Giving Thanks

It's Thanksgiving so of course it's time for a Thanksgiving post. There will be a lot of turkey and all the fix'ns to go with it over the next couple days. There will be lots of family time and possibly some Christmas shopping. What sometimes gets lost at this time of year is the "giving thanks" part of Thanksgiving, so we don't want to neglect to share our heart of thanksgiving.

Before our Thanksgiving meal at church last Sunday, several individuals stood up to share something they were thankful for this year. It was so touching to hear about the ways God has moved in people's lives, opportunities He's given them to share Christ with others, many miracles He has performed, and countless ways God has intervened at just the right time. God is our Healer, our Redeemer, our Provider, our loving Father...and the list goes on.

We have talked a little bit about some things we are thankful for this week. Although not all inclusive, here are a few:

• Eachother - We can honestly say that we highly value and love each other. Life for us has been more rich and full with the other by our side.
• Family - We love both of our families. Sharing time together and making memories is priceless. We are very thankful that we get to spend as much time together as we do whether for Monday night family dinners or traveling to see eachother.
• Home and Vehicles - Our cozy apartment is just what we need for now and our cars get us where we need to go.
• Our Jobs - We are grateful to our employers...even when work can be difficult and trying at times. We know it has been tough for many to find work, and we pray that God would provide for those in need.
• Georgia - We are very excited to be on the path to Georgia. It's a journey getting there, but God is providing for us and preparing us along the way. We are thankful for what God is going to do through us as we continue to let His will be done in our lives.
• God - We are so humbled by His love and grace to us. There have been some challenges in the past year or so, but God has been ever faithful through all of it. When we are blind to His hand at times, He meets us with love and opens our eyes to the work of His hands. We are filled with awe that we can know God.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Exercising

Posted by Wade

Megan encouraged me to start riding bikes several years ago when we started dating. At that time I weighed somewhere around 300 pounds. I remember one of our first bike rides. It was in the Springfield, MO area (very hilly for those of you who don't know the area). I almost lost my breakfast in the first ten miles (going up a few of those hills) and had to give up on the way back and waited for Megan to come pick me up. Slightly embarrassing for a guy who was trying to impress his girlfriend.

As I improved on keeping up with Megan, I remember using the Bible verse she taught me in Ephesians 6, "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power...." That helped me get up a lot of hills on my bike. Now that I am a bit more used to going up the hills, I don't have to rely on that verse as much to make it. That happens to me spiritually when things in life are going good.

It reminds me that I need to exercise my spiritual life more than anything (especially in the good times) so I can get through the bumps, hills, and mountains of life when they happen. Reading the Bible and praying are necessary to exercise spiritually, and I don't want to forget I need to do this daily. I am so thankful God has helped me lose 85 pounds since those first bike rides AND has conveniently reminded me in other ways to exercise spiritually. I pray we all are reminded often.

Commissioning Service at OPAG

Today, we spoke at our first church service since we have started raising support for our mission assignment. We were very very nervous as public speaking is a little bit outside our comfort zone. Plus our church recently combined our two worship services into one so all the pews were filled!


God was so faithful in providing us confidence and the words to speak. We thank God for that...He always provides! We really enjoyed getting the chance to share our heart and passion for serving in Georgia. We are excited to share the hope and encouragement that Jesus gives us and has given us throughout our lives with the national people. The Georgians are amazing and we look forward to serving them.


We are also thankful for our church and pastor. They prayed over us, and it was an amazing feeling to have the leaders standing behind us both physically by laying hands on us and spiritually through prayer. God is awesome, and He shines through our church!


Our fall newsletter should be going out in the next couple weeks. We love you and hope this post finds you well and you are encouraged today because of our great God!

Mshvidobashi!

A few months ago, a friend living in Georgia shared the following story. With her approval, we wanted to share this story with our readers because it is an insightful glimpse into Georgia.

When I go to the bazaar to buy something, for example a pair of shoes, the sellers often tell me: "Mshvidobashi!" "Mshvidoba" means "peace", so they wish me: "In peace!". For someone like me who has grown up in peaceful Western Europe, it was quite puzzling in the beginning – why do they say that?? Over time, I have begun to understand better what they want to express, language-wise and content-wise. The long version of this wish is "Mshvidobashi mogakhmaros Ghmertma!" which means:

"May God allow you

to use it in peace!"
(in reference to the shoes I just bought).

In its history, Georgia has seen so many wars, that’s why

they have this wish

deep in their hearts.

Since I have lived in Georgia under increased danger of a new war, I now really understand well why the people talk about peace when they purchase shoes.

I am thankful to God

for every day

I can wear my shoes in peace.

Are you thankful for every day you get to wear your shoes in peace?

Something for us all to think about.