The choice is ours

“Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a common sense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith.   But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? …Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith.”  
      -A few thought from Oswald Chambers that we have found much encouragement in.

This is quite a different experience than either of us have ever had.  We are used to having a game plan.  Usually we know what is next and have a strategy for how we will go about accomplishing it.  That is not necessarily something to be proud of.  I think that when we are always prepared and have everything figured out; we miss out on the amazing blessing of wholly relying on Jesus.  So, as this is a relatively new thing for us, we are so excited to see how it will grow our faith.  We are looking forward to gaining a greater knowledge of our God and growing closer to Him through the journey.  Our desire and prayer is; whatever life, as long as it means more of Christ!  And that life of knowing more of Christ rarely leads His children on a path that looks wise through the eyes of “common sense”.   

For you who haven’t heard we ARE here!  We thank our Father for a safe flight here.  How nice it was to step off of the plane and take in the familiar sights and sounds of Kenya! It is SO good to be back J We are thankful for the kind hospitality of our friends who are hosting us until we have a place of our own.  It sounds like we should be moving into our own home early next week.   It is in the same area that we lived last year. 

Many of you have told us that you are anxious to hear what our life will hold here…. For the record, we are too!  We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we KNOW who holds it! What amazing comfort. And He asks us, is that enough my child? The choice is ours.  We can worry and fret and toil all the day, doing the work of the vine. Or, we can rest IN the Vine and let Him work through us.  And so for us, today we must choose again to resign our will for His.  We again have to choose faith over the voice of common sense that at times seems to be laughing in our face.  The choice is in our hands, which way will you choose?!  Oh that we would all follow our God where He leads, with a predetermined “Yes, Lord” resounding from our lips!
           

Happy Friday!  May God get glory from your life today!!!

Hello Fellow Soldiers-in-Christ!

Tomorrow, tomorrow! It’s only a day awayyy :) Our plane leaves tomorrow at 2:40pm and Lord willing, we will arrive in Nairobi about 20 hours later at 6:05pm the following day. We will possibly have a house by the time we arrive, if not we will be staying with some friends in the area for a few days until we are able to find one. Our friends are picking us up from the airport with a matatu, a small 15 passenger van. It will be a fun adventure stuffing in 5 people and 10 bags. :)

This is just a quick update but we wanted to touch base with you all and thank everyone who is praying! We hope to keep you updated on stories of our Faithful Lord Jesus and on ways you can be praying, as often as we can. We love you all! MAY JESUS CHRIST RECEIVE ALL HONOR, GLORY, AND PRAISE!

May our focus today be on Him who is coming :)

But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgement, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:26b-28

We have been freed from the shackels of sin in which satan had us bound. They have fallen away. We are FREE! So often I get so caught up in celebration of my freedom I forget the price that was paid.  I forget God's only Son being crushed by the Fathers holy wrath for the payment of my debt. He became a curse so that my lips could declare "I am blessed."  Wow... If only I had a clearer picture of the One who gave ALL.

I was reading a magazine the other day and I read this quote and it really struck me, "Why do you think every tear will be wiped away? Is it not because many of us will realize how little we gave to the Savior who gave all?" Now, I certainly don't know every thought behind that particular passage in Revelations; however, I do think there is something to learn from that quote. Oh that we would all have a greater view of our God!  All to often I place way to high of a price on my safety and well being... trying to preserve my life. Only when my eyes are on Him and His Spirit is reigning in me can I gladly fling away my life for His use.  Everyday we remain on this earth I pray we are able to discover more of GOD.  Our journey into the endless frontier of Him has only begun... However, we eagerly await what this path will hold because it will mean MORE of Christ!!!

 

"Quicken me to obedience, dear Master. Give me a bondservant's ear to Thy every utterance. I delight to do Thy will. Make my feet like hind's feet, that I may prance upon Thy most difficult mountain heights. May I not shudder before Thy commission, oh Heavenly Father, may I not hesitate when Thou beckon me to go. Thou hast given me new life, and I pray that Thou art perfumed with my deepest honor." - Eric Ludy

25 days! Cant believe it :) God is so amazing! We would never have dreamed we could be so priviledged. May He receive all of the glory!!!!

The other night we were blessed to be able to share about this journey at our church.  People were wondering about sending us money.  We will be able to receive money in Kenya via MoneyGram.  It can be done at CVS, Walmart, Meijer ect. We have only ever used CVS so I will tell you how it works there. Next to the picture booths there is a red phone. You will arrange all of the details on it. They are very good at walking you through it, but I will emphasize a few details. They will ask you where you want to send it say "Kenya." (If they ask for the city it is Nairobi.) They will ask who you are sending it to... you can use either Chami LuAnne Ayres or Holly Ann Peters.  (Note: make sure that they are clear on the name spelling! It is never fun to get to the desk to pay and realize you need to start all over.)  They will ask whether we will have an I.D. when we pick it up... Yes, we will! Once you are done on the phone just go to the counter and they will take the money from you.  On your copy of the receipt will be a code that we have to have when we go to get the money in Kenya.... so you need to send it to us. You can text it to us or send it via Facebook or email. We will post our phone number when we get one. Our email:
2012kenyatrip@gmail.com 

If you are thinking it seems a bit sketchy be at ease... we have used it many times :)

Thank you for all of your prayers, love, and support. We are very grateful to you our brothers and sisters in the Lord!

Hebrews 13:11-13 "For those bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.  Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to Him, outside of the camp, bearing His reproach."