{"id":499,"date":"2016-11-20T21:39:33","date_gmt":"2016-11-21T02:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/paul-swenson\/?p=499"},"modified":"2016-11-20T21:44:10","modified_gmt":"2016-11-21T02:44:10","slug":"packing-is-a-privilege","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/paul-swenson\/2016\/11\/20\/packing-is-a-privilege\/","title":{"rendered":"Packing is a privilege."},"content":{"rendered":"

Yep, I can’t believe I just said that packing is a privilege. \u00a0Sure, if you ask Ellen, she’d say that she loves to pack and always gets right to work at it. \u00a0In fact, if you know her well, you’ve probably teased her about it by now. \u00a0But for me, packing isn’t really something that I look forward to. \u00a0It’s not that I detest it, but given the choice I wouldn’t pack if I didn’t have to. \u00a0So, what makes it a privilege? \u00a0Even though it can be fun to play real life Tetris…trying to fit things as compactly as possible into a particular space, that’s really not the privilege. \u00a0The privilege that our family has in packing is that we do it because Christ has made the way clear for us to bring the Gospel to those who have never heard in Papua New Guinea. \u00a0What makes it a privilege? \u00a0Christ is the one who has chosen us, the Church, to be the ones to share His love, mercy and grace with those who don’t know Him. \u00a0He alone is worthy of our praise and He desires all men to praise Him! \u00a0It can be easy for me to think at times that what we’re doing is a sacrifice. \u00a0I mean aren’t we giving up life as we know it? \u00a0Family, friends, church, work…we’re leaving those things that once, in one sense, defined our time here on earth. \u00a0But really those things don’t at all define who we are. \u00a0As a believer, who I am is not defined by me and my surroundings, but it is defined by Christ and my relationship with Him. \u00a0He is the one who assigns my value and gives me my purpose for this life. \u00a0The privilege that our family has (and that all<\/span> of us as believers have) is in being part of what He is doing in the world today. \u00a0God doesn’t lead us all to be His witnesses in another country, but He does call us all to be His witnesses. \u00a0Isn’t that a great privilege… that God would use us as believers to declare His glory to the nations? \u00a0My prayer is that our family will keep that in focus as we move on to Papua New Guinea and that you who are serving Christ here in North America will keep that in focus as well.<\/p>\n

\"WAYUMI\"
WAYUMI<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What are we up to?\u00a0<\/strong> The boys have finished their soccer season and we were involved with our first missions conference.\u00a0 We had a great weekend at WAYUMI\u2026a missions exposure retreat in PA with a big group of friends and family.\u00a0 We just got back from a great visit with our friends in Canada for the last time before we cross the Pacific Ocean!\u00a0 We will be busy packing, homeschooling and spending time with family and friends over the next two months. \u00a0We have received word that our entry permits have been approved in PNG! \u00a0We should be buying our plane tickets within the next week or two! \u00a0We don’t know exactly what date we’ll be moving, but expect it to be sometime around January 20th.<\/span><\/p>\n

How To Reach Us In Papua New Guinea?<\/strong>
\ne-mail:<\/strong>paul_swenson@ntm.org
\nellen_swenson@ntm.org
\nsamswenson24@gmail.com
\nFacebook: <\/strong>PaulandEllen Swenson (follow us… for our day to day adventure updates)
\nPhone:<\/strong> 802-673-7007
\nAddress for letters and packages:<\/strong>
\nIMPORTANT!<\/strong> If you want to send us mail or a\u00a0care package.<\/strong>.. PLEASE GO HERE<\/strong> for instructions!<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Come along with us to bring the gospel where it has never been.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Be part of our prayer and\/or financial support teams! \u00a0We are coming closer to our goal of 100% support (currently at 89%) and we now have over 250 prayer partners! \u00a0If you have been praying about joining us, please talk to us soon. \u00a0If not, would\u00a0YOU<\/strong>\u00a0pray about helping complete our support team? \u00a0E-mail us at\u00a0paul_swenson@ntm.org<\/a>, call us at 802-624-3368 or go here for more info<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Prayer and Praises:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n