True Truths and a Handful of Lies

I have read a number of missionary stories over the years; many of those stories have stirred my faith. Every good story has a protagonist who overcomes, someone who brings about a good in the midst of other unspeakable evils. In the missionary stories, it is someone who has faith beyond circumstances because they have "seen" The Lord and will do anything to make his name and work paramount. While I know that a biography might scratch at a unbelief or doubt it will rarely portray what that person really felt as they moved away with all of their belongings packed in a simple wooden box, which became their coffin when they die of malaria.

I am not that person. We are leaving much here in Texas, which is becoming more difficult to come to grips with but people move and leave all the time...actually, what I find to be difficult over the past months and has begun to weigh me down is that I don't know what we are moving to. Simple in most places in the country...but the bush of Alaska is not like anywhere in the country. We have a wonderful property that is on a lake 3 miles across from the village we want to build our lives in. Problem...

This winter there is no ice on the lake and has been relatively uncrossable. Next problem, the town of Port Alsworth does not have condo units for rent...I am stressed especially as the time gets closer. Where are we going to live? Are we making a stupid decision to move? We are leaving and going...Lord, where?

In the midst of personal doubt Julie and I have done what all of humanity does in times of crisis; prayed...a lot! We have also sought the Word as True Truth counter acts doubt and self. I am learning much, which actually might be the Lords point in all this waiting for answers of what our life might turn out to look like...Ephesians has leapt off the page to me in the past weeks.

My life is identified in Jesus. In the first chapter alone the word "IN" is written something like 14 times in context of being "in Christ" "in the Beloved". Where do I belong? I belong IN...

Then the question why? It is simple and complex... God loves. His love is knowable and unknowable; unknowable because it is too big for me; knowable because He chose to make it known to me--even before the world was made.

The last truth that I have been clubbed with...he blesses us. No, not in the Joel Osteen way...his blessing is in the heavenly places. What? How does that give me comfort in moving my family to Rural Alaska and not having a place to live? Mark Driscoll said it like this (paraphrased) "this world is as close as a Christian will get to hell; conversely, it is as close to heaven as a non-believer will ever get". My blessing is not just in the here and now...thank God! It is worth it for us to go and give our lives so that those who will never know anything better can know the reality of Ephesians 1:3 "...every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places."

I still have anxiety. I am flying to Alaska next week; please pray with us that through being there we might find housing during the winter months. Pray for us also in the midst of these doubts that the true Truth of God will be what we are listening to, that we will seek him and listen. We need people to pray with us during this time...thank you!