Here is our latest story, posted on the Cadence Website

Going Out on a Limb: A Missionary Partnership Development Journey

Thursday, March 10, 2011

written by Elizabeth May

“Go out on a limb—that is where the fruit is.”

This was a quote that went over and over in my mind as our family knew we had to take a huge step of faith. We were appointed as Alpha missionaries with Cadence in June of 2008. Our partnership development was coming along, but not as nicely as we needed it to. So in May of 2010 my husband resigned from his job and we decided to travel the country preaching and sharing about Cadence. We put all of our belongings in a storage unit in north Alabama, loaded our mini-van with our suitcases, tent, and everything else we thought we might need for 6 months…6 months is now turning into 1 year.

We have traveled to Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. We stayed with individuals along the way, meeting and spending time with our brothers and sisters in Christ and camping in various campgrounds. While camping, we learned a lot about ourselves and those who lived a pioneer life. Gathering firewood for 3 meals a day, washing the same dishes 3 times a day, keeping mud out of our tent, not always having flush toilets, and trying to stay cool made us appreciate everyday amenities. Along the way we visited some great tourist stops: The Tennessee State Museum, Pony Express Museum, Precious Moments Chapel, Abraham Lincoln’s home, Wal-Mart museum, and many more. We have tried to eat food that was a local treat: Cheese curds, roasted corn, deep dish pizza, and tex-mex.

Throughout this time God has been with us. Anywhere there was rain this summer, you can guarantee, our tent was under it. We survived a damaging storm with 80 mile an hour winds that forced us out of our tent in the dead of night. Our tent sustained only minor damage, and we were provided with a cabin to stay in for the night where we hung out all our clothes to dry. Our turtle shell opened causing us to lose some bedding; God used His people to replace some of it, and some of it is still lost.

It is currently March, we have been assigned to the Fort Hood Hospitality House and we are at 70% of our financial goal. We know God will provide the remainder in time for us to start our work on September 1, 2011. We are putting our belongings in a storage unit in Fort Hood and traveling around Texas raising the last of our support.

This adventure has not always been easy; we have felt discouraged, frustrated, scared, and sometimes very lonely. But along the way, we have held onto the truth that we knew God wanted us to trust Him enough to truly follow Him. I feel God is changing our course for a home now. Our children are ready to see their toys, we all long for school days that take place at a desk versus a picnic table, and we are ready to be ministering to our soldiers. There is a quickening in our spirit that lets us know this part of our journey is coming to a close. The question is how will the chapter end? One thing I know for sure, my family will follow God anywhere He asks…besides the tent is packed!

Find out more about the Mays and pledge to help them with their last 30% of financial support.

Meet Teaven & Sarah

It has taken me a few days to write this blog as it is such a great God story. And yet, hard for me to look at all the emotion behind it. We met Teaven when we were at the Hospitality House in October of 2010. Teaven lived in the room upstairs next to ours. He is engaged to Sarah, Sarah is Ken & Judi Wooten's daughter. Ken & Judi currently are the House Directors for the Hospitality House.

One day, Teaven came in from work and he & I were chatting as he gathered his mail. I saw that he had a letter from YoungLife. I asked him if he worked for YoungLife. He told me that he did work for them doing military youth ministry work on Fort Hood. I asked him if he might have known a friend of ours who use to work with YoungLife before he was killed in Iraq. As soon as I said Leif Nott, he got misty-eyed, and I got teary too. Teaven explained that Leif had been his youth leader when he was a teenager. He told me how Leif had shared Christ with him, but that he had not been willing to accept Christ at the time. While Leif was deployed, Teaven received encouraging notes from Iraq. Leif, having been killed in July of 2003, never got to know that he would be instrumental in Teaven accepting Christ as his Savior. It was then that I told Teaven that Chris was the one who had led Leif to the Lord. Talk about emotional. When Chris came home a little later, Teaven and Chris shared with each good memories of Leif. It was a joy for me to witness the look on their faces. The assurance they had that their friend was with Christ, but at the same time longing for one more conversation with him.

Teaven then told us that Leif was not only his leader, but had also been in his Father's unit. It was through Leif's example and Teaven's words that Teaven's father came to be a believer as well.

