A New Normal

Well we have now been in Guyana for 2 weeks, we are most defiantly experiencing a new normal! God has shown Himself faithful in so many ways. I guess the best way to update you on everything is just to start at the beginning. I'll try to make this short~

Lindsey and I left Greensboro on July 24th early in the morning and arrived in Georgetown, Guyana late that evening. The first few days were spent just trying to get our legs underneath us. We stayed in the capital and did some price checking on things like mattress, washer, and generator. We were staying in the Guyana Bible College, which was pretty nice dispute it had no AC, but we had electricity, and a bed to sleep in. There was also a kitchen area where we could cook so that we didn't have to go out to eat all the time.

One of our new great friends is Brother Codogan. He is a pastor here in Guyana and teacher in the Bible College. He has also offered to drive us around so we can get everything we need and ship it out to the Jungle. Sadly the big ship that goes to Port Kaituma was not at port during our first week, therefore we were not able to buy and ship supplies we would need to paint the house and get things set up. But the show must go on.

My (Jason's) parents got here a few days after we did and they stayed with us in the Bible College. It was really good to see them even though it had only been two days since we last saw them. You have no idea how special family is until you live thousands of miles away from them.

On July 29th we flew on a little 15 passenger plane into Port Kaituma. We landed and reconnected with a missionary friend, Greg Mann who now lives in FL but is down for a visit. We also reconnected with our new neighbors Brother Paul, his son Marcus and his daughter Mezien. Brother Paul has 11 kids, so they did not all get to come to the air strip. For the next week we scrubbed floors, swatted mosquitos, buil counter tops, killed mosquitos, swam in the river, stomped on mosquitos, ate lots of rice and of course sprayed mosquitos!

One day we did travel out to Falls Top which is where we will be working with the Carib tribe. It was really good to see Brother Alan who will be teaching us the Carib language, LORD willing! My parents really enjoyed meeting several of the Carib people and seeing their much simpler way of life. They are wonderful people and I can't wait to be able to talk to them. I cannot even imagine being able to finally share the Gospel with them!

After a week of working in Port Kaituma we all were ready to fly back in the the Capital. I called the airline to confirm out flight only to find out that because of cows on the runway they closed down the airstrip until further notice. We ended up having to board a small boat at 2:30am and ride for two hours in the freezing cold night air (believe it or not is was really cold with the wind blowing through you) then we took a taxi to another village that had a working airstrip. We then took a flight back to the capital. Finally we came to rest at a hotel. It was a long day but a day of seeing the glory of God in the stars, the sun rise, from the sky, and now the ocean, God is so good!

Now we have come to the point of saying good bye to my parents! It was such a blessing to have them here. They started home at 2:15am this morning and should be home this evening. Lindsey and I are about to embark on one of the biggest, life changing adventures we will probably ever know. Praise God! Wherever He leads we will go! Please pray for us and we will be praying for you.

Ode to our Dads

Openning jars that are sealed too tight,

Keeping the boogeyman out of sight. 

Picking me up when I skin my knee,

Cheering me on as I climb the tree.

Helping with homework and ABC's,

Mowing the grass, you did with such ease.

You could fix my bike or roller skate,

You stayed up all night when I was late.

Home was safe and love was always there,

Each night in my bed you'd say a prayer.

Many a time, you taught me great things,

Like do your best whatever life brings.

Where would we be, if it weren't for you,

Thank you so much for all that you do.

There's one last thing we would like to say,

God bless our Dads on this Father's Day!

Life Change in Guyana

There are times in life where circumstances change the way we see things.  At that moment, priorities and perspectives change.  For Lindsey and I, our perspective of the future has focused on us going to Guyana to be missionaries for Wycliffe Bible Translators, working among the Carib people.  This has been pretty much the catalyst for everything we've done over the past 2 years.  That is one reason why being able to stand in Guyana, "talking" to the Carib people was so LIFE CHANGING.  Not because it was the fulfillment of the call of God but because it was there that God showed up.

A very simple principle of Christianity is, God and sin cannot be in the same place.  God is Holy and we are sinful.  Therefore we are separated.  It is through the death of Holy Jesus, that allows His Holy blood to wash our sinful souls clean, thereby giving us the ability to have a relationship with Him. 

I will confess that on our trip to Guyana, when God showed up, I learned that I had removed God from the throne of my life and it was I that was in the driver’s seat.  My whole life was about Me serving god.  It was about what I was going to do for god and how I was going to Guyana to be a Missionary.  god was a footnote in My story. 

But the incredible, amazing, awesome LORD that we served showed us in Guyana, and revealed to me just how small I am and just how God He is.  It was there in the Jungle that Lindsey and I discovered that, we cannot do this!  The task of reaching the Carib is way to big!  The house needs way to much work!  The language is way to hard!  The culture is way to different!  The temperature is way too hot!  We simply do not have the ability to do this.  We were cast down off our comfortable thrones as controllers of our lives.  Honestly we began to question God, "Are You sure this is what You are calling us to?"  "Maybe we heard wrong and You really wants us to go to a place with electricity and AC!"

It was at that point that God showed up.  God in all His goodness, peace, power, joy, grace, wisdom, truth, and love!  He revealed to us just how selfish we are.  It pains me to confess this to you but honestly there was a point where I felt God asking me the question, "If there was a way out, would you take it?"  I never could answer that question, because I knew my flesh was crying out go home but I knew that wasn't God's will.  It's a scary thing when you realize, "I'm not good enough to be God."

God is still working on us but over the past 2 weeks, God has been teaching us to "Be still and know that I am God." Ps. 46:10  I am not God!  I cannot control my future!  The mission field is NOT about me doing anything!  It is about God Almighty, working in hearts and changing lives.  Lindsey and I are simply vessels to be used by the Master.  We are to stop striving and know that He is God!  He does the work, He brings the harvest!  He is the Answer, not me!  When God shows up, we see just how sinful and inept we are.  This is a crazy, scary place but it is there that God teaches us how to die to self.  Once self is removed, His Holy Spirit can infiltrate our heart and lives. That is where Life More Abundant begins!

