Lubbock is great!

We've really enjoyed the last couple of days since we arrived in Lubbock. We had 5 guys from Sunset school come help us unload the truck which was a huge help. We finished in an hour and 15 minutes. Kimberly (Kristina's sister) and Dods are here to help us unpack and organize. It has been a huge blessing. I can't imagine trying to do all that we've done on our own while taking/corraling Noah and Juliana. We set up a bank account with a local bank (City Bank) and they gave us $50 for signing up and 4.18% APR interest on our checking account that is completely free of fees. They also pick up the tab on any ATM fees we run into anywhere and provide checks for free for the life of our account. I can't imagine better service or perks.
I've felt a little like Bob Villa the last couple of days trying to diagnose and fix problems around the house, though I work much more experimentally and take five times as long. I've really enjoyed the feeling of success when I've finished each project though. I've never been much of a handyman, and I think this is good practice.

Everyone has been so friendly and helpful since we arrived, and the weather is beautiful. It sure has helped in the transition into our new home. (At least on our end). Thank you for all of your prayers and words of encouragement as we were preparing to go. Just know things are going very well.

Until next time,

Jeff

P.S. We'll get some pictures uploaded as soon as we find that box :)

When did we get so much stuff?

We've been packing up our things for the move and It's hard to believe how much stuff we've collected. We've had two garage sales, and have thrown a lot away, and still we have a house full. It's amazing how much less value I place on this stuff today than a year ago. Just knowing that we won't be able to take as much with us to Lubbock has forced us to make choices about what to keep, and then knowing that we'll likely be taking much less with us in the next move has made our stuff seem even less valuable. I guess I always assumed I'd just keep accumulating money and stuff as long as I lived. I kind of like this new perspective.

Our big news is that we've got a contract on our house! We are expecting it to close in early August. God is taking care of us.

As the days go by, reality is setting in. We are actually moving away from home and preparing to move even farther away. It's definitely not always easy to do what we think we're supposed to do.

Lubbock Here We Come!

Our decision to become missionaries has been a long time in the making. In 2003, Kristina and I became members of Alpine Church of Christ and quickly decided that short-term mission work was a great way that we could serve the Lord and others during our summers off as teachers. Our first experience in missions was in Hitachi-Taga, Japan. We spent six weeks sharing our God, our language, and ourselves. Seeing God work through us and in the lives of those we touched left us wanting more. God has since continued to send people into our lives who share the same longing. And in the summer of 2006 we took what seemed to us as the next logical step. We signed up for an internship with a missionary in Mexico City. This time we did more than teach. We took classes in missions, language, and culture, and were able to catch a glimpse of what long-term missions work might be all about. And with much prayer and thought, in Mexico City, we decided to become missionaries full time. Yet, we didn't feel quite ready to jump into long term mission work without any formal training or bible study, so we decided to teach at Spring Hill for one more year while making preparations to study in Lubbock, TX at Sunset International Bible Institute.
We will move to Lubbock, TX on July 16th , 2007 to enroll in classes at Sunset International Bible Institute. I will begin classes on Aug 13th to start a two year program in World Missions. The program consists of 40 courses in biblical text and ministry applications covering every book in the Bible including 4 courses in the study of Missions. Preaching labs, campaigns, internships, workshops, chapel lectures, counseling, and mid-course evaluations complete the curriculum. Kristina will complete the Women's Basic Biblical Studies program. This program consists of 20 courses, including 4 courses in Missions study, and meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Over the two year program, we will meet many other families in our classes that share our goal to work in a foreign mission field. Our prayer is to find other families to commit with us to a mission team. After graduation, our team will complete six months of Advanced Missions Studies at SIBI, taking courses in team building, prayer, mission strategy, world view, cultural anthropology, small group practicum, and doctrinal encounter. During this six months, our team will prayerfully narrow down all of the possible locations in the world to the one that we feel God has called us to serve. With the help of the SIBI staff we will begin focused training in language, culture, and strategies that have proved fruitful for our specific field. Our goal is for our mission team to be prepared to begin work overseas in January 2010. If you would like to help support our education, please contact the Alpine Church of Christ office. God Bless!