Mission Conferences and New Friends

"Let us encourage one another..." 

Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.1 Thes 5:11

This past month we had the blessing to attend Shell Lake Full Gospel Mission Conference. While there with Pastor Kelton we were able to receive the encouragement and uplifting that our souls needed. We stayed from Sunday till Tuesday in Shell Lake thanks to their hospitality in hosting us. 

It was so amazing to see missionaries who started where we are and now, 30 years later, are still serving God. We, rightfully so,  felt like babes in a room of giants. We saw God provide for large needs in a matter of minutes and it was a lesson to learn in His provision.  It was neat to learn all the different ministries that are in the world causing change in the life of people all over the world.  The focus of the conference was that "We are more than conqueres in Christ" how true of an encouragement .  

While at the conference Eric attended a steak feed with the guys and I got to have afternoon tea with the ladies. 

It was wonderful to be prayed over and have our ministry be lifted up in prayer as well. 

Men's steak feed: 

 Ladie's tea 

                          

The best part of this month is that we got to host Pastor Kelton for a night. He brought with him Stan and Sarah. They have a church planting ministry within the gypsie population in England and Eastern Europe .  We loved having them stay with us and then getting to know them more at the conference .  We thank God for the friendship he has started that will continue on to our tine in England. 

While they were here we just had to show them the green and gold. 

We also found out that we will get to see Pastor Kelton again this last weekend in October .  He will be with us for one night and then join us at church the next morning. It's always great to join our sending church here and the receiving church in England. 

God Bless!

GO UP

This post may include random ramblings. I have been discouraged lately and I refuse to believe the lie that just because we are going to be missionaries we have to have it all figured out. The lie that just because you are a Christian you have to never show hurt or fear. I think as believers, the enemy likes to make us think we can't make mistakes or struggle. That we need to have everything figured out and perfect in order for people to believe in our faith. I want to say now that is the biggest and scariest lie the devil tells you.  Because, people listen closely here, WE ARE NOT CALLED TO DO IT ALONE.

We are not called to hide, to pretend, to fix ourselves, or to be perfect. We are not called to live in fear or dismay either. In fact we are called to GO UP to take that which God has promised us. We can't do that if we are hiding and scared of who we really are.

Now I am a big fan of the 'right time and place and person' to share things with, even as I post on an open blog. But when the fear grows that we can't share our discouragement or fear with our close brothers and sisters in Christ... well we set up for more fear and discouragement.

Deuteronomy 1:21 says "The Lord your God has set the Land before you. Go up, take possession as the Lord has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Deuteronomy is talking to the Jewish people as they are about to enter the promised land. How many promises, calls, directions have you received from God that lead you to a place that can be scary. Maybe it's the outcome, the responsibility, or maybe just the journey to follow him but at some point it gets scary. The Jewish people were giving such a huge promise and say God move in mighty ways to get them there. But they still had fear.  Our fear can keep us from seeing God's promises as attainable. We lose sight that he is the one who will complete the good work and we just have to believe and obey.  

We can't let the big and scary be more then the good and love of God is in our life....

So this is how I tie my ramblings together. If we are following God on a course and it gets scary, we are supposed to turn to our brothers and sisters in Christ for help. If we let the lie that we can't stand in the way, then things get bigger and scary and the promis of God seems farther away. Every one needs help and encouragement at some point. Look at Moses, even he needed his arms supported when the staff became to heavy. So instead of trying to be perfect, lets help each other raise our staffs and lets Go Up and claim the promises and victories God wants to do in our lives.

:)

DON’T CRY BECAUSE IT’S OVER. SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED

Hello all my dear ones, 

         This month has been the beginning of what I feel will be a long road of endings, changing, and saying goodbye. While we still have a ways to go in fundraising and preparing to leave the reality of it has set in during this month, for me at least.  This month we officially stepped down from leadership at 365, the young adult group we helped lead. For the first time in 6 years our Thursdays were not scheduled for Bible Study, there was no message to plan, no meeting scheduled - at least that we were attending. 365 holds a dear place in both of our hearts and always will. Eric started with the ministry in the beginning and for me, it really saved me when I moved to Green Bay. It was the fellowship I was looking for and became the family that I needed. Some of my best friends, greatest memories, biggest growths, came from there.. not to mention it is where Eric and I met. 

         The ministry continues though, under its leaders Bob and Bethany. We are so excited for the work they have done with the ministry and continue to do with it. We were so blessed to serve under them and work with them these past few years. They have encouraged, challenged, and blessed us.  Thankful for their friendship, partnership, and the ability to stop in and visit our old Bible Study any given Thursday. There is a quote that clearly states the way we feel, it is the time we spent together that matters and we will carry with us. 

Saying goodbye doesn't mean anything. It's the time we spent together that matters, not that we left it.  

Bob, Bethany, Eric and I @ our last 365 retreat. August 2016

As we move on we don't plan to leave our Thursdays alone just yet. Now starts the part of our preparing where we are going to start attending other young adult groups. We are looking for groups that meet around the Green Bay area that cater to the young adult generation. We already have a few we are planning to visit. We want to learn how others lead, how others plan, what they study, how they interact, what food they serve :) 

We know that by being well prepared we can better reach the people in Somerset. We don't want to get there and only have the one model to follow. As a teacher we have a saying

  "Don't have an empty toolbox". 

