Surprises

12-9-11


Dear Friends,


Have you ever noticed how much God seems to like surprises? There's Abraham, who is invited to, "Go . . . to the land I will show you." There's Noah, who is told to build an ark, when the people on the earth have never seen flooding. There's Peter, who steps out on the water to walk. And we experience this today: we think our lives are headed a certain direction, and—surprise!—God changes the plan. Isn't it good to know that God only operates with our best interest in mind? His surprises aren't always easy, but they're always good—because He is good.


We've got a surprise! Last week, the President of Josiah Venture asked us to pursue a new role within the organization. Instead of continuing with our plans to join the team in Croatia, he asked us to serve as Country Leader of another country within Josiah Venture. We said, "Yes!" We see God's fingerprints all over this change. Let me tell you why:

• It's a chance for us to grow in faith. Shaping the vision and leading the team for an entire country will stretch us in really good ways, and we're excited. We have an opportunity to sharpen our skills, stretch our abilities, and—most importantly—trust God more.
  
• It fits who God has designed us to be, and what God has designed us to do. We'll have the opportunity to provide leadership for a movement of God in an entire
  country. We’ll recruit, equip, and lead teammates. We’ll develop partnerships and train nationals. Those who know us best say, "This fits. This really, really, fits."
  
• It was a mutual decision. We appreciate Josiah Venture's commitment to team synergy. One of Josiah Venture's core values is Dynamic Community. We'll be working in one of the spiritually darkest places on the planet, so it's really important for our team to truly fit together. As we ministered in Croatia this summer, we all realized that our team wasn't an optimal fit. This was hard to realize, and we’ve spent the time since this summer in prayer and processing. We love Stevo and Sarah, and after months of reflection and conversation, we all agreed that it would be best for us to remain friends, and serve on different teams.
  
• It expands God's kingdom. We were so excited about ministering in Croatia. And we still deeply love the land and people of Croatia. But we see this as an opportunity for God's kingdom to expand. Three of the four countries we're considering don't currently have any Josiah Venture ministry. By stepping into a greater leadership role, we have the opportunity to take the gospel to new places in new ways. We can hardly wait to see what God will do in one of these places as He grows His kingdom. We're excited to get to be part of it!

So, what now? Well, like Abraham, we get to follow God to an unknown land. As soon as we receive our remaining support, we'll buy plane tickets and move to Europe—hopefully in January! The current plan is to set up ‘base camp’ in Romania, and do scouting trips into Macedonia, Moldova, and Bulgaria. We'll meet with national pastors, explore places to live, develop strategic relationships, and listen for God's voice. As soon as He makes our new calling clear, we'll settle in, and begin the process of partnering with nationals to reach a country for Christ. We'd like to host interns and lead evangelistic camps this summer. Please pray with us towards that end!


We know that news like this can carry many questions. If you'd like to know more about this decision—the process, our future, etc.—please contact us. We'd love to meet over coffee, talk on the phone, or reply to an email.


With love,
Rob, Liz, and Caleb


PS—We have good news! As of this email, we have just $495 per month remaining in
ongoing support, and $7700 in outgoing support to raise. It’s Josiah Venture policy
that we cannot buy tickets until it’s in. So, as soon as it arrives, we'll go to Europe! If
you're already supporting us—thank you. If you'd like to send us by giving towards our monthly support or giving an end of the year special gift, please fill out and send in the attached response card. (We’ve also included an EFT form if you prefer automatic withdrawal.) Thank you for your kind generosity and partnership in this ministry/work. We’re thrilled to be so close to joining God’s movement in Eastern Europe.
PPS—We have a Europe “wish list” on Amazon! If you’re interested in buying us any of the final things we need for Europe, check it out here: http://amzn.com/w/HV46LOPI2LJY