the new new new reality

As most of you know, we have been in the process to go to Singapore with OMF International since April 2010. Before my father passed away in late April, the field leadership gave us a benchmark of mid May to see God bring our finances at least up to 80% for us to continue as candidates for the IT position in Singapore. We are now well past mid May and looking at our numbers and well . . . they just aren't where they need to be for us to continue as we have. So we are withdrawing our names. Paul said it best in this email he sent last week to our leadership:

It is with mixed personal feelings, but great confidence in the Lord, that I write to you to withdraw our names for the IT Manager role at IHQ; I would like to thank ... all those who have been so supportive and encouraging us to follow wherever God may be leading us.
I will say this: I am certain I do not wish to go anywhere that God is not paving the way for us to go! Please pray as we re-adjust our plans and seek again to know what God has for us next.

We are planning on taking the next 3 months to pray,talk, think, decompress, etc. in order that we can honestly seek after the Lord to confirm where he is leading us next. Right now we are kind of a mess in various mundane ways and for good reason. Our co-laborers at OMF have been very caring and understanding as we try to work out the kinks in our plans and dreams and what God is doing with them. And we do appreciate everyone's prayers for our family -- I believe we are doing as well as we are because of your prayers, make no mistake.

In the short term we will continue to work at the U.S. Headquarters as the IT Coordinator (Paul) and in Communications (Cat). I am actually kind of excited about this since giving up US Mobilization was something I was finding hard to do.(I can quit any time I want to.) These are both support-based positions, which mean we are still under-funded even though we aren't going anywhere. We are going to have to address that in the near future, but I think God will allow us to catch our breaths emotionally and spiritually before we continue to press on into the next great adventure. We'll see where we are in fall. I'll continue to write and post as things come to me, but I felt this needed to be said first before I can really start writing again.

In the meantime, you can help by praying for us as we adjust to the new new new reality of 2011.