Focus

In life it is so easy to get distracted or be so busy that you forget what is your main purpose here on earth.Is your purpose to be a great parent? Is your purpose to be the best at your job? Is your focus to love the Lord with all your heart, soul and mind? Is your deepest desire to share Jesus Christ to the lost?

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 1 John 3:23

Dave is a baseball player. He loves to play, watch, talk and learn all he can about baseball. He absolutely loves every aspect of his job helping young players become the best ball players they can be, but he has the right focus. He realizes that there is more to life than just baseball. He uses his love for baseball to help reach boys who are lost. 

"My goal isn't to make great baseball players. My goal is to teach these boys about Jesus."

We all have different desires or goals that we want to accomplish and that is wonderful. You should desire to be the best parent you can be. You should strive for excellence in your profession. The problem is when we lose sight of  God and what should be our main focus. We are called to share the Gospel to a lost world. 

This month has been a little crazy as we adjust to having a newborn and it is so easy for me to focus solely on the baby, but that isn't what I am called to do. I am called to show Jesus's love to all those around me, not just my son.  Please join us in the prayer this month as we try to figure out how to balance life. 

(5 Weeks Old)

Baby Joshua

This week God was moving in incredible ways and yet again we were shown that God was completely in control. I shared a few months ago (Baby Announcement) about how in the beginning of this pregnancy we thought that Joshua David wasn't going to make it, yet God put His hands of protection on our little boy.

On Wednesday I woke up with some strange symptoms and went to the doctor. He said I probably had Chikungunya and had me do blood work to verify. My platelets were low. The doctor had me repeat the blood work on Thursday morning and my platelets had dropped to an unsafe level. The doctor had me admitted and said I had Dengue. I was going to be in the hospital for a minimum of four days for treatment. I was less than thrilled and didn't want to be there at all. My fever continued to grow and was reaching a level that could be harmful for the baby so I went for an ultrasound. We discovered the umbilical cord was around his neck, but it wasn't a big deal because he had three more weeks until his due date. Later that night I tried to lay down and get some sleep. I just felt awful from the high fever, severe joint paint and back pain. I was just crying out to God to take away my symptoms so I could feel better. Around eleven o'clock at night my water broke and I was fever free!

All night our doctor diligently checked Josh's heart beat to make sure that the umbilical chord wasn't hindering Josh from recovering from the contractions. He did great and by eleven o'clock the next morning we were ready to deliver. Due to the position of the umbilical cord we had to do a c-section after an hour of pushing, but that is the main point in this whole blog post. The doctor had all the information he needed and knew about the umbilical chord because I was in the hospital. I didn't want to be there at all, but if I hadn't been then we wouldn't have had that last minute ultrasound just a few hours before I went into labor. God had us just where we needed to be even if I didn't like it.

This is a lesson that I know I will continue to learn over and over, but God is in control. He has our best interests at heart and will never leave nor forsake us. The next time you are in hard or strange circumstances, try to look around and figure out what you can learn.

No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you 

nor forsake you. 

Joshua 1:5

So Very Thankful

October has been a busy and fun month for us! Here is a short recap with a few pictures.

My sister came to visit for a week in the beginning of the month. It was so neat to be able to have her here to see what our lives are really like in the DR and go to school with me. She also helped me complete the baby's room!


Dave finished up his Spanish class and has been working hard at the baseball site. The Dominican government decided that this year all students will go to full day school instead of just half day like it has been in the past. This has opened up a few doors for Dave's ministry. In addition to having boys come in the afternoon to practice, he and his co-site leaders have been going into the public schools to do different PE classes. They are allowed to share the gospel and model what it means to be Godly men. It is a very exciting opportunity.

My classes have been going so well. I truly love my students and am blessed that God has allowed me to continue teaching in a place where I can freely speak His name.
                   

Baby Joshua is doing so well.  It is unbelievable that our little guy could now come any day. We thank you for your continual prayers for his safety. We are so excited to meet him.

God has just been so good to us!

 Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His loving-kindness lasts forever! Psalm 107:1

To Season with Salt

      This month Dave and I have both been taking intense Spanish courses. One of our new Spanish vocabulary words is salar. It means to salt. When I was first learned the word I didn't think I would ever use it, but shockingly this verb has come up a lot this month. Not in the usual way you would think of salting food, but instead being seasoned with salt towards those who don't know Jesus Christ.  

"You are the salt of the earth....Mathew 5:13 

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

Colossians 4:5

We are being called to make the MOST of every opportunity. How often are we just too busy or too tired to take the extra time with others around us? God is calling each of us to be the salt and light of the earth. This isn't a task we should take lightly. We have been really challenged this month to take every opportunity to share Christ with others.

We are praying that we can all work together to make the most  of each moment when we come in contact with outsiders!

August Update

August Update 

It doesn't seem possible, but we have been in the Dominican Republic for almost one month. We are all settled into our house and are beginning to feel at home. God has just blown us away with His provision. He continues to bless and provide for us. It is hard moving away from everyone and everything that is familiar, but He continues to strengthen us. We do not want to ever stop praising Him for all He has done for us. 

