For Such A Time As This

As we once again hit the itineration trail today, we encountered something we have never seen before. As we drove down Interstate 85, we saw thick black smoke ahead. Rounding the next bend in the highway, we saw a church bus on the opposite side of the highway fully engulfed in flames. 

As we pulled to the side of the road and watched, praying that no one was still in the bus, it only took minutes for the roof to cave in and the bus to be completely destroyed by the flames. Even from our side of the road, we could feel the heat of the flames. It only took a few more minutes for fire trucks to arrive and they had most of the flames put out very quickly. 

It is amazing to see, in a blink of an eye, how quickly circumstances can change and life, as we know it, comes to a screeching halt. The issues of life that we think are so important, so pressing, can instantly disappear or become so much less important when we face life or death. 

Thankfully, everyone was able to safely get off the bus. The question for us is...are we willing to go inches from hell to rescue one more soul. Are we willing to get out of our comfort zones to share Jesus' love with that person that God has been placing on our heart and mind? 

The Good News is only good if it gets there in time!

Our desire should be to take as many people as we can with us to heaven. How amazing would it be to get to heaven, and have someone say to you, "Thank you for telling me!" or  "Because of you, I am here today!" 

As we often share in churches, Scott told God when he was struggling with this calling, "God, I will not go now. When my children are grown and out of the the house, I will go where you want and do what you ask." After God got our attention through Scott's heart-attack and we finally said yes to His calling, our son, Matthew, came to us and asked, "If you had stayed here and waited until we were grown, what would have happened to all the little kids in Pavia right now?"

We would have missed an entire generation! 

WOW! 

I don't have any words to describe the hurt in my heart that I feel when I think of how close we came to missing God...to missing those little ones that need Jesus so desperately!! 

Do I think those children would have missed their opportunity to meet Jesus because of my disobedience? I honestly don't know, but I do know the pain in my heart when I think of that possibility. 

Esther 4:14 grows stronger in my Spirit every day, as I think about the life and death situation she faced, as Mordecai says to her, 

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews 

will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. 

And who knows but that you have come to royal position 

for such a time as this."

I don't want to be the one who said no and God had to send another. 

I am a child of the Most-High God! 

I have a royal position to fulfill! 

You are a child of the Most-High God! 

You have a royal position to fulfill! 

We have come to the kingdom for such a time as this!! 

Will you join me on this amazing journey that Jesus has called us to and fulfill our calling and go within inches of hell to claim just one more?

Inconvenienced...

Post #3 in a week. I'm on a roll now! ;D

I've been thinking about something I heard last fall at our District Women's Conference. The special speaker shared a statement that has been bouncing around in my head for over 6 months now.

She said..."We are only limited by our willingness to be inconvenienced."

Are we willing to be inconvenienced by the Holy Spirit? Are we willing to take time out of our day to do what He is leading us to do? Are we willing to listen and obey?

We have had this opportunity presented twice in the last week.

The first time was on Sunday, after a wonderful church service and delicious pot-luck with the church family.

We were heading down the mountain still dressed in our Sunday clothes and we passed an older couple with their three grandchildren stopped on the side of the mountain attempting to change a tire.

Scott quickly turned around and we headed back to help them. They had tried to call AAA, but could get no service that high on the mountain.

The older gentleman was having trouble finding the jack and once Scott began trying to loosen the lug nuts, we both realized this gentleman would have never been able to loosen them on his own. Scott was fighting with them pretty hard.

Within 15 minutes, Scott was done and we were preparing to head on down the mountain. Before we could leave, they insisted we take money from them. It was such a sweet surprise as we expected nothing in return.

It was one of those moments when God spoke to Scott's heart and in obedience he responded...yes.

Yesterday, we experienced the second opportunity. We were sitting in a Wendy's in Asheville eating a late lunch and as we sat there, I observed a young woman sitting by herself alternating between texting and making calls on her phone. Eventually she moved to the counter, and I listened as she asked where the closest bus stop was located. The ladies told her it was downtown. And to top it off, it was pouring rain.

I began feeling the Holy Spirit's tug on my heart, the whispered words of..."Are you willing to be inconvenienced?"

If that were not enough, Christian music was playing throughout the restaurant and at that very moment one of my favorites, Francesca Battistelli's "It's Your Life" began to play.

The lyrics pounded in my head as I sat there weighing my options, knowing there was only one.

