Goodbye & God Bless

Well, with less than 34 hours left before we leave LAX, this might just be the last post I do before we leave. We are practically packed, and we are about as prepared as we are going to be for this trip. It is so exciting and yet at the same time very difficult to believe that the time has come. What seemed like dream a year ago is becoming a reality before our eyes.
It is amazing to see how God answers prayer. I will confess to you here that for a while I have been praying for God to lead Brian in a spiritual direction as he enters into his adult life. Not that he has been lacking spiritually. I must say I have seen the hand of the Lord on Brian's life long before I began praying for his spiritual wellbeing. But, it is hard as the Lord is changing me (and wow has HE been changing me), not to have high spiritual ambitions for my children, especially my oldest. We want him to become the man that God wants him to be, and yet I cannot help but ask if He would not have full time ministry planned for Brian. And with that, here we are. Without any prompting from myself in this matter, Brian expressed a burning desire to see firsthand what God is doing literally half way around the world. And now, we are just moments away from an experience that will change his life! Do not get me wrong, I do not interpret this as God's calling Brian to go into missions, but I do know this is all part of God's sovereign plan for Brian's life, and I am just so pleased to be an eyewitness to God's answers to many tearful prayers.
I cannot go on and speak about all the things on my heart right now. There are so many things I have wanted to share. I still have not shared the mindset that has been molding me most for the last 7 months. That will have to wait until later. I will be teaching on it with the people of Malawi, and I promise to share it in great detail with those who will read after I come back. But, just so you are not totally in the dark, it is the subject of Jesus as our Lord (Kurios), and his disciples (Christians) who are his slaves (doulos).
I do need to go. I still need to prepare for the other main topic I want to teach on, worship of God. It is so much more than singing songs on Sunday morning. It is about everything we do. What we look to for joy, happiness, and satisfaction. And if we worship anything other than God, then we are no more than idol worshippers.
Please pray for us. Pray for our safety, and for our health. Pray that we would say what the people of Malawi need to hear from the Lord. Pray for our families as we are away from them. Pray for the ministries we will leave behind that the Lord will provide for them while we are away. I am always amazed at how God is sovereign and has planned everything from before the foundation of time, and yet we are to pray and ask God to work in ours and other peoples lives. Then He blesses us by meeting those needs far beyond all that we could ask or think. It keeps reminding us that we have nothing else in which to trust, and that God is faithful to those He has chosen to be His slaves.
Here is our itinerary so you can keep up with where we are suppose to be. Remember there is a 9 hour difference ahead (from PT) where we are going, so we will be ending our day as you begin yours.
God bless each of you and may His hand guide all of our steps until we are together again.


Malawi 2008 Proposed Itinerary:

Oct 10th (Fr) Depart LAX at 6:15AM PDT on United Airlines UA 84; Arrive JFK at 2:30PM EDT
Depart JFK at 5:20PM EDT on South African Airways SA 204

Oct 11th (Sa) Arrive JHB at 5:00PM; taxi to BIMS House in Harmelia; meet Brasswell; stay overnight

Oct 12th (Su) Taxi back to JHB; Depart at 11:30AM on SA 170; Arrive Lilongwe, Malawi at 1:55PM;
Rendevou with Brian Beidebach at airport for transport to African Bible College for overnight stay and ministry overview

Oct 13th (Mo) Kondwane (Brian’s driver) will drive us to Rumphi (full day travel)

Oct 14th (Tu) Ministry with Brasswell in and around Rumphi and Betere
Oct 15th (We) Ministry with Brasswell in and around Rumphi and Betere
Oct 16th (Th) Ministry with Brasswell in and around Kalopa
Oct 17th (Fr) Ministry with Brasswell in and around Kalopa
Oct 18th (Sa) Ministry with Brasswell in and around Mzuzu
Oct 19th (Su) Ministry with Brasswell in and around Mzuzu

Oct 20th (Mo) Drive from Rumphi back to Lilongwe for overnight stay at African Bible College

Oct 21st (Tu) Depart Lilongwe at 2:45PM on SA 171 to arrive in Johannesburg at 5:15PM

Oct 22nd (We) Christ Seminary and Christ Baptist Church
Oct 23rd (Th) Christ Seminary and Christ Baptist Church
Oct 24th (Fr) Depart Polokwane at 3:40PM on SA 8812; Arrive JHB at 4:45
Depart JHB at 7:10PM on SA 203; Arrive JFK at 7:05AM EDT

Oct 25th (Sa) Depart JFK at 11:55AM EDT on UA 87; Arrive LAX at 3:07PM PDT