A Good Start

We are off to a wonderful start in our preparations for school! The encouragement we have received from brethren all over the world has truly made us feel very, very blessed. Knowing that so many are praying for us and supporting us is an incredibly humbling feeling.

Raising financial support has gone so well for us thus far. You know, sometimes preachers, preacher students, missionaries, etc. get discouraged - especially about fundraising. There's this inward struggle that goes on that is often very difficult for many to deal with. It has a lot to do with perception....

See, most people have a sense of decent pride and want to provide for their own. No one wants to feel (or have others look at them) like this:

There's also the worry that you don't want people to think of you like this:

No one wants to be seen as a beggar and no one wants to be viewed as someone just "in it for the money." Of course we realize there are some people out there who may really be in it for the cash, but most aren't...   and I would say that most of the time, no one is thinking that about us! But sometimes those feelings might start to creep in. What do you do when you're concerned about projecting the right image... when you want to be a pure Light on the Hill and you know at the same time that you need to eat? What helps keep our perspective in its proper place most of all?

"good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over"

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.       Matthew 6:24-33 

 God has truly taken care of us, and we don't need to worry! We are dedicated to trying our hardest to serve Him and He has blessed us so richly! People from so many places have showered blessings on us and we are awed by the love of our brothers and sisters in Christ. So THANK YOU! Thank you for helping us in our desire to go to school and for easing our burdens. Thank you for loving us and for allowing us to forget those worries that spring up when we are anxious because of what people might think. Thank you for your many prayers on our behalf.

We are excited about starting this journey and look forward to sharing our story with you all!

In Christ,

Lee and Julia