This is the moment
It’s on the line
Which way you gonna fall?
In the middle between
Wrong and right
But you know after all

It’s your life
What you gonna do?
The world is watching you
Every day the choices you make
Say what you are and who
Your heart beats for
It’s an open door
It’s your life
Are you who you always said you would be?
With a sinking feeling in your chest
Always waiting for someone else to fix you
Tell me when did you forget

To live the way that you believe
This is your opportunity
To let your life be one that lights the way

What else could we do? So I looked at Scott and said, "Find out if she needs a ride."

He immediately knew what was going on inside of me and walked over to her. She did need a ride to the bus station and we were ready when she was. 

The ironic thing was...two other people came up and offered her a ride during this time.

It reminded me of the Scripture in Esther where she is facing life or death as she prepares to go before the king. Mordecai simply reminds her...

"For if you remain silent at this time, 

relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, 

but you and your father’s family will perish. 

And who knows but that you have come to royal position 

for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14

Had I not been obedient, God had a plan in place to take care of this young woman, but He wanted to use me and He wanted my obedience.

We drove her the few miles to the bus station and told her just a little about our family as she shared about her little girl and showed us her beautiful picture. 

We gave her our prayer card and told her to keep in touch. She promised she would and while I was typing this blog, not 3 hours later, she emailed us.

She thanked us for the ride, wished us well on our journey to Venezuela, told us of how she would like to come and visit our church one day, and requested our prayers for her and her family.

Of course, we will pray for her! 

God asked us to be a part of an opportunity that He presented to bless another and we said yes. 

I am ashamed to say we haven't always said yes. I'm not really sure how many times God has spoken to our hearts and we have either not heard him, or worse, ignored His promptings.

I don't share these two stories to pat ourselves on the back or brag about what we are "doing for God."

I share because I can't help but tell you what God is teaching me...us on this journey. 

The moments where we can be "Jesus with skin on" to someone in need are all around us. 

Are we willing to open our eyes to those opportunities...to be blessed beyond measure when we see how God can use us to minister to others?

The first couple was able to bless us back, the second young lady...well, we got to bless her without strings attached. And in the process, God blessed us with the the knowledge that...this time, we listened to His still small voice and were willing to be inconvenienced for Him!

“Then the King will say to those on his right, 

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; 

take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you 

since the creation of the world. 

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, 

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, 

I was a stranger and you invited me in, 

I needed clothes and you clothed me, 

I was sick and you looked after me, 

I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

   “Then the righteous will answer him, 

‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, 

or thirsty and give you something to drink? 

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, 

or needing clothes and clothe you? 

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

    “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, 

whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, 

you did for me.’

Matthew 25:34-40

Pride & Dependence

I know you are all shocked that I wrote another post so soon, but if I am ever going to get into a habit of doing this, it is now or never.

So I have injured myself while up here in the mountains. I made several mistakes which led to my ultimate downfall, pun intended.

First, I walked down the stairs in the dark.

Second, I was carrying my computer and Scott's iPad.

Third, I wasn't clearly watching where I was stepping.

Finally, I apparently got ahead of myself and stepped down two steps instead of just the one and turned my ankle completely over.

I heard a loud pop and went straight down to the floor. I didn't drop the computers, Woo Hoo! But at the cost of my ankle being the size of an orange or some other type of fruit.

I added a picture of both my feet so you can see the difference. After only one day, the bruising has begun, but the swelling has gone down.

I will live, but of course, my pride took a direct hit.

The Bible clearly tells us, 

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." 

Proverbs 16:18

Now I know that it is not necessarily referring to a literal fall and I can't say that I was being haughty as I came down the stairs, but my pride was hurt when I fell and I was very happy no one saw me.

I do believe that my pride has taken quite a few hits lately.

Not that getting my pride adjusted is a bad thing, but it concerns me that I have let it get out of control enough for my Heavenly Father to step in and bring a little humility to my flesh!

Not only have I had to deal with my pride, but my dependence on others. I am pretty self-sufficient and can do most things by myself. I really don't prefer people doing for me what I can do for myself.

And I am always dealing with that "I can do it better myself" mentality.

Maybe that is what the Lord is trying to teach me during this stage of our journey. That I depend too much on myself, letting my pride get the best of me, instead of laying matters at His feet and in humility allow Him to direct my steps...our steps on this walk of faith.

I thought it was interesting when I looked up the verse above to find in the same chapter, verses that God has been placing upon my heart over and over just recently.

It is almost as if He needed to stop me in my tracks long enough for me to look up this verse and realize all the others He has been trying to, not only show me, but get deep in my spirit.

Verses from Proverbs 16 like...

verse 1,

"To man belongs the plans of the heart, 

but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue."

and verse 3,

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, 

and your plans will succeed."

and even verse 7,

"When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, 

He makes even his enemies live at peace with him."

and lastly, but by far my favorite and the one God keeps bringing to my heart, verse 9,

"In his heart a man plans his course, 

but the LORD determines his steps."

