The Start of 2023
Wallenstein, I always find the beginning of a new year brings me fresh energy and renewed motivation. This has been true for me this year and it is a gift. As I started this year, one verse that came up in my Bible reading is Nehemiah 8:10 - "the joy of the Lord is your strength." The Lord has been placing it on my heart to grow in contentment this year and I want joy in him to be my strength.
We are one month into 2023 and already there have been ups and downs, joys and challenges. Let me share a few:
1) A loss - 2023 started off with the passing of my last grandparent. Grandma Martin had a deep trust in God's sovereignty and a sincere interest and care for people. As she aged and her eyesight failed, she would spend a lot of time on the phone checking in and talking with people. I hope to emulate her trust in God, and her love/care for people in my own life.
2) A hope - In December we had our first Canadian staff member, Derek, move to Vietnam as we continue to develop and cultivate a new partnership there. He is getting settled in, making connections, and sorting out visa issues. As well, we have a good number of students interested in our Vietnam mission trip for 2023.
3) A joy - As we start to process mission trip applications for our 2023 trips, it was encouraging to get an application from Asher. Asher's family is Muslim, but in the past few months he made a decision to follow Jesus. Asher is eager and excited to grow in his faith and sees a mission trip as a great opportunity to help him do that. We have accepted him to our Praxis Ottawa mission trip and we are excited to see how God will use this experience in his life. Pray for more than 50 students to go on mission trips this May/June. Currently we have 3 students accepted and another 43 who have started applications.
4) An opportunity - For the next 5 weeks I will be taking part in a course about soul care. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." As a leader I want to care well for my heart and my soul so that God can bear fruit through my life. This course is an opportunity for me to develop some habits and rhythms that will help me do better at caring for my soul. As I engage in this experience I am looking for a handful of people to pray for me. If you would like to intentionally pray for me throughout this journey, please respond to this email and I'll send you more specifics of how you can be praying.
One of our last Sunday afternoons with Grandma Martin.
In person meetings in Guelph last week with the National Leadership Team.
