A New Chapter for the Russells

God is good. Matt and I have been married for over fourteen years now. We have been together for over seventeen.  We are SO thankful God has been with us every step of the way. He held us through the pain and sorrow of so much loss during a season when we wondered if it would be our new normal. He guided us, as He called us away from our church that our families and closest friends were a part of. He taught us so much as our hunger for His Word increased during our journey to finding our new church home.  He stretched us in new ways as He prepared us and revealed to us our places in ministry there. (One day, I would LOVE to tell you about how God refined my heart for ministry.) He opened our eyes when he called us into foster parenting, and the joy and broken-heartedness that accompanied  has forever changed us. He prepared us for our family's future, when He called our family into homeschooling for NUMEROUS reasons that we would not realize until later on. He strengthened our faith (leaps and bounds) when Matt suddenly lost his job that he had felt secure in for years, and called Matt to start his own business. He encouraged us when He strategically placed people in our lives to likewise encourage, teach, and show love to us as we have learned (and are still learning) how to meet the special needs of our children. He awed us (and continues to do so) as we see how far our children have come and how much they have learned. He is good.
Now, God takes us on a new journey. He has been dealing with us about this for a couple of years. He has planted seeds all along the way. He has prepared us using many of the experiences that I have mentioned above (plus others that I could mention). We just didn't realize it at the time. Then again, that's how God works, isn't it?
 God began to heighten our awareness of the mission field through a home school curriculum that I ordered. There was also a series of videos about siblings who were missionaries that my children really enjoyed. Then last year, the ladies' Bible study for the summer was on Jonah. It was a good Bible study. They usually are! Something bothered me about this study though. Several times in my homework, I was asked the same question. I was asked something along the lines of what it is that God is calling me to right now that I am running from or that I need to surrender to. I wasn't sure why, but that question bothered me. The fact that the question continued to pop up aggravated me even. I LOVE God. And, like many of you, I want to live a life that is pleasing to Him. I want to be a woman after God's own heart. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps." I decided a long time ago that wherever He leads me, I will follow. He just needed to show me where. I honestly thought that I was exactly where God wanted me to be. And truly I was. Matt and I work in the middle school ministry at our church, as well as other ministries that we are passionate about. God put us there and we love it. When I had to contemplate why the question gnawed at me so much, though, it hit me (after a few weeks) that God was calling my family to something new. So I said, "God, are you truly calling my family into missions?" The question surprised me! I felt so different after asking that question. I felt nudged to talk to Matt about it. It took a little while, because I was nervous. Times before when I had talked to Matt about moving (mostly on the way home from vacations, because who wouldn't love living on the beach?!) he had ALWAYS said no. He said that we can't move away from all of the people that we love. I ultimately agreed (even though, ya know, dolphins). Anyway, we were sitting on the couch one evening, and I just sort of asked if he had ever thought seriously about our family becoming missionaries. He shocked me we he said that it was something that, ... yes, he is rolling around in his mind. He wasn't taken aback at all.
 The very next Sunday evening, our interim pastor at the time, who has no idea who I am, but had been such an instrument in my spiritual growth in the short time he was with us, mentioned a missions conference that would be held in the next couple of weeks. Matt and I looked at each other and knew that was God's confirmation to us to continue on this path. We attended that conference and that was the night that we had a very serious discussion that led to us knowing without a doubt that missions was in our future. We just had no idea what that would look like for us. We didn't tell anyone right way, because this whole thing was a little scary for us. After a few months though, we knew we needed a couple to pray and discuss things with us. We told my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. That made a huge difference. It was so encouraging and good to have prayer partners. They also had a lot of knowledge and connections that helped us along the way.

This is a long story, because it has been a long journey. Let me fast forward. Just know that it had been a roller coaster of a process, and we had been tempted to throw in the towel at times, but are glad we did not.

This past summer at one of the church camps that my husband and I were helping at, the pastor preached a sermon on a Thursday night that really hit home. Matt came and pulled me aside to pray. He told God that we fully surrender to wherever He is leading us and asked God to give us clarity, because we just want to be in His will. Readers, God had been hearing our prayers during this journey, and He heard our prayers that night. Three days later, the very next Sunday, Brother David Fox spoke in the evening service at our church about a church plant in Colorado Springs. Matt and I both knew before we left that we were going to Colorado. We just felt God in it. That evening, after we talked, we emailed David.  We met him and his wife, Carrie, that following Thursday (I think) to talk about things. It was such a precious time. Their story and their passion for God's mission for them is so special. To hear all of the things that God has orchestrated during their process has been nothing short of amazing!
We are excited to join them! We are also terrified of the many unknowns. We are so happy that God has finally revealed more of His plan for us! We are also so sad we will be leaving our loved ones behind here in Arkansas. We are constantly cycling through all sorts of emotions. We are so honored that God has called us to this, but we know it will not come without difficulty. We would much rather take the good and the difficult (God doesn't promise easy) that comes with being in the will of God, than the alternative of living outside of God's will. THAT would be a miserable road.
We know this. God is good. God will be with us every step of this new chapter. He will hold us. He will guide us. He will teach us. He will stretch us. He will open our eyes. He will prepare us. He will strengthen our faith. He will encourage us. He will awe us. Yes. He is Good.



There is SO much more to tell. More posts to come. I will tell you more about the church plant, about how our process is going, and specific things you can pray for us. In the meantime, please pray for our friends, the Foxes, who have already began their ministry in Colorado. Pray for the people whom they are reaching out to, and others who will cross their path. Thank you so much!