Since I last left you, our short sale had been finalized and our family was making the adjustment to our move to Minnetonka. Our kids are acclimating well to their new surroundings and schools. They are looking forward to the summer when there will be more opportunity to play outside and do some swimming.
Work is still.......work........I guess. Jes and I look forward to the weekends when we will see each other awake instead of sleeping like a log. We have come to cherish the time we have with each other given our opposite shift schedules. Jes is still at the YWCA and I am still at JapsOlson.
We have found a home church at Grace Church in Eden Prairie. Not a Sunday goes by where we have not been either taught a lesson, challenged or encouraged by our pastor, who we love, Troy Dobbs. We just recently have taken the steps to becoming members (our first) and look forward to how God is going to use this church ministry to impact this city and the world with the Good News of Jesus. We have just recently been plugged into the Small Group ministry and really enjoy meeting with couples within and outside the church walls to fellowship, challenge each other, and on Sundays, to go over the previous week's sermon to find ways that we can apply the things learned to our own lives.
Jes and I were able to attend a Family Life weekend conference a month or so ago. It was refreshing to be able to reconnect with each other and re-analyze our marriage and how God fits in it. It was great to share with each other our joys, frustrations, triumphs and our struggles. I encourage you to consider this conference or one similar to it. Its called A Weekend To Remember, through the Family Life Ministry.
As I have said before, God has shown himself to us in many ways. From provision, to encouragement, to using His divine plan and power in our circumstances; He has carried us through this last year or so of transition. It is only by his grace, encouragement, provision and guidance that can I share with you the most recent news or saga for our family. This is ETHIOPIA!
We have been given the opportunity to move to Ethiopia to serve at Bingham Academy in Addis Ababa, the capitol city. As of right now, this is a 2 year opportunity but God is known to work in ways we do not see or understand. Jes will be teaching Kindergarten while I will be working with youth through a program called Horizon Boys to reach out to the local youth. I will also be involved in the planning and implementation of extracurricular activities in the form of youth sports. The kids will be attending the school and be involved in what is offered. It is our desire to find a local church ministry to become plugged in to as well as to minister in local orphanages.
Ethiopia?.....Why there?.......What about your kids?.........What about your family?..........What about your health and safety?........Why not a ministry in the states?...........How can you ask people for money in time like this? These are all questions that have been posed to us as we meet and network with people. I understand that some of you will not understand and such a decision does not make sense at times but we strongly feel that God has called us to this missions opportunity and until He says otherwise, we will push on.
Pastor Troy has been leading us through the book of Matthew in a series called "Matthew for Everyone". We have been given more insight and challenging to trust God's work and come to him for everything, big or small, easy or tough. The key to a relationship with God is to pursue Him in every aspect of our lives and to listen to His leading and conviction.
God has already shown himself to our family in amazing ways and Jes and I feel that this work that has been done to, for and through us happened only because He has something bigger for us and our ministry. Jes has had an awesome opportunity to work with families from all walks of life through her employment at the YWCA. She works with the families that are rich, poor, married and divorced parents, healthy and sick, single parents. She involved with a staff that have helped her become a better and stronger leader and most importantly, has had the opportunity to share her beliefs and walk with the Lord on many different occasions.
I have been given a great employment opportunity that fits well with our current financial and family situation. I can work a later shift and can be there for the most part when my kids will be home. I have been given opportunities to share my faith with those I work with or come in contact with.
The Bible says in James 2:14-17
"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
So...why Ethiopia?......Why now? It is because God has shown us the opportunity, orchestrated the events, and cause so many circumstances to come together to provide us with this opportunity. How else would He have give Jes the environment to grow as a leader? How else was the short sale of our house so smooth and quick? How else was the door to service in Ethiopia opened when we had no idea how or where to start? How else was our family approved through our sending organization in such an expedited fashion. All of these were things that were out of our control; things that normally take way longer under normal circumstances.
So we push on with this process.....we trust God to continue to guide our steps and to open doors that have not been opened yet. We serve a loving, all knowing, and powerful God. A God that owes us no favors but yet time after time gives us the things we need, when we need it. Why?......Because that's who He is. Be cause He loves us and longs for us to trust Him more and come to him for everything.
Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He died on the cross and rose again to give me good standing in His eyes. I claim his blood shed and the power of his resurrection and defeat over death in my life. I will be Baptized on April 29, 2012 to publicly profess my faith in Christ and my desire to give him full control of my life.
I have received many questions and know that many will arise in the future concerning this Ethiopian adventure. All I can say is that until God tells me that this is not the avenue He wants for Jes and I and for our family, we will continue to push on. Any change in life will be challenged by questions. Whether it requires moving across the country and around the world. I know this though, it does not matter when you live or minister as long as it is within God's Will. This is all that matters.
We are looking for people to come around us in prayer as well as through financial support. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers up to now and would appreciate them as we continue to press on. We leave for Ethiopia in late July and trust God to be fully funded by that time. Currently we are around 10% funded. If God is speaking to you about joining our team financially or to offiiciallly join or prayer team we would like to talk to you.
Jose
Cell: 612-275-1916
Email: jossturgeon@teachbeyond.org or sturgej@hotmail.com
Jes:
Cell: 612-296-1971
Email: jessturgeon@teachbeyond.org or jesisturgeon@hotmail.com
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21
