We continue to get many questions about our plans to move for Nathan to attend seminary this fall. People are wondering if COVID-19 has impacted us as we prepare to move to Los Angeles. Many people are wondering if we will need to change our plans – or cancel them. Truthfully, really only God knows what the future holds. We can’t predict how things will unfold. God is sovereign and totally in control – so we are trusting Him and know He will make our path clear. In the meantime, we continue to prepare to move to California for Nathan to attend fall semester. We are excited to report he has registered for his fall classes and we have begun applying for a home to rent. We have also been in touch with the seminary and were happy to learn that the student visa process is actually very simple and we have until JULY to complete the application process! This means we have more time to raise funds-which is very helpful considering current economic challenges with COVID-19. We have received several more items for our garage sale (postponed until it is safe to do so) and the refundable cans and bottles are starting to really pile up again (probably more than $200 worth-we need to count and return this bunch soon). We welcome more donations, just contact us and we can arrange for safe pick up or drop off. We are also very grateful for another $250 in cash donations since our last post. You can find our Gofundme here or email us via our contact page (most funds have been donated directly and not through Gofundme, so it does not reflect total raised which is currently over $12000). We appreciate your prayers as we wait on the Lord for next steps. Continue reading below for Nathan’s thoughts…
From Nathan
Since the exodus, Israel was waiting for their Messiah. David was a man after God’s own heart in large part because he waited on the Lord (props to Ray Meringher!). He could have stuck a knife in Saul’s back; instead, he just gave him a trim off his garment. Thousands of years have passed and now those who have put their trust in the Messiah for salvation are waiting for His return in glory. Nathan waited about 7 years to go to The Master’s Seminary campus, and this year we made the commitment, and we were firing on all cylinders to make it happen, watching God’s marvelous providence unfold and then…Wait! And now we are waiting just to be able to have fellowship with our Christian brothers and sisters in person…and we can’t wait, so to speak…
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable…Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary”.
Isaiah 38–41
All this waiting has caused us to focus on the patience of God this week. Peter tells us that “the Lord is not slow about His promises as some count slowness”… and to “regard the patience of our Lord as salvation” (2 Pet 3). God endures countless sins against Him each day, in order to continue to offer His free gift of salvation to “whoever believes in [His Son, Jesus]” (John 3:16). I couldn’t help but wonder, is God waiting for something to happen before his Son returns to take his church to glory and judge the world? The answer is in the Bible.
He is waiting for me (and all Christians) to be faithful to carry out the priority mission of the church: tell people the good news that Jesus Christ alone can save you, and that Jesus Christ alone will save you.
Our main purpose for going to the Master’s Seminary is to gain the best possible teaching in expository preaching and bible interpretation that is available SO THAT, we may be faithful to the call to do the work needed for that redemptive plan of God to be consummated. We want to go to TMS so we can be maximally effective in the work of equipping God’s people for the work of the Gospel (rom 1:16; Rom 10:17). We want to see souls brought to glory through the glorious good news that Jesus is risen, proving that He is the only Saviour of the world, just as He unapologetically and repeatedly claimed.
When I think of it that way, we can wait. But we are not standing idle, we are preaching the Gospel now, we are serving the Church now. It’s all-hands-on-deck time right now. The chopper is not leaving the jungle until all the troops are safely on. So, let’s get off the chopper and help get them safely on by telling them the truth concerning Jesus Christ, so they may believe it and be saved (Rom 10:17; 1 Pet 1:23; Jam 1:18). We are (by grace) waiting on the Lord, because His timing is impeccable. We pray that the Lord will shower His grace on you as you consider us in your own challenging lives right now. Knowing that we have your support, we continue to pray, now more than ever, that He will bless our ambition with provision (not just materially but in wisdom), and that the reason for any of these activities will be to bring the most glory to the Lord Jesus as is possible with our lives, even if that means waiting.
Faithful 