Bitter sweet
That was us 14 years ago, shortly after we arrived in Hungary. Looking back we can clearly see God’s faithfulness to our family as well as His hand on the ministry He has entrusted to us.
God allowed us to pour into the life of many of the Bible college students while we were serving at Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe. We’re still in contact with many of them.
When God moved us to Estergom, He opened up amazing doors to teach the Bible in churches, Bible studies and on outreaches in Hungary, Slovakia, England, Wales and Scotland. It was amazing what God did.
Then about 2004 the Lord began to move on our hearts that 
our time in Hungary was coming to an end. Through a set of miraculous events, The Lord opened a door for us to move to Germany. He relocated us in Middle Franconia, which is in western Bavaria. He gave us a vision of reaching out to young soldiers, Germans and other nationals in the area.
The Lord had us start a small Bible study which grew into a small fellowship. We introduced many people to solid verse by verse Bible study and a God who was deeply in love with them.
We did a 5 year study focusing on Jesus’ Life and Ministry in Chronological Order. That study took us through each Gospel. After that we continued on through the Book of Acts and then into Romans.
During this time we also taught a mid week study through the 5 Books of Moses (we only got through 4 of them though.) The Lord took us deep in His word and united our hearts together in sweet fellowship.
From L to R, Mat (an adopted family member), Austin, Bryan, Tina and Gary
Now after 10 years in Germany, 14 years in Europe, The Lord is moving us again. He has called us back to the states. For us it is bitter sweet. Europe is our home. The kids basically grew up here in Europe. Austin hardly even remembers living in the states. But we know that God’s past faithfulness…demands our present trust.
The Lord put it on Tina and my hearts that we would eventually return to the states so the boys could attend college and we were to help get them take the next steps in their lives.
We always knew that the time would be right when God provided a way back that didn’t cost us any money, since we didn’t have any. Well, the Army has decided to move us to California, to work at Fort Irwin. They are paying for the move. And it is happening fast. 
We will be back in the states for Christmas and I will be starting a new job December 27.
I have wanted to share this news earlier, but we found ourselves just trying to hang on, things have been moving so fast. Our household goods will be packed up next week and sent. We are waiting for the final amendments to our orders and we’ll be off very soon.
I trust that the Lord isn’t done with us yet and that there will more opportunities to continue to serve Him future. It will just be in the states instead of here in Europe. We will be exchanging one dark continent for another.
I hope that you will continue to pray for us and stand with us in sharing the love of Christ with a dark and dying world. It is our hope that The Lord will take us ever deeper in a love relationship with Him and that He will use us to point others to Him.
Thank you for your prayers. If you have any questions, please email us and we’d be happy to respond quickly.
For those of our friends in Europe, we’ll miss you greatly. For our friends in the states, we’re looking forward to seeing you.
God bless,
Gary and Tina
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Since The Last Time
I just wanted to write a brief update to bring you up to speed with what has been going on here. It has been 5 months since my last update. The good news is that God is still good. He is still at work in our lives and the lives of those He has given us to serve. He continues to supply for our needs, pour out His mercy and grace upon us and He continues to bless.
As you may know, there was a bomb that was exploded by a Syrian refugee in Ansbach on July 24. It was during a music festival, and praise God, no one was killed, except the bomber. There were 15 people who were injured and four of them were injured fairly seriously. I am suprised how fast life has returned to normal. It has almost been forgotten.
Just days ago a six year old boy drowned in a lake near our house. He was out with his grandfather and wandered away. They looked for him frantically and found his body the next day.
These events stir us to tell people that there is a good and loving God who is willing to extend forgiveness and grace through faith in Jesus Christ to anyone who wants it. Pray that God opens doors for us to share his love with more and more people.
Tina and I celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary on September 1st. We took a few days off work and drove down to spend a couple of days in Italy. The boys have never been to Venice so we found a cheap hotel in Vicenza and then spent a day in Venice.
We have been working on gaining Italian citizenship. Tina’s father was Italian, and her grandparents came to America in the 30’s. We thought it might be a good thing for Tina and the kids to have EU citizenship in case God wants to utilize it in the future. It would allow us to stay in the EU, if I were ever to separate from working for the Army, which is what allows us to currently stay in Europe without a visa. It’s a long slow process, but it seems like we’re close.
We also took another day off work and drove in to Austria to explore a castle. We had such a good time there. Next to that castle is the longest suspension walking bridge in the world, It is 500 feet above the valley floor. Afterwards we had a picnic near a river where we waded in the water and skipped stones. It was a great day! God really blessed us that day with simple little pleasures and family time together.
Calvary Chapel Ansbach continues to study through the word. We recently finished the Book of Acts and Sunday, September 25th will be our first study in the Book of Romans. I’m really excited to get into the book with our fellowship.
Our fellowship has been decreasing in size over the past 12 months so we dropped our mid week study. The reason for the decreasing numbers is the United States Army has been rearranging their assets in Europe to better meet future threats. It has resulted in a temporary downsizing of forces in our area. Therefore, soldiers and Department of Defense civilians have been moving from the area.
That being said, there is a plan to increase the size of the US Army in this area again in 2017. It’s just a another part of the cycle of ups and downs when you minister to soldiers and expats that are always on the move.
God seems to be opening a new door of ministry for us. I was recently asked to share the teaching, through the Gospel of John, in another village about 45 minutes away from us. I was asked to share the teaching because the leader doesn’t feel he has the time to continue as frequently as he would like to. The study is small group, primarily Germans, and will have to be translated. So, praise the Lord for another chance to share His word with hungry believers!
