Seasons

“ For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven….God has made everything beautiful for its own time.”  Eccl. 3:1, 11

This scripture is so appropriate for us these past few years.  We have learned that we need to hold everything loosely and trust the Lord for His leading…His plan. 

Beginnings

The first 2 years here has been a season of many new experiences for us.  We have been blessed to live in the village of Ivybridge in Devon county.  We have made many friends and developed wonderful relationships with the people in the village.  We ministered to many one-on-one, shared the truth of the Word and God’s unconditional love, laughed and cried and prayed with them and became part of the life of the town.  We have seen people’s hearts drawn to walk with the Lord…to choose to turn from their destructive lifestyles and desire to know a different way of living..one that depends on God instead of substances and short-lived highs.  We have seen people experiencing true joy where there was once only sadness and emptiness.  We have grown to truly love these people.

Intermission

In November we were informed we would have to return to the states to get a new sponsor and new visas..again.  So we have been in the process of doing that the past several weeks. It has been a good time of catching up with friends and family.  We were able to spend time with our kids and grandkids in Washington and Oregon, precious friends in Phoenix and with my family here in Tennessee.

Next chapter

Calvary Chapel Exeter has applied for and been granted a sponsorship license and we have acquired new visas through them. With this new visa situation, comes a new season of ministry for us this next year.  Because of the ever-tightening rules about sponsorship, we now will have to actually live in Exeter to be able to fufill the requirements of the work visa we are under. 

The church had been praying for a place to have a house nearby to use for expanded ministry and the Lord miraculously opened a door to lease the large house adjoining the church property this past summer.  It is such an answer to prayer!  The house has 4 floors with several large rooms that are used for student gatherings, Bible studies and prayer meetings. It is right in the heart of the student housing section and close to the university.  It has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, dining room, large modern kitchen and conservatory.  Two of the large bedrooms will be used as dorms for housing ministry teams when they come to serve and also for those who are passing through on their way to minister in other places. Two smaller bedrooms are rented by either students or interns.  The 4^th floor bedroom is where we will be living (yes, walk-up!). We will have a private bathroom and a private kitchen on the 3^rd floor.

Exeter Cathedral

student housing

top floor is our room

Exeter University

Student meetng

Some of our responsibilities will be:

*Live in and oversee ministry house, daily cleaning, co-ordinating teams, and use of facility

*Do maintenance and repair on the church building and ministry house

*Lead worship at various Bible studies and church services

*Disciple believers  

*Assist at Sunday services, special events, and Bible studies…greeting, coordinating set- 
  up and tear down, cleaning, locking up, praying with people, assisting with children’s 
  ministry

*Community outreach and evangelism

Calvary Exeter

Ministry house is on the right

Our main ministry in Exeter will be to the church and the university students.  The church has a great ministry to the students, so we will be much more involved with them. Most of them are international students.  We will still be ministering to the people in Ivybridge and still involved with the Plymouth church. We will just be doing a little more travelling to continue the Bible studies and discipleship. 

We are excited to see what this new season will bring.  It will definitely be different from the past 2 years.  It has been a long time since we have been involved in ministry to university students!  But we are looking forward to the many new possibilities this will bring.  We know and trust the Lord has many good things in store for this next year.

Prayer requests:

*Travelling to New York and then London on Christmas day

*Moving from Ivybridge to Exeter as soon as we return

*Good health and stamina

*Adjusting to new living arrangements

*Open hearts and eyes to all the Lord sets before us to do

*Continued healing for Steven and processing his medical retirement from the Army

Thank you all again and again for your love, care, prayer and support to us.  You are all in our hearts and prayers and we are so very thankful for you.  We will have room now for visitors so please come and see what the Lord is doing in SW England!

Isa 61:11  “For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.”

Where has the time gone?!

I didn't realize it has been so long since I have posted in this blog!


