Continuing Adventures

Heb 11:8  It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.  And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. 

Exeter

We want to update you all on what we have been doing the past few months.  It was a hard transition moving out of our village into the middle of the city in Exeter.  But we have adjusted nicely here in the ministry house. There is always something going on and young people are here almost daily.  When they aren't around, it feels very empty and too quiet!   We have been involved with discipling men and women and building relationships, teaching bible studies, helping with worship and teaching Sunday School. 

Steve has started teaching a Bible study in a small beach town about 20 minutes away.  We have a time of worship and then study the Word and pray.  He is loving the opportunity to stretch his comfort zone and do something new.  I am still going to Ivybridge once a week to teach a few women there and I also have started to teach piano to a young girl.  I love that!  Sometimes I also meet up with a couple of girls in Plymouth before coming back up to Exeter.  I enjoy the time on the train going back and forth and look forward to the time alone. 

We had a team of girls here from the Bible college in York last week.  They were here to serve the church and do whatever needed to be done.  Steve put them to work cleaning the carpets at the church, scraping moss off the walls on the outside and other ‘fun’ stuff…LOL! They also set up a table in front of the house to offer free coffee, tea and biscuits (cookies) to the many students who are constantly walking by.  They had some great opportunities to share the gospel and Steve had a good conversation with a young Muslim man.

Looking ahead

The owners of this house have informed us they are moving back in here mid June so this part of the ministry will be over for us.  Because of this Exeter Calvary will not have as much need for us to be here so they have decided to no longer keep sponsoring our Charity Worker visa after the ministry house closes in June.

Knowing that this was a possibility, we have already been praying about what the Lord would have us do next.  We have had it on our hearts to go over to Italy to sort of spy out the land..to see what needs are there and if we could be useful in some way.  We also want to see some of Steve’s Italian relatives that we have never met before. While we were in Texas with Steven, we really loved being around the military folks and have been wondering if we could be useful in ministering to military men and women.  We found out there are 7 American bases in Italy, which was quite a surprise to us!

So we have decided to take a short trip to Italy around the 2nd week of April. Our plan is to fly into Naples and then meet Steve’s family, and travel up the country visiting the Calvary Chapels and see where the Lord leads and if He directs to a certain area or ministry there. While in Italy, we will be continuing to pursue Steve's Italian citizenship. That would eliminate the need for visas anywhere in the EU. We hope to end up in Germany for a Calvary Chapel leaders conference at the beginning of May and then fly back to England to sell all our stuff and be ready to leave by the first part of June to wherever the Lord directs.

We are just beginning to make plans and don’t really have any agenda yet.  But we know the Lord has closed the door for us here..for now...and we ask for your prayers on this as it is totally uncharted territory for us!  We don't speak Italian and we don't know anyone there. We are just praying for direction in our planning and looking for the Lord to lead us.  Every day is a new day to see what He has for us and every day is an adventure when you are following Jesus! We never dreamed we would live in England and certainly never dreamed we would ever go to Europe!  But the Lord always is surprising us!

We will keep you updated on how the plans are going.  We do covet all of your prayers in this new adventure and we want you to know how much we are thankful for and appreciate every one of you who encourage, pray for and support us.  You are all very special to us and we are very thankful for you!

Prayer requests:

~ Travel plans for trip to Italy and Germany…the Lord’s leading and direction

~ Health and safety

~ Family back home

~ Opportunities to share God’s grace with as many as He leads us to along the way

Deu 31:6  "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."