Learning Contentment

“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. “ Philippians 4 12-13

Unlike the Apostle Paul, we have not mastered the state of being content. We are however in the process of learning to be content in our circumstances!! It has not been an easy month for us as a family here in Tobo. We have had one set of partners go home for furlough May 1st (The Knapps) and we have not yet had our other partners (The Mankins) return from furlough because of paperwork. We never planned on having to be alone here in the tribe, but it’s the circumstance that we find ourselves in now which the Lord has allowed- obviously to draw us closer to Himself and to teach us a few things about being content! The weather has not been the best lately. We are coming up on rainy season and we are beginning to experience those colder temperatures & rainier days and nights that our partners have warned us about. We’ve gotten some good use out of our wood stove lately and we’ve had to pull out some of those rainy day surprises for the kids as well! In addition to these things we’ve all been sick. Jason came down with Malaria again and we’ve all had the flu on and off. I think we’re all back on our feet now, but it was not fun. Our financial support has also been down quite a bit for the last few months which affects our food supply & flight frequency, and then Jason’s computer went kaput! Please believe me when I say that I could go on and on about all of the negative things that come to my mind right now about our circumstances. It’s not easy to live here in the bush at times like these! When we are so isolated and the only white people around for hundreds & hundreds of miles only accessible by aircraft, we begin to see that we are NOT in control!! HOWEVER, what an invaluable lesson in God’s sovereignty and available strength that we are learning!!

No doubt the Lord has allowed these hardships to cause us to put our focus on Him. We can relate more now than ever to some of the hardships that Paul faced on some of his missionary journeys. He went through more than we ever hope to go through, but these circumstances caused Him to focus on the Lord and the strength that is available through Him to not only face these conditions but triumph over them. Through our present circumstances we are privileged to see the Lord’s strength seeing us through and bringing us joy in spite of everything. It’s a daily- ok, minute by minute- choice of having to train our minds to think on the things that are true, lovely & praiseworthy (Phil 4:8) - things that are positive, rather than everything that is negative. We have had to choose to pray with thanksgiving, rather than to worry about our present circumstances (Phil 4:6). And doing these things has brought us God’s promise of experiencing His peace which has guarded our hearts and minds in Christ (instead of on our circumstances!). (Phil 4:7) We praise the Lord for His Word and the promises throughout!

Please be in prayer with us over the following things:
•That the Mankins would receive quickly their long awaited paperwork from the PNG government and be on their way here soon!
•For the Knapps as they have received some discouraging health news since returning to the States
•That the Lord would burden more people’s hearts to get involved financially in our ministry and through that see our needs met for a new computer.
•For good health and endurance to continue on in language study
•For a strong mental focus on the Lord through whatever circumstances we find ourselves in

This Tuesday we have our first language evaluation to help us see where we’re at in the language and to help with problems we’ve been facing. Please pray for a smooth time throughout the evaluation, and that we would be encouraged when it’s over.

Thanks for standing with us through it all and encouraging us along the way!
Your sometimes weary but being strengthened hands & feet,
Jason & Nisae, Kadynn, Judah & Eden