Waiting to be found

At the EuroCon P. Matti spoke about how well organized the dogs in Istanbul are. Here is a perfect example. He also told a story something like this- a man once told him he envied the dogs there who had food from the buchers every day, and he thought, if people can envy a dogs life how much more would people envy us as believers having a heavenly father who provides all our need.

Begining the Story

With P. Matti - Summer 2006

Annual Convention in Baltimore 06 - Sarah and I were praying with all our hearts desiring to draw near and be sent out. We had our hearts directed towards Africa missions, During the missions night message by P. Matti, God spoke to our hearts that we needed to go with 'this' man. I was fearful of the thought to be in a Muslim country, but excited to know God had gotten our attention. I had to quit my comfy job at Johns Hopkins in order to go, but I could sense God's momentum, so I bought a ticket to visit Turkey a week later. While I was there, I had many objections in my heart to the idea of us moving there, and even on being ready for the mission field. With two days left in my stay I condensed all my objections into just three words. "There you have it God, I cannot go because of those things." I was not expecting what came next. Without speaking a word to anyone about this conversation in my heart, P. Matti spoke three specific messages on these three specific words and ways to conquer them through the Spirit. God rejected all my objections and then and there I knew it was His deep calling unto the deep... I'll never forget this last one "Selfishness will be dealt with on team life." On my plane ride home the words of Jesus on the cross came to me as I had never understood them before and I agreed with God in the prayer "Father, Into Thy hands I commit my spirit."

Jed

Come to Me, all you who labor

Photo from Afghanistan by Joseph Marion

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

It is not that we cease from labor but that we are occupied in a new kind of labor and we find rest for our souls in Jesus. Come unto the savior. He calls us to learn of him. And yes to do so means to cease from labor, from laboring for self interest. We begin to be followers, surrending our own pursuits to the pursuer of our heart. Like David we say "His gentleness has made me great" for His yoke is easy and His burden is light!

jed

Departure July 07

"It is of faith that it may be according to grace..." Rom 4:16

We cannot deny that God has been tugging on our hearts for some time now to move by faith to Istanbul, mostly for the sake of learning and serving under P. Matti, but more completely because we sense a deep call of God moving us onward in this specific place. We have a story to tell, it will have to wait for now, but please keep in touch. We are planning and praying, working and resting with our eyes on the wonderful goal of moving to Istanbul in July 07. It is all a wonderful experience of Grace!

Victory over bureaucracy!

jed&sarah....November 2006
Update on papers and others...Today we're experiencing Thanksgiving hangover... only in America i tell you! But what a fun time we had. Did you know that the Pilgrims celbrated Thanksgiving in 1621 for the first time?Pete J. Ellis was our official reader for the event! T'was great having you with us Pete! We also laughed a lot. Laughter sure is good medicin and it helps with digestion too. On the 24th of last month, we had our official marriage interview. It was quite the experience... Our lawyer was there with us and told us that the officer that was appointed to review our case was the toughest one in the whole office... 99% of the complaints (from lawyers and others) are about this particular officer. But God's great grace was upon us, she was extremely polite with us, though she tried to intimidate us from the start. Jediah was great, he was telling her all about us, well, just about, at least... Our case was approved. We celebrated at a little french pastry place ('Patisserie Poupon' is on Baltimore Street, in case anyone is interested in feeling like they are in France for a few minutes) and we found out that the lady working there is from Istanbul!! We practiced our one Turkish word with Nurgul: "Teþekkür ederim"We also just bought our plane tickets to visit AFRICA in January, if the Lord wills. It will be very sweet to see everyone. How crazy that Jediah and I met there when we were 15 and 17??!! and got married 10 years later/ From there we'll see where God will lead us. Though out of the next 3 years, we have to be at least 1 yr 1/2 in the country, we have no intentions of growing too long roots around here (except for spiritual ones) and definitely plan to spread our wings...
6:51 AM

Moving in Faith

"Show me there's more than what this world is living for, 'cause i'm movin' in faith!"
Jadon Lavik

Living in the new man, knowing that all things are mine, not living in the 'older son' syndrome... The prodigal -maybe his name was Jacob?- experienced personified Grace. Levi (??) shows up and judges from the outside, not knowing he belonged inside!! Shifting into a grace experience, moving in faith, join the party of forgiveness and forgetfulness!

We are travailing in prayer for the leading of God in the coming months. Tuesday, October 24, 2006 is our official marriage interview!! Our license to travel as missionaries. The rest is yet to be told.

Opening Blog

Hello Bloggers. We've just opened a blog not sure if we'll use it much at the moment, but glad to join the neighborhood.

Jed & Sarah Tanguay future missionaries to Istanbul, Turkey- & Cairo, Egypt!