8.01.2016

Direction


Greetings Friends!
These past few months have been a time of much contemplation regarding the future direction of our ministry, Water, Worship & the Word. I am gaining strength daily now and understanding more clearly the physical constraints of my new normal. Brooke and I have also been diligently seeking to hear God clearly on what, where and when! Just recently, we found ourselves talking about planting an International Church* somewhere in Central America. Part of this stirring was the remembrance of several prophecies I have received over the years, that I am to be planting churches, not just one but several. The first one was way back in 1993 while on a missions trip in Australia and the most recent was just this past February.

As I look back over the years, I can see where I have been considering this call and then find myself off doing other things; coming along side ministries to build, teaching at Bible colleges, training foreign Pastors. All good things but perhaps not God’s best. One of these things I love to do and do well is construction, so it is easy to find myself sidetracked and saying yes, especially to my daughter for whom I have built several projects at their ministry, Rancho Oasis 4 Youth in Honduras. But God in His sovereignty, in December of 2014, while I was in fact building a home for my daughter’s family, allowed my life course to change radically. As a result of that day, that accident, I am no longer able to construct much of anything. I can no longer squat, bend down, climb a ladder, get on my hands and knees or lift heavy objects. Hence, this has become less of a distraction for me. Granted I can still supervise and will be doing so with the installation of a roof at Rancho Oasis in August and other things through December, but I do not see myself actively involved in constructing and building on the mission field any longer.

Although I could be disappointed because I love it, I am actually excited that now perhaps I can focus wholeheartedly on what I believe is our call moving into 2017. God has already revealed locations that we are praying over and we trust He will also bring the confirmation of where the first church plant will take place. Additionally, He has shown me that I am to involve young married men in these plants, one Spanish speaking and one English speaking, with the purpose of training and raising them up and then when they are ready, passing the church on and moving on. How all of this will come to pass I do not know, but I know it is already planned out and now we must walk forward and watch God open doors and do what He does best, accomplish His will! I will be teaching at a few Calvary Chapel Bible Colleges in Latin America until we get clear marching orders. Perhaps out of these colleges will come partners for planting.

You, our many supporters, have been such a big part of this. Your words of encouragement and prayers over the years and especially this past year, have kept us going and looking and making ourselves available. All God wants is an available heart, one that will say yes! We just sold our home in Iowa so we are once again unburdened and ready to go whenever and wherever. Please pray that we would place our feet rightly behind His and let Him lead us out!

*For those who are not familiar with the term, International Church, it is an English speaking church partnering with, in our case, a Spanish speaking church. There are many places where people from the USA and Canada have moved to retire (or escape) and this type of church reaches out to these people as well as the locals. There is a growing need in many areas of C. A. for these International churches.

Thank you for standing with us through this past year and a half! It has been an amazing journey! One that I would have never asked for, but also a journey I would never want to change! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and loving friends and family like you!

In His grace,
Wayne & Brooke

7.30.2016

While I'm Waiting

By Brooke Goranson

The psalmist says “As I wait upon the Lord I grow stronger”. There are two words here that are so important…grow stronger. The only way to grow stronger is to do something. Often people say they are waiting on the Lord but when I ask what they are doing while they wait, they don’t understand. They are waiting! I ask them what they are waiting for; confirmation of course. Then I ask how they think confirmation will come.

There is an old saying that you can’t steer a parked car. This holds true when waiting on God as much as in any other arena. God cannot bring confirmation if we are not taking steps, taking action, moving. He will not be calling my cell phone, although I wish sometimes He would! What He will do is guide me as I continue to move forward. To do what is right in front of me. To make plans and take steps and allow Him to close one door and leave another open. I am reminded of the priests who were to cross the Jordan in Joshua Chapter 3. This story is such a great picture of moving forward and trusting God to take care of the details. He wants to lead us. He wants us to find His will and our place. He is not trying to trick us but He does expect us to play a role in the finding.

The reason I bring all this up is to say that this is where Wayne and I continue to find ourselves. We are waiting; Waiting on God to restore Wayne’s strength and health. Waiting for God to confirm when, where and what is next. In the meantime, we are growing stronger. We are busy about His business. We are serving and doing what is right in front of us to do and we are moving forward in various directions trusting that He will close those doors that are not His path for us and open others that we might not even know are there yet.

There have been other seasons of waiting in our past but none to the extent of this one. We have been told by many, who have been down this path of recovery before us, that Wayne will need at least two years after surgery to understand his new normal. To know his limitations physically and how this will affect ministry moving forward. His Doctor has also encouraged him to give himself two years. We are, as of July, one year from the final surgery. So we press on and keep seeking and serving and sharing and being faithful to the gospel. We have several thoughts as to what we would like to do but for now we wait upon the Lord and grow stronger.

We are so grateful to have such a strong partnership team. We know God is our provider but we know too that He likes to use His people to join together and accomplish His will. So we thank all of you who pray and give and encourage us on this journey. I won’t say we could not do it without you because this would not be true. God will have His way and His plans will be accomplished but we are glad you have chosen to be part of that plan. Please we would appreciate your prayers as we seek His direction and timing beyond the season we are in. We are blessed to be here in Costa Rica right now. God has us busy in a community that is in great need of discipleship and the love of Christ so we are at peace.

In closing I want to encourage you….are you seeking the Lord for something? Don’t just sit there waiting, get up and go. Make that call, fill out that paperwork, make that need known, ask others to pray for you and suddenly you will see Him right there in front of you leading the way. Things will start happening and suddenly you will find yourself fulfilling His will and plan for you and it will seem almost effortless. Let us know how we can pray for you. We would be blessed to partner with you as you seek Him.