After three terms lasting a total of about six months, I am watching my last lecture and taking my last exam this weekend. It’s a little surreal that this pursuit of a missions emphasis in seminary will be complete. I can’t begin to explain to you the delight in faxing in my previous seven class grades to the missions board, knowing full well that the last grade will be faxed in early next week. People, this balancing classwork with life has been challenging to say the least. But I’m thankful to be transitioning from the “cram everything in while still trying to remember your middle name” phase to a new level of Africa preparation.

Speaking of Africa, we have a pretty big date coming up for our family: November 19th. On November 19th our application file needs to be completed and we will be officially job matched on that date. What does it take to complete our file? Well thank you for asking. 😉 It takes running around like a chicken without a head… or more specifically, it takes medical and educational clearance for every family member in our home (yes, even down to Eden who also had routine testing for milestones and skills). It takes a HUGE amount of application paperwork, including: a class, written responses, reading a book, watching a sermon, insurance stuff, biographies, testimonies, and so much more. It takes time and coordination of tracking down old vaccination records. Friends, it has been QUITE a project. And yet it’s so beautifully near completion.

But there’s one BIG thing left and that is a test on THIS Wednesday morning that I would greatly covet your prayers over. Nope, Matt and I are not the ones taking the test, it’s one of our kiddos. So I would GREATLY appreciate your prayers. We certainly haven’t told her that her passing the test is very important to our departure date (no need to put any additional pressure on the poor kid’s shoulders), but we’re hopeful that she will shine in all her wonderful little ways. She will meet one-on-one with the evaluation giver for an hour on Wednesday, November 11 at 8am. So please, we really would appreciate your prayers for her courage, joy, and God’s favor. Knock it out of the park, little lady!!!

So hopefully here soon we will be able to share publically where the Lord has specifically been calling our family on the African missions field. I’ve been dying to share since we very first began the job hunt process and this job blew the open doors off it’s hinges. It’s like someone interviewed our family asking us how we felt God calling us to serve in Africa and then wrote up the job description. Honestly, I didn’t think it would be so blatantly obvious in the whole job matching process. God just does that, you know, guiding with extreme clarity.

He goes before us and behind us.

And we’re continuing to learn what all He has for us on this adventure’s horizon

starting this Wednesday and moving forward every day thereafter. =)

• Thank you for your prayers, your love and your support.