Missio Colonia | Kevin and Kathi in Cologne, Germany

Kevin: One of the areas in which Kathi and I are so blessed is having friends who are very gifted in media arts. So, I figured I take an opportunity to give a shout out to those people who are developing for us some amazing media stuff. First off, Betsy Nees is designing right now a brochure that we can give out to potential supporters. Also, she's going to design prayer magnets for us so that we evangelicals can have something to put on our frig. We're so thankful for her!

My friend and co-worker Jason Miller is going to develop a sweet website for our ministry. It won't be up a awhile though because he's getting married this weekend. Congrats Jason and Danielle!! I'll post when we get that website up. We're still trying to decide on an address though. Should we stick with the Mission Cologne thing? Here's some options:

www.missioncologne.com
www.kevinandkathi.com
www.2kcrams.com

Let's us know what you think...

Kevin: Sorry we haven't updated the blog in a while. We have been consumed with life recently. Our time last weekend in Ohio was amazing. We were able to speak in our church for 20 minutes, and God gave us words to share the vision He has given us. People were moved. We received so much encouragement and affirmation from the congregation. What is more, many people told us that they wanted to support the ministry financially. What a blessing!

Now we're really looking forward to coming home this winter to spend time with the church. We felt a really call to commit some time before we leave for Germany to serve our sending church. Kathi hasn't been an active member for 8 years, and I've only been to the church a few times. So, we feel like we should invest some time in this congregation in return for all of the blessings they have given us.

Currently, we're back in Illinois struggling through difficulties here. Ironically, support raising seems to be the least stressful thing in our lives right now. We've realized that Satan is not attacking our support raising directly (which is what we expected) but he's actually targeting our marriage right now.

Kathi is working some ridiculous overtime at work, which means 12 hour days and no time for us to be together. This has caused us to feel very distant from one another. It has also frustrated our desires to push forward with support raising. Please pray for us. Ask God to reduce the amount of time that Kathi has to be at work. Also pray for unity in our marriage. We desperately need a renewal in our joy and fellowship with one another.

Kathi: I have decided that I don't let go of things very easily. I mean, no big surprises -- I've known that for years. But ... it seems like the Lord really wants to do something about it. He's making me rely on Him. He's allowing me to be tested in some very demanding ways, and I have to be honest, I'm tired. Not the kind of tired that makes you want to give up, but rather a monotonous weariness that makes me feel older than 26. A tired that that makes me want to ride my bike like the children out on summer break.

I realized how responsiblity makes you old -- your age is just a number.

I've been thinking about how Jesus says to become like little children, trusting Him for our needs. And I was struck at how utterly I fail at that -- but... I do want it. I yearn for it. To be free from the demands of responsibility. Now, don't get me wrong -- I'm all for responsibility -- but I don't have to be chained to it, do I? Can't I just leave it at Jesus' feet?

This week I was hit by something so confusing, and it came from someone I dearly love. Someone who is in confusion and pain of some sort, and it involves me somehow. And it has taken most of my energy to not let this ambiguity drive me crazy. The thought of somehow hurting someone drives me to distraction. And all this week I have had to carry on at my job, and prepare for important support stuff -- and all I've wanted to do is to think of what I could have done to cause hurt or harm. But no answer comes.

And so as I've been mulling this all week, I've been thinking of responsiblity. How responsible am I for someone else's battle? How responsible am I for someone else's thoughts or actions or lack of action? That is the question that burdens me.

And then I hear the Lord, gently whispering to stop. His grace is sufficient for my weakness. I just need to unload those burdens at His feet, trust Him to take care of it, and continue walking in faith.

Ever since we returned from training, we have both felt so much testing. And I really shouldn't be surprised, especially when hardship comes from a beloved person. This testing is preparation for the challenges we'll face on the mission field. And, oh... how they can hurt.

But the Lord is loving, and gracious. And I'm so blessed to have an amazing husband who walks beside me, and is a vessel of the Lord's love to me.

Kevin: I don't think it's a coincidence that Kathi got hit with a ton of overtime as soon as we returned from Candidate Orientation. She's currently working 12 hours most days along with an occassional weekend as well. It's not like a fluff job either. She has a lot of responsibility with people who have mental disabilities. Not exactly a light load.

Needless to say she's stressing out. Add on top any support raising we do it becomes too much for her to bear. She's also starting to have difficulty sleeping because of the stress, but thankfully she's had a few good sleeps the past few nights. Please pray for her.

Also pray that this schedule would lighten up very soon. It makes it very difficult for us to do any kind of support raising. The funny things is that support is actually the least stressful thing for us right now. Go figure.

As part of the Intercultural Missions class that I took last semester, I was supposed to read a book on support raising. Well, I never got to it. This past week though I decided to pick it up. It's Betty Barnett's Friend Raising. Betty is a veteran missionary and leader with YWAM. God has really been using this book to transform my heart regarding support raising.

Mostly, I've been reading books that deal with the how to's of support raising such as strategies and practical concerns. Betty instead talks about the heart of raising support. She believes that in our flesh we frequently take a "depedence" attitude in fund raising, meaning we view ourselves as dependent on other people. This leads to operating under our own strength in selfishness. Instead, we should see ourselves fitting into the interdependent body of Christ.

She really stresses the role of the missionary in ministering to the lives of supporters. These people aren't just check-writers. God is the real Provider, and these people are sharing in the ministry and vision of reaching the world. Our duty is to be a blessing on them just as much as or even more than they are a blessing to us. Please be praying that God would continue to help us trust Him to raise up the people who will share in this ministry with us.