Plans for the Fall

Greetings from Carol Stream, IL where we have been living for the last 4 weeks! Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us with encouraging words and to all of you who have been praying for our family during this time away.

In the process of taking a class at Wheaton College this month, the Lord has really impressed upon our hearts that the education we are receiving here will be essential in our ministry to Italians. Over the last several weeks, Stephen and I had begun to feel that God is calling us to go to school full-time while we finish raising our support and wait on visas. We started praying for God to make a way if this is truly His will.

Last Friday, within about an hour of each other, Stephen and I were both offered part-time jobs here in the area that will allow us to support our family, while also giving us time to fundraise and continue classes at Wheaton. Stephen will be working for Wheaton College as an A/V supervisor over student techs and I will be working as a creative assistant for a thriving house church, which will be great experience for our future church-planting efforts. With this confirmation, we are making plans to relocate to Carol Stream this fall, where we can live in the missionary apartments at TEAM for a minimal cost and be close to the college.

We are excited about this unexpected change of plans, but in no way does this diminish our desire to get to Italy as soon as possible. In fact, we are now meeting regularly with a fundraising mentor who is working with us to raise our remaining support. With his help, we feel confident that we will reach 70% soon and will be able to start our visa process. In the meantime, we are looking forward to heading home to Atlanta for a few weeks next month to see family and friends before starting school at the end of August.