Jumping In!

This week we’re in Watertown, Wisconsin.

Thursday, June 7^th, the Regional and Fort Wayne staff threw us an incredible ‘decommissioning’ picnic at a pavilion in Franke Park.  It was a great time!  Close to 100 staff and individuals we’ve worked with through the years came out to remember, congratulate us on our new mission, and to say goodbye. And of course, there was amazing food! (Shonn has worked with some of them for 20 years, so it was an incredible time!) It was our 26^th anniversary that day, so they even made us a cake!  What a generous, incredibly caring, group of people!!

We packed up the van Saturday with what we need for the summer, left Indiana, and headed here to finish up Shonn’s final 3 days with Bethesda. (We’d been staying with our friends, the Nierman’s, for the last 5 weeks, so it was bittersweet. We had an amazing time with them!) Please pray for Shonn as he desires to finish well! We’re staying at my sister’s, so have the added bonus of seeing my parents, Cathie’s family, and Katie. 

We’re getting there… we are actually on our way! Late Wednesday we begin our drive to Florida.  We’ll be at Teen Missions and start our summer with them Sunday, June 17th…wow! The thought both excites, and honestly, scares us! Not in the ‘scary, terrified, turn around, or what have we done sense?’, but let’s be honest, the unknown is always just a little scary. 

But amazingly, there’s also a lot of peace.  There’s been a few times when I’ve thought

·        Shouldn’t we be just a little more scared for the future? 

·        Shouldn’t we be a little more worried about what happens after the summer and we have   to raise the rest of our support? 

·        Shouldn’t we worry that in a few days we’ll be essentially homeless and jobless?

This is our “jumping off” point. We were told by several veteran missionaries that everyone has this point…the point when you have to say, “Ok, God, WE ARE ALL IN” and YOU know what we need, when we need it…before WE know what we need or when we need it.  And we will trust You!  SO, this is our JUMPING IN time. 

And honestly, ‘The water’s fine!’ God’s got this!

Shonn and Lori

"LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us"

Isaiah 26:12