Originally published November 21, 2022
Top Ten Things I’m Thankful For . . .
1. Thankful for the Lord’s provision of a house with a porch and outdoor space for me to spend time in Bible Study and prayer and reflection on the weekend mornings and also to host ladies dinners and yard parties and have a whole little garden of outdoor plants. And I’m thankful for the Lord’s provision for the inside of the house as well! Last year at this time I was borrowing almost all of the furniture, appliances and kitchenware, but now through sales from other missionaries and some giving me their things when they left, I’ve been able to furnish my whole house except for borrowing just one rug!
2. I’m thankful for Marco Polo and Zoom and WhatsApp technology, so that I can talk with my family, and I even watched Landree’s Veterans Day program through Marco Polo the other day!
3. Thankful for my Pit Crew (support group) and the video calls we get to have once a month. I’m so grateful to have them journeying with me.
4. Thankful for the weather here and the beautiful views. Rainy season is just starting again and things are turning green before our eyes. The weather is beautiful, the birds are chirping all around, my windows are always open. I love the outdoors.
5. I’m thankful we just got a food container in from the US. Sometimes we run out of food items for months at a time. They’re not foods that you have to have, but it’s fun to have access to them again. Tortilla chips and olives were the most exciting arrivals for me.
6. I’m thankful for the community here, the Bible Studies, the small dinners I can host, my ICT team, my exercise class, game nights. Sometimes it’s complicated living in such close proximity and living, working, and playing together, but for the most part, it’s a blessing.
7. I’m thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow in God’s Word. I’ve never been to Bible School, and I’ve recently decided to try going through the Ethnos360 Bible School class video lectures along with some people at my church. I love doing it, and am excited about the growth and learning it will provide, but incorporating 10 video sessions and note-taking into my week has been a challenge. I’m only doing two classes right now, but I’m excited for the opportunity— Romans and Evangelism in a Post Modern World.
8. I’m thankful for health and the ability to exercise. I’m finally getting toward the end of the “Couch to 5k” program with my friend Freddy. I’ve started it many times, and we’ve finally reached the last 2 weeks of the program where you run more consistently and increase your mileage. We plan to run the Turkey Trot 5k on Nov. 26th. Freddy will leave on Home Assignment on Nov. 28th, and then I will need a new running buddy!
9. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of what God is doing here. That the Maliyali people, after years of preparation were finally able to hear in a clear and understandable way, the good news of Jesus Christ’s saving grace for them, free of anything they could do or offer. And it’s exciting to have new missionary families moving into tribal locations to either start learning culture and language to teach the gospel or to come alongside an existing church to help meet their felt needs in spiritual growth (see story below).
I’m so grateful I get to play a part in telling the story of what God is doing here through different videos and articles I write and sharing our missionaries’ stories on our social media page. I get to provide these resources and walk our missionaries through communications tools as needed. I also get to meet with churches that have sent missionaries to PNG to discuss what it looks like to care for a missionary well. In addition, I get the joy of facilitating small groups of women through a process of discovering their stress, their losses, their transitions and God’s role in their stories.
10. I’m thankful for all of you who pray and stay in touch and read this update and who give so that I can be here in Papua New Guinea. I’m grateful that the Lord has prompted so many of you to provide for my financial needs here.