Have you ever been in a setting where fellow believers ask for prayer requests and you rack your brain and then come to the conclusion "Life is good and smooth ... I've got nothing"? Praise God for those times!
That's not where we are right now.
Now, no doubt about it: we have had an incredible summer - visiting many wonderful congregations,
meeting new people, renewing friendships, and catching up with family. We've been the recipients of so much generosity and hospitality and thoughtfulness. There have been side trips to the zoo, an
amusement park and Gettysburg. There has
been sweet corn, watermelon and ice cream galore. And very few chicken drumsticks!
As the summer comes to a close, though, anxiety is rising
for Melissa and me. With our rental house opening up just a week ago and needing some attention before new renters can move in, our To Do List is far from finished. This drove us to call Missionary Flights International yesterday and get our return flight to Haiti bumped back a few days. Instead of August 21st, we'll now be back in Vaudreuil on August 26th - God willing!
All the anxiety about finishing our summer well reminds me
that we need to take these burdens to Jesus.
How good to be reminded that He cares for us and He’s in control.
Would you be willing to lift the following in prayer? They
are listed in order of rising anxiety!
1) We have a van whose age and performance are not cause for
confidence. Rather than junking it, we spent the money needed a few weeks ago to get it whipped into shape. We would like to drive it to
Florida next week alongside a rental van and leave it at the Missionary Flights International airport
in Fort Pierce for the year. Will it
make it? In Creole, the phrase is "Bondye konnen!"
"God knows!"
2) We have our old
house that is empty again after the latest renters moved out. Plus, I finally took the plunge and had the above-ground pool removed. It's going to take a lot of time and energy to get the property presentable for new renters. And FIND new
renters - preferably responsible adults. Non-smokers. Non-drinkers. No pets. Well-behaved children. (Is that too much to ask?) If we don’t get everything fixed up, we will be leaving behind a burden for family members or we’ll have to hire it out. Once it’s ready for new tenants, if the house
sits empty for too long, well, that will be a problem. Plus, there are some
issues to work out yet with the former renters.
And last but NOT least:
3) Our support account.
We started work in Haiti last year before reaching 100% on our funding but with a cushion of funds that had been
given during our year of Stateside fundraising.
Throughout this past year of ministry in Haiti, that cushion has
made up the shortfall each month.
Now
that cushion is less like a pillow and more like a pillow case!
When we’ve been the beneficiaries of so
much generosity this summer (and the last two years in general!), it's hard to process the cold reality that until we reach 100%, we will continue to be hounded by the fear that we'll have to put the ministry in Haiti on pause in order to give full attention to closing the gap.
This pause is the possibility that nags at our confidence in the Lord's provision. It fills our minds with "What Ifs". I suppose it is similar to a hovering fear of being "laid off" from work - but it's not just work. It would involve leaving friends and coworkers, kids leaving their school, and our family leaving our house. It is something that I have to continually lay back down at the feet of Jesus.
Melissa and the kids and I would be so grateful if you would join us in lifting these situations in prayer.
As you pray, if the Lord is prompting you to give towards closing this gap in our funding, our gratitude would know no bounds! Here is a link to the quickest way to give: http://www.onemissionsociety.org/give/TheGrosses . Or drop us a quick email to let us know: sgross@onemissionsociety.org .
As always, THANK YOU for joining with us in this ministry among the beloved people of Haiti through your prayers and generosity! God bless you.******************************************************
" Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works , to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is
life indeed."
- I Timothy 6:17-19
