The Next Chapter

A lot has happened since the last post on the Morgan Journey. Our trip to Ireland was a blast. While there we spent time with two World Harvest Mission teams, getting to know a lot of folks and experiencing a small taste of Irish culture. Laura documented much of the trip on her blog… here

Since our return we have been busy living life with four kids and a new dog, and pursuing the next step with World Harvest. After meeting with both the MAP and CR teams in Ireland, (see previous posts) the general consensus seemed to be that we would fit better with the CR team. Much to our delight, we were issued an invitation to join this team ministering in Dublin. With our Golden Ticket in hand we were then instructed to apply to the mission board and seek to attend their Assessment and Orientation (A&O) week. With all of our references submitted and the application complete, Laura and I waited to see if we would be asked to come. Alas! The deception continues! We fooled the mission board enough that they have actually invited us to attend A&O this coming week from June 1^st through 6^th.

So here we are again, thinking, hoping, dreaming that God has called us to a ministry and now submitting ourselves to an assessment. UGH!!!!!!!!!! (read anxiety)

Almost a year ago Laura and I made a commitment to each other that we would walk through any door that God opened for us, and we would do so without condition. We never dreamed when we made this commitment that we would be considering missions much less that we would willingly put ourselves in the vulnerable place of assessment again. This is the door that God has opened.

Walk we will.

The schedule for this week:

Laura and I fly out Saturday afternoon to Philadelphia. Assessment starts with dinner Sunday night. On Monday we meet the World Harvest staff and other candidates, have a time of instruction and do a group project. On Tuesday we go through a series of interviews on our vision, finances, spiritual formation, personal (lots of personality tests) and others. Wednesday morning we take a trip into Philly while the Assessment Team meets to decide our fate. We meet for their decision that afternoon. If approved, we meet Thursday and Friday doing orientation type things. If we are not approved, we try to get our flight moved up from Friday to Thursday so that we can come home earlier.

Please pray for us and our kids. A family will be living at our house caring for Bella and Emma, and the boys will be with the Hambrights in Athens.

Laura and I covet your prayers. Please pray for faith. We desperately want this to be an experience of following our Savior and not a life or death thing.

I don’t like to write, so that’s all for now.

Steve