Sometimes God's plans are completely different than anything we expect! James stayed prepped and ready to go through this past weekend, when his on-call orders ended, but he ended up never going anywhere. We aren't sure why God didn't want us heading east for deputation last month, but it's comforting to know He has everything in His perfect control - even when we don't see the reasons for it.
We are now looking toward next month, and making plans to head east (Lord willing!) for several meetings in Massachusetts and Alabama. Since we'll be along the eastern coast, we're also planning to spend extra time with our families and enjoy the holidays together.
While we are working hard to minimize costs while traveling, it's not cheap to go cross-country! We will both be working while on the road, which will provide a small amount of income - but also limits how long we can drive each day. We're estimating it will cost around $1500 round-trip just to go out for the meetings and back, not counting extra detours to see family members.
Although James continued working while he was home, he did have a major reduction in hours/pay, so if you feel led to help with our travel expenses we would certainly appreciate it! Options for supporting us include:
Meanwhile, we are continuing with our various ministries at church and in the community. Our pastor and his wife are away right now for several weeks, and we are fulfilling extra responsibilities in their absence. We're also both working as we can, and Elizabeth will be starting another grad class soon through BJU online. Life is full - and things may not always look right on paper - but we're living by faith one step at a time as God directs us!
We would greatly appreciate your prayers! Specifically, please pray for:
We so very much appreciate your support!
For the Sake of His Name,
James & Elizabeth Johnson