Is it really 2011?

I can't believe it is 2011.

The month of December just disappeared.
We filled it with lots of good stuff though.

We enjoyed friends and family, food and fellowship, laughter and giggling, decorations and pine needles, and lots of traditions.

























We are so blessed to be going into a new year, with such rich warm memories.

Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?
II Samuel 7:18

Cheerful Giver

Lessons Learned.

Don't underestimate what God puts on your children's heart.

At the beginning of this year, Maggi had to make a pledge for the Boys and Girls Missionary Club at church. This is a program that teaches children to give money to foreign missions. They collect the money in "buddy barrels". The first week in each month the children return their barrels to the church, filled with change, and that money goes toward special projects (like digging wells for clean water). In Jan. Maggi wanted to pledge $1,000. Dave and I tried to explain to her that $1,000 was alot of money for an eight year old little girl. Dave and I talked her into pledging $500, as that seemed like a reasonable goal.

Immediately Dave and I felt guilty. Who were we to put limits on God. God placed a number on Maggi's heart, and why should we try to change it.

Being a parent is a hard thing.

On the flip side, we wanted her to be able to meet the goal she had pledged.

We were torn.

She went with the $500 dollars, but we decided we would not limit what God wanted to do.

Maggi gave buddy barrels to anyone she could think of.

When her birthday rolled around, she asked her friends to give money to her, so she could give it to missions. She called it her Birthday Sacrifice.

She put the money her grandparents gave her for her birthday in her barrel.

She put her toothfairy money in.

She put the change she found in the street in her buddy barrel.

Spare change around the house was placed in the barrel.

Even a missionary couple we meet this summer placed a sacrificial gift in the barrel, all you have to do is share your vision. (this act humbled everyone in our family)

She and her sister helped make and then serve breakfast to raise money.

This Sunday, Maggi turned in her buddy barrel.

She had raised, $1007.00.

unbelievable. A nine year old who is learning what sacrifice is all about. She was willing to sell toys, rake leaves, clean out a pool, sweep garages, to boldly ask her neighbors. . . to fulfill a need.

She has taught our family so much.
Emma now has her very own buddy barrel. She is thinking of ways to give and raise money.
She taught her parents to believe that God uses and speaks to children.
We as a family watched people give sacrificial to something we are passionate about. We watched the girls carry their yellow buddy barrels to church with excitement.

This Jan. we will have 2 little girls making pledges. You can bet, whatever the pledge, mom and dad will remain silent.

.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

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

didn't See THAT coming. . .

Lord, Send me ANYWHERE, only go with me
Lay any burden on me, only SUSTAIN me
SEVERE any ties but the tie that binds me to THY SERVICE
and to THY HEART
David Livingstone

I am not sure where to start. . .
I am not sure you will even believe it. . .

Last week David and I had our orientation in Springfield Missouri, the headquarters of the Assemblies of God. This is a time when the people who have applied to be missionaries or missionary associates come to "headquarters" for the final process. We receive our Psyche evaluations, have meetings, and interviews.

Canidate orientation is quite. . . intense



We met some amazing people. We were so humbled to be grouped with them.
We were able to sit and listen to the stories of veteran missionaries, who have dedicated their life to the call of God.

Their stories made us cry, and challenged and inspired us. When you think of the missionaries who gave all and left with a few suitcases and trekked into the jungle, that was these guys. We were so blessed to have met them.

On Monday Dave and I met with the person over the International Ministries, Joann Boutrin. She was so patient with us. She gently led us into some serious conversations about how to proceed in our decision "on how and where" to serve in the Kingdom of God. She introduced us to so many amazing ministries that are all over the world. After talking with her, David and I decided that even though we wanted to partner with International Ministries, this was not the best fit for us, as they are based in Springfield and travel to places all over. We want to live in the country we serve in.

