"What are we going to do with two weeks with no meetings?" My faith was relatively low at the time. As I looked ahead a June's calendar, we saw one meeting and many blank spaces. I was discouraged. I wondered why God would give us such a significant gap in meetings when we so greatly desire to get to the mission field! But it turns out God knew exactly what He was doing (as He always does). Our "empty" month of June turned into a very full and frantic month.
I started the month how I expected I would be spending the whole month: making phone calls. On the first Saturday of the month, we were with some friends in Oklahoma when I received a text. Some of our friends in Texas asked if we were available for a missions conference! I asked them where, and they said in Texas! We were invited to come for as many days as we could to this four-day conference. So on Monday, we drove to Texas! It turns out the missionaries that were supposed to be featured had to cancel at the last minute! Our friends thought of us and mentioned us to their pastor. We were so grateful for the missions conference and the chance to be a blessing to the church in the case of a last-minute cancellation.
After the hectic start to the week, we thought our surprises were over, but they were just beginning. The friends who helped get us the conference came back to spend the weekend with us in Oklahoma! It was a fun and encouraging time showing them where we had spent six years of our lives. While showing them around Oklahoma, I received another text. The camp director from our sending church asks us if we're available the following week to speak at their camp! I asked him what days. He said Monday through Friday! Apparently, the camp speaker had to cancel last minute!!! We were able to split up the days a little bit, and we ended up going to camp Wednesday through Friday! It was so much fun and an excellent experience for us to see a fully operational camp ministry. I got to experience teaching an age range I've never taught before, and we got many wonderful ideas for our own camp ministry. I thought I would have two long weeks for phone calls, but God has so much better in mind! It was a good lesson in trusting Him at all times and in all situations. He simply needed me to be ready and available to fill in where I was needed, and that is the ministry.
We secured another meeting for the last weekend of June, making our total scheduled meetings for the month up to two. Our first meeting in Oklahoma was an encouragement, and they had us present and preach throughout the day. They took us on for support, putting us another percentage toward our goal. The following week we had our last meeting of June and enjoyed our time presenting and preaching again. We inch closer and closer to our goal every meeting and every day. June turned into a whirlwind in many ways, and we are grateful for God's opportunities to minister and be ministered to. Our schedule is picking back up in July, and we look forward to what God has in store.
As we are looking ahead at our schedule, please pray for us as we work to finish our Brazilian paperwork. Praise the Lord, we have successfully secured a meeting with the Consulate in Houston to finish Joneia’s documents. After which, we can work on my papers. Be praying that we will get everything done promptly. Before my paperwork can be done, our marriage must be registered with the Brazilian government. ON THAT NOTE, Joneia and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this last month! I am so grateful for my partner in ministry and love traveling on these many adventures with her. After we are registered as married, I can qualify for permanent residency. Be praying that the process goes smoothly and that the consulate will work quickly on our behalf. And continue to pray that our calendar will get fully booked through the rest of 2022.