The devil is alive and well, and if we are being honest, we have never realized this as much as we have these last twelve months of pre-field ministry. This week marks one year since our commissioning at ABWE headquarters in Pennsylvania, and as we look back on all that has taken place since, we are both abundantly aware of the devil's desire to keep us from pursuing God's will, and desperately in awe of God's ability to give us the perseverance to go on.
This month has been no exception. While we have been extremely busy taking part in multiple ministries at our sending church including a discipleship program, youth group, and worship ministry, we have also been meeting with pastors over zoom as far south as Tennessee and Georgia, all while dealing with some pretty drastic health concerns.
Toward the beginning of the month, Trenton was taken to the emergency room where they put him through an extensive round of tests. While they believe the issue is Chron's disease, they have not ruled out more serious ailments, and plan to follow up with more procedures and tests over the course of this upcoming month.
However, the Lord has been faithful, giving us the strength to continue on in the ministry regardless. On March 2nd, we had a blessed meeting over lunch with the pastor of Harbor Church of East Tawas and his wife. This being our most recent supporting church, we look look forward to sharing with them again this upcoming fall.
We also had the wonderful opportunity to share the ministry with the people of York Baptist Church during their annual missions conference in Milan, Michigan this past weekend, alongside BMM missionaries Ben and Jennifer Stilwell preparing to serve in Peru. While there, we were also able to meet up with our good colleagues and friends Jordan and Jessica Bird of ABWE, preparing to serve the Lord in Benin, West Africa with their young daughter Josephine through church planting, evangelism, and discipleship endeavors.
As the only church that has ever called us without our having to reach out first, the congregation did not disappoint, and we left feeling nothing less than family. We had the blessing of staying with John and Abby McTaggart who were extremely welcoming, and we praise God for the wonderful discussions we had over our time there.
The visit was also memorable as it was Trenton's very first time ever preaching an entire series which he chose to entitle "The Christian's Mission". You can find the records of these messages on the York Baptist Church Website, or on our YouTube channel over the course of the following month.
We were also blessed to meet with Iosco County News Reporter Jenny Haglund again, and you can read her article on our recent survey trip here: https://www.iosconews.com/news/article_ebc862ca-c80c-11ed-b09b-839e58691662.html
Hanna was also able to finish the second draft as well as half the third draft of her upcoming novel entitled, "What I Call Home". She has six chapters left to finish as well as some formatting before she sends it into the editor and hopes to have it ready for publication by the time we leave for Pennsylvania in May. To get a sneak peak of the cover and what the book is about, feel free to visit her author page on our website at siministry.org/authorpage.
Life as a missionary on pre-field is by no means easy, and we covet your prayers daily. But we are confident that the Lord is forever in control of every minute detail and knows what timing is truly best. It is because of this that we can continue to pursue, regardless of uncertainties, His calling on our lives - because through the lens of faith, hardships are nothing but a stepping stone - a challenge meant to prepare us for the future.
Hanna turned 25 years old on the 13th of March and she was surprised at one of our discipleship classes with some beautiful flowers and cheesecake from our sending church family. It was enough to make her cry! She was also taken to get her first pedicure by one of her good friends from one of our supporting churches, and got to go out to lunch with her grandparents whom she hasn't seen in quite some time.
Praise:
That God provided good health insurance just in time for Trenton to start experiencing health issues.
For a wonderful visit with York Baptist Church in Milan, and for the life-long relationships that were built there.
For the blessing of Hanna finally being able to get a computer after a year of not having one (It's not the easiest thing in the world to update a website on an iPad.)
For safe travels to and from churches, doctors appointments, and work.
Prayer:
For Trenton's procedures and tests coming up this month. His first is scheduled in Saginaw on April 10th.
For the last few chapters of Hanna's book-writing process. Pray for direction in regards to words, formatting, and editing. This will be her first time trying to figure out how to do it.
Pray for upcoming ministry appointments as always! We have a meeting with a church in Grand Rapids the 11th of April that we are super excited about! As well as all of our upcoming appointments for May.
Pray for safe travels to and from Ann Arbor, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, and Flint over the course of April. And safe travels to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York in May.
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