With less than a month to go our family is expected to leave for Kenya. During most of our journey going into full time missions, I have felt strong while leading our family through this transition. As obstacles would arise, I kept the course and stayed focused on who I believe God has made me and our family to be. As obstacles would arise, I dug deep inside of my project planning skills and mapped out the tasks and stayed on that course. As obstacles would arise, I kept a strong determined driven attitude that no matter what happened I would not lose heart.

But, I sit here today in humility knowing that very little of what I have done has got my family here. Very little of my project planning skills have paved the way to what I perceived as success. This journey has taught me that my own self-reliance has been what has actually holding me back. The fear of failing, the fear of being looked at as a person who wouldn’t be able to provide for my family, the fear of not being able to be the man that everyone looked at as being strong has kept me back from really being the man who God has been wanting me to be.

I sit here in humility today as I think about all of the incredibly hard work and support of so many friends and family around us. Support comes in so many different ways and we have been amazed and honored to have so many families giving their time, talents and treasures from so far away.

As I look back at all of the conversations we have had with hundreds of people and families I get a glimpse of who people really are. What I have seen is beautiful and we do feel greatly loved.

Desiring to serve Him in a far away place is not easy, but we are so grateful that God has and continues to call His people to be part of this journey.