You need to have more than enough ideas and strategies so that your 'toolbox' is never emptied but continuously growing. We are excited for God to continue to fill our toolboxes with lessons He has for us. 

1st church visit!

We were so blessed to be invited to speak at our first church this past weekend. 

We were able to share the need we see in England along with the vision God has given us.  

It was so great to meet everyone there and feel so welcomed by the congregation.  To see their passion for missions was so encouraging. It is always amazing to see the body of Christ support each other. We hope to share with them soon of our departure for the field. 

We got to remake our board with the help and direction of one of our mentors from GEM 

and are excited to display it for the first time last Sunday at the church. 

Now it correlates with our brochure.  

**In this picture it is missing the "about us" facts. Don't worry we got it on before it's debut. 

This is us outside of the church. We were so excited to share with people

 and have them be so receptive to our hearts. This month we also celebrated sending 

out our 1st newsletter, we just want to say a big thank-you for the great responses 

we have received. It is so important to us to stay connected with our partners as 

we take this journey.  We have enjoyed getting the  opportunity to meet

 with so many people and grow our team with  individuals who are excited 

to see this work done in Somerset. 

It is here!

Hello! 


   I write to you guys as Eric is off at his new job dropping off his tools and welding gear. We want to thank you for your prayers over the summer and are excited to see what God will do at his new job. We believe these hours will help give him more flexibility to have time for fundraising and preparing to speak at churches.

  With the extra time off we were able to borrow a friend's cabin and go celebrate Eric's 30th birthday in Minocqua. It was a great time to relax, take our focus off of everything else, and celebrate where God has us. We enjoyed a lumberjack show and some Hawaiin ice both completely new experiences for me.  Speaking of new experiences, Eric saw his first ever Rugby match on the Olympics. I am slightly worried at how excited he got. We found out from friends in Somerset that there is a Rugby club in town, so he could play on the weekends... good thing we have insurance :)

This year we have been slightly torn at the Olympics and have found ourselves cheering for both our home land and England.. makes it extra exciting when they both medal.


As summer winds down and we wonder where it went to I am preparing to head back to school. It is an interesting year because I know tha school isn't my focus this year.. My focus is to prepare the best I can for the mission God has given us. This shouldn't be a new way at looking at life, God has given us each a mission and a purpose - things He has called you to. A good question is to ask yourself if you are living out your life preparing for the mission God made you for. Or do you find that you are being distracted by the small things around you?


  This month will be our first enews and I am excited to send it out. If you are not signed up for our newsletter and want to be please comment or email me your email address and I will add you to the list.

One final piece of good news.. we are 10.6% funded!
We want to thank our partners for listening to God and joining us as we reach out to the young adults/families in Somerset.

Seeking out God.

Our first update in July! Wow, I can't believe it is already July...  in four weeks I will be starting school again and we will even busier than now. Today in my quiet time I was starting the book of Acts. Do you know that Jesus told the disciples to sit and wait. He said to wait where they were till the Holy spirit came and gave them the power they were missing. Of course then their mission was to go and witness to the world.. but first they had to wait. 

So many times I find I am so willing to go, to do, to organize or accomplish. However, when God says to wait.. that is hard. He always has us waiting for good reason too. Sometimes it is to learn something, to learn to let something go, to grow in our faith, or just so we give up the ridiculous idea that we can do it on our own. 

I feel like Eric and I have entered a long season of "wait". We are waiting 11 months to our expected leave date, waiting for 93% more funds to come in, waiting for Eric to get a new job, waiting for a child... wait wait wait.... it is my least favorite thing to do and yet it is the season God has put us in. Through waiting though we get to learn that he is faithful and able to sustain us. We get to practice budgeting on a lower income than we are used to. We get to see him work out his plans in areas that we were getting comfortable in. We are being called out and strengthened, not only in our relationship with God but with each other. 

How exciting!  that is what I am supposed to say right? To some extent it is, but it is also scary and tough and tiring. It is tense, sad, and frustrating. So what truly makes it exciting is that we are being prepared. The trials that have come since we have been commissioned, and while there are many I do not want this to become a dumping ground of complaints, God has shown true through each one. We have been being prepared to face trials and obstacles in a different land, with different responsibilities, and less supports. God is prepping us instead of throwing us out there with no experience to call back on.  

Jesus told the disciples to 'wait' because he wanted them to be prepared for what they were about to embark on.. Is God asking you to wait on something so he can prepare you?? 

-Megan  

Unfinished business

This passage was shared with me by a dear prayer partner who has been lifting England up to our heavenly father.  

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”


‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:1-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

She shared this revelation with me. She noticed the words: "I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God."  How greatly God has used the nation of Great Britain and the Church there in the past to reach the entire world with the Gospel!  The impact has been huge!  But their time is not over yet; God's work and purposes for the British people are not done.  Their deeds are "unfinished."  That is why is is so vital for this nation's church to be awakened and brought to life again!

She is so right, God is not done with England. He is not done with the people. God will move mightily in and through England like he has done before. Look at what is written about the church in Sardis right before that. It says  "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die"

England has a reputation that is blinding to the world. People focus on the history and the spiritual state it once had.  But that is like looking at a chard painting and calling it beautiful because of what it once was.  Instead of taking the time to pick away at the burnt edges until you see color once again.  England is almost dead, there is a generational gap in the church that is staggering, but because of its false reputation no one sees the need to help it.  We are called to strengthen what remains.  To bring life to a generation that has been left out.

-megan.