so sure I could do that." Want to know what I'm talking about? Check out this clip I found on You Tube.



I'm not sure if you've seen the movie (if not you need to) or not but I really sensed in my spirit that even though they were talking about a football game, God was talking to me about these next 31 days of Partnership Development. You see, as of right now my everything is riding in our being able to fly to Central America on August 24th. To use the old saying, I have all of my eggs in that one basket. And in that car ride, I really sensed God asking me, "whether you win or lose" (in other words, whether you make it to Central America on August 24th or not) "will you still praise me?"

As I've already mentioned, if I'm being honest with you, it took me a couple of days to get to the point where I can finally say, no matter what happens, come August 24th I will praise God. Will I praise Him because we fly out? No. Will I praise Him because we stay behind? No. I will praise Him simply because He is worthy of my praise!

But here's what we're committed to do. Just as the clip said, we are going out there on that field and we are giving it our all and we are leaving the rest to God. We know we have giants to face (as Christy referred to in her recent FB post, mountains). We get the fact that with about 30 days until flight day, and really 16 days until we'd have to order tickets, we are still in need of about 25% of our funding. But we stand resolved that our God is able to conquer giants. Do you believe that with us? Will you stand with us?

I believe that the same God who desires to conquer the giants in our life, desires to conquer them in yours as well. We would be honored and privileged to stand with you in your battle, if you'd let us know how we can. Here's to our giant-conquering God; here's to watching Him continue to do His giant-conquering thing!

In awe of Him,
Barry

God's Perfect Timing

This is not exactly the blog I thought I'd be writing this evening, but sometimes life's events and circumstances have a way of forcing things upon you. Then again, maybe it's not so much about life as it is about God, using His ways, to get our attention.

This afternoon, while finishing off my lunch, I had a very peculiar and interesting thing happen to me. As I was taking the last bite of my sandwich (actually I was finishing Seth's), my top left front tooth fell out of my mouth. I know, "nasty, gross, thanks for sharing." Good thing I didn't share the picture with you, I guess.

Here's the interesting tidbit: we are presently 5 hours away from home on a Partnership Development trip. We've already shared time with two pastors this week and have one more visit tomorrow as well as to a church tomorrow evening. Perfect timing you say?

Actually, outside of the immediate "I can't believe this just happened" (although I've been somewhat expecting it for two years) and the occasional chuckle (of love I'm sure) from those closest to me, it's really not been that traumatic, painful, or emotional. It is definitely a God thing, but almost immediately God began to reveal how perfectly timed this incident really was. You see, although we're 5 hours from home right now, we will be home for 2 days at the end of this week where I will be seeing my dentist. Come Saturday, we are out of state (more than 14 hours at one point) for those next three weeks.

There have been some who have suggested that perhaps this was an attack of the devil since God has been moving so miraculously on our behalf these past couple of weeks (in relation to our family and Partnership Development). The more I processed that, the more I came to the conclusion that this was not an attack at all by anybody. I truly believe that God is using this incident as another sign that He is preparing to release our family to Central America on August 24th. In this regard, He is allowing me to receive the utmost dental care at a place I trust from a man who we hold in high esteem. Can you imagine if this would have happened five short weeks from now; who knows what kind of "emergency" dental care I could find.

God continues to reveal His prefect plan, set upon His perfect timing. There have been so many things lately that would indicate to us that God is "preparing the way." From our support level (number of monthly/recurring financial partners) jumping 17% in just over a week (now at 75% raised); to Barry III and Austin's amazing God encounters at Teen Camp two weeks ago (if you haven't seen the video of them sharing, check out Christy or my wall on Face Book from July 14th); to now this, we are convinced in our hearts, even though there is still a God-sized miracle in front of us, that God is preparing to release us for this next phase of the journey come August 24th (keep believing and praying with us).

I want to challenge you to look around in your life. What examples are there of God working out His perfect timing? You might have to take a second look (or bite) but it's there.

