Hello Dear Prayer/Support Community,

I am so thankful for all of you and your decision to follow me on this journey of building the Kingdom in Kenya. I am currently sitting at one of my favourite coffee shops, it is made out of a shipping container, and they make great espresso. It is 16 degrees, and I am wearing four layers of clothes, including a puff jacket (it is COLD here right now).

I hope to send monthly updates; some may be more detailed than others. However, I am dedicated to keeping you informed and involved in how God works here. As I have said from the beginning, this ministry is not just mine but for all who are called to partner in it. If you are interested in following along on my Instagram page, I will post more regular updates and photos of my time in Kenya throughout the month.

Financial Update

A quick financial update, I am $1,900 away from being fully sponsored. Due to some more significant one-time gifts, I have come back to Kenya and have continued my support raising from here. My task is to find more churches or individuals who want to join this ministry through monthly financial partnerships.

If you know of a church that may be interested in joining this ministry, please email me. I find it challenging to email churches who don’t know me, as many organizations feel hesitant to financially stand behind someone they don’t know personally. If you would like to be the person who introduces me, I would be so so grateful!

If you are someone who feels called to join this ministry, please reach out to me. I would be happy to share more information, meet with you, and direct you on how to give.

Reflections

I have been back in Kenya for a week today, and the Lord has been so good to give me a bit of rest and rejuvenation before jumping into ministry. It has been a time to press into his presence and seek what He wishes for me this coming year. As I consider my new job in counselling, how ministry with my church will look, and what balancing many new things will look like, I feel the Holy Spirit continue to bring to mind the passage of Moses meeting with God in Exodus 33.

“The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.”

Despite this close relationship, Moses wanted to know more about the ways of God. Moses pleads with God, “If it is true that you look favourably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favour. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”

In response to the pleading of Moses, the Lord told him, “I will personally (My presence) go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” Exodus 33:14

The Lord promises Moses that His presence will accompany Him throughout the journey to the Promised Land. This posture of God presents a remarkable lesson; God will always be faithful to His promises. He will always go before us, and His presence will never depart from us.

Moses answered the Lord, “Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place,” -Ex 33:15. Moses made it clear to the Lord that he was not going to the Land if the presence of the Lord was not going with him. The presence of the Lord was the most valuable thing to Moses. The possession of the Land was secondary to the presence of the Lord.

The possession was secondary to the presence. In this season of having many unknowns and todo’s, I return to this place of prayer, “Lord, let your presence be what I seek.” How easy it could be to make support raising, ministry, or what people think of me become what is first in my priorities. Yet, as I look through scripture, that way of being never worked out for people. It also never left people feeling fulfilled, joyful, or peaceful.

Moses didn’t understand how everything would work out, but he did trust that what God was leading him to was more significant than just himself. That way of thinking brings humility, surrender, and awe. This is the stance I can feel God continuing to lead me to. Humility, surrender, and wonder as I (his child) get to sit back and watch him work. My only job is to seek his presence and leading, no matter how much “sense” it makes.

How beautiful it is that we, as his children, learn new layers and depths of this continually. Even this morning, I felt Jesus prompt me again in this learning. He said, “You are focusing on what brings security, not what will grow your trust; I want you to seek what will grow your trust in me.” How often do we think of the opposite of security as insecurity? But yet, as we focus on growing our trust in Jesus, we find greater security and a more profound knowing of His presence than we could ever imagine.

Praises

God is so so good. That’s it; let’s take a minute to praise Him for that!
I have obtained $2,300 of my $4,100 goal of monthly partnership! Yay, thank you, Jesus!
I am back in Kenya and have been thankful for the time to rejuvenate and refocus before beginning ministry.
With some extra time, I have had the opportunity to pour into the school I have worked for the past six years. This has proved helpful as teachers are learning the Social Emotional Curriculum I have been teaching for the past two years.
For my attitude toward this coming year. I am continually in awe of how God has called me to this ministry, it isn’t something I could have planned, but I am so excited about all that I will be doing.

Prayers

Due to not “working” in Kenya anymore, I will need a new kind of VISA to stay in the country. This is a complicated process; please pray for the Lord’s favour.
For favour, as I begin a new ministry focus here in Kenya, that I will have wisdom and discernment on how to prioritize and use my time/resources.
That God will bring people and churches into my life who wish to help with the remaining $1,900 of support.
I will continue to hunger first for the presence of God, and, like Moses’ prayer, my focus will be on walking in step with the Lord. To seek trust rather than immediate security.