Hey Friends,
It’s been nearly three months since my summer update…and at least in Georgia, it feels like we just escaped the summer heat a few days ago. Still waiting on the leaves to start changing!
The summer season is generally a hectic one for our staff at the office. There is a lot of training as we get individuals and teams ready to head out to the mission field. We also get the chance to welcome people back to the USA and help with their re-entry process. It’s overall an exciting and busy time of year!
Now that I have transitioned into the Long-term Missions departments I’m not as involved in as much of the summer activities, but I do occasionally get a chance to speak on ‘Living on Mission’ and Kingdom Finances.
Here are some of the work celebrations from the last few months:
– We’re continuing to adjust and improve our Field Ministry Development Plans for our overseas bases. This helps steer the vision and team engagements alongside the local communities we serve with.
– There has been an increase in interest to serve at our bases, specifically our Costa Rica location. We’re currently in the middle of interviews and planning ‘vision trips’ as we get the exciting chance to steward people in where God is calling them.
– The summer was a full but wonderful season of short-term mission trips from the USA partnering with our bases. Churches and groups from all over have served in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Eswatini as people have come to know the Gospel through evangelism and the fulfillment of practical needs such as clean water filters and stoves.
Beyond work, the last few months have had their challenges.
I previously wrote about my hip surgery in July…well, September 25th I had the same procedure on my other hip. Thanks to the insurance company it’s kind of like a ‘buy one get one free’ special.
Each procedure repaired and anchored my labrum, as well as shaving a part of my femur that due to ‘hip impingement’ was causing the tear. My hope is it will alleviate the pain I’ve been feeling for over a year and allow me to get back to an active lifestyle.
I’m just past 2 weeks into my second recovery with another 2 weeks on crutches and 10 weeks of daily physical therapy ahead of me. This second recovery has been more challenging because the hip that had the first procedure is now my supporting leg.
Within my recovery I’ve been taken to a new depth in two areas:
– Patience
– Humility
It’s another rich lesson of trusting a timeline and schedule that doesn’t meet my agenda. God is so gracious in the way he continues to walk me through this lesson. I’m so quick in life to want to rush a process and see results immediately. Learning to be patient in the waiting is hard but I’m growing in it.
Humility. Depending on my wife for my next meal, to put my shoes on or to help me get to the shower has made me come face to face with my pride. It’s forced me to accept help and be served in a way I normally try to avoid. Humility is sometimes as simple as embracing the help we need.
For someone that used to dunk a basketball, climb mountains and play any sport he could, being in a situation where it’s a challenge to change clothes has made me appreciate health more than ever before.
As we move through Fall I will keep progressing in the healing process. Slow and steady, with hours of physical therapy and patience, will get me back on my feet and ready for a more active 2020.
Thanks for your prayers and support during the journey!
