Wisconsin Support Trip Update

As most of you know, we left on Friday for a support raising trip across WI. We started off in high hopes of visiting with someone almost every 2 hours over the weekend. It would have been crazy. We ended up meeting with 6 different families and it was WONDERFUL.

Before telling you about all of that, though, I thought it was great that God likes to remind us of things while we’re going through them. On Sunday, at church, the pastor preached on two different things – one in Sunday school and one in the main service.

The first lesson was being available to God. He talked about people in the Bible like the boy with the bread and fish in the feeding of the 5,000, or Esther, or Noah and how God “doesn’t look at ability, He looks at availability.” He then asked three questions (really read over them a couple times and think about it):

1. Are you available to God?
2. Are your possessions available to God?
3. Do you allow your spouse/family to be available to God?

What does that look like? When he asked the first question, I’m like “yes, I feel like I will allow God to use me wherever He wants to”, but then when he asked about my possessions (my car, my house, my stuff) and my family (my husband), I had to stop for a second. Do I allow God to use Steve in whatever way He wants, or do I think “Man, that could be time we’re spending together?” or “That person is just taking advantage”. It was a hard thing to look at.

The second sermon was on the blind man mentioned in Luke 18:35-43. Really paraphrasing his sermon he talked about how at first the man yelled to Jesus, was shushed and then yelled louder – after that, when he was brought to Jesus, even though it was obvious, Jesus had him ask for his sight one more time. He talked about the power to coming to Jesus with what we need – that even though Jesus knows, we need to ask! After the man received his sight, the people didn’t just follow him, but they praised along with the man.

We have learned to ask God straight out for what we need (WE NEED SUPPORT) and know that not only is He listening to us, but in His time and in His way, He will answer our cry – and we were definitely able to praise him during this trip that we took this weekend.

So, I want you all to praise along with us for the wonderful and encouraging support raising trip we just had! We want to give glory and praise to God alone! God is good (can I get an “all the time”?).

If any of you would like to meet with us, please let us know – we would love to share our ministry with you. Just email us at steveandjessinfrance@gmail.com or call 651.216.1792 at any point.

Steve's Turn

Hello, it is Steve making another appearance. We are trying to get back into the habit of blogging so Jess and I will take turns writing. Friday I sat down and figured out exactly when we will be able to pay off my student loans. February 4th all of my school loans will be paid off. I am very thankful for the job God has provided for me and ask that he continue to bless us with the ability to pay off my school loans as we prepare to go to France. Technically my internship was supposed to end and the end of summer, but I have been able to continue on which has been great. I love working, especially for such a great company. It is just amazing that God has provided in such a great way. I can only think of it as God providing us with the ability to go to France without having to worry about raising more money for loan payments while we are in France. Because there is no specific end date for my internship so far I have found myself worrying that it will end before we leave for France or all of the loans are paid off. But then I remember Philippians 4:6-7 which says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " It also help that the kids sing this as a song every week before Sunday School so it gets stuck in my head for the entire week. It's funny how that works.

We are going to WI to share with friends and family about our future work in France so if you are in that area we would love to meet with you, and whether you are or not you can pray for safe traveling and God leading people to partner financially. Jess will share next week about how the trip went. The End.