Milestones

As the Oma (grandmother) of a four month old, I am constantly reminded of the milestones pediatricians monitor in infants.  Nursing, cooing, focusing, and muscle strength mark important development in the life of a newborn.  I delight in each new behavior I see in  Sophia, and I anticipate her first roll-over, her ability to sit up unaided.  She changes so much from one day to the next, and each change is a joy.

Likewise, my husband and I have milestones in our journey to Black Forest Academy, but we don't always realize the event as a milestone until the actual experience.   Last Sunday Bethany, our church family of almost thirty years, voted to support us in prayer and in financial support.  Bethany leadership had put the stamp of approval on our ministry in Germany a number of months ago, but circumstances had kept the final decision, a vote from the congregation, from occurring.

Before church we both felt edgy, but we enjoyed the report from the Tecate house building team.  At the end of the service the Deacon chairman took the podium and explained that a vote was need to add the Smiths to Bethany's group of supported missionaries.  This was the moment we had awaited for over a year!  He introduced us, said we could stay to vote (!!), and called for a vote.  The strong "yes" and absence of "no" affirmed for us the support and love of this group of people with whom we have served and loved for all these years.   Emotion overwhelmed us.

The past six months we have diligently met with potential ministry partners to tell our story and request that they participate with us.  This one vote by our church family has extended to us the same sense of God's approval as those individuals who have already joined our team.  We are blessed.

"We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."  I Thess. 1:2-3