To our friends, family & supporters of our continued ministry:                                   

We come once again to you with exciting news regarding change!

In Isaiah it says,

“But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.

For I am about to do something new.

See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

I will create rivers in the dry wasteland."

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT)

As we read this we are excited how this passage (and all of Isaiah 43) seems relevant not only to us but to the people and land we feel called to.

Let’s back step a minute – for those of you who never read the newsletter we wrote after returning from Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Perth we invite you to please read it. It is posted just below this post. Our 5 months at YWAM Perth were not short of challenges – one after the next. To sum up all that we experienced would take many paragraphs so the letter on our website is the briefest and most sensitive summary of our time there. Most importantly we are moving on and that’s where we cling to God’s promise that He is “about to do something new!” In the midst of much turmoil in our hearts while at YWAM Perth, God’s peace was truly like a river for our family. Not only was His peace present but also His clear direction for our future.

In the first week of our time at YWAM Perth God began to direct us to where he we would take us next: Israel. This beautiful and Biblically historical land is clearly where God is leading us. Many people have asked, “How are you ‘called’ to Israel, or any place?” The prophet Jeremiah put it best when he wrote, “You will seek (the Lord) and find (the Lord) when you search for (the Lord) with all your heart.”  We clung to this truth and can say that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that our next step is to follow the path to Israel.

This is where things get interesting! In this initial year John will be in a graduate study program at Jerusalem University College. This Christian university is right in the heart of Jerusalem. As we look to our future in ministry we feel that Biblical knowledge will play a key role in bringing others to Christ and also discipling those in their current walks with Christ. When we had the privilege to travel to Israel last September with Ray Vander Laan (That The World May Know Ministries) we were forever changed by what we learned about the Text (the beautiful marriage of both the Old and New Testaments). We know that a more intense study of the Text will open doors for a number of ministry opportunities in our future.

As far as ministry opportunities in Israel, these will come in the natural form of daily life and also working with Care Corps International to coordinate working relationships and initiate potential partnership projects. We have found an apartment in a working class neighborhood of Jerusalem – even a lower economical end of town – and we hope to make relationships by living daily life. For Laura this will come through getting Jack enrolled in a preschool (“Gan”), spending time at the park with Jack & Violet and meeting other parents, getting to know the people in our apartment complex and making relationships with the people that God puts into our path in natural situations. Both Laura and John will be working under Care Corps to build working relationships for future collaborative ministry opportunities, and John will be growing in his Biblical knowledge and grasp of discipleship through his studies. We are called to be Jesus’ disciples and we feel this includes knowing our Bible and passing this on to others. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Although God has clearly swung open doors for us to move to Israel we need your help to fund our living and ministry costs. John received an academic scholarship from the university and was also awarded a merit-based scholarship from another Evangelical foundation that covers the first semester of his school tuition. Praise the Lord! John will continue to pursue scholarships for the second semester tuition, but we need support to help with the cost of our “daily life” ministry living in Jerusalem and liaising for Care Corps International. We continue to trust the Lord in where He’s leading us and trust He will provide in a way we that can’t for ourselves. How we wish we could sit and talk with each of you to explain our YWAM Perth experience, to tell you all the ways that God confirmed Israel to us and to share with you openly about our heart to learn, grow & become His disciple so that we can make disciples! We are excited about what’s ahead. We are nervous about what’s ahead. We are called to what’s ahead.

On a more personal note, since being back in California we’ve had the opportunity to work in a walnut orchard, do a large video and print project for a local business, set up a website for a local business and even put together a large play set for a family – all in an effort to provide some money to live on and help save for the future. We’ve been living with Laura’s parents and have been blessed spending time together. They have welcomed us with servant hearts and it’s been wonderful! The kids have loved playing in the blow-up pool, spending time with their cousins and running free out in the country. We’ve also visited John’s family and likewise been blessed by family and wonderful moments spent together. It’s been a FULL and FABULOUS summer! Changing directions to Israel will have its unique set of challenges for the kids – going from spending so much time with family and cousins to being with just our little family will be emotionally tough. Also, going from Papa and Mimi’s comfortable house to a small, quirky apartment will be rough but we’ll make the best of it. We are more than ready for the adventure ahead because we know it’s God’s plan and that He will help us through it!

Below is our financial breakdown. It’s especially stretching to trust the Lord for financial support during such an economically unsure time but our hope is not on the things that are seen, but unseen.

Projected Expenses for August 2011 – July 2012:

Rent and utilities: $18,000 ($1500 mo.)

Health Insurance: $2,000

Food & Household: $8,400 ($700 mo.)

Transportation: $600 ($50 mo.)

House set-up costs: $1000

Airfare: $3,700

Funds raised to date: $11,000         

Total Need: $22,700