Working with God's Plans

Preparations have been made for the warm missionary climate.   As some of you noticed on Facebook, Elijah got a haircut!

So when are we going to stop trying to be in control?   When are we going to realize that this is Christ’s missions… not ours?   When are going to realize that we are on God’s time… not ours?

Cutest little passport picture ever!

Sorry we have been quiet, but God has been working, and well, were still are not back in Mexico. Maria posted our last blog sharing our plans to leave Louisiana on May 10 and return to General Cepeda.   Even with Maria and Rebekah healthy and passport in hand, plans change.  Literally the next day we were with some friends at a splash pad, when at some point I pulled a muscle in my lower back.  I can’t even point to a particular moment when I was lifting a kid or loading up the car.   By the end of the day, I couldn’t standup straight.   Going to bed Monday night, I told Maria, that if my back wasn’t better by the morning, we would go into the chiropractor.   By morning I could not get out of bed without Maria’s help.  Long story short, after various visits to the chiropractor, PT, and doctor, I have a strained muscle in my lower back that is taking it’s time to heal and likes to remind me that my 40^th birthday is approaching this fall.

Precious little Naomi helping Daddy stretch.

Poor Maria has taken up… well pretty much everything.   We are so thankful for our FMC community and all the help they have given us.   Even superwomen like Maria get a little overwhelmed taking care of 5 children, a 6 week newborn, daily life, an invalid husband, and packing to spend 6 months in another country.   We know we have plenty of help here and in General, but the 14+ hours with “7” children… yeah we’re crazy, but…    

Add on top of it, our community leaders in Mexico, the Schumanns, are leaving for the US on May 17 to have their third baby.   They will also be traveling up with one of the singles on our team, Jason, who will be driving back another vehicle for our team to use after visiting family and benefactors in Louisiana and Texas.  We were looking forward to spending a week with them in Mexico before passing on the torch.  

The Schumanns

Jason

After prayer, discernment, and discussions with our leadership team, we plan on traveling down with a single, John Paul Plummer.   JP has served as an FMC intern this past year and will go through Intake training this upcoming fall.   (Please pray for him and check out his FMC page!!   As a new missionary, he is just starting to look for partners and benefactors.   Maybe God is pulling at your heart to help our brother and his amazing servant's heart.)   My back has improved significantly with some setbacks since last week, though I am still slow and can’t be on my feet for too long before needing to sit down.   Rest stops on the road or if we get a “red light” at the boarder and have to unload the car will be possible with JP’s help.   With JP and a little more time to heal, we plan on trying again on May 20.   This will also give us a day or so with the Schumanns in the US to go over some business but also enjoy each other’s company and play a game of Settlers of Catan. 

John Paul Plummer

I was blessed by today’s Gospel reading, John 14:1-12.  (Daily Readings for May 14, 2017)

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God; have faith also in me.  In my Father's house there are many dwelling places.  If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.  Where I am going you know the way."

Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?"

Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you know me, then you will also know my Father.  From now on you do know him and have seen him."

Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."

Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?  Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father."

I found myself relating to the disciples and feeling frustrated…  Jesus, can you just answer the question?  You just said, “Where I am going you know the way.”   Thomas’ questions seems legit, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”   Just answer the question.   We don’t need some kind of enigmatic or poetic response.   Tell me plainly.   What are You doing?   What are we suppose to doing?

***AND STOP***

10 bonus points if you just thought, "Hammer Time."

50 bonus points if you said it out-loud.

Everything up to this point was typed yesterday, Sunday, May 14, 2017, with the intentions of posting this blog last night.   But… of course in the evening we got a call from the Schumanns, and like that, our plans change again.   Rather than retype everything, it just seems to fit just add this amendment.   In a blog about being docile to Holy Spirit, what could be more appropriate then this real life play by play!   We just need laugh.

Ivette

The other single on our team, Ivette, was going to meet us at the mission house on the 20^th to help us.   Ivette is also fluent in Spanish.  Considering that Maria and I, and JP are “less than fluent,” she was going to be a big help in our re-acclimation.  So it ends up, due to unusual circumstances, nothing bad or serious just odd, Ivette flew back home yesterday to be with her family for a week.

The Schumanns recommended waiting until driving on the 24^th and

The Kiehls

caravan with another family of 6, the Kiehls who have been in FMC for about 4 years.  After 2 years in Mexico and 2 years in Peru, they are currently stateside to help out with a number of projects.   They have been discerning coming down to Mexico for a month to help with the 2 week-long short-term mission trips in June.   This again seems like another blessed option, as we will have another family to travel with us and help us on the road.   Their entire family is strong Spanish speakers.  They will also be able to help cross at the boarder and adjust back to missions life.

Of course we are a little reluctant to say with 100% certainty that this is what we will end up doing, but it is the best guess for now.   “The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  (John 3:8)   God is saying, “Trust me.   I’ve got you.   I’ve got your circumstances.   I have never nor will ever leave you.”   What’s His lesson?   “Seek to be small.   The oak tree doesn’t bend and respond with the wind and libel to snap.  It is the small reeds that are docile and bend with Spirit.”

With this strength and confidence, please keep our dear college friend, Meagan Daoust, in your prayers.   She is a mother of 6, and their youngest, Jude, was born in February.   On Friday she was admitted to the hospital for what ends up being a very unusual heart attack.   At this point she is expected to make a full recovery and should be able to return home this week.   May the Lord bless Meagan, her husband Mark, and their family during this time of recovery.

Mark and Meagan Daoust and Family