The year was 2008. Lorie and I were both believers and we had already been married for 4 years and had just one kiddo – Greer. Lorie and I both had an initial desire to investigate serving as missionaries somewhere in the world but had no idea where or if it would ever happen. We looked into a few different missions organizations and sent emails to a few that were serving oversees. One of those missionaries was a dear friend named Hal & Beth Hansen. They were with NTM and had been in Thailand for more than a decade. Hal and Beth encouraged us to investigate as many organization as possible and go! The pursuit of missions however was derailed for a season for two primary reasons. We could not find a missions organization with a strong bent on the sovereignty of God and we had debt. It also just so happened that the economic down-turn brought us to a point where we lost our home due to a lack of work. I had several “new work ideas” that were dreams rather than an effective means to provide monthly income. Our parents were gracious enough to give us a place to stay as I found a new job. I searched for work and after 3 interviews the Lord provided one.
The company was First Impression Security Doors, located in Gilbert, AZ and I was to be one of their shop forman. At that time we were located in Anthem, AZ which is a 1 hour drive to work and 1.5 hour drive back home everyday. I was up at 3:30AM and back home around 6:30 every night. Sleep seemed to be my only means of relaxation during that season and Lorie had to bear the brunt of work at home. After working there for one month we began looking for a home in Gilbert that would shrink the commute and give more “daddy time” at home.
God graciously provided a rental. It was a small patio home in Gilbert that was 5 mins from work. We moved as quickly as we could and began a new story. Everything was a new experience and Lorie had a house to turn into a home. We also found out that Lorie was pregnant with our second child, Belle. We also needed to look for another church. For as long as I can remember except for a brief season we had attended the church that my Dad has pastored. However, at the ecstatic recommendation of a very close friend we attended Grace Bible Church in Tempe, AZ.
We had visited Grace Bible Church for one Sunday just before we moved down to Gilbert. One of the Elders Scott Maxwell was preaching through Ephesians verse by verse, giving exposition as he went. I had grown up hearing the Bible but never explained with such depth and clarity as I heard that Sunday. There was also a continual emphasis on the exultation of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. From music to communion to the preaching we were crying. We felt like we were home.
For the next 3 years I continued working and we continued attending and being apart of the fellowship with Grace Bible Church. Work was hard and the hours were difficult but God gave grace to endure. During this time we did two things primarily. We paid off debt that we had foolishly acquired and we worked to build up our family in a way that God desired. In that three year gap Belle was born and Lorie was pregnant with our third – Knox. The Elders at Grace Bible Church continued to demonstrate their God given ability to “Shepherd the flock among them.” As a result Lorie and I grew in our understanding of God, His Word, the grace of the Gospel, our hearts, and a desire to pursue holiness. God grew us tremendously in this season! Time went on and the desire to go to the field was forgotten.
However, on June 21, 2012 Grace Bible Church had a missions Sunday. Joey Tartaglia who is one Director with Finisterre Vision was the first to speak, along with Matt & Cameron Dodd, then Zach and Cassidy Cann. They all shared the desire that they had to go to Papua New Guinea to translate the Bible into a tribal language and plant a church in the middle of the jungle. Joey had already completed a similar work in Papua New Guinea so he was able to make the work in Papua New Guinea sound so real we felt like we were there. At the close of the service Scott Maxwell mentioned a need. The Canns and Dodds desired to go to the field but Finisterre Vision had no logistical support staff in Papua New Guinea. They asked those in the church if they would consider taking a job description of this role and pray about it.
When the service ended Lorie went to pick up Greer, Belle and Knox and I met Joey and took a job description for the role. I am not sure if I had an intention to be involved yet but I was intrigued and the initial desire that came in 2008 was back. When Lorie and I got in the car to head to Anthem for Father’s Day I showed her the job description. Just like me she was stirred up by the service and desired to look at the job description as well. One thing I have learned unlike Star Wars is to not “trust my feelings” as it is a recipe for disaster! We decided to take at least 2 weeks time before we decided to do anything.
The roadblocks that had kept us from pursuing missions in the past were gone. We had diligently paid off all our debt and now had savings, and we were aligned theologically with Finisterre Vision as 2 Elders from Grace Bible Church are Directors for them. At the close of the two weeks I reached out to the elders for their feedback. They encouraged us to spend time with the Tartaglias as well as the Dodds and Canns. Each time we met with someone we were more encouraged to pursue this role. We spoke to the Elders again and they recommended that we begin training. Finisterre Vision was encouraging because it is based in Gilbert, AZ. I was able to continue working at the same time we were in training. We trained and prepared for departure for the next two years.
God continued to provide during this season. I had moved into a Directors seat at First Impression Security Doors by this time. My boss called me into his office one day with a desire to cut a salaried position from the company and have me take on some more responsibility and no doubt increased pay. He asked me where I saw myself over the next 5 years and in good conscience I could not lie. Rather than giving him a response that would please him I informed him that we were in training as missionaries and planning to leave in the next two years or less. He was shocked and thankful. We closed the meeting with him asking me to give him some more definitive departure dates and thanked me.
After seeking some council from our Elders as well as an estimation on departure date I met with my boss again. I was nervous because his past history with employees that decided to leave was um…brief and with the expedited loss of their employment. God graciously produced a different outcome. My boss let me maintain my job with the agreement that as the date approached I would start hiring and training my replacements. As I hired them I would move back down the ladder to a lesser position so the people I trained would fill the higher roles that I used to occupy. I did this for just over a year and resigned from the company as the janitor. It was great!
We continued training while we started raising support. We were busy people, but had plenty of friends that desired to help. As we approached the end of our training and had departure on the horizon we terminated our rental agreement and moved in with some dear friends who opened their home, Eric and Michelle Haapaoja. We stayed with them for 8 months. After that we moved in with one of our Elders, Smedly and his wife Janet Yates for 11 months. They also have 5 children so it was a rowdy time! Although it was busy and loud those were some great memories for our family and Lord willing theirs! On November 30, 2014 we departed for Papua New Guinea.
Now we are writing a new story and you will have to read our blog for that.
Good to see how our Saviour is leading you.