Although, I know God didn't make me fall down the stairs, He certainly is using these moments of physical dependence on others to teach me spiritual dependence on Him...

for our physical well-being...

for our financial needs...

for our dog, Smokey, to have a good home that we can come back and visit him at when we are in the US...

for our house to sell to the right family at the right price at the right time...

for our monthly support to come in His timing and through His sources...

but mostly for our complete obedience to His will, in His way, and allowing Him to determine our steps.

16 Years of Togetherness!

I almost did it again!

I have procrastinated and almost waited another 5 months to update our blog!

It has, in actuality, been 4 months and 13 days. So I didn't wait quite as long.

But I would really prefer if I would write new posts more often.

Oh well, maybe one day I will get my ducks in a row, but until then, I will continue to write when the urge (or guilt ;D) hits me.

So, I am writing today, mainly because we are traveling and it is just easier to blog as we ride. And also, because I don't feel like I am neglecting some other more important task that I should be doing instead of sitting down typing on my computer. Since I have to sit for hours at a time in the truck, why not blog?!

In honor of today, April 20th, our 16th wedding anniversary, I would like to share about being together!

You see, one of the things we will have to get used to on the mission field is being together 24-7-365.
There will be times when Scott is gone on a trip or working in an area that is not as safe for the entire family and we won't be together, but for the most part, we will be with each other ALL the time.

What a rude awakening that could be to go from the every day; Scott goes to work, Charity stays home and teaches the kids...to togetherness all the time.

But God, in His wisdom, has already been preparing us for that part of the plan.

Scott has been unemployed for this entire itineration, not by his choice, not by AGWM's choice, but by unforeseen circumstances that our enemy meant for our detriment, but God meant to use for our growth.

We have learned to...

...trust more, knowing that He will provide for our needs.

...depend less, on ourselves and our abilities to get things done in our own way and time.

...be flexible with one another, learning how to live with each other like we never have before.

It is so much easier to learn to be together all the time here in the US than it will be to do the same with all the new stresses that only being in a new culture, speaking a different language can bring.

God, in His sovereignty, knew that and began preparing us almost 2 years ago.

Allowing my husband to continually be, in what has always been, 'my domain' was very hard at first. And there are still days when he can sense I need a break, and so he finds something to do elsewhere, even if it is just taking the trash to the dump. And when he doesn't sense it, then I sometimes have to convince him. ;D

But overall, God has used this time to stretch us in ways we could never have imagined. We are learning how to help one another with schooling our children, making it easier to serve together as a family once we are on the field.

We have more time to pray together, making it a habit to walk and pray together when it is easy and even more so, when it is not.

Our marriage is that much stronger because of our togetherness. Although there are days that we don't seem so happy with each other and we want to be in separate places for a little while, those times pass and we grow ever stronger in our resolve to be together forever.

Our children need to see a 'real' marriage. They need to see that even when we aren't happy with one another (because kids sense these things, even when we don't let them see us argue), we still love each other completely. They know that we are faithfully committed to our Savior, to one another, to each one of them and to the ministry that God is calling us to in Venezuela.

So, on this special day, I am thankful for the lessons that God has taught both of us during this time that Scott has been unemployed, lessons that only He could teach for His glory!

Happy Anniversary to my honey!

And to many, many years serving in missions...TOGETHER!

Life is a whirlwind!

It has been 5 months since my last post. Wow! I didn't mean to leave everyone hanging for so very long, but I have to say these past few months have been the busiest we have seen. We have traveled back and forth across the state of North Carolina too many times to count (at least right off hand)! We have also been to Florida and back and Scott has traveled up to Maryland, not to mention the two weeks he spent in Pavia, Venezuela with a NC District team at the end of July.

What a whirlwind of events, meetings, services and life has occurred during this time. We have spent a week and a half at Camp Dixie as Camp Missionaries, taken supplies to the OBX after Hurricane Irene, ran a 5K for Compelled by Love, and hauled 2400 pairs of shoes to Franklin, NC to participate in NC Women's Ministries Shoe Outreach for kids in need of shoes.

Sharing @ Camp Dixie with over 700 kids in 2 weeks

And in the midst, we have celebrated 4 of our 5 children's birthdays. We also celebrated with our beautiful daughter, Moriah, as she was Crowned as an Honor Star and Bronze Medal of Honor recipient, on August 13th, her birthday, to make it even more special.

Life has been busy to say the least.

And now, here we are in the midst of the holiday season. Having celebrated with our family for Thanksgiving, we are now making plans for Christmas gatherings here, there and everywhere as we share in our final services of the year.

