Obstacles, or Opportunities?

     Hello to all.  Normally Michelle will be the one to chime in on our blog, but I (Brandon) may occasionally check in as well to share the things God has been showing me during this journey.  I've actually thought about posting a couple of times before this, but this time, I simply couldn't resist.  As most of you know, our goal is to leave for our pre-field training in the spring, and then leave for France in the summer of next year.  For this to happen, God would have to move in an incredible way!  And that's exactly how I'd want it, and I think God does to.  Isn't that just the way our God works?
      I just read again recently the story of Gideon, and then saw it presented again during the children's musical at BHBC.  That story illustrates such a great truth about God.  God directs certain circumstances in such a way as to bring Him the most glory!  32,000 Israelites against an army of 135,000 Midianites?  That's too many.  10,000?  Still too many.  Take 300 men Gideon, so that Israel will not be boastful and let me (God) show the world what I can do.  I love this about God.  And He does it over and over again throughout scripture and throughout history.
     You can see our little "progress thermometers" over there in the sidebar.  When Michelle was setting them up, I told her that I thought we should only publish the percentages and not focus on the actual numbers that we need so that people won't be scared of the amount of money that it will take to make this happen.  But I think that was a little misguided.  Yes, the numbers are big.  As the rates continue to go up each year, we now require $8,400 in monthly support while our moving/set-up costs now exceed $88,000.  In addition to that, we also have student loans in excess of $25,000 (not part of our support raising)  that we must still have a plan in place to pay off while serving in France.  In addition to that, both of our main support bases come from two Southern Baptist Churches that already systematically give money to the International Mission Board through the Cooperative Program in a bad economy.  Add in to that the fact that we have three kids under the age of 4 and that I'm working two part-time jobs in the meantime, and yes, the odds don't look so good.  Almost as bad as 300 men against an army of 135,000.  Praise God that when we finally touch down in France and look back at the road it took to get there, there will be no way for me to be boastful or think that I could have in any way pulled this off on my own, but I can only say "may God receive all glory for the great things that He's done!"  I have a feeling He will continue to operate the same way once we're ministering to the French as well...So I ask myself, and I ask you:  Are there really obstacles in our lives?  Or are they really just opportunities for God to demonstrate His greatness to us and the world around us.  I think faith says the latter.  Thanks for praying with us and being a part of what God is doing in France!

I (Michelle) couldn't let Brandon post this without a few pics! :)