update and prayer requests for the new year

Thank you for continuing to walk alongside us on this journey! I hope that you are as excited as we are about what God can do in you and through you, in us and through us, this year. In our personal lives and relationships, in our local churches, schools, places of work, in our country, and in the world: the opportunities and potential are limitless! We look forward to seeing and speaking with as many of you as possible this year, either in person, through letters, on the phone, or Facetime! From our small corner of the world, here are a few things we are thanking God for and asking Him for:

1. Yes, its that time again! Time to pull out the old boxes, clean out the closets, and get on the move. Logistically, it won't be that challenging, as we don't have too many boxes. But there is alot more to moving than packing up belongings. We have made a home here, and now we are leaving it. It is a challenge, in this life, to build relationships, invest in people and allow them to invest in you, to grow in love and community, and to do all this knowing that it is only temporary. I don't want us, especially my kids, to have trouble either beginning or maintaining deep relationships because it is too difficult to let go of when the time comes. As it always does. So what does one do? Please pray that our hearts would remain open to everything God has for us, all the people and places and homes, that we would have room to embrace it all, and that we would be willing to open our hands and release it again when the time comes. We do want to "leave well", to not shy away from difficult goodbyes. We want to be strong friends to those we've met this year, those we know from college, and everyone in between! Pray we remember friendships are more than physical proximity.

2.  We are excited about our new (temporary) home! We weren't sure about our timetable this winter, and when the time came to prepare to leave Minnesota, we needed to find something in Kansas right away. A friend got us in touch with a former missionary family, now back in the States, who have a house to rent in Haviland. This is actually great because we will be able to be part of our church home in Pratt again for a little while, and at the same time be close to Patrick's extended family right in town and also build new relationships and strengthen existing ones in the community of Haviland. Please pray for our transition to a smaller house, that homeschooling and Patrick's home officing (as we work on support raising) and all that would be as peaceful as possible. If we call you, please understand if there is a loud toddler in the background! Thankfully, they can play outside from dawn till dark! 

3.  You have probably noticed east central Africa alot in the news recently, specifically South Sudan and the Central African Republic. I won't attempt to give a news report, but you may not have known, as you saw the news, that AIM is heavily involved in these countries. As the headlines are replaced with new stories, and these fade into the backs of our minds, please still keep it in your prayers. We want to be the hands and feet of Christ, not just the mouthpiece. AIM is involved in everything from evacuations before emergencies, distributing aid throughout crises, to Biblical-based crisis counseling after the fact. We are constantly praying for peace, the protection of the missionaries currently there, and that in the midst of intense human suffering, Christ would be being made known and made much of as Christians love, serve, and heal in His name.