Fun week

And we did have a fun week ...
Shiloh and I went to town to publicize Glacier Babies
Landon went to preschool
MOPS
AWANA
dinner at our favorite restaurant, Mackenzie River Pizza
and tonight - popcorn/ movie night.

Our spirits are high, we feel as hopeful as ever. Some good things have happened, encouraging words have been said. We know we have our work cut out for us starting a church, but we press on, knowing God has called us to this and we will stay the course.

Our dear friend, Brad Ellgen, a missionary in Germany, wrote a timely word, "I have thought a lot about what it means to be a missionary. It seems to me it means you go somewhere where no asked you to go. No tribe ever sent a message saying “hey, we want to hear the gospel send us some missionaries”. Missionaries go to places they are not invited with a message people don’t think they need. It all sounds crazy when you think about it like that.

I can only imagine how hard it is for you to be there without that kind of support. You are also really right, being a church planter causes people to be suspicion. (I think missionary has the same effect on people. When I am asked what I do I say I am a professional friend to soldiers. That isn’t untrue and it allows me to retain a little credibility for a little while). Of course, once your church grows to 200 or 250 you become a respectable pastor. And when it hits 5,000 you can write books and become a Christian celebrity. So, you are only suspect because you are just starting. I am not sure but I think being in a military community without an I.D. card has the same effect on everyone we know.

I do think this following God and doing His will and sharing the gospel is harder than any of us ever thought it would be. I will be praying for you. I would encourage you to stay strong in the Lord! Do not doubt in the darkness what you heard in the light. Stay the course."