New Year, New Beginnings

It is often said, “New year, New beginnings,” but this year this rings especially true for my family. This year began our time serving as the stateside team for 61 Isaiah. It is a new position that we have the privilege of helping form and pave the way for the future. So what does the stateside team do? Well, it essentially means that we spend half of our year in Honduras and half of our year in Texas. While we are in Honduras, we will do many of the same things we did before in terms of working in villages, helping pastors, and various trainings. While we are in Texas, we will have trainings to prepare the teams and churches that will be walking alongside us throughout the year in Honduras and fundraise for different ministry projects. It is a great opportunity, and prayerfully one that will equip more believers to join us in the work being done in our beloved Honduras. 

Some think that it is great that we are back in Texas near our families more. And while that is true, we have found that our hearts also long to be in Honduras. We miss our family there, our brothers and sisters in Christ who have encouraged us and shown us such love and hospitality since we moved there in November 2020. It is truly a gift and a treasure to have such an incredible network both in Texas and in Honduras. Something we do not take for granted. But, it does seem that whichever “home” we are located in, we dearly miss the other. We feel torn between our two homes, and if someone would invent teleportation, it would make this entire process much easier, but alas, our son Matthew has assured us it will never happen.

So, what do we do? We live each day to the fullest. We choose to stay focused on the work the Lord has before us right now. But, the longing we have for Honduras reminds me of my longing for my true home, my eternal home. While I struggle between being in Honduras or Texas, I know that ultimately my heart is to be with my Savior. In fact, I am seated with Him in heavenly places right now. Similarly, my heart is currently located in Texas, but my heart is also in Honduras. My wife wears a necklace with a Texas charm that says, “home.” She got it when we first moved as a way to connect her to our son Matthew and our family back home, but now we struggle with the Honduran home. I suspect I will be finding a Honduras charm and making a similar necklace soon. 

While this new opportunity is fresh and exciting, and we definitely see the benefit for the Kingdom, we still long to be back ministering in Honduras. Pray for us as we adjust to the changing schedule. But I pray that this is a reminder that this year we should all long for our eternal home, just as I long for Honduras. Not with just a feeling, but with an urgency to share the Gospel and seek to bring as many new brothers and sisters as possible to our real home.