If you had not noticed, usually I post a yearly newsletter on our family doings. I want to be more regular in sharing, as I believe we are heading in a new direction in our lives. Especially since Karin and I are empty nesters and I believe God wants to steer us in a new direction. Part of that is this blog.

During and following our first missions trip to the Philippines, I had felt a desire to pursue and go after the things of God more. It has been a slow build up of the last 10 months to put me where I am now. A lot of flesh and selfish living that God has been and is working through, pressing into me that my life is not about what I want nor ever was. The reality is that God is getting down into the details and like Jacob, I am fighting Him every step of the way. But He is faithful to complete the work He has begun in me.

So these are the things He has been speaking to me about.
Health
Finances
Missions / Outreach

I want to say right off that the things that I am about to talk about are not New Years resolutions. These are things that He has been conveying to my heart in the last year. I am just now getting around to writing about them.

Health:
As most of you know if you pay attention at all, I am a bit heavy. As Gabriel Iglesias would say “fluffy”. I am probably close to 100 lbs on the pudgy side of healthy; use a C-pap machine to keep Karin from bludgeoning me because of snoring; if an angry bear was chasing us, well, let’s just say, you would make it out all right; all together, not in the best of shape. God has made it clear, this is His body for His purposes. It is His temple and I have treated it like it was mine to do with as I wish. But if I want to hear “well done good and faithful servant” that faithfulness must carryover to my body also. It does not mean He can’t use me in the state I am in but He wants to do so much more. I know that it hurts my witness and ability to minister. No, I don’t have to be Arnold Scwartzenaggar, but neither do I need to share a table with the Kung Fu Panda. All of this to say, please pray. This is something I have struggled with my whole life. Honestly, I love food. My love for God has to be greater. So what does that look like. I am in the second week of no sugar or carbohydrates. What does that mean: No processed foods, no sugar (including milk, juices, fruits, desserts) breads, potatoes, rice, pasta or flour of any kind. Well turd blossom! What else is there to eat? The answer: Eggs, cheeses (moderately), peanut butter (moderately), all meats and vegetables. For me, I can eat as much as I want, just not what I want. If you are looking at this and think I am crazy, it is what works for me. No comments please, just prayers. I am also trying intermittent fasting. Keeping my meals to a six hour period. So far, after the first week, eight pounds down. But I do not want the scale to control it. Just that I am doing the will of my Father.

Finances:
For the past five years, I have been pursuing the Airbnb / Short Term Rental game. We own a home in Salem that Ellie and Ritter rent from us, a home in SE Roanoke that is a short term rental and I manage a home close to Carilion Hospital that I also run on Airbnb. We recently sold the home our kids grew up in, which we also had on Airbnb, and are in the process of taking those profits and purchasing a six unit home in South West Roanoke. Two of those units will be on year leases while I place the remaining four on Airbnb. So essentially I will be managing nine properties. As of now, this is my full time gig. Especially since I will be rehabbing those four units. For awhile, Karin has been our main bread winner. I do not like this and do not believe it is what God would have for us. I want to get where Karin no longer has to nurse if she does not want to. I am shooting for being in that position within the year. My ultimate goal is that not only will our finances be in order but we can then use the excess for missions and outreach. Which leads me to the final point.

Missions / Outreach:
Early in my Christian life, I knew I did not want to be a pew potato or part of the frozen chosen. I wanted to be a pastor or missionary. I graduated from Calvary Chapel Bible College in pursuit of that end. But then I allowed my lack of confidence in me (instead of being confident in God), sin that included arrogance, laziness and gluttony, and the pursuit of the American Dream to hinder my walk with God. I am still struggling with all of those things but I have gotten tired of them. And honestly, as I stated earlier, I do not want my life to end without hearing from Jesus, “Well done good and faithful servant”. He has called us to reach the world with the hope of the gospel. Who am I not to obey. So, what does that look like? As you know, if you have read the other posts, I went on two trips to the Philippines this year to support several ministries and look to see what open doors the Lord may have. In future posts, I will go more into those trips but needless to say, God has got my attention. I don’t foresee being a longterm missionary in the Philippines but He has opened my eyes to just flat out being available. In May I plan on heading back for another short term trip. In October, head back again to attend a six week long training on church planting. I would also like to see how we might be a support to Steve Love and his family in Zimbabwe. No idea what that looks like yet. I have a connection with John Bonner of Calvary Chapel in Peru that God also might want to pursue. I also would like to see what God would have for us here in the Boones Mill / Hardy area. Or maybe even SE Roanoke. Praying about it all and am excited for where God will lead us.

All of this to say, you sure have a lot to pray about. you better get busy.

Next post: Why the Philippines?