Dear Missionaryish Family,

Another quick update for this week.

First, thank you once again for your prayers. I'm happy to report that I passed most of my midterm exams, and now I'm on to studying for finals and getting the research papers done. School is full, but in the middle of it the Lord keeps giving us the joy of ministering as a family.

Something I've been sitting with this week is the simple reality that God moves as a family. Single, married, married with no kids, married with a houseful, it doesn't matter. He invites us into his family and then sends us out to witness to the people right around us. Our season has been busy and our outreach capacity isn't what it once was, but God has been opening doors next door and a couple streets down.

He brought a wonderful Bangladeshi family, Abe and Katie (we changed their names for safety), right next to us. This past week they celebrated Eid al-Adha (major Islamic holiday, honoring Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in obedience to God) and we had the privilege of receiving their hospitality, sharing in the meat they provided and sending baked goods back with Reagan. And Sarah, the single mom of three you've been praying for and given toward these last year, had a real surprise: her ex, the father (who we will call Tom) of her children came to church with us. We've shared lunch, taken the kids to the science museum, and I had a good conversation with him about his Kickapoo heritage and the rituals his tribe has worshiped and spirits they longed to be free of.

The biggest surprise has been watching God move in our own kids. After church this past Sunday, Ezra made some art in his class and decided, all on his own, that he wanted to give it to our Bangladeshi neighbors. He made them a personal card and could not wait to bring it over. Reagan and I kept saying "let's wait," and he kept saying "no, I just need to do this." Who am I to slow down what the Lord is doing in a five-year-old? So Reagan walked him and Judah over, and they gave thanks to Abe and Katie for their kindness.

We're interacting with fewer families than we used to, but the Lord has given us the chance to go deeper. What a joy it has been. Would you pray for me as I press on toward finals, and for these neighbors the Lord has placed in our path?

More to share once finals are behind me. Thank you for walking with us.

In Christ,

David & Reagan

Quick Prayer Request

David is in finals mode and working on research papers. Pray that I would finish seminary as quickly, but as solidly, as possible.

Neighbors pray for Sarah and her three children, and for the children's father as he begins coming to church. Pray too for Sarah, Tom, their kids and our friends next door.

Reagan & Kids the little ones, Levi, Joy, and Evy, are growing fast, and we want to keep encouraging Ezra and Judah in the faith we're seeing stir in them. Pray for Reagan as she holds our home together.

Parenting pray we'd keep pointing our kids to Christ in the ordinary days, and that we'd have wisdom to follow when he's clearly the one moving them.

Family Snapshots

This Week's Musing

I wrote a longer piece on why evangelism was never meant to be a solo act, and how a covenanted body (the church) makes the whole person of Christ visible. It's in the same vein as the family theme above, and I'd genuinely love your feedback on this one. Read it below and leave a comment, or just hit reply and tell me what you think.

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