Sunday, May 1, 2011

GOD’S PLANS ARE ALWAYS BEST!


The past few months have been very busy for us as we have been working out all our plans for the summer. However, we have learned long ago that “our plans” are not always “Gods plans,” and that His plan is always best! The verse that comes to mind is: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”  (Prov. 16:9 NLT)

 Please be in prayer for our work on the development of the new Training Camp, for our role as the Barnabas team leader and for our Ethiopia adoption. We know God has our best in mind as He determines our steps for this summer. We are grateful to serve Him and can’t wait to see all His plans unfold!

LEADING THE BARNABAS TEAM (AT TRAINING CAMP)

Because the new Wisconsin training camp site is not yet available this summer, Royal Servants will hold training camp one last summer in Lewistown, Illinois. In addition to managing the Building Project in Wisconsin, I will also be leading the “Barnabas Team” in Illinois for most of June.

One of the things that speaks volumes to me about Royal Servants is how many alumni students we have that come back year after year. The Barnabas Team is one of our student alumni teams which serves at Training Camp only.  The Barnabas team members help facilitate the smooth operation of training camp for all our international mission teams that prepare for overseas ministry.

We are very excited to be serving our student missionaries and alumni students by leading the Barnabas team at Training Camp this summer!

BREAKING NEW GROUND (NEW SUMMER PLANS)

As you know, for the past several months I have been the Building Project Manager on the new training and administrative building Royal Servants is putting up at the new missions training camp, in Wisconsin. Last week our director asked me to remain in the US this summer in order to continue overseeing this WI building project. Another experienced team leader has been re-assigned to take my place as the Italy mission team leader.

 We had hoped to have the building completed enough to use by June 1st this year for training camp.  However, unexpected delays (especially the wet weather) have pushed construction back.  As a result, there is a huge need for someone to be here in the US (and not have all the staff overseas) while the building project progresses.  So this summer I will be spending a fair amount of time in WI in order to continue overseeing construction.

 I am definitely going to miss leading an international missions team this summer.  At the same time, I sense a specific calling this summer.  It is an exciting opportunity to be able to use my construction skills and education to strategically serve our ministry in the development of the long-term permanent missions training camp site.