Passports & Prayer Cards!

It was so cool to get our passports in the mail!! It only took fifteen days for us to get them! It's my very first passport and I was so excited when they arrived, I squealed a bit. :) We are still needing to get our kids', but we are planning to get theirs in January of 2012, because they only last 5 years for kids. We'll see if I can hold out that long to get theirs done or not...

Every step completed makes my heart flutter! It makes the reality seem clearer, more attainable, and somehow brings a greater sense of urgency. This urgency to complete what God has set before us, to strive towards the goal, and keep pressing onward!

We are pressing on, knowing full well that it's a long road yet until we reach Italy, there is much left to do. We have funds left to raise, training to do, speaking dates on the calendar, and at least one trip to Italy to find housing and the neighborhood in which we will minister before we officially board that plane to start church planting.

This is Michael's last weekend at Target. As I type this statement, I am still processing all that it means. He works until May 31st, but it's his last working weekend. The level of trust and faith it's taken to make this decision, all the people praying for us, and supporting us, it's awe inspiring! God is so good, He is faithful, and we know that this decision is the right one. It's time for us to focus solely on the call.... I can't wait to see what this next few months will bring! The moments that will shape us, stretch us, and how we respond.... I am so thankful to have this blog, I think that as I look back over this missionary journey, the words I've written in times like this will help remind me of all that God has done! He's doing a good thing! I am trying to take heart, this is a scary step for me....

Which is why having the prayer cards is so great now, we need lots of prayer! Please continue to lift us up!! We so appreciate your prayers! We are thankful to have some intercessors who are praying for us daily. We are trying to build that team of people who we can share some prayer requests with, it's one of the things on our to-do list this summer. We plan to get an email going to fill people in on personal prayers and ministry needs. If you would want to be a part of this, please email us at michael.johnson@avmi.org. Thanks!!