It is official!

We have finally started!
It is official.

Yesterday we were accepted as fully appointed missinoaries of the Assemblies of God to the country of Costa Rica.

It was a really big day here!

We are so humbled, and excited, and a little scared. . .

We are getting ready for a new way to view things. And learn alot about iteneration, a double OO account, booking services, promoting ourselves, prayer cards, etc.

And we are ready. We are excited to watch and see what God is going to do. And how He is going to do it. We have converted the dinning room in to a home office, and learned excel, how to print envelopes, design stationary, etc.

The girls are working on their own blog, and working through their own fears, excitement, and futre plans.

But we as a family are so in need of God to prepare us.
Prepare our steps, Prepare on hearts, Prepare our hands, Prepare the way, Prepare the Cartwrights.

We accepted the call to missions with humble hearts, wanting to serve God, and answer a call He placed on us. We are excited to discover some of the great things God has for us. So our prayer is that we are guided by his voice, and not a paper trial through iteneration, and that we share His passion for the lost and hurting people of Latin America, not our personal agenda and our budget, that young children, families, and older saints are inspired to answer the call to missions, and that we continue to look to our Father for the answers.

We are excited to share this journey with you.

" to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." Ephesians 4:12


Oh by the way. . . we got the call on my birthday, just another way my father lavishes gifts on me. . . Oh How He Loves Me. . .

Location Location Location

"Father, Give me your eyes to see others around me, to see their needs and their hurts. Fill my heart with your compassion for my lost neighbors, colleagues and family members. And Lord, May my location always be in the center of your will."

Amen

From the book, Voices of the Faithful.

What an awesome reminder today, that no matter where I am, Costa Rica, Clover, Springfield, or California, may I always desire to be where He wants me to be, and to be reaching out to hurting people.

God puts each one of us in a place for a specific purpose. We may not be able to see it now, but as time and circumstances begin to reveal themselves, we will see we are part of His bigger plan.

I look back at all the things he has woven into my life at a particular time, but it didn't reveal itself till years later.

Things like

. . . A friendship made at the age of seven at summer camp, became my college roommate, and then her dad the minister that married me.

. . . A few classes at Bible College seemed like it didn't fit into the degree I earned, but became what I needed to become licsenced with the Assemblies of God 15 years later.

. . . that a house we bought 9 1/2 years ago, after seeing it at dusk, placing an offer on it the next day and remodeling it would bring us financial stability and a beautiful home a few years down the road.

. . . That the beauty of country I had worked in as a young teenager, would become the country my family will begin a new life in 20 years later.

. . . the list is endless and I have gotten way off track. . .

All that to say, that whatever your physical,financial, spiritual, or mental location right now, God has a reason for it.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" I Corinthians 2:9