To update on Steven, he has healed up very well and is now at Ft. Lewis in Washington where they will do a medical retirement for him. He still sees doctors and has therapy for swallowing and to gain more mobility in his neck. He will most likely be there 5 or 6 months and then will be out of the military. He is very happy to be out of Texas and so much closer to home and his friends and kids. It has been quite a journey, but we know the Lord has reasons for all of it and has Steven in His hands. Thanks to all of you for your support and love and prayers during those months.

Since we returned to England in March, we have been busy getting reaquainted with people and trying to pick up where we left off in November. Being away for 5 months brought about changes in some of the things we had been doing....people's lives went on, schedules and things changed in those 5 months. It took some time to get our heads back into our life here. But it wasn't long before we were busy again.

Steve takes the bus to Exeter once a week to disciple 3 young men and also to do work around the church building. He has been painting and doing repairs whenever he gets the time. He has had several opportunities to share his faith while waiting for the bus, on the bus or just meeting people on the street. Having an American accent gets attention and opens doors for conversation. People want to know why we are here. When they find out we aren't on 'holiday', they want to know why we would leave home and come here to live. So we tell them!

Catching bus to Exeter

Talking to street musician in Exeter

Steve volunteered again this summer at Creation Fest UK. He worked security in the mornings and then washed pots and pans in the kitchen in the evenings. He was privileged to lead a young man to the Lord who was in England 2 weeks before returning to Turkey. He came from a Muslim family and knew nothing about Jesus or the Bible. He came to Creation Fest because he was looking for the truth. That was quite a joy for Steve to share with him and help him understand God's love and redemption! When he returned home after that week, he slept for 2 days! LOL!

Security crew at Creation Fest

We are involved in helping with the midweek studies in Ivybridge, Plymouth, and Torquay. Steve usually brings his guitar so we can have a time of worship before the study. We go up to the Exeter church most weeks on Sunday mornings and then to Wotter on Sunday evenings where we lead worship and I help in Sunday school.

Ivybridge study

Outdoor study in Torquay

Sunday night service in Wotter

One thing Steve loves to do is lend a helping hand to people who need work done at their homes. He has joined the Ivybridge Caring group that volunteers to help older people who need gardening, cleaning, repairs around the house or who just want someone to go to coffee or take them for a walk. Sometimes I am able to go along with him.

Cleaning up and elderly lady's overgrown garden and patio

Work day at Exeter Calvary Chapel

I have started up the women's study in Ivybridge again. We are studying the book of Genesis...verse by verse...and the ladies are loving it. They comment that they never knew you could actually read the Bible and learn so much from it! It is a joy to be able to help open the scriptures to them and see them learning to apply it to their own lives. I also have been discipling several women...older and young. Some live in different towns and I take the bus. Those days can get long since the bus travel sometimes takes and hour and a half one way. But it is very much worth it as I am seeing them growing and changing and learning to trust the Lord more and more.

So many seem to have numerous needs that at times it seems almost overwhelming. We don't have the answers to their problems, but we can point them to the One Who does. Discipling takes on many forms. Sometimes it is sitting down and studying the Word with them. Sometimes it is just listening and praying. Many times it is taking them with us and hanging out...walking, shopping, eating, etc. Sometimes it is gathering in a group to fellowship and share the Word. For some, it involves having our home and our lives open and available for them, for a meal or tea or just being there. It is in these times that we can speak the truth into their lives and they can see how we live out our faith on a daily basis.


Hope this updates you a little on what we have been doing these past months. So much more can be shared, but it can wait for another time :-)


As always, we are so very thankful for all of you who encourage, support and pray for us. This is not OUR ministry....it is the Lord's ministry and we are all a part of it in different ways...no part more important than the other.

May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ.      Phil. 1:2-5

A Change of Plans

Brooke Army Medical Center

Well, I am sure you have all been following our journey the past 3 months, either on Facebook or by email.  I just wanted to update our blog to let you know how things are going and what our plans are.

