Leaving Eden

 There is a time for everything, 

and a season for every activity under heaven...

...a time for war and a time for peace.

Our time away from the place God has called us to is coming to a close.  As I think about leaving, it feels a bit like having to walk out the front gate of Eden.  You don't really know what's on the other side, but you do know that it feels pretty appealing to just stay put in a tranquil place of peace, beauty, and safety.

But, somewhere deep below that feeling, is an exciting certainty that our Master is heading down the path and it's time to follow.  My heart skips a beat at the opportunity, as a mere human--and a very flawed one at that--to participate in what God is doing to reach the far corners of this planet.  The thought that the Creator of the universe somehow bids me to participate in what He's doing takes my ordinary life and moves it to a hyper-real level.  

On January 5th we'll leave on the jet plane for Papua, with stops in Singapore and Jakarta along the way.

We have nothing but gratefulness to the Lord and to the numerous folks who have made this time away from the front lines possible.  We will always carry memories of the peace and beauty of this corner of God's creation called Vermont.  Or is it Eden?

Every sunset was a new masterpiece.

Sledding

The cabin.  Our home of the past four months.

I think I'll most remember Miles Pond as a place of peace