So on Tuesday, we met with the field directors for Central and South America and Mexico, Dick and Cynthia Nicholson. We shared our heart for with them. We also talked about our call to missions and our sweet girls. They shared with us the vision they have for the area they serve. We expressed that we want to GO wherever they felt that we would be a fit, and could use our gifts and talents. After some discussion we focused on Central America and the countries that had urgent needs. They asked that we call the area directors for Central America, Jay and Nancy Dickerson. They asked us to consider going to El Salvador, Honduras, and Belize.

Later that night we were able to skype Jay and Nancy. After a difficult sykpe connection, we all felt like there were 2 options, with one being a better fit for us.

I am going to have to say that the Dickersons are such a beautiful example of servants who have been faithful to serve our God over a lifetime.

With all that they have.

We have been blessed to know them more than 15 years, and have been inspired by their life. Infact, having lunch with Jay and Nancy a little more than a year was a huge catalyst for us to start the journey and get our application turned in. (looking back, they were recruiting help :))

So. . . The two countries were Honduras and Costa Rica.

The better fit being Costa Rica.

Dave and I were both taken back, we really did NOT see that coming. I mean really. We had spent the summer there, but not as a goal of scoping out our future home. Simply to have the girls experience life outside the United States, and spend some time in ministry in a third world country. To give them a real experience of life as a missionary. We wanted them to have a really good understanding of what it ment when we said we were going to be missionaries. We spent alot of time in the country exploring it as a tourist, not as a missionary, or through the eyes of a missionary. So we were caught off guard.

The Dickerson believe, as we do now, that the country is ready for a time of great harvest, and that the national leaders are looking for people to help during this window of opportunity. What we will be doing is not completely nailed down, and as I learn more over the next few weeks I will share. But what we understand is that there is a great need for the indigenous people in the lower part of the country. Possibly working with Sustain Hope to finish a project that was started, but needs someone to finish the vision.

So on Wed. we met with the executive committee. This is the grandaddy of all interviews, It really is a little intimidating. We are asked to present our call and vision, with the country we are going to serve to the committee. We had to explain why we chose a country that the field director did not even give as an option, but let us know right off the bat they agreed with. It was a blessed time.

At the headquarters, there is a catwalk on the 5Th floor that brings you over to the missions department. The catwalk is lined with flags from around the world. It is such a beautiful inspiring walk. Really. At the beginning of the week, David and I walked down the hall, thinking by the end of the week, one of these will be ours. We were so blessed to finally walk down the hall and touch the flag for Costa Rica.




God placed a love for that country for me at the age of 15, on my first trip there. Years later, I wanted to take my family there, so they could fall in love with it to. And now, in a plan orchestrated by no one less than the mighty God we serve. . . We will go back as full appointed Assemblies of God missionaries.



We are so small in HIS big plan.

A sweet blossom

This week as we were doing our daily devotions with the girls, Maggi moved us.

The girls receive a sheet from superchurch on Sunday with questions that they have to answer every day. The thought is to encourage daily Bible reading.

On the outside of the sheet is a weekly Bible verse.

This week's verse was "do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character". The reference was in John.

Maggi right away says, "that is not correct, that verse is not found in John, it is in First Corinthians".

I told her to look it up, as it may be a Scripture that had been crossreferenced.
She grabbed her Bible, and found the verse right away,

I Cor. 15:33.

Dave and I just looked at each other.
WoW.

Maggi is hiding the word in heart. We are so proud of the the lives the girls are living.

We love watching them blossom.

Moving Forward

We are moving forward.

We received the word yesterday, that we have been invited to attend the canidate orientation in Springfield in October.

We are still unsure of so many things, but we are moving. One phase of the wait is over.

We are clinging to II Corinthians 5:7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

We are learning so much about faith, and leaning on Him for things we can not see. It is a hard lesson, one that we seem to repeat many times.

The next part is a large one, as soon we will narrow in on the work and the place God has for our family.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We are so blessed to have the support of our friends and family during this "walk".