If we're honest ...

To say that this part of our journey is easy would be lying.

If we're honest, it's harder than anything that we have ever been through.

Don't get me wrong.  We have found deep joy & peace in this season.  We have seen God provide through willing hearts in ways that we would never have planned.  We have grown in our faith & we are truly more excited than ever!

But we have also had some hard days.  Really hard.

We have given up our lives  -  all we own, all we know, and all that we love  - to answer the calling that He has placed on our family.  It's more than a calling really.  It's a command.  We have abandoned comfort & everything that "makes sense".

Selling all that we had & walking away from all of the "things" that gave us a "full" life here.

Living with Daniel's parents ... all 3 together in one bedroom.  They have been more than amazing ... but there are times that it is just plain hard not having our own place to call home.

Not working jobs but constantly working.  Making phone calls, setting up appointments, traveling to speak, and doing all we can to contact others to share our vision.

Waiting day to day for the Lord to provide funds through those phone calls, visits, e-mails & even through people we haven't yet met.

We have faced criticism for the decisions we have made for our family in the most unusual & hurtful ways.

Those that are closest to us that we have known the longest have not been the most supportive or present in this process.  We are already beginning to feel the disconnect from life here ... and it's hard.

We have both been in this spot before in our lives individually.  The place of true surrender.  Often times, that is after The Lord has stripped you down to nothing but Him.  So this place is familiar to us but it's not easy.

We are having to continuously turn our eyes upon the One that is truly in control & remind ourselves that this is not about us.

Abandoning all has truly left us abiding solely in Him.  We have had to stop seeking our emotional support from others around us more than we are seeking power & strength from Him.

We have had to fully force ourselves to believe in Him as the provider & not the names on a list.

We have realized quickly that God's plans require God's power.

We know that God has fully fulfilled His promises & our assignment.

But, at the same time, we recognize that He is at work in the hearts of other people as He prepares us to GO.  He is leading them to give towards this ministry and partner with us while He is working in their lives.

I say all that in love but from a very transparent place.  We are so thankful to be loved and have the support that we have already been shown.  We just really want everyone to know that while we are excited, full of joy and ready for this adventure ... there is still an ache & really hard side of it, too.

So here we are ... one month into full time fundraising.  By the looks of it, we will not be making the cutoff to be in Costa Rica for language school in August.

We are sitting at 15% funded.  We have to reach 100% before leaving for language school.  We are trusting & believing God that we will be able to start the next trimester in January.

Our account may not be full.  But our hearts & lives are more full than they have ever been before.

Having less than we have ever had.  Experiencing joy as we are choosing to be content.

And in that, we are realizing more each day that we are able to do all things through Him because HE strengthens us.

Philippians 4:11-13

I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am in.  I know both how to have a little and I know how to have a lot.  In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content - whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.  I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.