7 Years!

So it's the Old New Year tonight (according to the Orthodox calendar) and that means it's also our arrival anniversary.  Jeff and I arrived in Macedonia 7 years ago.

Jeff knew what he was getting into since he had served as a Journeyman for 2 years in Skopje about 5 years before.  Though even with that experience, we really had no idea what God had in store for us as a newly married couple.  Things looked different for Jeff and I learned as I went, struggling to feel a part of a culture that for the first year felt forced and unnatural.  I had lived for 2 years in Belgium working with refugees and even though we were "technically" still in Europe, nothing looked or felt the same.

God (as always) has been so incredibly faithful.  We ended up moving from the capital after a year and a half of intensive language study to a smaller town where we currently live- -Prilep.  It has become our home and I thank God often for the love HE gives us for this town and the people we do life with daily.

I just finished reading The Insanity of God by Nik Ripkin and I highly recommend reading that book.  It has challenged me in new ways to look at my faith and the work God has called us to here.  It has made me rethink how much I truly believe that God loves the Macedonians and desires to see them saved.  I am so grateful that HE is allowing us to serve HIM here at this time.  I have no idea the plans God has for us beyond tomorrow (and even those can change).  But…we are willing to follow HIM wherever HE leads.  

I love looking back and seeing all that God has done over the years.  Here is a picture of Jeff and I just a few weeks before we landed in Macedonia.  It was taken during our training time in Richmond.  I love looking at pictures from the past and knowing that those people had no idea what God had in store.  They had no idea the joys and challenges that parenting 2 wonderful children would bring.  Or the joy in finally having a church body in Prilep.  They didn't know that there would be days and sometimes whole years when they wanted to give up.

This next picture was taken just hours before we boarded the plane to Macedonia as we said goodbye to our parents.  We are so thankful to have such supportive families who share in our ministry and come and visit.  

HE always has and will be worth whatever the cost.  Thank you Jesus for Your grace in using such imperfect people to make Your Name famous to those who don't know the full Truth.  Please pray for a great awakening of the Macedonian people.  Pray that their eyes would be opened to the Truth of the life-changing Gospel.