Have you gotten a copy of our December 2011 Newsletter?
To make sure you stay up to date on all of our MAF adventures, please email me and I will make sure you are on our list.
Here are the links to our past newsletters to get you up to date!
December 2011:
https://www.maf.org/document.doc?id=801
October 2011:
https://www.maf.org/document.doc?id=623
August 2011:
https://www.maf.org/document.doc?id=469
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
On the Road Again
This post will probably not be pithy, well thought out, or thought provoking, but it is an update none the less. We have moved on since my last verbal goof up, much to the credit of Tasha's patience and kindness, and are now in a very cold, cloudy and waterlogged Paris, TN.
Saturday night we left East TN, and after making a few pit stops and stopping to see a few friends, arrived at my sister-in-law's (and brother's) house. Sunday we got up early and spoke to a missions class at the Otter Creek Church of Christ and then drove to Paris to spend some time with the Sulphur Wells Church of Christ. We spent the better part of two hours sharing the ministry of MAF, then went to dinner with some folks.
Throughout the drive through TN, the moment I hit 70 MPH (and not 1 MPH more), I felt a vibration in the car. Call it a mechanic's intution, but it did not feel like a wheel balance issue. Our host family recomended a local shop and after a quick inspection, they confirmed my suspision that there were some severely worn suspension parts. I'm glad I followed my gut! The car is in the shop now and will be ready for pick up tomorrow.
Monday evening we had another meeting with a wonderful Life Group from Sulphur Wells in our host family's home. We will be here in Paris until Thursday morning visiting with our old friends and making new ones. Then we drive back to Smyrna to spend some time with my brother and sister-in-law until Saturday afternoon, when we will drive back to Paris for a bit more time with Sulphur Wells. Finally, Sunday we will head home, making a stop at the College Side Church of Christ in Cookeville, TN. Our time now is being spent working on updating our mailing list, writing our December news letter, making phone calls, and managing time to update this blog!
I hope this post finds everyone in good health, and we wish you a warm week!
In His Service,
Kevin and Tasha Spann
Saturday night we left East TN, and after making a few pit stops and stopping to see a few friends, arrived at my sister-in-law's (and brother's) house. Sunday we got up early and spoke to a missions class at the Otter Creek Church of Christ and then drove to Paris to spend some time with the Sulphur Wells Church of Christ. We spent the better part of two hours sharing the ministry of MAF, then went to dinner with some folks.
Throughout the drive through TN, the moment I hit 70 MPH (and not 1 MPH more), I felt a vibration in the car. Call it a mechanic's intution, but it did not feel like a wheel balance issue. Our host family recomended a local shop and after a quick inspection, they confirmed my suspision that there were some severely worn suspension parts. I'm glad I followed my gut! The car is in the shop now and will be ready for pick up tomorrow.
Monday evening we had another meeting with a wonderful Life Group from Sulphur Wells in our host family's home. We will be here in Paris until Thursday morning visiting with our old friends and making new ones. Then we drive back to Smyrna to spend some time with my brother and sister-in-law until Saturday afternoon, when we will drive back to Paris for a bit more time with Sulphur Wells. Finally, Sunday we will head home, making a stop at the College Side Church of Christ in Cookeville, TN. Our time now is being spent working on updating our mailing list, writing our December news letter, making phone calls, and managing time to update this blog!
I hope this post finds everyone in good health, and we wish you a warm week!
In His Service,
Kevin and Tasha Spann
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Life Lessons
The process of Deputation (also known as fundraising) is an awesome time. We use this time to confirm God’s calling to us regarding our ministry with MAF in Africa. God uses this time to show us who He is and to grow our faith in preparation for the time when faith is the only way we will thrive. As a married couple, this season in our lives has a way of forcing us to refine and sharpen our relationship. On a personal level, we are put us in situations where we learn about ourselves (good, bad or indifferent).This morning, nearly all of the above happened.
It seemed that nothing was going right: we could not find our zip drive with our presentation videos on them, the printer would not print our presentation notes, and Tasha was "hogging" the bathroom! We had to get food in the crock pot for a lunch appointment, feed the dogs, and at some point eat breakfast.
The presentation was in less than 30 minutes and neither of us were dressed. As I was ironing my shirt, I began to grumble about how late we were going to be (being early IS one of the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22, see for yourself). As I began to brush my teeth, I began to growl. Literally. Then I noticed Tasha was tweaking the PowerPoint presentation, trying to get it just perfect. The growling then grew to a bark that sounded like this: "Tasha! We have to leave in 3 minutes and 35, no 34 seconds, we don’t have our notes printed, we don’t have the car packed, we still need to run by the store and grab a table cloth for the display and your hair isn’t even dried!"
My wife calmly responded almost in a whisper "WE are not going until you calm down and get your head on straight".
To which I responded "What?!? Don’t talk to me like a 5 year old; sometimes I wonder if you try to make us late on purpose just to aggravate me!"