Teaven and Sarah are getting married in a few weeks. As Teaven's Spiritual Grand-father, Chris & I will be at the wedding. To us this was another Ebenezer Stone that God had selected Fort Hood for us. Pray for Teaven & Sarah. Pray for their new marriage to go smoothly. Pray for them as they prepare to be ESL teachers in a foreign country, hoping to share the Good News of Jesus where they go, (Korea or Russia is in the works). Pray that as they say good-byes to their families they will hold to the hope that they are living for something bigger than themselves.

Meet Ellie and Julia

This is Ellie and her daughter Julia. Ellie is a recent Single Mom. She is preparing for her deployment in June. Julia is a delight to be around, and of course, our Julia loves her. I just recently met these two. My heart breaks for Ellie. Julia will be going to stay with Ellie's sister while her Mom goes off to war. As a Mom, I am hurting for Ellie. Can you imagine missing one year from your childs life? Not seeing her learn to swim, not watching her go to her first day of preschool, seeing her perform in her first ballet recital. These are real people, real sacrifices, real honor, real COURAGE. Join me in praying for Ellie and Julia as June's deployment is not far away. I promise when we tell them good-bye on Friday, I will give them both lots of hugs!!

Meet Luke and Noelle Rau

Luke came to the Hospitality House when he was a single gentleman. Once he arrived in Afghanistan, he met Noelle. They began spending time together, feel in love, and were married when they both returned to the states. Luke brought Noelle to the Hospitality House, and they became plugged in to the ministry as a married couple. Noelle has 3 children and even though Luke might not be their Father, he is their Dad. It has been a real joy for us to get to know this family. They love the Lord and strive to know Him more. In the past few months, Noelle has gotten out of the Army and has become a stay at home Mom. Luke will be deploying in June. Please pray for this family. The children are going to have a hard time not having their Dad around. Noelle will not have the relief of a husband coming home at the end of the day to help her. This family is taking on some changes. Pray for them.

Kyndra

I keep sharing these stories so you will begin to see how God has put us here for a reason. Many of you know that our good friends, Rick and Becky Aderhold (Phenix City, AL) have a granddaughter named Kyndra. What you might not know is that Kyndra, her husband Alex, and her daughter Gabriella (7 months) are stationed here at Fort Hood, TX. So as soon as we got here, I called her to come over. We had a great afternoon together and I learned that Alex is at NTC getting ready to deploy in June. Please pray for them. Pray that God will use me to encourage Kyndra.

Cousin Brandon

Now here is a great story. My Dad had taken the girls with him to visit at Fairview school in Cullman, Al. While there, Dad ran into a distant cousin of his, Cindy Miller. Dad told Cindy how we were heading out to Fort Hood to the Hospitality House. Cindy was so excited, her son is a chaplain assistant at Fort Hood. They wanted us to look each other up. So the day after we got to town, I called my new to me cousin SPC Brandon Miller. We had a great conversation on the phone and made plans to meet each other at chapel services the next morning. We did meet at chapel and he followed us back to house for lunch. We spent the rest of the afternoon on the front porch getting to know each other and laughing at how God brought us together. I think for both of us this cured the homesickness blues. It also confirmed to me that God is getting ready to do something very Big here. Already my family has gravitated towards him and his fun personality. Julia likes that she and Brandon have the same dimples. And the boys are trying to be kind to the Alabama fan, even though they really want to tell him Auburn is better.

We were also blessed this past week to be with Brandon and a youth group from First Baptist Carthage, TX. The youth group was hear volunteering with Cadence missionaries. We got to see the true heart of this cousin of mine. He has a heart for the Lord and a heart for young people. Not many missionaries have this gift and we are thankful for it!

MOVING ON IN FAITH

We are trusting God with this move to Fort Hood, TX. Even though we have not raised the last bit of our support, we went ahead and moved all of our stuff into a storage unit in Fort hood. We have been learning about faith. Faith is believing, going, and doing when you have no hand written word from the Lord. We are going on faith. And for affirmation, we gained 2 new supporters following the move. We are filling in at the Hospitality House for 2 weeks while the directors take some R&R. Just being here with these people make our hearts heavy and light. Light because we are excited to be coming here, Heavy because of the world "our" soldiers see.

Our Girls Turn 7!

Hanging with the Helgrens

It has been over 3 years since we have seen these precious friends. We went to seminary together, and watched God show him his plan for their life. They are missionaries with the IMB serving in Zambia, Africa. We drove to Stone Mountain, Ga to visit with them for a long weekend. We ALL had a great time together. Please continue to pray for them as they prepare to go back to Zambia. they are doing a great work there, and lives and hearts are transforming.