When Friends Become Friends

 I've known Angel (the lady on the left) for over 8 years or so - she lives in Tennesee and is friends with my parents (and goes to their church).  I've known Robyn (the lady in the middle) for about 2 years now - she goes to my church but is also my "neighbor" as she lives in my subdivision.  AND NOW:  Angel and Robyn are friends too!

 And Angel's kids and Robyn's kids and my kids (Andrew not pictured) are friends!  (That's my mom on the left.)

Angel's family is going to one of the 'stan countries in Central Asia
(the 7 'stan countries are: 
•Afghanistan


•Kazakhstan

•Kyrgyzstan

•Pakistan

•Tajikistan

•Turkmenistan

•Uzbekistan)
 as missionaries.  They presented their ministry and burden to our church this week during our annual Missions Conference.  Our pastor invited them to come - and they offered to bring my mom with them!  Since my house is not big enough to house a family of 6, my friend Robyn offered to keep Angel's family at her house as she has a large finished basement.  Everyone got along so well - but that is the beauty of the body of Christ.  

In fact, Robyn's husband and Angel's husband had a mutual friend unbeknownst to them until they got to talking ... it's a small world, this Christian world, particularly among our denomination and its seminaries and Bible colleges. 

Missionaries inspire me ... and Angel's family is very special and exceptional among them, I think!  They have truly stepped out by faith - beyond any sacrifice I've ever dreamed of making - to serve God completely, sold out, 100%.  When they decided to go to the mission field, Angel's husband quit his job - by faith - to raise his support and share his burden with churches who would partner with him.  He literally saw miracles as people in his church bought him a van to use (only stipulation that he return it when he leaves the USA) and another offered to pay his mortgage to free him up to travel.  All his needs have been met - pretty much by God's own Hand.  If I didn't know this family so well, I am not sure I'd believe it.  God still works miracles ... I think sometimes our self-sufficiency keeps us from experiencing them! 

Of course, it isn't everyone's calling to live completely on faith - to go to far away countries - or to have to give up one's life completely to God's service ... but I think the privileged few who do it get to experience a faith and God's provision deeper than anything we average American Christians ever will know.  I know God has some very special things planned for this dear family - and I will be praying for them and supporting them from my comfortable home here in Central Missouri where my own calling is because God knows what I can handle.  I love that my children have been exposed to and challenged by this family - and I hope they will come away with the realization that GOD IS REAL, He is at work TODAY, and He can do amazing things when we trust Him.