HoveyServinGod

With much thanksgiving and rejoicing, we were able to spend our holidays this year with friends and family in the States!  What a blessing!  We got to have snow this year too that was right outside our doorstep....much different than observing it from a distance on the mountains in Chile. Gunner celebrated his first Christmas which was a privilege and joy to be a part of.  Unfortunately, the poor little guy was sick on Christmas Eve and still under the weather on Christmas Day.  He just had a runny nose and was a little out of sorts.  We are happy to report though that he is back to himself.  He  is enjoying the gifts he got this holiday and is growing like a weed!  He turned eight months right before the Christmas festivities. January is a big month for us as we will be voted on by two churches to begin receiving financial support.  Please pray that God would clearly direct His people in this matter and bring unity regarding the deci...

Merry Christmas from the Hoveys!  It has been an eventful last couple of weeks as we traveled home from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and tried to quickly regain our feet under us here in MN...it took longer than we desired, but we are home and ready to run the race! To recap our time in PNG, we would have to say it seems to be the place God is calling us!  In the time we were able to spend there, Brian was able to help out with various projects alongside nationals, and I (Phyllis) was able to help out here and there with odds and ends.  Since we have arrived home, we have gotten some basic questions we wanted to answer for those interested. WHO will we be serving with? Right now, the ministry team in PNG consists 4 families: the Bill and Lori Smith family, the Steve and Gretchen Root family, the Zeke and Meagan Magill family and the Tim and Leandra Hawes family.  WHAT will be doing? We anticipate being involved in a variety of things there, but since we...

We had the privilege of taking part in a traditional PNG meal with a national Pastor and his wife.  The meal was at a fellow missionary's house.  It was called Mamboo and was very good!   It started with lots of cutting up and dicing of the ingredients..... Our cookware is shown above.....fresh cut bambo. All the ingredients were then packed into the bambo and a specific leaf was packed in last to seal it all. They were then placed in the fire and rotated as needed.  The moisture in the bambo and the semi-sealed end made the whole thing like a pressure cooker. After a couple hours the food was all done, and I (Brian) must say it was delicious!!   The whole process was an adventure in and of it self, but with it was a great opportunity to talk with Pastor Rex and his wife regarding life and ministry in PNG. Even though the rain has started the drought is still being felt daily here.  The majority of people here eat what they gro...

EWe have been in PNG for nearly a week now and there is no way we can capture our thoughts and experiences in one blog.....but we"ll start with one!  Upon arriving to PNG it truly is nothing like either of us have experienced.  For me (Brian) it has some commonalties to my trip to Africa, but it also is still very different.  People are often seen walking roads or piled in the back of flat bed trucks.  There are very few paved roads and many trails that lead into the thick forests.  Yet, ministry continues in ways we seldom think or imagine back in the US.   I was able to attend a very early start of a church plant.  What does that mean?  Well there is a village half way up one of the mountains that the missionaries first were in contact with through a medical evangelism where the Gospel was presented and a few accepted Christ as their Savior.  There is no church in their village but the missionaries have begun a Bible study there once a w...

We have started the awaited survey trip to Papua New Guinea.  We left Sunday November 1st and flew to Los Angles, CA.  After a few hour layover, we flew to Brisbane, Australia where we currently are.  We are truly blessed to share that the journey has gone well so far, and Gunner has been doing great! We give God the Gory for that and truly do covet your prayers.  Tomorrow morning, Wednesday....kind of crazy we lost Monday in the flight and time change....we will start the first of two flights to Goroka, PNG. So a question has been floating in my (Brian's) mind through the craziness of airport security, baggage, and so many unknowns......why do this?  I have been asked several times in the last week, why did you decide to do this?  "This" being missions.....leaving the comforts of home, family, friends.  The answer, when boiled down is very simple, because I made the decision that Jesus Christ is more important than anything else in this life.  No...

I once heard a story of a man who attended a tent revival meeting and tried to give himself to God.  Every night at the altar, he would dedicate himself to the Lord.  Yet as he left each evening, the Devil would come to him and convince him that since he did not FEEL changed, he was not truly redeemed. Again and again he was defeated by the Adversary.  Finally, one eveing he came to the meeting carrying an ax and a large wooden stake.  Aftere dedicating himself once more, he drove the stake into the ground where he had knelt to pray.  As he was leaving the tent, the Devil came to him as usual, trying to make him believe that his commitment to God was not genuine.  He quickly returned to the stake, pointed to it, and said, "Devil, do you see this stake? This is my witness that God has forever accepted me." Immediately the Devil left him, and he never experienced doubts again.   From the Still Small Voice As of late, I have driven my own stake in ...

Recently, I (Phyllis) have joined the group MOPS.  It is a group of women that encourages moms of preschoolers and young children.  This week, there was a speaker who talked about the 5 different love languages.  Based on Gary Chapman's book, the speaker shared that each person has a specific way that they receive or feel love best.  She suggested that in order to reach your children, husband, and other treasured people in your life, it is best to know their love language and speak to them THAT way.  As Brian and I prepare to parent Gunner in the years ahead, I think the information will be very beneficial.  So?  I thought I'd share!  Love Language #1--Physical Touch--Whether it be an embrace, a pat on the shoulder, or a kiss on the cheek, children who speak this love language feel it best when there is physical contact. (This is me holding Gunner in an embrace....:0)) #2--Quality Time--People who speak this love language feel loved when ...