Lessons we’ve Learned from our Kids #10

This is a bit of deviation from our normal “Lesson Plan” but something I wanted to share with you. Every night we have “Bible Time” with the boys before prayer and bed time. We’ve been going through the life of David recently and just finished one of the all time favorites of little boys who like to throw things: David and Goliath. At the end we had our normal question and answer time when Jeremy asked “Wasn’t David afraid of a giant?” On previous nights we had read about how David was shepherd when he was only a little older than Jeremy, and had to defend the sheep from attacking animals like lions and wolves. In doing so he learned to use his sling well and saw God’s faithfulness in his obedience. It was during this time that he had been quietly anointed king even though nobody even knew who he was. The boys and I talked about how through David’s experience as a shepherd, God had prepared him for that very moment against Goliath, using an unknown shepherd boy without armor or sward to defeat a battle hardened warrior in his blasphemous tirades against God’s people. From there we follow David into King Saul’s palace only to find him shortly death marked by the king’s jealousy and pursued by the royal army. Still, God was true to his promise and in the end David became king after seeing God’s powerful hand extend mercy over his life time and time again.

After the family had finished talking about David’s life and the kids were in bed, I found myself reflecting on how David was probably scared before Goliath, but also knew that God had prepared him for that moment and would do the fighting for him. Then in the following years seeing how through each challenge God both used David to glorify Himself, but also prepared David for the next trial. I reflected on my own life and simply thanked God that He has done the same through the trials in my own life. He calls each of us to trust in Him when standing before something that looks really, really big, and to see how He will use these trials in ways we could never imagine. As I ask God for faith in the face of our own trials, I pray for that same faith for each of our supporters in whatever you are facing at this time.

God is good, seek His face and trust in Him. He will answer.

In His Hands / En Sus manos;
Kevin S. Abegg

“Going South for the winter” –Our Upcomming Chile Trip

“I’m going to teach Gaspy English and he’s going to teach me Spanish!” Jeremy is very excited about seeing his cousin Gaspar in Chile. The last time they were together they were each one year old, that was four years ago. Our hopes and tentative plans are to fly to Chile right after Thanksgiving (or Thanksgiving Day depending on tickets) and spend two weeks with family, previous ministry partners (the first 2 ½ years of our marriage we were helping plant a church in Chile), as well as some current LAM partners. This will be right on the heels of Kevin’s being gone for the Cuban pastors conference, so we anticipate a much needed time of rest and togetherness for our immediate family. Please pray for:
the planning process in that we want to first and foremost take advantage of a restful time with family but also visit past ministry partners and those now associated with LAM. That we could find a reasonable flight as currently the prices begin around $900/person. Our financial provision for this trip as these are currently tight.
Should you be lead to assist with some of the involved costs, please see our support information in the colum to the right on how to do so.

Thank you!

Update: Pastoral Conference

It’s been a wild few weeks! Ten days ago I began an update to you describing my disappointment at the news that Cuban exit visas had been denied to all of the pastors who we had hoped would attend the conference. As usual, no explanation was given by Cuban authorities. Thankfully I wasn’t able to get that letter out before receiving news only a few days later that there was still hope via a few untapped channels, and miraculously by the end of last week I received yet another phone call that each every one of them are “verbally approved” to obtain exit visas! Praise the Lord, but please keep praying them through to the conference which starts in a few weeks. We’ve coined the phrase: “Don’t count your chickens until they’ve hatched or your Cubans until they’re at the conference”. Pray that they would receive the actual physical visas in hand in the next few days and that there would be no “hangups” in the airline ticket delivery, Cuban passport control, and entry into the third country. I plan to fly to the conference half way through the seminar since I will be staying with the pastors for 5 days afterwards as we conduct various follow-up meetings and visit some churches and ministries that they can learn from and build relationships with. Please also pray for safety in travel, that the Lord would direct this key time with the pastors and His care for Claudia and the boys while daddy is away. Upon my return the family plans to make a quick turn around and spend some time with Claudia’s family in Chile (see “Going South for the Winter” entry). We want to thank each of you for your faithfulness in prayer as well as the generosity of those who have contributed toward this program. If you would like more information on this program please visit the Pastor’s Conference entry on our website.

TIMES ARE TIGHT, GOD IS GOOD

As we listen to the financial news as of late we are not surprised to get the occasional note from one or another of our amazingly faithful supporters stating that they simply cannot continue at the same level as before. We graciously release them from any commitment and assure them that since our faith is in God, and it is He who provides through the giving of others, they can know that it will in no way affect our relationship but will encourage us to pray for them all the more. God knows each of our needs and has sustained us in missions for so many years, we know He is in charge of every detail. I do want to ask for your prayers and consideration since for the first time in over a year, our LAM missionary account will dip into the red when we receive this month’s check. Please pray for our finances especially as we anticipate the expense of upcoming travel (see “Going South-Chile Trip” and “Pastoral Conference” entries), and as we seek to close out the year in the black. We are very grateful, and humbly thank our current supporters who are so faithful in trusting God for their own provision and then decide to steward part of it in supporting our ministry. Thank you, you are in our prayers. If anyone else would be lead to become part of this amazing support and prayer team, please contact us or see our “support section” in the colum to the right. God bless!

Time for Some Campaignin! (Caution, may offend some!)

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Returning Home -Our Upcomming Chile Trip

The last time we were “home” to visit our family in Chile was in December of ’04 which means that most of Claudia’s side of the family (including her dad and sisters) have not met Nicholas. With that in mind we are planning on visiting Chile for two weeks at the end of November. We will have more details in the following weeks but for now we want to ask for your prayers. Please pray for the planning process in that we want to first and foremost take advantage of time with family but also visit & encourage past ministry partners and those now associated with LAM. Pray that we could find a reasonable flight as currently the prices begin around $900/person. Pray that we would take advantage of the coming weeks to re-affirm the Spanish that Jeremy and Nicholas know and teach them more in preparation for time with their cousin Gaspar and other friends. Pray that we would be sensitive to the Lord’s leading and His purposes for this trip.

As we draw closer to the trip we’ll have more details, but should you be lead to assist with some of the involved costs, please see our Missionary Support and Gifts links to the right on how to do so.

Thank you!

Lessons We've Learned From Our Kids

It’s School time again:

• Economics: In a feeble attempt to explain the concept of “cost” with regards to Disney tickets I tried relating it to something Jeremy seemed to already grasp: “Jeremy, do you remember how long it took you to save up your pennies to buy the Light Saber you got last week? Well it would take 8 light sabers to buy one ticket to Disneyworld”. After thinking for a second Jeremy responded: “That’s OK daddy, you don’t need to buy me 8 light sabers, let’s just go to Disneyworld instead!”
• Logic: Daddy said that my saw is only for cutting wood. The dining room chair is made out of wood. Therefore…

• Oceanography: If fishies can breathe in water, what do they do when they get thirsty? I wonder if they could breathe in my orange juice?
• Memory skills: While a 4 year old may have a memory that goes back 5 years, his parents are often hard pressed to remember what they were talking about 10 seconds before they were interrupted by said 4 year old.
• Bible: How can Jesus be the “Son of God” and the “Son of David” at the same time?
• Geography: “Can we go to grandma and grandpa’s (in CA) after nap?
• Physics: How can electricity “flow”, I don’t see any water in the light bulbs!
  

More “Lessons We’ve Learned From Our Kids”