"We don't want to scare you off!"

When we were on our survey trip we had met with about 20 team possibilities. I think we learned a lot of   important ideas from every single encounter! I am so impressed with the quality of people who are on the field & I'm really looking forward to getting to know them better through different activities.

When we met with (what is now our team in Hungary) for an in depth chance to talk, it was filled with lots of questions and laughter. After a lovely lunch  we had a conversation about a multitude of subjects in both English and Hungarian.

Eventually, it simmered down enough so one of the pastors could nervously ask Kurt, "We were wondering if you would be willing to teach an automotive maintenance class here?" Kurt, knowing that if you say "yes" in some places they expect you to complete it even if you don't live there, so Kurt answered, "If we end up here, then yes, I would be happy to." 

This spawned a flurry of conversation in Hungarian that became quite animated and detailed amongst everyone who knew Hungarian (which was leaving us out - they weren't trying to be rude, you could tell it was just discussing what to ask us next.... and frankly, I am thinking, "Dear Lord, if I would EVER get this language it would be a miracle!")

Finally, the Area Leader halted the discussion & basically said, "They want to ask you a LOT more questions about what you would be wanting to do - both of you- but I am putting a stop to the questions in this subject because we don't want to scare you off!"

So, someday (God willing, soon) we will find out what some of those questions will be! First, we need to get there, then "Fire away"!  (I just hope there is an interpreter around:)) I am so glad they think we can be of assistance to the team. I know we will enjoy working with them all.

He has risen and so has our support!

Wow! Thank you to those who have all ready pitched in towards the Great Commission!  Click the link & you can start TODAY!  We want to leave by the end of June in order to be there for some of the most crucial time when lots of manpower is needed for the many camps and outreaches.  Will you help?

Think about all the people you know.  Ok, now think about all the people we know. Now think of all the people another person knows... are they all the same people? Of course not!  This is why it is IMPERATIVE that you help share with others what we are doing & that we need additional supporters. Kurt and I only know so many people. You and many others could help expand this ministry greatly! Theoretically, we could be fully funded by the end of the month if others could be reached to help support the Great Commission. We are required to have 90% support in order to leave - let's get the ball rolling!

The Great Commission is essentially, "Go ye therefore into all the world and preach the Gospel to all the nations." (paraphrased)  When you join as a "sender" you also vicariously end up as a "go-er", through sending! "...I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ALREADY white for harvest!" John 4:35  I view this as, do I really have to endure this earth a lot longer, or would you rather help gather the lost in and be in Heaven?  I choose Heaven any day over this old world! Let's get outta here! You in? Join in! The link is on the right:)

Jesus did it all

I was reading a post earlier this week that said, "What if it really isn't all about me?"   Frankly, I was shocked - life should never be just about ourselves. Maybe that is why there is so much discontent in the world - people aren't "others" focused.

  This is Good Friday, the day of the year when Jesus was so "others" focused that He died for them, in order to give them life! He rose again 3 days later, stealing the keys of death from hell.  Today is GREAT FRIDAY! We can live our lives for Him! So, I challenge you! Start trying to be so "others" focused you lose sight of your own needs.

Hold Fast

   Are you ready to give up? Are you working at whatever God has given you to do, and it all seems like it is nearly too hard of a task - or it isn't working the way you feel like it is supposed to?

   Trust us - we have been there!  There are many times when it feels like all you can do is hold on- hard! That is "hold fast".  Hold fast, your continuance will be proving itself to be indeed what God has given you to be done, and it WILL have been worth the efforts of your work.

   There have been times I may have been discouraged or feeling like what we are doing is being thwarted on every turn - then I would see "Joe" at his "post".  Joe has his own self-appointed job.... he stands at a particular stop sign in all types of weather... waving and smiling at everyone who goes past.  Day in, day out, Joe waves and smiles.

   One particular day as I was leaving work, there was Joe. The joy coming from his smile literally changed my whole attitude & it reminded me of how I need to be responding each and every day - Christ is in my heart, and through Him, there are never meant to be any bad or discouraging days! It is only when my eyes are taken off of looking at Christ and refocused on why getting on the field is taking so long, that my heart loses the encouragement of Him.

   Will you stand with us?  Will YOU help pray us onto the field by the end of June?  Will YOU help us out by telling others of us & what God has set us out to do?  Have you yet pledged monthly support? Will you? Just look to the right, where it says Pioneers - it will link you directly to help set up your support for us.

   Thank you, it has been made evident that we are needed on the field. Help get us there! Let's hold fast together:)

Impossible Places Call For Fingernails

I was heading home from work this week, going on the overpass to connect with even more people on the freeway. ( I always like to look at plants that find their way to grow in impossible circumstances.) I saw the usual weeds, grass & ivy growing, and then I saw IT!  A cedar TREE, four feet tall, seemingly to flourish between a cement wall and the jersey barrier right smack against the wall!  No space that anyone would really pay attention to between them... but the tree is paying close attention to it, you might say.  There it is, forty feet above more concrete & asphalt, hanging out (literally), just growing along.

This cedar tree reminded me of Kurt and I - in between two very solid continents, cultures and also in between two very solid ideals.  Do we retire & grow old here or do we act like the twenty-year-olds we still feel like & follow Jesus' command to GO into all the earth & preach the gospel to everyone? Well, we like fun & the challenges of life, and through MUCH experience, we would rather do life God's way than in our own wisdom.

I was also thinking of many people I know of or have heard of who may also be in growing in the impossible places.  Maybe their past has rooted them to hang on by their fingernails. God comes into their lives and places a jersey barrier to help hold them up & keep their roots moist. Maybe they were flung into this world (in their eyes) haphazardly & life keeps giving them water, grit, dust, dirt, coffee grounds.... all that help to provide soil in a very unlikely spot - put it has nourished them so far! Look how tall and resilient they are! If some of us grew in that environment we wouldn't have made it past the first winter.

