Dear Friends,
This week, we celebrated our twin sons’ 11th birthday. It has been so amazing to see how they and all of us have grown over our past six years in France. Here in Normandie, We are finding the spring slow in coming, but the blossoms have pressed through, giving us hope for the fruit to come in the next season. In this newsletter, we would like to share with you some of our process this year, what we have been doing, and what we are dreaming about for the future.
I (Tom) recently traveled to the States and had the privilege of meeting in-person with many of you. I started my trip in Dover, DE. It was a joy to see close friends for the first time in 7 years! Afterwards, I visited Nashville, TN. I attended the Messenger Fellowship annual gathering and had the pleasure of seeing good friends and family in the area. In both places, I was able to share some of how God has been working in France with our prayer and financial partners. I received such a warm welcome at the Gate Church in Nashville, at Grace Church in Dover and at so many homes along the way. One of the greatest privileges of being a cross cultural missionary is that God does not call us to go alone, but to be sent – not just at the beginning of a work, but all along the way. We just put together a video update for the Gate church and it seeks to express the profound gratitude we feel for you. Click here to view the video on our website.
Returning to Foundations
This year, we’ve been praying and thinking about returning to foundations. It feels like the Lord has established us well in France. In fact, a huge answer to prayer is that we have recently been granted our 10-year residence cards. This came at the end of a 15-month process that involved a mountain of paperwork (‘dossier’ is a French word), French language tests, and even the written approval of our local mayor. The point of that card is that it allows us to live and serve here, to follow the call of God to join in the work He is doing in France. Last autumn, we took a sabbatical and since our return into ministry work in January, we’ve been seeking a new balance but on familiar foundations. Coming back to and seeking to focus in on the heart of what the Lord has given us in France. One important element of this for us is a greater sense of clarity on ‘who’ the Lord has given us to serve. Of course, it is French people and people in our city, but even more specifically we are passionate about coming alongside people on the edge of faith, folks who have some level of spiritual interest or are moving towards Jesus but are perhaps not yet His followers or very new in their faith. We feel alive when we get to speak about Jesus with those who are on the edge or simply show His love to them. Thankfully, it seems like the Lord has given us so much opportunity to be with people like this here in Normandie. We are seeking to be intentional about giving time and energy to these relationships.
Here's some of what this has looked like this year:
Joanna has been leading a young women’s Bible study with a group of girls from our church plant. Nearly all of these young women are very new followers of Jesus and Joanna comes back each week overjoyed at the power there is in simply reading the word of God together and seeking to do what it says.
Through hosting and visiting we’ve been growing deeper in relationship with several families who have interest in faith. It’s been a huge encouragement to hear people express interest in God because they like the faith they see in our kids. We’ve also noticed that music seems to move the conversations we have about God from the head to the heart, so we’ve been sharing songs when our friends come over – it really shifts things.
Joanna and I are helping to lead the sung worship team – we’re so thankful that God has brought some new musicians to the church. We get to mentor and help raise up and equip these young worship leaders, this is something we have loved doing for a long time and it is a huge blessing to be serving in this way in France.
Here’s some of what we’re dreaming about:
Joanna has an incredible gifting and passion for painting. She’s using this gift to bless neighbors and friends and to create works of art that can serve to spark deeper reflection and conversation about Jesus. She would love to go deeper in this work in the future.
We would like to give more energy to the opportunities we have to sing songs about God and about His kingdom values in our city. We have some shows developing for this summer but would love to press in more on this creative outlet particularly as a way to connect with people and proclaim the gospel.
Family Update / For Prayer
We’re grateful for your prayers for our family. Each of our children have ups and downs in the French school system, but it’s been especially challenging for Eli this year. We are working to find the help and support the he needs and the we need as a family to need to improve his life experience. Please pray for wisdom for us as we navigate the French system and take the needed steps.
Joanna and I are involved in caring for people who are walking through particularly challenging situations. We value your prayers for our friends in France who are struggling and for wisdom for us as we seek to help.
Blesstival is coming up again in two weeks! This will be our big Bless Network gathering down at the campsite in Villedômer. We are responsible for leading the worship for the weekend and we will be camping! Please pray for God’s spirit to move, set people free and for us to have endurance for the weekend.
Thank you again so much for your partnership in this work.
