Kristine has been asking me for sometime to start blogging and rather than start my own blog that I'd have to keep up with, she suggested that I just blog weekly here. So, I thought with my first blog that I should update everyone with what Kristine has been hinting at for a couple of months. As our extended friends and family below, you will find the letter that we will be sending out to our personal friends and family.
Dear Friends and Family,
Hello! We hope everything is well with you and yours. Our family is well. Kristine and I were very busy throughout most of 2012. We can hardly believe it's now 2013! Because so much has happened, we'd like to reconnect, and share some exciting news.
You may (or may not) be aware Kristine released her long awaited book Escaping The Cauldron (Charisma House) in September of 2012. The book has been well received among readers within the Christian community. As a result, Kristine has had many opportunities to speak at churches, festivals, and small groups, as well as give television and radio interviews, etc.
My job at Resurrection Life Church in Grandville, MI as Chief Audio Engineer is going well. I've been on staff in that position for two years now. The work required of me (and my team) for worship services and special events, not to mention the repair and upkeep of the equipment for such a large facility, keeps me very busy. The church was very good to allow me time to travel with Kristine for her book tour this Fall, which brings me to the reason we are sharing what God's calling upon us to do.
During the book tour, Kristine and I had a chance to have coffee with an old friend of mine from Maryland. Mike Tyler. He and his wife have spent the last four years as missionaries to Germany. Currently, they are home on sabbatical and will be returning to Germany in July.
As we chatted, Kristine got the impression my friend was going to ask us to move to Germany and join their mission endeavors. She also believed God told her I would say yes, although she didn't tell me any of this. Truthfully, foreign missions has never crossed my mind. I have always felt there is a huge mission field right outside of our door to focus on. However, at the end of our conversation with Mike, as we were walking to our cars, he stopped and said “I feel I would not be following God's leading if I did not invite you and Kristine to join us in Germany.”
I laughed and we parted ways, but in the car Kristine urged me to think and pray about my friend's offer. This is where things get a little strange. On the drive home, Kristine received an email from a lady who had purchased her book. The woman had bought it for her sister who is stationed at an air-force based in (where else) Germany. Kristine read the email to me as we were driving through Germantown, MD. Normally, I would chalk this up to coincidence, but felt a tug on my heart regarding Mike's offer. So I laid out a fleece: “God if this is your will, You are going to have to show me without a doubt in the next 7 days.”
My answer came within hours.
I think we passed every road or town in all of the USA with the word German in it on the way home. It was crazy. Then just a couple of days later we were at the farmers market and there was a girl who was talking to the guy I had to pay for our vegetables. I probably would not have paid attention to her if she had not been holding up the line. As she turned to walk away I noticed her last name on her hoodie was the name of the town that our missionary friends are stationed near. All those incidents, combined with a lot of prayer and peace in my heart, convinced me accepting Mike's offer was God's plan for Kristine and me.
“Why Germany?” you might ask. “Aren’t they already reached for the gospel?”
Germany has a population of 82 million people but less than 2% have a personal relationship with Christ. People are hungry for truth, for love and for hope. After all, “how than can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!” (Romans 10:14-15)
Our daughters are now adults. And this life change provides an opportunity to meet the physical and spiritual needs of a community which is desperately in need. And God has opened the way. First through Mike's invitation, to gaining the approval of the head of the ministry in Germany (Go 25) which we will be joining even before determining what our roles will be in the field some time in 2015.
So what are we asking of you? More than anything, we would value your prayers for us and those whose lives will be touched by God through us. The process of preparing for Germany has many stages, which includes lowering our monthly debt to under $250. But we believe God answers prayer, and are asking you to pray for safety, good health, smooth travel, and financial support as we move forward over the next few years. Just knowing you will be praying will give me peace as Kristine and I go into an unfamiliar place far from our home, children, and families.
Beyond your prayers, we need to raise our own support as missionaries. Our expenses will be just over $5,000 per month to cover our time in Germany. We will have to be creative to raise the money.
This is a journey God has called us to and we would greatly appreciate any level of support you are able to offer. Again, we really hope things are going well for you. we’d love to hear an update on what’s going on in your life if you have the time. We will definitely be praying for you. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this letter, and if you have any questions, please let us know. Take care, and we hope to hear from you soon!
In His Service,
Thom and Kristine McGuire
Thom.McGuire@gmail.com
KristineMcGuire@gmail.com
About Thom McGuire
Very proud of you both! I’m praying.