His Provision & Blessing…the rest of the story

We are more and more convinced that our God is not just interested in the end (since He is already reigning); he is also  VERY interested in the means of our lives. Sometimes the circumstances of our lives throw us headlong into unexpected and unwarranted difficulties or misunderstanding. Sometimes sinful heart issues keep us spiraling in an unloving pattern of behavior that pulls us down spiritually. Sometimes the physical pain and sicknesses of this fallen ground seem to battling to remove all truth from our hearts that God is perfectly good in his sovereignty. The unending list goes on and on like the digits of pi, which makes it quite easy in the midst of our valleys to have the truth of God’s grace in our lives suffocated by the smoke of doubt and unbelief. That is when we must be grounded in His character and what He says about the lives of His disciples (Lk.21). His Word tells me that his goal for me isn’t first and foremost about my happiness (notice I didn’t say joy) or my wealth or physical contentment or that I have a positive social network who “like” me. It’s not even that I have an overall sense of well being and comfort. No, His goal for me is much more lofty.  His goal for me is to be broken, suffering, dependent…and still full of Joy. And, because of who He is, He promises not to let one sin destroy that good plan He has for me. He promises to discipline and train my heart to seek only Him…and then He does it!

Theory to Practice…
This past week as Bill and I sat in our little morning spot on the porch swing, we watched the sun rise over the vast Pacific Ocean. We read and prayed through the list of people and concerns that have etched their needs on our hearts the last couple of years. We also prayed again for pure hearts and for forgiveness of others as we ourselves have been forgiven. When we were done, I went upstairs to make the bed and sat for a moment looking out the window to the property down below where we want to build the Ramu Valley PNG school. I was struck once again by the hugeness of the endeavor before us and our own not-enoughness and I prayed again for His wisdom and His blessing and that He would establish the work of our hands. As I sat still on the edge of the bed, the Lord spoke the way He does when we are quiet and broken before Him and he said very clearly to my heart, “My blessing comes through repentance.” What?! I sat longer, waiting to make sense of what He was saying. And, because He is a good Father who doesn’t hide his wisdom from His children, He brought to mind something that Bill and I had forgiven, but like a child with a security blanket, were still grasping on to that one little corner. When I talked to Bill about it, he agreed and for a couple of hours that slow Saturday morning, we discussed and prayed… and we let go. It’s such a weight that is lifted when sin is confessed isn’t it? The next day was good and the national pastor at church was used as another living conduit as he spoke about the very things Bill and had discussed together the day before – even using one of the same passages. I love God’s Word and the way it is truly ALIVE and  how he uses it to give direction and confirm what He is teaching us again and again. 

The next morning, we woke up, read, prayed and thanked the Lord for always working to make us more like Him and asked for his daily help once again. Then, we started the day, busily trying to get things together for moving back into the bush this coming week. Later on, when Bill was in town buying supplies, I got a text from a friend who works at a fellow missionary training centre asking about our RVA fundraising. I told him the remaining amount and just as calmly as could be, he texted back saying that there would be an official letter coming, but that they would be able to help finish off a good portion of that amount for us! What?! I sat down on the floor covered in tears and worshipped. He is the Provider. He provides for the needy..those with physical needs and those with spiritual needs….sometimes He provides both at the same time! He doesn’t just want to work through us. He wants to work IN us. He wants to make us pure vessels that He can use for His glory. He wants to break us so that we know that Our only boast is CHRIST’s WORK & GRACE in our lives. What treasure in such unworthy jars of clay!  What pleasure to build this school so that others can KNOW THIS AMAZING & PERSONAL GOD MORE and MAKE HIM KNOWN here in Papua New Guinea! We are thankful for the believers scattered through the Ramu Valley this morning who are praying with us and trusting in Christ and who are being blessed because of the Body of Christ spread around the world. We are thankful to know that HE has WON the battle and that though there are trials and wounds galore on this fallen earth, the Song of the Lamb is not fading.  No, it is growing in strength and volume as we see those from every tongue, tribe and nation join our numbers to sing with us, “He is Worthy!”

So that’s our story – a little longer than some of the previous updates, but we wanted to share these three things as we walk along the Ramu Valley journey that began so many years ago in a little village called Itutang. 1. God doesn’t need us to do this work; He gives us the privilege of joining Him in His mission. 2. Bill and Kelley are two rotten sin bombs (thanks Tami Hughes for the new lingo) like every other messy, maturing Christian and still need prayers daily that we will walk humbly with our God, and 3. God’s WORD is always fruitful in His children, leading us towards personal repentance and holiness. So, we couldn’t just report numbers this month without letting you know the spiritual work that He is doing along the way….BUT, we do need to officially include the numbers, so here goes:

$544,000         Total Goal
-$499,210.02   Total Raised
 $44,789.98     Left to go!

In 7 months, the Lord has been so kind to raise up the funds to this amount already. We will be going bush in just a few days and then we will be out of contact for a couple of months ‘til the NEW YEAR!  We are confident that in January of 2019, YHWH Yireh will have gathered up all the resources that we need, both finances and people, to make 2019 – the year He built a school to support the local churches here in Madang Province, PNG. Please also keep praying for the specific future students that the Lord will raise up for us to disciple here at RVA! Praising God for his provision this morning through YOU – the Body of Christ!  Now, to steal from one of our heroes, William Carey… we are expecting great things from God and will attempt great things for God because #HeIsWorthy.

 
By HIS Grace and for HIS Glory~
Bill and Kelley