| January 21, 2020 “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'” – Isaiah 55:8-9 |
| New Years’ Eve. A time to reflect on the past year and make goals for the next. I’ve always loved New Year’s Eve. I’m a goal person. I like making goals and believe that God doesn’t always open doors for us– sometimes He wants us to kick them down. But 2019 was one of the hardest years of my life, because it was full of heartache and doors being slammed in my face, leaving me wondering what God was doing. But in 2019 I grew in my trust in His sovereignty and my understanding that what God requires of me is obedience. So as I move into 2020, for the first time in my life I go forward not with plans of my dreams and how to make them happen, but with a willingness to do whatever God puts in front of me each day. We don’t have a team. We are not in a tribe. But, we are here in Papua New Guinea. We are serving at the support center, enabling other tribal missionaries to be in their tribes and take the gospel to all nations, at a time when the field is in desperate need of support workers. Is this by mistake? Or could it be that His plans are not our plans? We’ve always believed in the importance of support missions, even though we never thought we’d find ourselves working in it. In Papua New Guinea, there is not much infrastructure, so that means that everything a bush missionary/ tribal church planter needs must come from other missionaries. In order for a missionary to get into the jungle, they need a missionary pilot. In order for them to get food into their tribe, they need a supply buyer. In order to get medical help, they need a missionary doctor. In order to get local currency, they need a finance person in an office. In order to get visas renewed, they need government representatives. In order to have the helicopter working, they need a mechanic. In order for them to get Bibles printed, they need a print shop worker. And in order for all of those people to do their jobs, they need teachers to teach their kids. So, that’s what we are doing right now. We are teaching the children of local people, bush missionaries, and support workers. Less glamorous maybe, but no less essential. It takes a team to reach the least reached peoples of the world. And we are proud to be part of that team, whichever part God has for us to play, for however long He wants us to. Yes, we still hope to be tribal church planters ourselves, but we are learning to be content in supporting tribal church planting for now. Till all know, Matt, Karissa, Ty, and Wyck |
| Praise God: – He is always faithful – He continues to provide – Wyck trusted Christ as his Savior!!! |
| Please Pray: – That we can show God’s love to our students and teach them well – For Matt as he starts his new role as the Housing Director (more info about that to come) -For joy that comes from Christ, not our circumstances |
