“Are you excited? Are you scared? Are you taking your cats with you? Are you sure about this?” Yes. 

When you tell people you’re going to be a missionary the only response you really get are questions; questions we are already asking ourselves, questions we are asking God. We are feeling an array of emotions as we think about and prepare for what working in the Dominican Republic means. Yes, we are taking our cats, most people don’t get why, that’s okay, not everyone’s a cat person. Yes, we’re sure; Why? Because God isn’t going to call us somewhere and not take care of us, His plans are for our good. This is the only reason we know we can do this, we aren’t relying on our own strength, we’re relying on God.

What God has been Teaching us this Summer

“There have been countless questions, comments, pieces of advice, and concerns from family and friends around this topic, one question stands out to me more right now: How are finances going to work? Growing up as a gen Z American, money has always been a hot topic. My family was never rich, and in the last year I’ve had being married, I have really gotten to understand the struggles of paying off debt, trying to find a home, feeling like I’ll never get anywhere because I can’t build my savings enough; but through all of that, I’ve always had what I need. Even when I don’t know where food is going to come from, God provides. When I don’t understand how a bill will be paid, God provides. When unexpected expenses come up, or when I take an unexpected pay cut, God provides. When I can’t afford a place to rent, God provides. So am I worried that we won’t raise enough support as missionaries? No, God will provide. When I am tempted to give into anxiety, I remember how God has provided my entire life. This doesn’t come naturally to me and I’ve had to pray a lot around this idea because it’s one thing to have a regular paycheck, from a job that will always give the same pay hourly, and a check at the same time every week. When I know exactly what is  coming in each month, it’s easy to say I trust God, because I already know what’s going to be on my paycheck. When it comes to raising support, I don’t necessarily get to know that, and this is something I have nearly zero experience with. I cannot move anyone’s hearts to support us, I can only ask people to, and trust that God will move people and provide what we need, and that’s what I’m going to do.” 
-Madison

“We have been busy, anyone who has asked us how we are doing in the last month has heard that answer. Our schedules have been filled to the point of having half date nights with chores sprinkled in and not quit getting those in every week. Making time for family and friends has been difficult while making sure to keep time with each other a higher priority. I think back to a series of Sunday services on the Sabbath. I know I had not been taking a day to rest fully or correctly, and we have been helping each other with this practice. I believe God is working in my life to teach me the importance of living on His schedule for me, and not on my own. Over the last month I have seen how giving the day to Him leaves me feeling more accomplished and better rested, and I praise Him with all my gratitude.” -Christian

Highlights of This Summer

This summer may have been the busiest summer of our lives. There have been weeks where we don’t even eat dinner in our own home because we have somewhere to be every night; it’s rewarding, but it also gets exhausting. One thing I thank God that we have been able to do is prioritize one another in our marriage. Even in the midst of all the chaos, we are blessed with the means to only be with one another and delight in each other’s company, take a break from work, and have genuine fun. Being married as a young couple, who are extremely busy, and on a tight budget, means we have gotten to be creative when it comes to date night. 

We’ve also been able to take a mini vacation to Michigan this summer, and we took Madison’s sister with us to enjoy some time at the beach, a much needed getaway and an amazing time to connect and enjoy God’s creation just a couple of hours from home. 

We celebrated our first anniversary on June 22. It was a blessing to reflect on everything that happened in our first year of marriage, and look forward to many more years together. We had a nice dinner at a hibachi restaurant, danced together outside, and enjoyed a lovely night of our favorite snacks, tried our wedding cake that had been frozen, and had fun conversations. Marriage is one of the most beautiful gifts from God and we are reminded daily just how blessed we are. 

We picked raspberries and strawberries together, and there is truly nothing like fresh, handpicked fruit. They were the reddest, juiciest strawberries I’ve ever had and it was fun just to do together, even if the summer heat was almost unbearable while we were picking, but it was worth it all the same, especially after the amount of refreshing strawberry lemonade we made with them. 

“We went on a trip to Chicago to help chaperone students from Basque Country around the city. Personally, I love Chicago, it wasn’t a difficult decision to go on this trip, for me. Seeing the city in the middle of the night however, was an entirely different experience and I saw a side of the city that I had not before; but perhaps those are stories for another time. I still love the city, I just wouldn’t want to be alone after dark, Christian, however, feels a bit different about it, and would probably be fine if we never went back.” -Madison.

“Many nights have been filled with laughter, friends, good conversations, swimming, food and fellowship. As busy as it has been, I wouldn’t trade any of the amazing people I’ve met because of it for anything.” -Madison.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for us as we work to prepare to leave, that we would continue to receive wisdom from the Lord. Also pray for us to trust God with the areas of our lives where it is harder to do so. As we are learning Spanish, we are able to comprehend more and learn how to speak it more effectively. 

We have over four months before we officially move, because there is a lot we still need to do here, but we want to share our hearts with you and give you a glimpse of how God is moving in our lives as we prepare, so thank you, for following along and supporting us in this journey.