Wednesday, November 28, 2012

UPDATE!!

     Wow! Thank you to so many who are helping with our support! We are so much closer to being able to leave, Praise The Lord! There is STILL time to help get us out of here so we can start writing about our culture shock, funny stories of faux pas and all the great experiences coming up as we work with the people in Hungary.

    So, the link you can click to help start monthly support or one-time gifts is:   http://ww3.pioneers.org/donate/Kurt and Carrie Smalley/111493

  Kosonom Szepen! (Thank you)
    The Smalley's

Thursday, November 22, 2012

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

  We are SO close! We only need $600 more in additional monthly pledges before the end of next  Wednesday, November 28th (this month!).  If we miss this deadline, we will lose $3600 towards our departure funds. Our donor has all ready graciously given us extensions & we are working hard to honor our commitment to them, the rest of our supporters AND to begin our ministry in Hungary.
Our goal is to land in Hungary and start serving its people by December 23.

  Will you please help us? Gifts and pledges can quickly be made here: http://ww3.pioneers.org/donate/Kurt and Carrie Smalley/111493

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Seeing Jesus?

  This lovely painting was done by a young girl at the age of 8. She had died, then was resuccitated and has been painting ever since.

  Early this morning, Kurt's father passed away. We don't know if he was a believer or not, though we DO know that we both presented the gospel to him in many ways and many times. Evidently, he had a peace about him when he did die - what this really means we will only see in Glory.

  Viewing Kurt's father's body today was interesting and confirming - I was reminded that it truly is only a shell for the spirit within.  After preparation for viewing, there was what looked like his father, but the "personage" was gone.  Our spirit inside us is but a breath away from eternity. We are just earthen vessels that God has foreordained for us to be in from the beginning of time!

"But we have this treasure in a fragile vase of clay, in order that the surpassing greatness of the power may be seen to belong to God, and not to originate in us." 2 Corinthians 4:7, Weymouth New Testament

   Yet He also says through Isaiah:  
"Woe to those who hide deep from the LORD their counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, 'Who sees us? Who knows us?' You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay; that the thing made should say of its maker, 'He did not make me;' or the thing formed say of him who formed it, 'He has no understanding'"? (Isaiah 29:15-16)

   Isn't that the way the world views things? "Who sees us?" "I can make my own destiny!"

   Kurt and I are called to go forth into the world and preach the gospel - anyone who is a believer is called to do this, wherever they are.  Kurt's father disowned us for committing to do this very thing. He didn't want to talk to us or see us after that. We obeyed his wishes, but also chose to keep on praying for him.

   We are going to Hungary once our monthly support is in (we are only 8% short!), so we can also share the good news to the nation that people can choose to have LIFE within their earthen vessels, rather than the hole in their souls that they are trying to fill. There is a God-sized hole in everyone's heart, and once you invite Him in, it is filled with joy and life everlasting... but you also need to nurture that with fellowship with other believers and reading His book for yourself. It is like becoming friends with Almighty God! WOW! God desires a relationship with you, a speck of dust on this earth! How cool is that??   Will you help us share this with Hungarians and those that come across our path?

 We can only hope that Kurt's dad did finally accept Christ into his heart the last few moments he was here.  Wouldn't you like to KNOW you have? 

(To help get us on our way, just click the link on the right of this blog.)

Monday, November 19, 2012

Catch or Splat

  One set of Carrie's great great grandparents came over to the US from the Czech Republic and homesteaded on the prairie of eastern Colorado, building a house out of chunks of sod since there was little or no wood. They were called "soddies". Life was hard, but they were seeking out a life in a free land where they could do anything they set their sights on, including having their own land.

  One set of her great grandparents came from Switzerland to settle in bleak western Kansas - a far cry from the Alps that was home, but for the same reasons.

  One of Kurt's grandparents was "encouraged" (i.e. forced at gunpoint) to leave the lowlands of the Netherlands (aka, Holland) to join the Kaiser's army in WWI. He jumped ship at the Panama Canal and basically walked to Alaska seeking freedom.

  Now we have sold our house in this land of promise, sold some treasures from these dear relatives and their children.  Treasures that were entrusted to us and we took good care of.

     God has set our eyes and hearts on Him, changing the way we view "stuff" - even these treasures- to sell them so we can follow Him without encumbrances.  We had a successful "Living Estate & Antique Sale", but we may need another, since not all is gone.

  A lot of Kurt's tools sold. The business is closed. We soon are moving out & into a friend's garage. Only two chairs are needed, one small table or two, our bed, clothes and computer. Waiting. Waiting for the rest of our monthly support to come in so we can leave.

   We have jumped off the cliff and now are free falling. No parachute - just waiting to either be caught by God or splat.  We choose to be caught, but it isn't our choice. What little control we thought we had is now all gone and it is only up to the Almighty as to what should be done.

  I find it quite ironic that these great grandchildren of immigrants have chosen to leave all behind that is familiar and head back to the continent our forefathers willingly left for a better life.  Our choice is different though. Our choice to go is in order to help show there is a better life that ALL can choose to have without immigration. A life where freedom is for your soul - not monetary gain, or politics, not fancy cars, or jobs, or any of the many other reasons that are worth nothing in the end.

In the end it only matters what you have chosen - to take up the offer that Jesus Christ makes to all who hear, "Follow me, die to yourself and have eternal life".  It is completely free and joy-full even in hard times when you give up all to follow Him.   What will YOU choose? To be caught or splat?  He WILL catch you! He is the best catcher you have ever seen. Will you join His team?

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

80%!! Can we hit 90% this month, too?

  Hooray! We are just over 80% monthly support, PTL!  Thanks to so many individuals in nearly a year, we are almost there... can we make 90% before the cut-off for the month? (It's early this month due to Thanksgiving in the U.S.) - we could be in Hungary before the end of the year if that happens, and that would also let us use a substantial amount that expires at the end of December.

Can we do it? Can we actually reach Hungary before the end of the year? We covet your prayers, your help, your prayers for the Hungarians who so desperately need to know the love of Christ, who could realize that Christ is the only one that can fill the ache and the longing of their souls. Winter is dark, often lonely and cold - let's help them know that they are not alone. Their creator has surrounded them by a "great cloud of witnesses" - here on earth and in heaven.

 If you would like to help us reach 90% in two weeks or less, click on the link to the right and set it up today. Many thank you from Hungary in advance.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Preparing for Good Bye, house..

   This is our front porch where we have spent many fun times laughing, dancing, enjoying the sun and the shade, shelter from the rain & snow, as well sharing many conversations and cups of coffee with friends, customers, acquaintances, parts drivers, family & some who are lost - spiritually, emotionally, boundary, or truly, physically lost.  We built this house, meaning to retire here, had it planned and worked out for wheelchairs/walkers, etc... but God has a great sense of humor, no? We make our plans, but God is still in control of all of our future.

   Feeling the urging of the Holy Spirit, and being over 80% with monthly support (Thank you ALL!), we are getting nudges from God we need to start packing and "defragging" what remains of our earthly belongings. We will be selling the belongings, it just makes sense, rather than to store indefinitely. Oh, some things we will keep (enough to fill an old fashioned phone booth), but the majority goes. Family heirlooms, everyday necessities - they all have a story or two with them. Now they are being prepared to make stories in someone else's house.