Lessons from Oz

Did everything go perfectly? No. 

We were invited into some difficult situations in churches that will need ongoing attention. We had some awkward interactions. The many cities, late nights, and travel-weariness took a toll on each of us at times – and if anything took a hit, it was our normal early morning proactive time with God, coffee, and a Bible/journal. But we rest in his grace, knew his presence, and felt – in some ways – more dependent on God than we do during “normal life.” So, there are more learnings and lessons in these things as well. We are beyond thankful and blessed by this incredibly unique opportunity – to God; to Soma Australia and The Equipping Group board/team; and to the other churches, organizations, and households for making this trip a reality.

Perhaps another time I’ll share more about the actual trainings – from everyday gospel & everyday discipleship to pastoral training; from Soma School to Sunday preaching (on mission, the Bible, and even Esther!). We were grateful for each of those opportunities, and consider it a privilege to play a .00000001% role in serving the mission and ministry that folks are faithfully pursuing in Australia. But this is a more personal reflection: we are grateful to many of those faithful folks for inviting us in, for sharing their lives and culture, and mre. And we are grateful to God for this opportunity, and for reminding us of these (and many other) truths, which will shape our family and impact lives in untold ways for years to come.