Love in the Margins

Missionaryish April 2025 Update:

• Akemi’s Connection: Reagan’s friendship with Akemi, a Japanese mom from an LDS background, is growing through library meetups and park playdates, opening doors for authentic community.

• Ruth’s Redemption: A chance encounter with Ruth, a retired pastor, turned into a night of listening and prayer as she shared her burnout and trauma after 30 years in ministry.

• Greek Seminary Update: Started Greek Exegesis two weeks ago; I’m working to catch up after falling behind this week.

• Funding Needs: We’re at 61% of our 2025 funding goal—your support and prayers keep us moving forward in this season. We got some new support this week and its help filed in with some recent losses!

• 1440 Sponsorship: Thank you for continuing to click on our sponsor's link. March 17's click brought in $27 for our ministry! Thank you for the extra $1 increase from your clicks!

• Prayer Requests: Reagan is due this week on the 4th of April. Pray for her strength and safety for her and the baby!

Dear Missionaryish Family,

As we sit down to write this update, we’re reflecting on how God continues to open unexpected doors for ministry in our lives. The past few months have been full of surprises, both in our planned pursuits and in the unplanned moments where the Lord has called us to step up. With seminary keeping me busy and Reagan nurturing our family and community ties, we’re constantly amazed at how God weaves opportunities into our everyday lives. We’re so grateful for your prayers and support, which make all of this possible. Here’s a glimpse of what’s been happening.

Building Bridges in Oklahoma City

Reagan has been making incredible inroads with moms in our community here in Oklahoma City. One relationship that stands out is with “Akemi”, a Japanese mom who grew up in a Latter-day Saints (LDS) family. They met at a library event, a weekly outing Reagan takes with the kids while I’m in class or catching up on rest. Akemi is married to an American chemical engineer, and they have two boys, ages two and four, who get along wonderfully with our own children. What started as casual library meetups has blossomed into park hangouts and deeper conversations.

We’re not approaching these friendships as “projects” or opportunities for proselytizing. That mindset, we’ve found, stifles genuine love. Instead, we’re focusing on the basics of friendship: showing up, sharing life, and letting love lead the way. And hopefully along the way, they get a taste of the embodiment of the Gospel through both word and deed. If Akemi or the other moms never share our beliefs, that’s okay. Our hope is that they experience Christ’s love through us, not as a reward for agreeing with us, but simply because it’s who we’re called to be. Reagan’s also continued meeting with Sarah, another mom we’ve mentioned before, who’s now joining our community group and connecting with our church family. It’s beautiful to see these relationships grow organically.

A Night of Unexpected Ministry

A few weeks ago, during a rare “staycation” to celebrate Reagan’s birthday, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas all rolled into one, we encountered another unexpected ministry moment. We’d booked a hotel just ten minutes from home, enjoyed a dinner out, and settled by the fireplace in the hotel’s balcony area with a glass of water in hand. Our plan was simple: relax and reconnect. But God had other ideas.

Two women, let’s call them Ruth and Carrie, were nearby, and a casual comment about Reagan’s pregnancy sparked a conversation. It quickly moved from kids to work to faith. Ruth, in her 60s, turned out to be a retired Pentecostal pastor who’d led a well-known ministry in Oklahoma City, helping transition homeless individuals into stable housing with support from the Hobby Lobby family. Carrie, in her 50s, was a divorcee deconstructing her faith, weary from past church hurts and no longer part of a community.

What began as small talk turned intense. Ruth, three drinks in and visibly burnt out, grilled me on theology. I really tried my best to avoid this topic, but she wanted to know which theological camp I belonged to. For me, ecumenical unity is the priority in these situations, especially if we can just get back to Christ being the foundation. But of course, our Reformed views clashed with her Pentecostal roots. It was uncomfortable, even antagonistic at times. She demanded to know what I believed, poking for faults, while Reagan engaged Carrie in a quieter, gentler exchange. But as the night wore on, something shifted. Ruth opened up, and I found myself gently unfolding the layers of her story, listening intently as she shared her pain.

She hadn’t taken a Sabbath in over 30 years. Her husband died suddenly in their 30s, leaving her with two young boys as they launched their ministry together. She’d poured decades into serving thousands, driven by a fierce compassion that carried her through raising her sons alone and leading a thriving outreach. But that relentless pace came at a cost. She retired abruptly after a traumatic incident: a homeless man she’d taken in, trying to help his family, assaulted her, stole her valuables, and left her reeling. Fear kept her from seeking justice, and the ministry colleagues she’d trusted didn’t step up to support her. As we talked, I asked if she’d had older sisters, mentors, or friends outside her church to lean on, even in small ways. Her answer was a quiet “no.” She’d been isolated, carrying the weight alone. Now, she was angry, disconnected, and without a church home.

Her story hit close to home. I’ve felt that temptation myself—the pull to go, go, go in ministry without stopping to rest. Ruth’s life became a sobering warning of what happens when you ignore Sabbath: burnout, bitterness, and a loss of community. Yet, in that moment, listening to her, I also saw God’s grace. She’d given so much, and though her wounds were deep, they didn’t define her whole story. We listened. We prayed with her and Carrie. By the end, Ruth softened, even asking why we’d spent our date night talking to them. “You’re the Pentecostal,” I teased. “Shouldn’t you know it’s about being sensitive to the Spirit?” It was a humbling night, right before my Greek final no less, reminding us of God’s heart for His wounded servants and His timing in placing us where we’re needed.

Reflections and Gratitude

These stories, of library friendships and fireside counseling, aren’t the main focus of our season. Seminary and family are our priorities right now. But they’re vivid reminders that God is training us through every moment, planned or not. We’re not better than Ruth or Carrie or Akemi; we’re all just trying to follow Him faithfully, learning from our mistakes along the way.

Success in ministry isn’t about flawless execution or perfect outcomes. It’s about showing up with love, trusting God with the rest. Ruth’s story isn’t over, nor is her ministry, even in retirement. And neither is ours. Ministry is all of life not just the formal.

Thank you for praying for us, for enabling me to study, and for supporting us financially so we can step into these rare, beautiful moments. From ministering to a single mom with little community to comforting a weary pastor and a deconstructing sister, we’re seeing God move in the margins. Your partnership keeps us going.

With gratitude in Christ,

David & Reagan

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