Support Trip - Fall 2015

We are officially at the end of our first term as missionaries. Due to our Irish visa, we can only leave the country for 90 days, so we will be doing a "shortened itineration" (fundraising trip).

AG World Missions (our sending organization) gives us a two-sided budget: monthly and cash. Our monthly budget (funded by monthly givers) goes to our living expenses, insurance, office expenses, weekly travel expenses, etc. Our cash budget goes towards purchasing Bibles, outreach events, special ministry travel, etc. 

Thanks to many of you, our monthly budget is doing well. However, our cash budget is getting low. Don't worry, this is normal when nearing the end of a term in which ministry has gone well. Our primary goal on this short trip is to raise money for our cash budget. Our secondary goal is to raise a little more monthly budget. And of course we will most definitely enjoy time with friends and family. 

We will be in Oklahoma from September 29 - November 23. If you are a pastor or church leader we would like you to consider booking us for a service, small group, missions meeting, or any situation for us to share God's heart for Ireland. The exciting part for us is to give people an opportunity to join our team as we work towards something bigger than ourselves. No matter who you are, please consider joining our monthly giving team or donating a special gift towards our cash budget. For more info on how to give, click here.

Your prayers and support are the foundation of our team. Together we are committed to connecting the university students of Ireland to Jesus. Thank you for those who have been so faithful. And thank you to those who are considering to join our team.

It Is Finished

This past weekend was one of the toughest of our lives. With moderate miscarriage complications, we rushed Katy to the hospital. She ended up having a surgical procedure called a “D&C". (I'll let you look that up on google. Not fun.) It was tough, but it is finished.

On a recent personal prayer retreat I (Blake), I had an opportunity to walk through an art instillation designed to meditate on the "Final Three Hours" of Jesus' life, focusing on the scripture. It was an important moment for me in dealing with this situation. As I came to the second station, I meditated on Jesus' words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Jesus questioned God as we do at times. Yet, He asked for a drink. I’m not basing my theology on this, but His words reminded me. While I question God, I am the one who thirsts. I am weak. He is not. On my own, I am incomplete. He is complete. I spent a while meditation on this, asking God why He didn’t save our Zoe.

The final station in the installation focused on Jesus’ final words on the cross. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” It was a perfect follow-up to my questions. Although I will never understand why things like this happen, at the end of the day I will always commit my life and my family to God. He is complete, He is good, and He is truth. 

I want to thank you all for your prayers during this time. We are so humbled by how our friends and family stepped up spiritually and practically. We want to specifically thank Janice, Ellie, Des, Judith, Maddie, Dan, and Deb for all they did in our moment of emergency.

I Choose Jesus (Suffering with Christ)

I choose Jesus. I will choose Him every day. I can understand why people choose not to believe in Him, though. After all, why would a loving God allow so much suffering? 

As someone currently suffering, let me offer my point of view...

I am in the first day of what will be many days of a miscarriage. My unborn baby is not alive anymore. In this lifetime, I'll never get to kiss her cheeks or snuggle her at night. It sucks. It is such a waste. 

I could throw in the towel and not believe in Him anymore. What would be left when the dust settled? I might be comforted in the knowledge that no higher power was responsible for allowing my suffering. This was simply nature doing what nature does. Do I really want that, though? Do I want to suffer with only humans to comfort me? Humans who are just as helpless as I am? 

I want to suffer with Jesus because He is with me. He knows me better than any human ever could. He is the best partner in suffering because He has experienced it on deep levels. His closest friends ditched Him when He got arrested. The people who previously enjoyed spending time with him gave the Ok for His torture and murder. Even though it was not at all what God originally wanted, God didn't answer His prayer to take His suffering away. For the sake of me and you, Jesus suffered. 

He suffered willingly so that we could know what it was like to talk to God with no barrier between us. Jesus pulled back the curtain that was humanity's guilt and gave us unlimited freedom. We don't have to sacrifice animals to make good. We don't have to pray certain prayers, chant, eat the right things, wear the right things, or do good deeds. We just need to allow our hearts to respond to His. God wants to be with us. 

That's why I choose Him. He's holding my baby right now and one day, I'll get to see both of them in person. 

This is from a song I heard a long time ago:

I will glory in my Redeemer; Who carries me on eagles’ wings; He crowns my life with lovingkindness; His triumph song I’ll ever sing!

I will glory in my Redeemer; Who waits for me at gates of gold; And when He calls me, it will be paradise; His face forever to behold; His face forever to behold!

Thank you all for your prayers and kind messages. We can feel them lifting us up.