Preparing

"How is God preparing you?"  That's one of the questions we have to answer on an application to a mission organization.  Wow, how do I answer that in 200 words or less?  I think I could write a book!  The past 3 years have been very challenging for Greg and I.  Learning to work through the differences in our personality, in how we act out our faith, man/woman differences and husband/wife differences.  Never has our relationship been so tested, but now on the other side of things never has our relationship been stronger.  Notice I said "stronger" not "more perfect!"  We are still two selfish individuals trying to live together (and trying to get 4 more little selfish individuals to live together with us!), but God has taught us both a lot about what it means to follow Him as well as what it means to love each other.

There are some practical ways too that God is preparing us.  Take our diet for one.  We've always strived to eat healthy.  Some periods of our lives have been healthier than others, but for the most part we try hard.  Well, due to some health issues with Rylan and I in particular, we have had to drastically change our diet.  What did we change to?  How about whole foods/no sugar/low grain.  Hmmmmm... wonder how we might eat in Japan?  Our kids (and us) have had to get used to a lot of new foods and old foods prepared a different way.  As we adjust to a new food culture I'm sure these lessons we're learning now will come in handy!

Isn't great that God led us into homeschooling?  We will begin our 5th year and the kids (and I) really do love it.  Again, it's not "perfect", but when it comes down to it, homeschooling allows our family to focus on the things God wants our particular family to focus on.  A great benefit in this is that in the midst of all the changes we will go through, the children's schooling can stay the same.  They will have that anchor to let down in an ocean full of unknowns.  Not to mention the fact that we can tailor our education to our children's particular needs... such as learning Japanese! 

A year and half ago, Greg and I took Financial Peace University.  This is a 13 week course designed by Dave Ramsey to help people get control of their financial situation.  We were not in consumer debt so that wasn't our issue... really we just needed focus on trying to stay in budget each month.  That class drastically changed the way we operate with our finances.  I believe God was giving us a format to manage our money well.  This will be a key skill as we seek to use money other people supply us with to do Kingdom work.  We now have been trained to be diligent about our finances.

We have been involved in our church for 15 years.  We helped start it from the ground up.  We are so greatful for the church God has provided for us.  I truly believe God has used the community around us to build a love for the lost.  Our church does not focus a lot on foreign missions, (guess we'll change that a bit!), but has taught us how to be local missionaries.  How to serve God to the best of our ability right where we are.  This has helped to give us a heart for those who God is still waiting on to come to Him.  Our church reaches out to people who probably wouldn't step a foot inside a traditional church.  We have all walks of people... rich/poor, black/white, advantaged/disadvantaged, churched/unchurched... all of us sinners needing redemption.  We affectionately refer to ourselves as "The Island of Misfit Toys".  That's who we are... and we're proud of it!

There are so many more things I could mention, but I'm sure I've hit the 200 word mark! I can rest easy knowing God will prepare us in all the things He would like us to be prepared in... and the rest.... gee, guess we'll have to trust Him!  :-)

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.