I (Rebecca) wrote this a couple months ago, to post here, but then we got busy with the end of the school year and I never quite finished it. I thought that it would be too outdated to post anymore, but reading it now I see that it still applies, and I'll always need to remind myself about how blessed we are.
_______________
When we flew to Colombia back in July 2010, we had only had two months to raise support, and most of that was spent preparing for our wedding and preparing for our move. It was a while before any support money actually got to our bank account. And so when I thought about finances back then, I would worry. I didn't trust God like I should have. Everything was moving too fast for my human mind, and I got stressed out.
Today when I think about finances, I think of wealth. I've learned this year that wealth is not having a big paycheck every other week. It's not having enough to buy anything that catches our fancy.
Our wealth is seeing God bless us through supporters. It's receiving an email about some donations, just at the right time. It's being able to afford everything that we need. It's being able to fly to the states at Christmas time and again in the summer– being able to see the friends and family who pray for us.
Wealth is speaking a coveted language and learning a second. It is having the qualifications for our jobs, and (even better) jobs to match our qualifications.
Here's a huge form of wealth: family and friends who are willing to support us in a mission that can most romantically be called "a learning experience." Many have listened to us as we have "reflected on what we are learning" (aka whined and vented). We are so thankful for those who have prayed for us as we have faced challenge after challenge. Who knows, maybe someday we will see some of the impact of our work.
_________________________________
We'll soon head back to Colombia for another school year, and we're looking forward to enjoying some of the fruits of our labor. People keep telling us the second year is so much easier than the first. Thank you to all our supporters for their encouragement and for allowing us to spend another year learning and teaching in Colombia.
_______________
When we flew to Colombia back in July 2010, we had only had two months to raise support, and most of that was spent preparing for our wedding and preparing for our move. It was a while before any support money actually got to our bank account. And so when I thought about finances back then, I would worry. I didn't trust God like I should have. Everything was moving too fast for my human mind, and I got stressed out.
Today when I think about finances, I think of wealth. I've learned this year that wealth is not having a big paycheck every other week. It's not having enough to buy anything that catches our fancy.
Our wealth is seeing God bless us through supporters. It's receiving an email about some donations, just at the right time. It's being able to afford everything that we need. It's being able to fly to the states at Christmas time and again in the summer– being able to see the friends and family who pray for us.
Wealth is speaking a coveted language and learning a second. It is having the qualifications for our jobs, and (even better) jobs to match our qualifications.
Here's a huge form of wealth: family and friends who are willing to support us in a mission that can most romantically be called "a learning experience." Many have listened to us as we have "reflected on what we are learning" (aka whined and vented). We are so thankful for those who have prayed for us as we have faced challenge after challenge. Who knows, maybe someday we will see some of the impact of our work.
_________________________________
We'll soon head back to Colombia for another school year, and we're looking forward to enjoying some of the fruits of our labor. People keep telling us the second year is so much easier than the first. Thank you to all our supporters for their encouragement and for allowing us to spend another year learning and teaching in Colombia.