The Now and the Not Yet

Will and I were talking the other day about the unrest in South Sudan. We were trying to process what is going on there with our life here. Will used the phrase, "it is hard to live in the now and the not yet".

Yes! That is exactly it. We have found ourselves in transition again. In a place of needing to be present where we are, while still preparing for what is to come.

Here is a glimpse into our "now":

Currently, we are snowed in and sitting on the couch watching a documentary on the Lost Boys of Sudan with our housemate, Sarah- thus adding to the confusion of where we actually are :). When we are not snowed in, I am a Title I teacher and Will is working at a fraternity on IU's campus.

We are living in Bloomington, IN. This is my first official year of teaching full-time. I work at two schools each day- a primary school and an intermediate school that are located right next to each other. I help remediate students in reading and math and work primarily with first and third graders. Will is cleaning at the fraternity house. He is about to start a certificate in sustainable community development online. We are also in the midst of raising support to be able to go to South Sudan (which sometimes feels like another full time job) and working on an 8 month Bible Study course called, "Sonship".

The "not yet" is life as missionaries in Mundri, South Sudan. As I briefly mentioned in my last post, there is currently unrest in South Sudan. We are left reading news articles and updates from other staff members and praying... a lot.

I guess what I am learning in all of this is that the present is all that we can count on right now. I can be sure of what we have today, but I have no idea what tomorrow will actually end up bringing.

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Matthew 6:34

All that I know today is that God is good and he has sustained us. All I know is I need to pray for the people of South Sudan today. I need to stand with them in prayer and hope for them that peace will reign- even if they have lost sight of that hope themselves.

Here is what I need prayer for today. Today I need renewed strength for support raising. I need God's encouragement that the support will come in and He is putting together a team of supporters that will help meet our financial needs for our time in South Sudan and who will also cover us with prayer while we are there. Today I need hope that whenever we go back to work, Will and I will have the energy to keep up with our schedule and accomplish what needs to be completed. Today I need to know that God is with the people of South Sudan and He sees what they are going through and He is in control of the situation.

I pray that you, also, will feel peace in the "now" of your life and hope for the "not yet".