activities...

so what have we been up to?

life is good..... or so my frisbee says. (brandname) and i can only concur. rather, God is good. and our lives currently reflect His faithfulness...

we are nearing the end of our first SBS in africa. sue's school and my first staffing experience. She has studied 62 books of the bible as of today, and i have studied 6. : )
honestly...... how fortunate are we!?!
God has kept us.
sue and i were looking at zechariah this morning; israel having returned to the promised land from exile, neglecting God's house while building their own......... dashed expectations. disappointed. and not just for a few weeks.... but 16 years.. 16 years... that really struck me.
israel's disobedience caused exile...... while in exile God preserves them mightily. miraculously. time and time again. Then God raises a ruler that finances their return to jerusalem (cyrus). and the people respond with depression. disappointment.

kinda pathetic really. and yet so applicable to me.
God, instead of tiring with them at that point......encourages them. and gives reason for hope, through His prophet Zechariah. "...I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem... do not be afraid... I will save you... you shall be a blessing... let your hands be strong..."

Thankfully God is unchanging and treats us the same way......
God pursues, and continues pursuing.
IS 42 says a bruised reed i will not break......
and i am so thankful.


Sue and i are tired, yet fulfilled. we are nearing the end of round 1 (less than 2 weeks from graduation). there have been challenges, but the primary sensation is satisfaction...

God has kept us.

we have both been challenged personally, in our marriage, and in other relationships, God has stretched our hearts our minds and our abilities to think, He has brought change, and profound transformation. our beliefs have been challenged, both as it comes to our understanding of God and ourselves. our perspective on humanity and the effect of sin has been altered.

Scripture, in dynamic relationship with Holy Spirit, has changed our lives.

Not only our lives, but the lives of every staff and student here with us.
We are in the process of celebrating this experience, and in the initial phase of mourning its end.

God has accomplished much.

We are thankful. To Him primarily, and also to you who read this, for making it possible for us to invest in His kingdom in this fashion.
Thank you.

God is good. and frisbees are a testimony to that... : )

-hans

ps. check out http://www.sbsinternational.org/ for a cool look at what is going on.