“… but the Lord determines our steps.” (Proverbs 16:9, NLT)
I planned to write much, much earlier than now, but that does not mean that the Lord determined that I wouldn’t. No, it was mostly just my own procrastination—and other elements of my personality. Indeed, it’s been several months since I last wrote about what Katherine and I have been doing in our ministry with Wycliffe in Germany. From that time in May of last year, some significant events have occurred, and I’m going to share them in brief with you.
In late June of 2024, we made a two-week trip to Pennsylvania to do three things: attend the wedding of one of Katherine’s close college friends, move our household goods to a cheaper storage unit, and celebrate our younger son’s birthday. That was the limit to the plan we had made. (And the Lord said, “Watch this….”)
Around when I wrote in May, our son concluded that his best option for continuing his education was to be found back here in Germany. It didn’t take much research and prayer before Katherine and I agreed that he was right. Step #4 added to the plan: pack the lad up and bring him back with us—the day after his birthday. There were many, many steps following that—Germany is famous for its bureaucracy—but I am pleased to report that our son is close to finishing his first second semester at the University of Siegen. He is pursuing a teaching degree, with concentrations in math and English.
On the day of our departure to the U.S., Katherine and I received word that the tenants renting our house in Duncanville, Texas, had departed abruptly and left behind a mess and no small amount of damage to the property. <sigh> Step #5 added to the plan: figure out what to do and how to do it. The Lord guided us to the wisest solution possible, but that situation will be a financial stressor for some time yet. (Due to taxes on both sides of the ocean, selling the house is not an option at this time.)
August saw the three of us working regularly on various tasks related to getting our son settled and registered. At the same time, Katherine was planning her six-week practicum in the Ames Library of Seattle Pacific University. From about mid-September to the end of October, she got hands-on experience with the concepts of cataloging that she’d been studying in her MLS program with Texas Woman’s University. The practicum went very well, and Katherine even got to catalog some holdings in German for a special theological collection. She also got to spend lots of time with her sister, who oh-so-graciously-and-not-at-all-reluctantly hosted her. (Katherine visited other family members as well, but Pam gets a special mention. Duh.)
Meanwhile, in my work, I was preparing for some comings and goings at Wycliffe Germany. Some people retired, and some new people arrived. Included among those was a new director, who started work in October. So I needed to order and set up all the things that beep, bonk, and/or blink. At the same time, I was planning the replacement of the remote support tool that I use along with other technicians in Europe and Africa. The server we had been using had reached the end of its life, and it was time for its services to ascend to the cloud—in more ways than one.
November and December were pretty normal in terms of work and everyday life. Katherine tended the library, I tended the many systems in my herd, and the lad tended his studies. We did that until shortly before Christmas, when the three of us joined the rest of Katherine’s family and our older son on Edisto Island, South Carolina. We all had a great time celebrating the holidays together and enjoying a break from work. Oh, and lest I forget… Katherine was granted her Master of Library Sciences degree, having completed the program with flying colors. (Duh.)
The year began fairly well for us. Between semesters, our younger son completed an internship at a nearby high school. Katherine made another trip to the U.S. to help her parents for a few weeks. Little by little, I’m working with the leadership team on formulating a succession plan—and may the Lord determine our steps as we do that together. Yes, my work and duties are going to change next year, and as soon as that future is more certain, I will write again. In the meantime, please pray for us to have ever-present wisdom and grace in our relationships, in our work (and studies), and in tackling the niggly bits of everyday life. Thank you for your support—in prayer and in finances—and for your patience!
