Praises in the New Year!

It's been great to see God's hand at work these past couple of weeks. Where do I start?

On Jan 20th we had the joy of ushering 10 couples and 1 single gal into MAF service. This is one of the largest ever January candidate classes in MAF history, so we are so grateful to the Lord for sending us these co-laborers in Kingdom building through MAF. Welcome on board you all!! Recruitment must be paying off!

Secondly, as my wife and I were tending our booth at Mission ConneXion NW in Portland this past weekend, we met up with a gal who is dating a young man who is wanting to go with Heli Mission as a helicopter mission pilot and had many questions about calling, God's leading, etc. My wife had such a similar story that it really resonated with her and was a connection only God could have made for this young lady. God's timing is perfect, and he does bring others into our lives at just the right time. As a friend once said, God is never late, but also rarely early! It's perfect and brings us joy!

Also, at the Mission ConneXion event LaNnae and I won the two day get-a-way drawing for mission representatives attending. LaNnae had just said during the week leading up to this event that we should plan a get-a-way, so I had looked for some places and had not yet found one, and then we won one! Again, God's timing is perfect and brings us much joy!

Many students we talk with get frustrated at the slow progress towards the goal of serving as a mission aviator or MAFer, often frustrated with debt, or the money to pay for flights, etc. In the bigger picture, we often see that these delays for what ever reason are often, but not always, times that God needs to build into us the character, the patience, the endurance, that we will eventually need to serve Him well. Rushing ahead w0uld shortcut our growth and leave us wanting or lacking on the field. Maturity is also a virtue for missionary service. Let God have His way with you, even in the timing of all that's ahead for you.

We love sharing our story with anyone, and are thrilled at how He uses us to encourage and give perspective, and in the process is still at work in our own lives. What a great God we serve!