 

The devotion for Friday, Nov. 14 was this:  A Change of Plans

Ecc 11:5  “Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother's womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. “

Briefly:  On Saturday, Nov. 15, Steven, was shot in Afghanistan...we were flown to Germany to see him there in the hospital…they put us on the plane with him to the states….we have been here at Brooke Army Medical Center at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX…he has had 3 surgeries…our sponsor in England lost their license for sponsorship so our visas were cancelled and we were not permitted to return.

It all sounds like a big nightmare, but in reality, we have seen the Lord’s hands in this at every turn and we have had an amazing peace that He is in control and He knows what He is doing.  In fact, it has been awesome to just stand back and watch to see what the Lord would do.  Steven’s last surgery was a real answer to prayer.  The doctors were able to do exactly what they had hoped, they are very pleased with the outcome, and he is healing well.

Purple Heart and Bronze Star ceremony

In every place, we have been literally surrounded by believers who have prayed with and for us and encouraged us in so many ways.  It is amazing how many believers are here at this base and working in this hospital.  At times, we have almost felt like we have been sent to a Christian retreat center.  The majority of the doctors and nurses who have been assigned to Steven have encouraged us with their prayers and awesome care.  Most of the army people we have dealt with are also believers and just amazing people.  It is mind blowing!  They are continually asking how we are doing and if there is anything at all they can do for us.

These guys prayed for us in the hall at Walter Reed

We are living with Steven in the Liberty barracks which is for soldiers who are recovering from illness or injuries.  It is basically a fairly nice 2 bedroom apartment so we are all together. 

We have applied with a new sponsor in the UK and are waiting for the confirmation from them to apply for new visas.  We are hoping that by the end of March we will be able to return to England and continue the ministry we were doing there. 

What I really want to share with you all (ha..Texan accent coming on)  is just how awesome the Lord’s hand has been in all of this.  We couldn’t have seen any of this at the beginning, but in looking back we are absolutely amazed at how He has worked it all for good.

When we left for Germany, we had no idea that our sponsor would lose their license and therefore our visas would be invalid.  When that happened, the UK government required us to leave the country and return to our country of origin to apply for new visas under new sponsorship.  If the army had not sent us to the states with Steven, we would have had to purchase plane tickets to come back, find a place to live while we looked for a new sponsor and got new visas, and then paid for plane tickets to return to England.  We have had to renew our passports because they will expire within 6 months of the time our new visas will expire…the UK requires them to be valid a minimum of 6 months past the expiration of the visas.  There are fees for the new sponsorship, the new passports, the new visas and the plane tickets to return.  All of that comes to around $3800.  That doesn’t include living expenses here while we waited. 

Since the army sent us here, they have made sure we have not had to pay for anything out of our pocket. In fact, they have been giving us daily living expenses every day since we left England and also paid us travel expenses for the travel days and miles.  Most of the time we eat here for free and we have been given a car with paid insurance. Since we are living in the barracks on the base, we have been able to save up all the money we have needed to pay for the passports, sponsor and visas and still continue to keep up the rent and utilities on our cottage in Ivybridge.

The UK is requiring that we prove that we have had at least $2500 in our bank account every day 90 days before applying for new visas.  This we will be able to do!  When we return to England the army will pay for it!

So, even though this whole situation has been a very difficult one (for Steven especially), the Lord has turned it to good.  Living together has actually been a good thing for us.  We have enjoyed being together and it has made this whole trial more bearable for Steven by not having to be alone in it.

Grandma came to visit

Alamo

We are so very, very thankful that our God is such a loving, gracious and good Father Who sees and knows way beyond our understanding and works in our lives His perfect plans.

We are also very, very thankful for all of you who have prayed and loved and supported us through this time.  We are overwhelmed by the care from all of you to us in so many ways.

We are anxious to get back to our lives in England and continue the ministry there to the people who are so hungry for hope and encouragement….and it is only to be found in the One Who is the Giver of all hope and in the knowledge of His Word.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Steven and for us.  We love you and pray the Lord blesses you all greatly.

Isa 55:8-11  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”