....The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.  Job 1:21

 Dave has had a lot of fun at the baseball site and been able to reconnect with kids he knew in the past. He has spent this week meeting new kids and setting schedules. He has had many opportunities to get to know the staff at                                             Students International.   

                                                                             

I have now completed my second full week of school and it has been amazing. My little class has doubled in size and it has been so much fun. The highlight for me has been being able to talk about God with my students. The first unit I teach my first graders is based on superheroes. We were having a class discussion on what characteristics make up a superhero. They listed the normal things such as fast, strong and super natural powers. One of the girls in my class said if you think about it, we can use all these words when talking about God. He is the best superhero. We had a talk about how superheroes are pretend, but God is so very real. It has been such a blessing to see fruit planted in such a short time. 

We Made It!

This week has been a crazy week full of unpacking and organizing. Dave spent the entire week setting up our house while I started orientation at Doulos. After much cleaning and moving we finally are feeling a little more settled. Dave will start his job on Monday and I will start the first official day of school! Below are a few pictures of our new life in Jarabacoa, DR. We are both so excited to officially start our ministries on
Monday!

Our fruit trees

Our house

My little classroom set up for the students on Monday! 

Though things aren't completely settled and we still have a lot of questions about what our lives will be like in Jarabacoa, we KNOW God is the one who is in control. He has placed us here for His purposes. There is no better place then to be on an adventure with God!

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Missionary Training

We have spent the last two weeks in Palmer Lake, Colorado at missionary training. It is four week program that teaches us all different things. The first two weeks were all about language. We spent hours each day working on new sounds to help us learn Spanish. We also spend time each day in personal reflection with God and in small break out groups discussing different feelings or ideas. The second two weeks will focus on cultural issues and how to enter another culture. The purpose of this program is to help us prepare our hearts, minds and souls as we go out on the mission field.

As we were walking one evening, we saw this sign (below) posted by the restaurant near us. It is our deepest desire to have our ministries based on God's plan for our lives. This sign was such a good reminder that unless God is directing us, then all our labor will be in vain. We must keep His will at the center of our lives.

Thank you so much for all your financial support and prayers! We are only 145 dollars away from our monthly goal. We feel so loved and encouraged by each one of you. THANK YOU!

So Close to Our Monthly Goal!

We just want to say thank you to all our monthly and one time supporters! As of now we are only 395 dollars away from our monthly goal. Thank you to anyone who has been  praying and thinking of us! We really appreciate it. 

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

Adams...Party of Three!

We are having a baby! Our little boy or girl will be born sometime in late November this year. God has taught us both so much through this pregnancy. 

We learned we aren't in control! There were some complications early in the pregnancy and the doctors told us that this pregnancy wasn't going to last. Yet when we went for the first ultra sound the baby had a strong heart beat. We are now thirteen weeks into the pregnancy and the doctors say this is a healthy, normal pregnancy. This was a situation that we just had to acknowledge that God was in control and we had to trust that He had our best interests in mind. 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8

We learned to praise God in the painful moments. When we were told the baby probably wouldn't last the week, we were devastated but still acknowledge that God is good and His will is perfect. It was one of the hardest times in our lives, and we were stretched beyond belief. At the end of the day God is still good, no matter what happens. 

9Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!" 10But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job 2:10

We learned that we don't need to be anxious. Now that we have another mouth to feed it made us very anxious and impatient for financial support to come in. We seemed so far away from our goal. We were about 1,200 dollars away from our goal, but as of last night we are only 570 dollars away! God has provided abundantly. 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

Megan Has a Job

On Wednesday we got great news. I got a job. I will be working for Jarabacoa Christian School as the second grade teacher. I taught second grade at my last school and loved it. This position came at the perfect time! I was praying to God about our need for support. I asked God to show us that the funds would come in. About five minutes later I checked my phone and had received an email offering me a position that pays $500 per month! God is so good. 

If you would like to see more about JCS, please click on the link below.

Jarabacoa Christian School

Though it has been a learning process for us to trust in God, He is faithful and showing us each day His provision. Please continue to support us with prayer as we continue to raise support. 

....Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord  Or that I not be in want and steal And profane the name of my God."

Proverbs 30:8-9

Students International New Staff Trip in Vasalia, CA

A few weeks ago I went out to California (near Fresno) for new staff training with Students International.  While I was there I was able to learn all about the organization I will be working for.  It was nice to be able to meet the office staff and all of the people who work so hard behind the scenes to help support all of us.  There were a total of 15 new staff who will be going out to all 5 locations (DR, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Figi).  It was great to hear everyone's story and how God has led them to this point in their journey.

Our last day there we were able to go up into the mountains and see the redwoods, which are some of the largest trees in the world.  I was able to take a few pictures.  You can't help but be in awe of God's creation, especially when you are up in the mountain.

Thank you for everyone who has committed to supporting us both financially and through prayer as we continue to work towards moving back to the DR.  We have about $500 committed monthly which is a good start, but obviously a long way to go to reach our goal of $1700.  We know God will provide if this is where He wants us.