What's your story of the cedar? How will you radiate your life?

God has quite a sense of humor - we tend to notice it because we like to laugh so much - He had Moses strike a rock... in the desert.... for water!  He cleared a path in the sea for the Israelites to flee Egypt.... not a loose band of eight, but over two million people!  He found each of us in our sins and called us to come away & follow the sinless one who took our sin upon Himself so that we might have life!

... and He has called two older people to get rid of all they have collected, raise full support in a challenging economy to move to the last place they expected to live in order to preach the Gospel to those who have lived through communism as their "god" & have no idea who Jesus is! Even their welcome, "Isten Hozot" literally means, "God has brought you", yet they have no idea of why God would care about them....

How will you radiate your life to others?

If you were...

Do you ever hear someone say to you:

"Oh, if you were just here five minutes earlier..." or "If you had applied or called us a few months earlier..."

Is it just me??   Do you find yourself saying that to someone? 

Have you ever had the feeling of a hot, searing knife cut down into your heart when you hear that phrase?  I have. Trust me, it's not fun.  Maybe that is why I refuse to say that phrase & why there is empathy for others who have also "missed out".

Wanna know something great?? I mean, really, Really, REALLY great?  God wants you exactly the way you are, TODAY! Think about it - it isn't some contest to enter & if you are lucky you can win out of 10 billion entries - no, God wants you to turn over your life to Him, now!

...yeah, you heard right.  You're not late, there is no time delay, no reason for the mail to be late.  Today the one who created ALL the universe (and beyond) with only a spoken word.... He wants your heart, your voice, your love that others have rejected. He wants to share in your life.

He is available when you even think about Him - isn't that cool? No charges, no "Oh, I'll have to get back with you when I am available."  He is ALWAYS wanting to talk, to hear, to really listen to your heart's cry, to your rejoicing.....

and He picked YOU! 

This image is of Laminin - a molecular structure that literally grows in your body, holds you all together, to put it simply.  Your Heavenly Father not only planned for you from the beginning of time, but He has also planned on YOU being HERE during this time - He knows everything about you & loves you anyway. He knitted your body together in your mother's womb, knitting this Laminin in with you.... why wouldn't He care about you? He's crazy about you!!

Go ahead, just ask! You'll find out:)

Grab the rope!

We both are holding a rope - you pull one way, I pull another. Our goal is to move a box the rope is wrapped around into the center of a circle from outside the circle.  Is it working? Initially it doesn't sound like it - more like we are having our own tug-of-war...


Now, think outside of the "box" your brain is in......










What if we are both successfully moving the roped box into the center of the circle? We could be if we were at either end of a rope & the box was in the middle.


The box can be represented by people in unreached people groups (people who either have never heard the gospel or who have no way of reading the word of God & who have no reproducible church growth). The circle could be represented by the freeing knowledge of Jesus Christ and the joy of knowing Him as their Savior. 


Did you know that ALL of Europe is back to being an 'unreached people group'?? Less than 2% of Europe knows even who Jesus is (other than a cuss word), and that is the most positive estimate. Many places it is estimated that less than 1/2 a percent know Christ!!!!  How sad, that the rich Christian heritage and the homeland of many of the Christian culture's forefathers is now a spiritual wasteland.


When I (Carrie) was asked to speak to a Hungarian women's group, we did a question and answer time... questions like, "What would God want to do with us?"  and,  "Who is Jesus, anyway?" were prominent.  It broke my heart. I pray it breaks yours, as well


Today in a church service the pastor was speaking about teamwork. I couldn't help but compare teamwork to the mission field. We have a great prayer-warrior team and an encouraging financial team helping to get us onto the field.  Our teams have willingly stepped in to hold onto the other end of the rope & we are pulling this box into the center of the circle.  Once we get onto the field, the amount  of helpers & added missionaries increases exponentially!


Moses' father-in-law was telling Moses that he needed to delegate responsibilities to other willing men who wanted to help because the load Moses carried was too heavy and he would burn-out. (Ok, it's an abbreviated version of  Exodus 18!)  How apropos this is in regards to us trying to raise support.  We can speak to as many people we know to see if they would like to prayerfully or financially support us.....and there it ends & we end up being short of funds needed for the field.       OR........


Some of you know others who would willingly like to hear what God's intentions are with this "old" couple that is radically changing their life in order to follow Jesus & go out onto the mission field long term!  Some of you know groups who need speakers.  Some of you know churches who would like to send missionaries. 


Some of you have NO idea that the ONLY way we as missionaries get out to the field and stay on the field is by raising every single dollar for monthly support. There are no huge backers behind us. There are a few churches who are helping, but the majority of our raised support is by people like you!  Do we take this lightly? ABSOLUTELY NOT!


We need your teamwork! You can click the link on the side of this blog & help out right away.   You can call that person or group right now. Have a group of friends to your house & we can come chat...   You are either a "go-er" or a "sender".  Go & share the Gospel or help support those who do. Let's fulfill the great commission! Jesus isn't coming back until the job's done!


If you are in a church, you can recommend us to the pastor, "You have to hear these people! They have stories to tell, life experiences to help mentor, they are doing what Jesus is asking them to do & they are old!! - we need to help!"   It doesn't matter!  It just needs to happen!
Thankfully, many pastors are cautious of who they allow to come speak. We are not in a huge denomination that would normally be an "in" for us.  The only way we may get to speak to others is through YOUR recommendation! Pastors take that seriously, and you vouching for us helps tremendously.


Come on - grab the other end of the rope & help us pull!