Finally, we need your prayers. We are facing a very challenging time. It is probably the greatest test of our faith we have ever faced in the last 38 years of Christian life. We just don’t know what to do or what’s going to happen. We are trusting the Lord to do whatever He thinks is best for us, but were on our knees pressing in in prayer none the less. Now isn’t the right time to share the details, I’ll let you know the details soon, but until then, would you please be praying for us? Pray for strength, for wisdom and patience to wait upon the Lord. Thank you.
Well, that’s about it, at least that’s the nutshell version. If you have any questions or prayers we can lift up on your behalf, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be blessed to stand with you in prayer.
God bless,
Gary and Tina
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It’s April Already!
The picture to the left says “TIME FLYS.” What can I say? It’s true, but it’s not an excuse. I’m just bad at writing updates, staying up on them and making sure they get out in a timely manner. It seems like a never ending battle with the calendar. Lord help me!
I think part of the problem is that our lives as missionaries are not really much different than your life. We wake, we spend time with the Lord in our devotions. Afterwards I go to work, talk with people, try to let my light shine, look for opportunities to share Jesus. After a day working for the Army, I go home, spend time with the family and relax. Before I turn in, I try to spend some more time with the Lord, read my Bible, thank the Lord for His faithfulness, for carrying us through another day, and I ask Him for His grace and goodness for tomorrow. I’m certain that’s about the same as your daily routine. It’s just the life of a Christian.
But God is moving, God is working! At times He moves slowly, imperceivable, almost unnoticed. Then there are other times He moves so fast it’s all you can do to just hold on.
So here’s whats going on. Here’s what the Lord has been doing with us.
FAMILY
Ashley and Elijah have moved back to the states.
It’s a little hard for us knowing they are not just hours away by plane, not just a few hundred dollars away if we want to see them. Now they are now an ocean and a continent away.
They are visiting this month with Elijah’s folks and next month they are flying to California to interview with a church for a youth pastor position. I can’t think of a couple that is better suited to disciple middle school or high school aged kids in the ways of the Lord than them. I know I don’t tell them enough, but Tina and I are so proud of them. We’re excited to see what the Lord has for them.
Bryan and Austin continue to seek the Lord for His heart for them. It’s come to the point that they are just wondering what the Lord has for them, what direction they are to take for their lives, and when He’s going to open a door for them. As I have reported before, their heart is to return to the states and start college. Many people have offered to help them out with a place to stay, but so far, the Lord hasn’t seemed to give us a peace in our hearts or a go ahead for what we are supposed to do.
Those of you that know and have 
come to love Gunter, you’ll be sad to hear that he is going through his own personal struggle. He recently went to “The bad place” and was neutered. Now he struggles with a cone that catches on everything and is constantly impeding his progress. He went from the photo on the left, happy, alert and playful, to the photo on the right, sore, a little humiliated and a little less in the area of his manhood.
MINISTRY
This last Sunday we watched a Bible study taught by Jon Courson on Isaiah 6. It seemed to confirm much of what the Lord had spoken to my heart. 
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His rob filled the temple.” Is 6:1
When Uzziah died, things in the nation seemed to be out of control, but God was on the throne; and It wasn’t until Uzziah died that Isaiah was able to see God upon the throne, high and lifted up.
The Lord has spoken to my heart and has showed me that there are areas of ministry that are not pleasing to Him. Whether little or much, there are areas that I have allowed the flesh to creep into. Areas that I have served Him in the power of my own strength, not relying on His Spirit. He has led us to take a step back from what we have been doing and seek Him for a course correction. In doing so, we are asking Him to let the things die that aren’t of Him, so that we can see Him clearly upon the throne. We are asking Him to show us the way He would have us go forward.
It is our heart to serve the Lord in the power of His Spirit. We don’t desire to do anything, go anyplace, be anywhere, apart from Him. Because of this, we have placed everything on the table. We are asking the Lord to show us what needs to die and what needs to be renewed. Whether it to let go of our Wednesday night study or our Sunday morning study? Whether we are to seek to go deeper into a refugee ministry and make that our main focus or to let that go? Whether I am to continue to work for the Army or seek something else? Whether we are even to stay here in Germany or return to the states? It’s all on the table, and whatever He shows us, we are committed to being obedient to it.
I know we are to lift it all up to the Lord, while holding on to the ministry we have with a loose grip, and let Him show us what brings glory to His name, and to abandon everything else.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Will you please be praying for us? This is a difficult time for us. It’s hard to hear that there are things in your ministry that aren’t 
pleasing to the Lord. It’s discouraging to know that I have allowed the flesh to creep into things where it has no business being, but I want to hear it. It’s good to hear it! I want to surrender and see the Lord bring correction. That way He can reign in our lives and ministry. I want to let die what needs to die so we can see Him seated upon the throne of our lives, our family and our ministry.
So, please pray for understanding, for an ability to hear Him, for an open heart to receive from Him and that God would open our eyes to see what He would have us see.
Pray for strength to wait on the Lord, not to get out ahead of Him, and to respond properly to whatever He reveals to us.
Pray that God would refresh us and show us His heart.
Pray for us as a family, for clear direction and open doors.
The things I am asking you to pray about aren’t quick fixes. They are things that the Lord will do in His timing. I don’t expect an answer tomorrow. Yet I trust He will answer, I trust He will continue to work, and those answers and that work in us will be wonderful, marvelous and worthy of praise.
I just wanted to let you know where the Lord has us and what He has spoken to us. Thank you for your prayers. We appreciate you standing with us, covering us in prayer because of your love for our Lord and for us.
God bless,
Gary and Tina
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