Graduation time!!

GRADUATION!!!

Tis the season for many to graduate. This time in your life is one that's mixed with celebrations for training accomplished, goals reached, and in some cases, the end of formal schooling!! But like most changes in routines and schedules come the challenge to re-establish our most important routines, the ones that maintain our most important relationships. I know for my wife and I, even vacation interrupts our devotion routines, and it’s hard to maintain those routines. However, it is very important to quickly establish new routines as things change in our lives so that those times with our Heavenly Father, our spouse, and close friends does not wane. The bigger challenge as I remember it for this time of graduating, is that you are probably leaving a routine that is established by school schedules, and moving into a time when you have more control of your schedule, but that schedule could also change more frequently than usual as you move ahead. My challenge to you is to make sure you do not lose the critical routine of spending quality time with your Lord each morning, so that you stay centered on what is important for each day. Make it a priority, no matter what you think your day is going to demand of you. Time with the Lord will help you maintain a correct perspective on whatever the day will bring your way.

God bless each and every one of you graduates! God has great plans for you, so let Him lead the way. The journey ahead is full of His promises. Jer 29:11 (NIV) “for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” As our pastor’s summer theme is: God is Here, He is in charge, and He has a plan. Stay connected to Him so that your plans are in line with His plans!
Perry Pust

The unexpected – Few things happen in life the way we plan. Sometimes things can go really bad. Recently my wife and I were headed to Florida for Sun N Fun to be part of the team representing MAF. We also had plans to visit friends along the way. Headed south, from Michigan, that first day we were looking forward to warmer weather and a trip we knew we would enjoy. Just on the south edge of Lexington, Kentucky roads were good and traffic not to heavy. Another hour or so we would stop for the night. I woke to the sound of tires squealing and the edge of the highway approaching rapidly. We were headed down off the road at highway speed and nothing ahead looked very inviting. Sherry had swerved, surprised by what was in front of her and we were already experiencing a significant change in plans.

God did protect us and watched over us. We didn’t walk away unhurt but we were able to be dragged away as I like to put it. We ended upside down and hanging from our seat belts. We spent five days at the University of Kentucky hospital. Sherry now has a plate and nine screws in her left wrist along with an air cast for her broken right ankle and foot. That’s the price the driver pays for having something to hold on to. I got knocked around pretty good and spent the rest of that day mostly unconscious.

All that to say the last several weeks are not what we had in our plans. We have had to focus on healing, doctor’s visits, and caring for broken and bruised parts. Where was God in all this? He was right there watching over us the entire time. One of the first things Sherry remembers is the man who was one of the first on the scene. He was off-duty or retired police or EMT. He knew what to do and what not to do. We were well cared for at the hospital, even got to share the same room, and God had people in place to meet every need we had. In a place where we knew no one, we had visitors, even flowers. We experienced being taken care of by God and His family, our family.

Walking with God is not just trusting Him for the things we know. It is more about trusting Him for the things we don’t know. How do you react when life doesn’t just throw you a curve ball, it smacks you in the chin because you can’t duck fast enough. The process of preparing for missions will probably include a few curve balls. God simply wants us to trust Him. It is reacting by turning to God and saying God I need you. Help me with the changes, and help me to trust You for everything.

Pilots and Debt

As a recruiter for MAF I get the same question over and over and a very important one too! After all the education and flight training to become a Missionary Pilot, how do I pay off all of this debt to be able to go and serve the Lord on the mission field ? I wish MAF had enough money to pay off every one's debt to get you into MAF right away ! But as we all know that Aviation is about the most expensive thing we can do ! I have been a pilot with MAF for over 35 years now and when I came in I was just back from Viet Nam and the military paid for all of my higher education and all my flight training. I left college debt free. Not all of us are in the same place. I have no great words of wisdom to give you but I have seen during the last 35 years the ways the Lord makes it all happen and no story is the same. Each of our MAF pilots could tell you a different story on how the Lord gave them the money to pay off their training debt. I feel the money part is the easy part for the Lord to do and provide - The hard part is to find his children that are willing to give up all and serve Him. Becoming a MAF pilot is a long process. When you get older like me you will look back and see, it was not so much about finding the money to pay off the debt but the process and growing in your relationship with the Lord that He used to build your faith and trust in Him. Our relationship with the Lord is really more important than getting to the field and flying that airplane. But - guess what - when you have that relationship, the money comes in and you are flying everyday in some of the most remote places on earth. I have no idea on how God will provide what you need to get here. But I have seen 35 years of Him making it happen. Capt Hook