God's Economy

We heard a great sermon on Sunday from Chris' mentor when we went to Grace Church in Teinmu last weekend.  Chris and another missionary each shared about upcoming projects, and then Chris' mentor shared about giving.  It was perfectly timed for me, with all the selling and getting rid of stuff we've been doing.  It's been really hard to say goodbye to our stuff!!!  And for the prices that we did.  We sold our entire living room set; two sofas, chair, lamps, entertainment stand, and Sony TV for 1000CDN.  And that's pretty much all the big stuff we've sold.  All the other odds and ends are going for 10-100NT; between 30 cents and 3 dollars.  (I bet you wish you were garage sailing in my house, ha ha!!)  It's just hard to imagine us setting up our house again with the little money we've sold things for here.  But its also been so, so good to face my materialism head on like this.

The message at church was this: God owns ALL of our income.  God owns all of our time, and all of our talents, and all of our resources.  In church we talk about the tithe being 10% and get in that mentality that "Ok, if I give God his 10%, then I have 90% for myself."  But if we are baptized believers, owned by God, then that is just not the case.  Everything we have comes from God!  Every blessing that has been given to us, and the resources we've had to own iPhones and iPads and toys and nice furniture, all of that has been a gift to us.  God gives, and God takes away, and God is just as able to take care of us in Canada as He has in Taiwan.  It has made this week so much easier, to put things in that eternal perspective.  It's just stuff, in the end it won't come with us.

It has been my earnest prayer this week that our support raising goes well so I can be a stay home mom for even just a while.  I just think it will be so valuable for my family to have me available as we transition, and to also really be able to jump into our new church with all my energy.  I'm excited about the church plant.  I've often asked God, "Why do we have such awesome friends and church here?  We have such amazing community!!"  and now I think that we've had this great experience so we have a picture, or a goal for our new community in Canada.  I hope we can bring this sort of fellowship we have at the Pearl to a new group of people in a growing new community.  The body of Christ is an amazing thing, and Chris and I are both very passionate about the church, and so the idea of starting a new 'body' and bringing people together into Christian community is exciting for both of us.

In case you missed it on Facebook, here is our support letter.  There are many ways in which we need support.
1) prayer.  I am very interested in having committed prayer partners to hold up our new ministry.
2) regular financial donations.  We are hoping that we can get several people who are also passionate about church growth and reaching out to new communities to commit to monthly support for the next two years.
3) one time gifts and love offerings.  We are leaving a lot behind, and will have very little start up money.  Gift cards we can use in BC for groceries or household things, bike helmets, booster seats, toys.  We will also be looking for furniture and things, but not until we get to BC because we have to move it (see connections below)
4) connections.  We are not from Langley, and don't know anyone there except for Chris' boss and partner whom he only met via Skype.  I'd love to have someone to talk to someone about the schools and the rec centre and the nicest parks, and the playgroups, part time jobs (maybe).
5) more prayer!  Please just keep praying for us!!!!!!!!

Love to you all who read this!