It’s happening!

I am thankful that I have gotten to share with most of you in person about this new chapter about to unfold. For the rest of you, would love the chance to fill in any details!

MOVING TO STOCKHOLM.  Since 2009, we have had the privilege of laboring in Luleå desiring to see a generation raised up to own the Great Commission. It is amazing to be in a place to see it handed over to national leaders to take it to the next step. My heart is heavy as this city has become home these past 30 months. I am thankful for what I have learned, how I have grown and the people I have gotten to live life with. Last week, Mike Bledsoe (an elder from Riverbend Community Church) joined me with meeting with the leaders both here in Luleå and then in Stockholm. It is bitter sweet to say good bye to friends and exciting to dream of the opportunities coming. I feel like much of life is a paradox. I will continue to work with Richard and Therese Hultmar, the family that originally invited us to Sweden, as God has also redirected them Stockholm last year. Church planting projects, city-reaching vision, refugee work, training believers to be more outward focused, multi-ethnic teams are all pieces of the opportunities awaiting us!

TAXES. The provision and generosity has been overwhelming these past two months.  The donations that have been made have covered 2/3 the need. It is truly amazing in how the body responds to need. Thank you for making it possible for me to stay on the field. I believe that God is continuing to invite us into a great work and you are making that possible!

ANOTHER WAY OF PROVISION. With how people have responded to help with the current need, the monthly support for the account I am responsible for dropped to 74%. Finishing this last leg of support has continued to be a struggle even though new supporters join the team every month 🙂  To make up for this last 25% as well as the $400 of monthly need to pay taxes here, the Lord has handed me a teaching a job. I believe this job is more than just a means to address the financial need. I believe that I will have more opportunity to engage the culture in ways I have been able to break through. I will be a 7th grade math teacher at an International English School where half the subjects, like math, are taught in English. After 10 years of being out the classroom, I am heading back in. If I can’t be teaching the Bible and sharing Jesus with others, then I would want to be teaching Algebra!

Thank you for how you continue to run this race with me! Let us anticipate all that God is doing. Here are some ways to pray for me specifically. Please reply to let me know how I can be praying for you!

• Transition to Stockholm. Praying for minutes multiplied here in Luleå. Although I will make trips back, relationships change and is hard.
• Housing in Stockholm. The move will cost about $1500 plus a security deposit of about $1000 for a new rental. The attention has gone towards taxes, so there is still this need.  I will be in Stockholm next weekend and will visit a few potential apartments.  Praying for wisdom and discernment. Stockholm is a big city 🙂  Click here if you are wanting/able to provide a special gift towards this need.
• SUMMER TEAMS.  There are 4 teams coming this summer to Stockholm from May 16th through July 12th. I praise the Lord for laborers to join me in discovering this new chapter. Pray for housing to be provided for them as it cuts down on cost tremendously. Pray for prepared hearts to hear and receive the gospel. There may even be opportunities to help train local churches in lifestyle evangelism and discipleship.  We also have gathered intel about the different unreached people groups now living in our neighborhood. I am looking forward to building bridges and seeing the gospel go to the ends of the earth!

Well I think that is long enough 🙂  THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF KINGDOM EXPANSION!