This just makes it all become more real. Each last event here or there that we will participate in before we leave for the mission field; our last Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, etc. for at least 3 years in the US.

It is all getting closer and closer and I for one am getting a little twitchy about it! I am not nervous or worried or scared, although if I put a great deal of thought into it, I would be all the above!

I just know that I have to start getting my ducks in a row. It is time to make lists and pack things away and sell things and all the other 2 million things I need to do to prepare for leaving.

There are days when I look at my house and wonder how in the world am I going to condense our life down to 14 black footlockers each weighing no more than 50lbs. I am just praying that we can add a few more without too much extra cost when the time finally does arrive to leave.

God willing, in His perfect timing, we will be in Costa Rica for Language School hopefully sooner than later this year. Once 100% of our cash budget and monthly support are raised, we will be given clearance to leave. That could be as early as May or later on in August.

We have had tremendous results in the last month and have seen God's hand directing support from all directions. When we sent out our November newsletter, we were at 43% of our monthly support promised. As of right now, we are bumping 57% as God has brought in faith promises, not in large amounts, but in everyday, ordinary amounts at a steady rate.

He just keeps reminding us that in His timing, His perfect purpose for our family will take place. We (mostly me) just need to keep our eyes on Him, take each step in obedience and follow His call.

The season we now celebrate is the very reason we go!

How can we not share this wonderful story with anyone who will listen?

May your Christmas be filled with all the wonderful joy that His story imparts to us!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours,

Pre-Field Orientation & Missions Training

Okay, now that I have had a chance to get back into some semblance of order in my life again, I am ready to share about our trip to Missouri.

Scott & I
What a wonderful time of training as Scott & I went to classes each day Monday-Friday learning the ropes, so to speak. We had sessions from 9-12 each morning, lunch and then sessions from 1:30-5pm each afternoon, supper and sometimes a session from 6:30 to 8 in the evening, but only occasionally.

For three days, we had Regional Applications, where we heard from all the Area Directors, CINCEL Language School Directors, and Regional Directors over LAC (Latin America-Caribbean). We were blown away by their love and acceptance of us and how warmly they welcomed us into the LAC family!

New MAs and Appointed Missionaries to LAC!

They shared with us information pertinent to the culture in which we will soon be living. Attitudes and behaviors that may seem very strange to us here in the US are a part of life in that area of the world. We gleaned so much from those three days. We could have spent the entire two weeks there.

From the sometimes tedious sessions like Insurance and Reports and Visa/Travel to the deep spiritual studies like Missiology Theology & Maintaining Your Spiritual Walk, we were fully immersed in learning and developing into spiritually solid, paperwork completing, and culturally prepared missionaries.

Our last evening, we celebrated with the Missionary Associate (MA) Commissioning Service. As we worshipped with not only other new MAs, but Appointed and Veteran Missionaries from around the world, I couldn't help but stand there and let the tears fall. These people are fulfilling the Great Commission to "Go into all the World, and Preach the Gospel, Making Disciples of every Nation" and Scott and I and our children get to be a part of that! How Great is our God to allow us the opportunity to be a small part of that commission.

After worship, John Bueno, executive director over AGWM (Assemblies of God World Missions) shared with us tremendous words of encouragement and stories from his experiences on the field. Words are hard to come by when describing this wonderful servant and his wife, who in obedience to God's call, went in their early 20s to the country of El Salvador. They saw the need for educating children there and the fruit of their labor almost 50 years later: 37 LACC (Latin American Child Care) schools, one millions students educated, and a country transformed by the power of Jesus name.

John Bueno w/picture of all new MAs on the screen!

We were then called by name and country to the front to stand around our Regional Directors, Dick & Cynthia Nicholson and Brother Bueno read our charge and commissioned us as Missionary Associates of the Assemblies of God to go into all the world!

New LAC MAs w/Dick & Cynthia Nicholson!

Nicholsons, Talleys, Nelsons, Smiths & Tech!

Definitely a life-changing moment!!

Newly Appointed Missionary Associates, June 2011!!

Our Children
The kids each had their own classes where they learned about and prayed for their new country of Venezuela and the countries where all their fellow MKs (Missionary Kids) would be living and serving.

All 5 had "Eating Ministry" where they had to try different and unusual foods from all around the world. They all passed with flying colors! YAY! They may not have liked everything, but they at least tried it and that was the most important thing. Matthew ate a crawdad, shell and all! When we asked him if he liked it, he said, "It's meat! What's not to like about meat?!" :D

Matthew & Aiden trying new foods!

Merci with her plate of strange foods!

