We just want to bring you all up to speed with where we are at as we get closer to the Spring, as well as highlight a few things from the past semester of preparation. Really, this is just a way of saying thank you to the Father for all that he has done in our journey thus far.
1. In August we got married and that was amazing. We went to Charleston, SC for our honeymoon and moved into our apartment right before the month of September began. We woke up every morning to see wild turkeys and pine trees outside our front door. Also, as Melissa mentioned, we began hosting the small group that had been together for over four years. We are very thankful for our friends, one and all, who have been such a huge blessing in our lives. We are thankful for our first home—who would have thought we’d land in a secluded, wooded paradise so close to family and friends? We are very thankful for each other, and are continually amazed by the great grace of the Father, who keeps us and leads us every day.
2. In September we hit the ground running getting ready for Cambodia. This entailed a lot of emails, letters, phone calls, Skype chats, and home visits. Our confidence began to build as we began to interact more and more intensely with the Father. People all around us seemed to be supportive and encouraging to us. The weight of our calling also began to grow, and our minds began to sharpen with the realization that this is really happening. We are really moving to another country on the other side of the planet. And the Helper is really sending us there.
3. In October we began to see fruit, and were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and faithfulness from our brothers and sisters. The Father has gifted so many of his people to live lives of joyful generosity. We continue to be amazed by their example and aspire to follow their pattern. We also experienced some fear and worry about job security while still here in S.C. This led us to a focused time of petition and trust. We are so humbled by the way that he has spurred us on and has met every single need according to his purpose.
4. In November we ate turkey with Melissa’s family and even did a little Black Friday shopping (not my idea). We continued to meet with people and entertain guests at our house. We absolutely love it! Hospitality continues to be something we remain passionate about. We are so grateful for the intimacy of the dinner table, of late-night coffee in the living room, and of the great times of fellowship with all who enter our home. The Son richly blesses us in those precious times with others. Also in November, I felt led to step down from my service with the teenagers at our fellowship. It was hard to hear and accept that word, but as I began the process of stepping out I continued to feel the affirming word of my Father that his timing is always perfect.
5. In December we faced some hard things. The first was a continuation of the past couple of months of job hunting, and the frustration that followed when unsuccessful. We continued to trust that he had us in his hands and would meet our every need. A second thing was that a good friend of Melissa’s, and a great brother to many in our community here, was killed in the field at the start of his second year of service. He was a committed servant and loved the Son with all his heart. It was a sobering time for us, and it caused us to truly count the cost of what we ourselves were committing our lives to. We also got to spend some time in Pennsylvania with both my family and some of Melissa’s relatives. We spent time with my home fellowship and received a great deal of encouragement from all of them. It was a restful, peaceful, and fruitful time home. And at the very end of December, I got a job!
6. In January we returned home and became super busy. I began working six days a week at my new job and began to value the meaning of setting aside a day of rest in a whole new way. January was also a strange month. Our good friend Kehl Hudson left to do the work he had been called to do in the Bronx, N.Y. We waved him off at the train station and realized that we were that much closer to leaving as well. We get a lot of updates from friends in the field, workers who are scattered in every corner of the earth. We continually lift them up and ask that their needs be met, that their work be fruitful, and that their hearts would be full of joy because of the Son.
7. In February I took Melissa out for Valentine’s Day. I bought her roses and she bought me a pound of sausage (now that’s a holiday done right!). February was a trying month for me as my time became very limited due to work. I get home every day exhausted and have to go to bed pretty early in order to get up early and do it all over again. On the bright side, our friend Phil Welch also got hired there and since then has been riding with me to work. That has been a huge encouragement and answer for us both. Our preparations for Cambodia continued on at a good pace, and we now end this month with great confidence in the Helper’s work. We had the opportunity to Skype our director in Cambodia, which was a huge encouragement to us and just a great time of connecting and hearing more about what things will look like when we arrive. We are so excited!
So there you have it. He has done marvelous things among us, and we continue to seek his face humbly and to live out his word boldly. As March begins, we realize that time will fly quickly and that it won’t be long till we are packing up and heading out. Until that time, lift us up that we may remain faithful in the little, everyday things of life, and that our love for one another and for others around us would grow out of our love for him, because of his great love for us.
-Ryan
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