HoveyServinGod

Sometimes we have to live and learn the hard way...and so?  We begin our rat story...we are hoping and praying it is a short episode, but time will tell.  Last week, Brian took a trip to Lae to get some building supplies and materials for Goroka Baptist Bible College.  While he was gone, I heard noises in the kitchen.  As any sensible woman would do, I went out to investigate as it was the middle of the day.  What did I spy?  I didn’t know for sure, but it looked hairy and alive!  It was behind my stove and making racket, but it stopped when I walked in the room.  Yikes! Not going to lie, I thought about it the rest of the time I was trying to lay the kiddos down for rest time.  We were finishing reading  Charlotte's Web  by EB White, which talks about a rat, Templeton.  He is so disgusting in habit that by the end of the story and after my brief sighting, I was trying to derive a plan to eradicate this creature from my home! ...

Gunner,  Moriah and I spend part of our day reading.  Just recently, we started reading  Charlotte's Web  by E.B. White.  I read-a-loud while the kiddos listen and 'rest.'  Sometimes they fall asleep, and sometimes they don’t.  Either way, we enjoy sharing stories together.  We read a chapter this week entitled, 'Wilbur's Boast' in the above mentioned book. In it, this conversation between two friends was recorded.... The thought of death came to him [Wilbur, the pig] and he began to tremble with fear. "Charlotte?" He said softly. "Yes, Wilbur?" "I don’t want to die."  "Of course you don’t," said Charlotte in a comforting voice. "I just love it here in the barn," said Wilbur. "I love everything about this place." "Of course you do," said Charlotte.  "We all do."  The goose appeared, followed by her seven goslings. They thrust their little necks out and kept up a musical whistling, li...

A lot has been happening over these last couple weeks.  The ground at our church plant, Makia, is getting dug up and leveled which means we are getting the ground ready to put up a building!  Whooooo-hoooooo!  To God be the glory!  It is exciting to see God's work moving forward!  On the flip side of the same coin, however, there is also opposition on the move.  On the day after our groundwork was finished, we received some legal paperwork declaring we must stop all work because the ground is being contested.  We were shaken, but not moved.  All government officials were not working and offices were shutdown because of an internal dispute.  This made matters harder because we were not able to get any answers.  Thankfully, this last week we received word that a judge ruled the paperwork we received not accurate and has squashed it.  He has given the opposing party until next month to file a valid complaint.   We know God is in c...

Tonight as I sit before the computer screen and look through pictures of the week, the question crosses my mind as to what   really  is helping and what really is not.  Today Gunner helped me peel three piles of carrots.  That   really  helped me.  The other day, I asked Gunner for help to wash Brian’s socks, which he happily agreed to.  He made a bigger mess than I would’ve and I had to wash all the socks again anyway.  However, did that   really  help?  Not with the task, no, but with MY Attitude while completing the task?  ABSOLUTELY!  So was it   really  helping?  I would say 'yes!'   I was challenged in my quiet time with this thought too.  I am working through the book of Matthew, but I read a story that is found in Mark and Luke too.  It’s a story in Mark 5:21-43.  There was a ruler named Jairus whose daughter was sick....very sick for she was near death.  Jairus approach...

This last week we had the opportunity to take part in the second annual men’s meeting in the Bena district.  I say “we” because while Phyllis and the kids did not attend it was definitely a family effort.  From the computer work to the scheduling of things before it happened and the long nights of being away last week....it took all of us.  This year it was hosted at a new church called Kenimaro Light House Baptist Church.  I watched the very first church members get baptized this year on Easter and it was a privilege to watch them take on an event of this proportion!   The topic of this men’s conference was Servant Leadership.  While in name that sounds like an oxymoron, it is very far from it.  It is taking the example of the greatest leader that ever walked the earth...Jesus Christ.  It is very counterintuitive to think this way given our world view and who we believe to be great leaders.  Yet the God of the Universe, The Creator of all th...

This week was a mark of victory....we made it through the goal of finishing a fellow missionary's house remodel!  Whoooo-hooooooo!  To God be the Glory!  Now, while from the outside it appears to be for someone else, let me just share that it was really done for the Lord.  He called, He equipped, He upheld and sustained and He gave the time and resources needed to see it through. As the cheerleader, I can see it was a win no matter how the 'players' feel post game.  It was thrilling to sit on the sidelines and whoop while little plays turned out great.  I would be lying if I said it was a surefire win though.  There was opposition.  There was more than one hiccup.  And?  It was a team effort.....no one man show on this project!  All hands on deck!  But oh, what a sight to behold! One of the greatest privileges of being on the mission field is that we are put in situations that demand our God comes through.....somehow and/or som...

God’s call is not always convenient.  God’s call is not always easy. God’s call is not always expected or planned......but God’s call?  Is always right.  When answered, God’s call is timely and perfect.   Four years ago, when my husband and I received our 'call' we were full of confirmation, peace and settledness that we knew what God wanted from us and it was time to follow Him.  Wow.  Had I seen all the details that God's call entailed then, I would've been cowering in the corner afraid to face the future, but God is SO kind.  Obedience is ONE step at a time, not scaling a mountain with that one step.   Today?  Obedience looked like making a pot of soup and then sharing the whole thing.  It looked like playing Uno with my children as one of them was under the weather and needed some attention.  For Brian?  It looked different.  It was leading a team of men to complete a started project within deadlines and giving time, k...