With love,
Barry

Stepping out of the Boat - A Blog by SETH

Hi, it's Seth. I would like to tell you about a boat. I like boats. This boat is called the comfort boat. That means you and everything you're comfortable with is in the boat but everything else is outside the boat.

To get out of the boat, you will have to listen to me.
Step 1 - You have to trust God
Step 2 - You have to be willing to let everything go
Step 3 - You have to be flexible
Step 4 - You have to be ready to fight the devil

I can remember when my parents called me and my bros into the living room for a family meeting. We weren't planning on crying but we spent the next 30 minutes crying when they told us we were going to be missionaries.









It has been a hard process for me like giving up my best friends, Andrew DiMaio and Rishi Bhojwani. Rishi is on the left and Andrew is in the middle, while I am on the right










So that's halfway out of the boat. I still have to get there and when I do I fully believe God will help me through everything. He has helped me when I got a pencil in my leg. I was happy when God helped the doctor get the pencil out.

God has helped me get out of the boat so I have a quarter of the way left. I will tell you how he helped me. He gave some people I know to give me money for my birthday so I got an I-Pod to text my friends and relatives.

I can't wait to get there; God will help everyone to get out of the boat!

Thanks for reading,
Seth

On the Oceans

For the past several years I have helped to plan a Middle School Retreat for Dayspring Christian Academy (where I worked).  Each year our administrator creates a theme for the school year that he "launches" at the retreats.  It has been my heart's desire to grow along with each student through the themes and to allow Jesus to do a work in me.

For the 2013-2014 school year, our administrator, Dug Hampton, felt the Lord leading him to this specific theme "In the Faithful Grasp of Grace, Tell Me to Come to You on the Water."  Little did he know (or did I know) that the Lord would use that theme to confirm the call the Lord was placing on my life to serve Him in Central America.

You see, I had previously resigned two times from DCA during my first two years teaching there.  Each time, Dug told me that he did not think it was my time to go and that he wasn't going to accept my resignation letter.  Each time the Lord did not allow me to be released from DCA.  During my devotional time one afternoon, during the spring of 2004, the Lord met me in a real special way.  I was reading in Philippians when the Lord spoke to me through Paul's words in the following verses:

Philippians 1:22-25 New International Version (NIV)

22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

I felt like the Lord was speaking directly to me, "Christy, I know you would rather be in another school.  However, I need you at Dayspring."  From that moment on I made an agreement with the Lord that I would not question whether or not I should stay at DCA until Jesus spoke directly to me.  I honored that commitment until March of 2013 when Jesus started wooing, speaking, and changing both Barry and my hearts.

However, it was during the middle of the Middle School Retreat as the project worship team was playing that I really felt a confirmation that God was calling me out of educational leadership and into leadership development for the pastors and female leaders in Central America.  The Lord has used this song (the theme song for 2013-2014 school year) to challenge and speak to our entire family.  And he continues to use it, even in our most recent worship encounter at Power '15.

At this moment, I feel like I am out in the middle of the ocean.  We have surrendered everything: our professions (both Barry's pastoring at Radford Wesleyan, June 2014, and now mine - educational leadership at DCA, May 2015); our home (we are currently living with friends and will begin a traveling tour to WV, IN, MI, OH, NY in a little over a week); our belongings (all our possessions are being stored in a 10 x 10 space, we will bring 2 totes per person with us); soon to be our vehicles and so much more along the way.  We are out in the ocean trusting that Jesus will provide monthly financial partners so that we can leave August 24th for the borders of Central America and language school.    

There are many moments where the overwhelming waves take my sight off of the most amazing God.  At times I feel like the goals are unreachable, the details are too many, the understanding is too lacking and that we are just plain crazy.  It is during those moments that I watch my Jesus reach down and pull my faith and me back up.  He continues to remind us that borders and waves are all a part of His plan and that He is capable, where we are lacking. 

We are trusting God and praying for miracles.  Will you join us?

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