The Carib people need God, not a self-righteous sinner.  It is an honor for Lindsey and I to be vessels used by Him to bring about the Gospel to the Carib people!  His call for us to go to Guyana is stronger and clearer now than ever before but now we see that we are simple servants of a Mighty God not the other way around.  May God be lifted up and may He draw all people unto Himself!  May our lives never be the same! 

servants of the Most High King,

jason & lindsey

Rom. 11:36

Mother's Day

Thank you both for your love and support!
For the countless prayers you have prayed.
For hugs when things were not going our way.
For your priceless friendship.
For those nights you sat up and talked to us.
For your open ears and words of wisdom. 
For teaching us what family is really all about.
For making skinned knees feel better.
For cooking our favorite meals.
For raising us in church.
For loving dad.
For showing us what work is.
For setting an example for us in serving others.
For helping us with homework that we procrastinated on.
For wiping tears away.
For giving your blessing on our marriage.
For more than we can say!

We thank God for our mom's!

Trust In God

     To think that God simply has the power to speak a word and that word comes into being.  That blows my mind!  The power in a single word from the mouth of God can produce the majesty of the stars and the mysteries of the sea.  With that single word He can lower a mountain or prick the heart of a little child.  He sees all and knows all.  What a wonderful God!
     Just a couple months ago Lindsey and I seemed to be stuck on 30% of our financial goal and now God has blown our minds and raised us to 97%.  We are trusting God for the remaining 3% and though our faith goal has come and gone we are reminded that God's ways are not our ways. 
     This morning at 12:01am I was praying to God and asking Him why He brought us so far yet didn't complete the goal?  He reminded me of the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead.  Mary and Martha thought Jesus was late but truly He was right on time to bring God crazy glory!  Our faith goal has come and gone but God is right on time!  God will complete what He has started and He will make a way for us to share His Word with the Carib people.  Those powerful words of God, "I love you!"
     Thank you all so much for praying!  This has truly been a defining moment in mine and Lindsey's life and we pray it will inspire you to trust God.
     Much love to you all!

This is the Day that that LORD has Made!

What is there to say on a day like today?  Letters cannot assemble themselves into words that could adequately describe the greatness of God!  We are humbled at His shear greatness!  What is there to say other than to simply brag on the King of kings and Lord of lords.  I will start with a verse that is revolutionizing my Spiritual life:

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever. Amen”  Rom. 11:36 

This morning, there is a little Carib lady who is getting her wood burning stove fired up so she can cook her family something to eat today.  There is a stocky Carib man who has picked up his tools to go and work in the field, so he can provide for his family.  There is a young Carib child who will walk to school and will try to grasp an education despite not having a written language.  

Today they will go about their normal lives wondering what that gnawing and pulling at their heart is all about.  It pulls at them while they work.  It is with them while they sleep.  They do not know what it is but SOON, they will know that there is a God who loved them enough to send His Son to die on a cross so that they could have LIFE!  That pulling at their heart is the Holy Spirit of God prompting them to be saved and it is that same Holy Spirit of God that has prompted Lindsey and I to go to Guyana.  He has not only prompted but He is also providing! 

We are now at 95% PRAISE GOD!  I have no doubt that today is the day!  If God is working in the hearts of the Carib people, if God is working in the hearts of Lindsey and I, & if God is working in the hearts of people like you to pray for us and send us out, then I know God will provide!   

Please pray for the Carib people today!  Fall on your knees for those you’ve never met and may not meet until you are standing around the throne in Heaven and someone comes up to you and says, “You are part of the reason I am here!”

Please pray that today that remaining 5% will be received.  To God be the glory, great things He has done!  Lindsey and I thank you for your generosity and your love!  We are family, and where two or three are gathered in His name, He is here with us. Matt. 18:20

Faith Week

  I won't be so bold as to say that I understand faith.  In fact the Bible tells us that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed then we will see mountains move.  When I think about faith, I have to contemplate Peter walking on water.  It blows my mind that Peter would have even thought to say to Jesus, if that is You, call me to come out to You on the water.  Then when Jesus said come, Peter actually sits down on the edge of the boat and swings his legs out over the water so that is feet are getting wet.  Remember that there is a storm raging so Peter has to hold on to the boat for dear life.  I guess this is where many Christians live their life. (Including myself)  We cry out to God and ask Him to call us to Himself and when He says come on, we swing out feet out and get them wet.  Our knuckles turn white as we grip our 'boat,' (security blanket, comfort zone, family, career, etc)  Many Christians will point to their wet feet when asked how their faith is.  But I think God looks at our hands.  What are we holding on to?  For Peter there came a point where he had to let go of the boat so that he could walk out to Jesus.  That blows my mind!  Letting go, sink or swim.

  This Friday is our faith goal for reaching 100% of our financial needs for the mission field.  What that means is, Wycliffe asked us back in October to set a date when we hoped to have 100% raised.  Lindsey and I prayed about it and felt like Friday, May 6th was that day.  Now we are less than one week away and I find that God is teaching me a lesson.  On one hand I'm asking the question, what if Saturday comes and we are at 99%, on the other hand I truly believing God is capable of raising those funds!  Now I am in the middle hearing God say, 'Let go of the boat!'  Stop looking at your wet feet and look at Me!  So let this be my formal declaration:

I am letting go!

I am trusting God!

I don't understand everything but that is what makes it faith!

We love You LORD and it is in You that we trust!

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.  To Him be the glory forever. Amen."  Rom. 11:36