Matthew & Merci enjoyed field trips and fun adventures besides their class time during their two weeks.

Malachi, Moriah & Micah had more in-depth training. They went through "Boot Camp" and had quite an interesting time. They went caving and got all muddy, except the only mud in those caves was bat guano! Yikes! One day they went canoeing down the James River.

As the first week ended, the oldest three prepared for "MuKappa." Preparation included "customs," "checkpoints," "interrogation," "passport compliance," team-work as if they were a family, and sometimes, "jail." Once everything was in order they packed for MuKappa.

MuKappa is a 5 day camping trip out in the "boonies" with no soap, shampoo, deodorant, showers, toilets, cabins, beds, etc. They slept in hammocks under the trees with a single tarp over each kid. They washed in their bathing suits in the creek with camp "suds" and dug a latrine for their potty needs. In other words, they were roughing it! When they arrived, everything was dumped and put into big black trash bags that hung from tree limbs, while all contra-band was confiscated (things that weren't on the packing list).

As parents, we were allowed one visit and our kids had convinced us that we needed to bring in contraband! So we packed sodas, candy, gum, and deodorant in places that might not be searched ;D and headed out. We were stopped before we could get on the bus by security who wanted to see photo id. Since most of us did not have that on us, we had to bribe our way onto the bus in one way or another, from singing songs to giving up our water bottles.

Once we arrived at MuKappa, we had to march in single file lines, men on the left, women on the right, with our hands clasped together behind our heads! We marched through the creek, which was shin-high, (some of us having to stand in it while ATVs drove by soaking us through) over to the other side to our security check-point.

I made it through security will all my hidden stash. Scott, well, let's just say, he only had a couple of items left when he got through! They even tried to make him eat bananas (which he has a reaction to) as an "immunization" to enter "Mukappa land." He offered to eat grass instead. :D They took one of his Dr. Peppers and made everyone get down on the ground as they "disarmed" it, exploding it with a machete!

After customs, we had the great opportunity to visit with our children and see how they were growing in the Lord out in the middle of the wilderness! The time together was all too short and soon we were on our way back to campus.

Malachi and his hammock! 

Moriah with her hammock!

Micah & Dad beside his tarp & hammock!

Our children made life-long friendships. Their MK family is part of them no matter the time or space of separation. God has knit them together as a family forever. Our kids shed many a tear before we left, as we were leaving, and many times since. But that only makes the bond stronger and the times they have together more special.

Boot Camp and Mukappa were great teaching tools for all the children, but especially those going to sensitive countries or those going to countries where corruption is a part of life. They were made to see how real and sometimes scary it can be to go outside of our comfort zone here in America. They had to learn that your family is very important and you are a team together. They learned that they are missionaries too!

MKs are not Missionary's kids, they are Missionary Kids!

But most importantly, they learned that God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are always with them, wherever they go in this world. Their scripture for the two weeks will be with them forever!

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

Your hand will guide me,

Your right hand will hold me fast!

Psalm 139:9-10

Moriah even chose it for her life verse. As I read it, tears come to my eyes, because this verse is not just for my kids, it is for me and Scott and all of you too!

No matter where we go on planet Earth, God has placed us there and where God has placed you, He has called you!

His hand will guide you and me! His right hand will hold us fast!

What a great verse to put to memory and keep close to our heart at all times!

Scattered!

We are home again! After almost a month in Springfield, Missouri and then a final weekend at the Outer Banks of NC, we can take a breath and regroup! Not necessarily a deep breath, as we will be back in travel mode soon.

July will be just as busy as June, but in different ways, with some of us going in different directions. Along with several meetings and church services, we will each be heading somewhere with missions on our mind!

Malachi will be on his way first, going with Pastor Randy Thompson and the Kidzablaze team to minister to kids in Cherokee, NC and then back to Camp Dixie for two weeks!

Then Scott heads for Pavia, Venezuela on the NC District trip for 10 days at the end of July, ministering to the people there and doing some manual labor to work on the facilities.

Moriah, Micah and Matthew (along with Isaiah & Ian Nelson) head to Kids Camp at Camp Dixie the last week of July!

I get to be Camp Nurse at Camp Dixie for the final week of Camp, along with my good friend and co-worker in Christ, Angela Nelson. This will allow Merci (and Imanuel) some fun camp time as well!

Lastly, our family has the privilege of being Camp Missionaries for Camp Dixie this year! So the last two Thursdays & Fridays of July, the kids and I will be sharing about Venezuela with these wonderful kids from all over NC!

I would love to share more about our time in Springfield as time permits, but for right now, please keep our family in your prayers as we are scattered here and there during July!