Josh and Chelsea August 2018 Update

God is so good! All the time. In every circumstance, challenge and situation.

Chelsea and I wanted to update you on all of our adventures since our last write-up. Flights are booked. Tourist visa’s are granted. Bags are… not quite packed…. But, we are counting down the days until we begin the next chapter of our adventures. It is hard to believe that in ONLY six weeks Chelsea and I launch to the missions field in Brazil. After 2 years of planning and preparing we are finally embarking on the first step of our journey towards Mozambique. Through these past years, with all the challenges that have come up, God has continued to reaffirm that He is calling us overseas. Two years ago, it seemed that this time would never come, but here we are and I cannot believe that it is so close.

If we are both completely honest with ourselves, we are experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. We are overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness over the past years. We are humbled by the love, support and encouragement we have continued to receive from our family, friends and church community. We are excited to discover what adventures and challenges that await us just around the corner. And… We are just a little bit sad and terrified, as we prepare to say good-bye to our lives, community and routines here in little Morinville.

God has been calling Chelsea and I to grow in many areas of our lives, especially in our faith. I am proud to say that after many months of studying and preparing, and by Gods grace, I have finally finished my private pilots rating. Chelsea is continuing to struggle along with her Portuguese studies, and is making slow progress. She is still much farther along than I am, as I have not started yet. In four weeks Chelsea and I are both stepping down from our full time jobs. And this has been the biggest leap of faith for both of us. This is the first time in our adult lives that we are truly fully dependent on God for our “daily bread.” As christians, we always say things like “We are trusting God” or “I know God will provide”. But, we have both discovered that it can be far more difficult to live out those truths when you know that you will no longer be receiving a regular pay check. And, as much as this has been a bit tough to get our heads around, we are so thankful that God is continuing to challenge us in this. I will be honest that this has been one of the most challenging and yet rewarding experiences of our walk. Seeing God provide in the most random ways, when you least expect it, has served to confirm that we are walking in His will.  We are so thankful for those of you who have come on board to support us financially and in prayer.  It has been humbling, and very encouraging, to see our monthly support increasing. We are not yet fully funded but as we walk in obedience, Chelsea and I remember that God has opened every door thus far, and trust He will continue to do so. Please pray for financial partners to join us as we continue to prepare for Brazil and Mozambique.

We are also preparing to transition our home into a rental property. This has been very bitter-sweet! We have only been in our place for a year and a half, but it has certainly become home for us. In that short time, we have built so many wonderful memories. Plus, Chelsea has thoroughly enjoyed setting up the house, putting in a garden, and spending time with our friends. But, God has also provided some amazing renters to come fill this space while we are gone. It’s such a comfort for us to know that our home will be full and cared for in the next few years. In the next few weeks we will be busy moving out and setting in to our temporary home with Chelsea’s parents!

As we both look to our future, we are reminded that as far as we have both come, there is still much work to be done. I often feel like Peter when he was walking on the water. As long as he kept his focus on Jesus, God was bringing him through the waves. But when Peter looked away from the Lord and looked at the situation, he began to sink beneath the waves. The more I try and figure out how everything is going to work together, the more flustered and unproductive I become. The bigger the challenges appear and the less I can hear clearly from the Lord. But, the more I rest and look to Jesus, the more He pours out blessing after blessing and makes a straight path before me.

In Matthew 6, Jesus says the we do not need to pray endlessly hoping that the more we pray, the more likely our prayers will be answered. He says to put Him first and and rest in Him because He knows our needs even before we ask. As Chelsea and I keep walking ahead, God is going to supply everything we need. We just need to walk hand in hand with him and say, “What’s next Papa?!”

As you guys think of us in the next few week, please join us in pray for:

• Thanks and praise for the financial and prayer partners who have started to support us.
• Safety and favour as we travel to speaking engagements in Seattle and Edmonton.
• A good transition as our renters move into our house and we move in with the Graham Clan.
• Our final preparations for Brazil (including booking a car rental and registering for language classes).

Lots of love and thanks,

Josh and Chelsea