I have been really anticipating this trip, like an 8-year-old waiting for his Dad to come home from work. When I finally landed in Tbilisi my excitement was at level 10 and I felt ready. I was speaking Georgian again, cruising around the streets of Tbilisi with relative ease.

In my prayer time leading up to the trip, I kept hearing God say that something unexpected was going to happen. A twist, a challenge…. I kept waiting for it the whole time I was in Georgia. There were small challenges. Our friend’s mother passed away unexpectedly and we had to let go of plans to spend quality time with them. Emily’s husband Tom could not come because of work obligations, and unfortunately, Grace’s friend Renee came down with Covid right before we left. Over 100,000 people took to the streets to protest their government and beg the European Union to reconsider their exclusion.

**Shdugra waterfall - We wanted to get an idea of how hard this trail was for our upcoming training in August.**

Somehow I didn’t feel like these were the challenges that I was anticipating. Then two days before we left Georgia, the real challenge hit me. Discernment. How do you know when God is leading you to work with a particular person or group and how do you know who not to work with?

A Georgian bringing a sheep to give as a gift of sacrifice to the Orthodox church.

Our last training at Nexus was full of advice and tips about that very topic. I was full of questions and felt very ill-equipped. A potential Georgian partner and his wife were facing severe opposition and they were coming to me with questions. All I could do at that point was to hang on to the little training that I had and rely on instinct. The instinct was that God would lead me and be faithful to teach and lead them just like He had done with me. Is this couple a potential partner for the work that God is preparing in Georgia?

Visiting with Tony and Lali Hanmer at their guesthouse up in Svaneti, Georgia.

To be honest, I still don’t know if I did it right, or if they are the right people to be investing time and energy into. Afterward, I was blasted with all of my favorite temptations and feelings of unworthiness and futility of the task. I also found out that the church leadership in Georgia is really fighting with each other. What an overwhelming task. How can I help with that?

Svanuri woman selling Sanetian Salt and a few drinks by the side of the road.

I woke up the morning of our flight back to Colorado with Romans 12 in front of me. It was a direct answer to prayer. When I get overwhelmed with the task at hand I have the reassurance that God is leading and directing me in the middle of the difficulties.

Nino is a dear friend…. She was the first teacher to come to Jesus with my Mother in Georgia. Making turkish coffee.

Here I am, standing in the middle of the storm. Still standing!

Dad and Dave and I standing with Gea Tvaradze at his house in Pantiani, Georgia. Gea was one of my first friends in Georgia when I first arrived.

Thanks for your prayers!

Highs and Lows