Endings + Beginnings
2020
The year of trust and transition
2020 was full of transitions and adjusting no matter where you found yourself or who you were. We found ourselves preparing in all sorts of ways for life in missions. 2020 felt like the longest short year. The spring dragged on with closures and lockdowns and delayed plans, but summer and holidays flew by in what seemed like a blink as we crammed in all the outdoor activities. I’m a planner and this past year was, well… great preparation for what mission life will look like. I learned to be prepared but to hold those plans and expectations loosely with open hands. Prayer took on a new prominent role in my daily head space as I tried to focus daily energy on the one thing where we turn it all over to God. One of my favorite quotes is “If you have time to worry over it, you have time to pray over it.” Prayer brought closeness and community where I couldn’t physically be with people but stayed connected by bringing their highs and lows before God.
End of the year reflection and new year goal setting is one of my favorite things. Now, I’m not actually great at processing those things with others (just ask Chris), but I do like making some notes and lists. So in list form here is a recap:
What we accomplished for missions in 2020:
got first newsletters out
made our address list all pretty and digital
made calls to family to tell them about plans for Brazil
made budgets
completed ACTION Orientation & became commissioned as missionaries
made pros and cons list for all moving scenarios
researched expat insurance
started online Bible school
got Portuguese embedded into daily life
started sorting through belongings.
Goals for 2021:
attend Missions Skills Conference
start formal Portuguese lessons
continue online Bible school
meet up with potential supporters weekly
automate digital newsletter
do virtual meet and greets with Brazil team
be fully funded by July 1
downsize belongings and simplify lifestyle
get visas
On paper things sound straight forward enough, in reality there are a million moving parts. 2020 brought us (mostly me) the confidence that God is absolutely calling us to move to Brazil to be missionaries. While some may ask about travel risks during COVID and if we changed our minds, the opposite happened. While being smart about travel is of course a thing to consider, and logistics are affected, we know that sharing about God, loving on the kids of Brazil, and following God’s call is bigger than what is going on the world and more important than ever. We are emboldened in our plans and hold tightly to the hope and promises we have through Jesus.
-Ashley
