Moving Forward: A different path toward the same goal

ONE WEEK to graduation!! It's seems unreal to be so close to finishing my training here at Emanate. We are staying busy right up to the end, and spent this past week focusing on learning to teach literacy, so that one day we can teach people to read and write in their heart language.

We got to use software to make a primer and materials for teaching literacy, and then practice teaching a literacy lesson for an "altered" version of English.

We are so excited to be able to help people learn to know their Creator by reading the Word of God for themselves! What an incredible privilege it has been to be equipped and prepared for the work ahead through so many classes like this one!

LOOKING FORWARD

As I headed up here to Canada 17 months ago, I had a very specific goal in mind and plans in place to reach that goal. While there have been some very unexpected changes in my plans, there are also many things that haven't changed.

THINGS THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED

1. I'm still heading toward missions, specifically going to an unreached people group.
The end goal has not changed: to take the gospel and the Word of God to people who haven't had access to the truth before, and see God establish a church there. I believe as firmly as ever that God desires all people to hear the good news of the grace of God in providing salvation through Christ. He has called me and given me a burden to be the hands and feet that take that good news to the remotest parts of the world.

2. I'm still headed toward Papua New Guinea.
My area of focus has not changed. Since the beginning, I've shared that I'm most likely headed to Papua New Guinea. While I'm open to God redirecting me if He chooses, at this point in time, PNG still appears to be the direction that He is leading.

SO WHAT HAS CHANGED?

1.  I won't be going to the field single.
As you all know from my last post, I'm engaged to marry Josh Miller, and we will be heading to the mission field together. From this post on, I'll be talking more about "we" and "us" since it isn't just my plans now, but our plans. While our marriage will change my projected timelines for heading to the field, that timeline had already been adjusted due to the previous point. I'll talk further in future posts about our projected timeline. For now, if you have questions, please feel free to ask me and I can share with you what we are praying about and discussing with our church.

2. My sending church will be changing.
Due to my upcoming marriage to Josh, I will be joining him at his home/sending church, the Orrville Grace Brethren Church (OGBC) in Orrville, Ohio. My current church, the Grace Brethren Chapel will always be "my" church, and I'm so incredibly thankful for the amazing family I will always have there. God used them to prepare me and confirm my calling into missions, and they have encouraged and strengthened me! Since we are establishing our own family, Josh and I believe God is leading us to make OGBC our home church.

3. I won't be going to the field as a member of NTM PNG.
I have been so blessed to train here at Emanate, one of the two training centers for Ethnos360 and Ethnos Canada (formerly New Tribes Mission). When I headed toward missions, it was my goal with the blessing of my sending church to join as a member and be assisted in going to the field by this organization that has such a noble goal and wonderful resources. During the past 8 months, there arose a conflict of expectations between the leadership of NTM PNG and my home church. This also affected the families I have been working toward partnering with in PNG and they have been working through this with their home church. Through many months of trying to work through the differences that had arisen, I remained hopeful that I could ultimately continue on with the plan to serve with NTM PNG. However, in the situation of choosing to work with my sending church or with NTM PNG, I believe strongly that unless my church is asking me to act against the Bible, then I'm responsible to work with them before I'm responsible to a para-church organization like Ethnos/NTM.

You can be praying with us as we and our church are examining the possibility of partnering with another organization to assist us in getting to PNG and working there. They have the same focus and heart for reaching unreached people groups, and we are excited to share more information with you in the future regarding them. Feel free to check them out at finisterrevision.org.

For my Financial Partners:

Within the next two months, there will most likely need to be a change regarding where you send your financial support. I will personally be in contact with you to explain those options and answer any questions you have. Thank you so much for your burden for the lost and for your obedience in giving to see them reached with the gospel! You are a blessing, encouragement, and challenge to me every month as I receive your support and pray for you!

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Click HERE to see a summary of who I am and what I'm doing.

Click HERE to download a pdf bulletin insert of this update.