Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Waiting…

24 Jan 11

I’m just being honest here….  Sometimes the waiting is really hard.  And in general, I think I’m pretty good at waiting.  Just give me a book, or better yet, my knitting and I can wait indefinitely.  Well, maybe not indefinitely, but at least until I feel like I’m wasting time.  Ha!

I mean…we pray like crazy.  We send out newsletters.  We travel all over the country, and make the most of every opportunity share about Bible translation.  Hey, we even write a blog!  <grin>  But still we wait.

We wait for our house to sell.  We wait for our financial partnership to reach 100% so we can leave for Papua New Guinea.  We wait for those “cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:1) to become dollars in our “launching fund” account.  But nothing seems to happen…and we wait.  My sweater is growing, but I confess, I’m starting to get impatient and wonder if we’re wasting time and resources.

God has his ways of reminding us, however, that his ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8)  We know God has a wise and loving purpose for keeping us here.  And there is always work we can do for others—if only to love, serve and pray.  We thank him for the opportunities he’s already brought our way.  In the meantime, we will continue to trust in God’s perfect timing and wait.

The following hymn by Bradford Torrey says it better than I can.

Not so in haste my heart!
Have faith in God, and wait;
Although He linger long,
He never comes too late.

He never cometh late;
He knoweth what is best;
Vex not thyself in vain;
Until He cometh, rest.

Until He cometh, rest,
Nor grudge the hours that roll;
The feet that wait for God
Are soonest at the goal.

Are soonest at the goal
That is not gained with speed;
Then hold thee still, my heart,
For I shall wait His lead.

Monday, January 17, 2011

My God Is So Big

When we put Claire and Isaiah to bed at night, we often sing a familiar chorus to them. “My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do!”  Simple words but, oh, so powerful!  When we felt the Lord leading us back into Wycliffe in the beginning of 2010 it was a huge step of faith for us.  We are in awe of his amazing provision for us, yet not surprised that he’d keep his promise so perfectly.  We have traveled many Takuu villagethousands of miles, and have had many opportunities to share about what God is doing in our lives and through Bible translation.  We thank God that we can look back on 2010 and see example after example of God’s love and faithfulness.

Christmas Eve saw the dedication of the Takuu New Testament on Mortlock Island in eastern PNG making it the 9th New Testament dedication for 2010. Last year, Tom Puaria, translator for the Takuu language (pictured right), told some people in training as translators, “I want to see all those people overseas who helped make it possible, andTakuu translator thank them! These people have never seen us, but have given money and prayer so that we could have God’s Word! Just look at the love of God shown through them…Let’s thank God.”* And he did. And so do we, because you and your partnership with us help make Bible translation in PNG possible. Thank you!

*Quote from: The Word is Life