Month: March 2015

May madness…our plans!

/ samandang

Since coming to Thailand we have consistently asked the Lord “how long”…how long He would have us here working and serving Him with Destiny Rescue. We committed in our hearts and to DR for a year, but suspiciously wondered if it would be longer.

Our hunches were right. We are halfway done with our year and know that it’s definitely not time to go. Even thru the hard hard stuff, we know He is saying we will stay. We are anticipating great things this year and have already watched Him blow our minds and stretch us so far we thought we might crumble. He is good.

Many of you know we will be coming home in May! God has come thru already in so many ways, initially we thought it would be Angie coming for 6-8 weeks, however we didn’t have any peace with that. We knew that we could be gone for half the time if the both of us went but we had no way of making that happen. No one could watch the kids so we felt stuck. So we prayed. A lot. Then one day we had a lovely couple over for dinner and we were talking and out of the blue they said, “ we would love to watch your kids!” After praying and praying some more and countless people raving about how awesome and godly people they were we decided to do it!

God has also come thru on our plane tickets! It’s not cheap to buy them as most of you know, but God has provided once again! We purchased tickets this week! There are a few reasons we need to come home for the month of May,

      1.We need more MONTHLY donors! After a few people that haven’t been able to fulfill their commitment we are asking if you would think about giving 25, 50 or 100 dollars a month to keep us living and working in Thailand!

2.Schooling- Sam has been homeschooling and though it has been ok, we have seen major challenges with it. Our kids not knowing any other expat kids AND not speaking Thai has left them lonely and not really ever leaving the four walls of our house. Our kids need some friends and we feel God is calling us to put them into the international school. We need to raise $6000.00 total for both our boys for the year. Our boys are excited at this possibility of having friends!

3.Angie’s tailbone. Four years ago Angie’s tailbone started hurting and has become worse over time. We have tried many things with no relief really. We have found a place that does therapy for this certain thing, we are hopeful and have heard such great things! Someone has even offered to pay for our treatments while we are home! We cannot imagine Angie being pain free when sitting or moving but are anticipating results!

4.Last but not least, we want to catch up with all our current supporters or at least most of you! We plan to have an event where we can share our hearts and tell you stories. We are so grateful for each person’s support and all of the prayers. We are grateful for all the care packages and love you have remembered to send us! (We KNOW it’s not cheap either!) We love and honor each one of you!

So there you have it, a lot of things to happen in a short amount of time. We are asking all of you to pass this on; we have had donations and supporters who we have never even met. God takes care of each one of our needs! Though He has covered the cost of tickets we still need to raise money to actually be there, friends of ours have graciously invited us to stay at their house to reduce costs and we also have someone who we might be able to use their car while at home. So its just the food and airports and everything we do while there! We are hoping to raise 800.00 to cover food, gas, airport and traveling expenses. If you would like to help us please donate right here on our blog!

We look forward to catching up with friends and family and meeting new friends while home. This is definitely a step of faith for us. It’s actually harder to do this then it was to go to Thailand. We have to put our faith in Him that He will care for our kids, faith that Angie will find relief in her back, faith that He will raise the money… that we aren’t doing all of this to be at the same place we are now. Faith He will keep us safe and will line up all the divine appointments! We know the God we serve, and we go when He says GO!

See you May 12!

Love, love & love! xo

IMG_4851Samm & Angie

Prone to wander indeed.

/ samandang

“Prone to wander..bind my heart to thee.”

 

That single lyric in the famous hymn has always resonated with me. Frustratingly so actually. How is it that after all He has done, all I have seen Him do and experienced His presence, I could still be prone to wonder?

Better question? How, after all He has done does He even tolerate me “wandering” like some lost sheep? He is incredibly patient. I think we can all agree we would have given up on ourselves long, long ago. Those of you who disagree are lying. As humans we are not a very patient species.

Being in Thailand has in fact cemented me seeing when I start to even begin to wander…BAM! You can find me flat in my face in a corner curled up in the fetal position. It’s a different ballgame…I could pretend better, longer, that I was “fine” back at home. Here there isn’t that margin of holding it together.

Wander=WHAM!

 

1 Chronicles 29:14-18 hit me hard this week, especially verses 17,18

 

He tests the heart; He knows our heart, our intentions. Our truest selves. There is no pretending with Him. The cookie cutter Christian we all tend to become and then boldly declare we are different from the “other” Christians. Nice try. He knows..Oh He knows all right. He knows if we have a desire in our heart to really know Him, let alone the last time we just sat with Him. I am not talking about reading our devotions and say a prayer. I am talking about Him and us. In an awkward silence, in an uncomfortable position waiting for Him to show up…no agenda just sit. When was the last time we did that? The same kind of relationship we display to our spouse who has come home after a long trip. Where we eagerly greet them at the door. Excited to just “be”.

For me? It’s been a while. Honestly. I’d like to write to you all and share the mission field is full of lifted up-connected-to-Jesus-people… not to say there isn’t of course. However it’s also full of regular people who choose to just walk their faith out. People like you, like me. With battered souls, dusty bibles and weary prayers. That’s what I LOVE verse 18. David just put out there “ God keep our hearts right and loyal to you”

Prone to wander.

Regardless of our sheep like tendencies, He is there. Ever loving. Ever patient and full of grace. I can testify to that, because as soon as I get my head on straight again and turn my eyes to His face I can see He hasn’t moved. Not even one inch.

There is NO ONE like our God!

NO ONE!