In Psalm 61, the writer cries out to God, “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2). Our current default mode is overwhelmed. The preparations are overwhelming, the packing and sorting is overwhelming, cleaning out our house is overwhelming, saying goodbyes is overwhelming. We keep crying out to God and we are thankful that he is there.

We were able to spend some time with Bekah’s family in New England over the Thanksgiving holiday and had the privilege to support our language school classmates in their graduation in Texas. In between those things, we sorted, packed, sold, and gave away stuff. The closing for our house is set for the 21st of this month and Lord willing, we fly to Chile on the 28th.

Our first several weeks in Chile we will be based in Santiago, but we will also be traveling to Paysandú, Uruguay for our annual missionary conference, and Mark will have the privilege to attend the annual Chilean pastors meeting in the south of Chile. We imagine that God will adjust our plans and expectations many times in the next several months.

We don’t enjoy feeling overwhelmed—there have been frustration, discouragement, and tears—but we are thankful that it forces us to cry out to God. We desperately covet your prayers as you think of us in the next several weeks.

We are thankful for God’s gracious gift of good health, family, and friends.

 Thank God with us:

• For God’s faithfulness and steadfastness through all of life’s overwhelming circumstances.
• For the blessing of family and friends who love and support us.
• For safety in travel over many miles.
• For the quick and simple sale of our house.
• For meeting all our needs.

Pray to God with us:

• For wisdom and grace as we get rid of our home and most of our possessions.
• For peace and joy as we move to Chile December 28.
• For grace to live as those “who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it” (1 Cor 7:31).
• For the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of Christlikeness in our lives through these overwhelming times.

This is our December 2017 email update. You can sign up to receive our updates in your inbox here. You can download a printable PDF here.