Firstly, our church published our story and plans to go overseas in the recent Missions prayer newsletter. So it's out there now. The whole church knows!
Secondly, *drumrrrrrrrrrrrrrroll* we submitted our SIM applications yesterday!!! *applause*
We are now onto Step 4 of the 13 steps involved...
so what happens now? The SIM Candidate Review Committee will look over our applications and make recommendations to the State Managing Director, followed by doctrinal, personality, medical, and dental assessments... and then another 5 steps after that before we can go.
Reality hits a little harder each time we take another small step towards take off.
Teaghan has just started preschool and she is not liking it. She doesn't like changes.
I think on the day we leave, I'll cry. I'll cry because I'll miss my family. But I'll cry even harder for Teaghan because I know there'll be big adjustments ahead for her, being the cautious little person that she is. I know she'll miss her Grammy and Uncle John terribly. I think Lucas will be fine because he'll be a little younger and he's more easy going in character... and no.3, if there is a no.3, should be too little to know what's going on!
We'll just have to trust that God will give all our kids the strength to cope. I think we need to start praying for that now. Will you please join me in praying for that too? :o)
Today Pete and I discussed some more about what's in stored for us in the next two years.
We've been considering the following:
- What to do with our house? When Pete is studying full time in 2011, how will we be able to keep up with our mortgage repayments? Should we move/sell/rent out?
- Should I go back to teaching when Pete is studying full time?
- Should we have no.3? We'd love to but can we afford to? Because that would mean I can't work. When is the right time for no.3??
We've talked heaps about it already but always find it hard to come to a conclusion that we both feel peaceful about... a God-given peace that is....until today.
This is what we came up with today.
2010: Pete continues part time study at SMBC
2011: Pete commences full time study at SMBC. Jo studies part time at SMBC. Rent out our townhouse in Dural and move to college rental housing (Croydon or thereabouts). Pregnant and no.3 born at the end of the year. Teaghan attends preschool.
2012: Leave for Africa mid year...
The one thing that's had us a little unsure is How will we survive with neither of us working and no savings? But today we've decided to not be too worried about that now and just trust God. I mean, really TRUST God. We feel that it is important that we spent 2011 preparing ourselves spiritually before we head off, for we feel that we need to be strong in our faith and understanding of God if we're to be serving him overseas where our faith will be surely be tested. I'd like to do a little bit of study, not to earn a piece of paper, but to know God's Word better.
So we're going to *deep breath* step out in faith and pray that if this is indeed God's will for us, then he'll also make a way for us financially, even if we cannot see how at this point.
We'll sleep on it, pray on it, and see if the peace is still there as time goes by....
~ Jo
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