Tasha replied with tears.
The instant I said it, I knew I was grossly out of line. Tasha was completely, totally right. As a husband, my first duty is to Glorify the one who called us (heart, soul, mind and strength) and my second duty is to treat my wife as a sister in Christ, as the companion God has entrusted to me. My actions did none of those.
After apologizing and rebuking myself, Tasha said she didn't need to dry her hair (which by now was mostly dry anyway.... and the power bun looks great on her) and we didn't need to get a tablecloth. As we drove to the church, we prayed together. We walked in 15 minutes later than I wanted to, but the world didn't end, class hadn't started and we had a warm welcome. The moment we walked in I saw some ladies spreading none other than a tablecloth on the very table we were to set our display on. Tasha looked at me, and her look didn't say "I told you so". With all the patience and grace in the world, her look said "God is good, and what a sense of humor He has."
We set up our display and greeted a few folks, and sat down for class. We picked up our Bibles and mine fell open to the passage in 1 Peter, Chapter 3. You know, the verse that talks about how wives should live with purity and reverence and an unfading beauty from the inside which is gentle and quiet so they can win over their unbelieving husband, and how husbands should be considerate as we live with our wives and treat them as the heirs of the same gracious gift of salvation we received.
I am truly grateful for my wife. I would not be who I am without her. I would not be where I am, following a lifelong dream of being a missionary pilot, without her. Several people have asked if she feels the same calling that I do. When work gets busy, and I get too distracted to do our Bible work, she pushes me through. When I got discouraged with the stress of the MAF application and interview process, she encouraged me to fly how I know to, and let God do the rest. When I act like a complete pig, she pulls me back into reality. When we stand together and smile during our presentation, it is because of her that our joy as a family, as a missionary couple, is not an act, but sincere excitement about the journey God is leading us on.
It seemed that nothing was going right: we could not find our zip drive with our presentation videos on them, the printer would not print our presentation notes, and Tasha was "hogging" the bathroom! We had to get food in the crock pot for a lunch appointment, feed the dogs, and at some point eat breakfast.
The presentation was in less than 30 minutes and neither of us were dressed. As I was ironing my shirt, I began to grumble about how late we were going to be (being early IS one of the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22, see for yourself). As I began to brush my teeth, I began to growl. Literally. Then I noticed Tasha was tweaking the PowerPoint presentation, trying to get it just perfect. The growling then grew to a bark that sounded like this: "Tasha! We have to leave in 3 minutes and 35, no 34 seconds, we don’t have our notes printed, we don’t have the car packed, we still need to run by the store and grab a table cloth for the display and your hair isn’t even dried!"
My wife calmly responded almost in a whisper "WE are not going until you calm down and get your head on straight".
To which I responded "What?!? Don’t talk to me like a 5 year old; sometimes I wonder if you try to make us late on purpose just to aggravate me!"
Tasha replied with tears.
The instant I said it, I knew I was grossly out of line. Tasha was completely, totally right. As a husband, my first duty is to Glorify the one who called us (heart, soul, mind and strength) and my second duty is to treat my wife as a sister in Christ, as the companion God has entrusted to me. My actions did none of those.
After apologizing and rebuking myself, Tasha said she didn't need to dry her hair (which by now was mostly dry anyway.... and the power bun looks great on her) and we didn't need to get a tablecloth. As we drove to the church, we prayed together. We walked in 15 minutes later than I wanted to, but the world didn't end, class hadn't started and we had a warm welcome. The moment we walked in I saw some ladies spreading none other than a tablecloth on the very table we were to set our display on. Tasha looked at me, and her look didn't say "I told you so". With all the patience and grace in the world, her look said "God is good, and what a sense of humor He has."
We set up our display and greeted a few folks, and sat down for class. We picked up our Bibles and mine fell open to the passage in 1 Peter, Chapter 3. You know, the verse that talks about how wives should live with purity and reverence and an unfading beauty from the inside which is gentle and quiet so they can win over their unbelieving husband, and how husbands should be considerate as we live with our wives and treat them as the heirs of the same gracious gift of salvation we received.
I am truly grateful for my wife. I would not be who I am without her. I would not be where I am, following a lifelong dream of being a missionary pilot, without her. Several people have asked if she feels the same calling that I do. When work gets busy, and I get too distracted to do our Bible work, she pushes me through. When I got discouraged with the stress of the MAF application and interview process, she encouraged me to fly how I know to, and let God do the rest. When I act like a complete pig, she pulls me back into reality. When we stand together and smile during our presentation, it is because of her that our joy as a family, as a missionary couple, is not an act, but sincere excitement about the journey God is leading us on.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Matthew 10
Sorry for the delay in our posts! We have [many] an excellent excuse - unfortunately, you will have to wait for our December newsletter to read all about it! (Insert shameless plug here: if you are not currently signed up to receive our bi-monthly newsletters, please email me with your preference - snail mail or email. Also, include the address to where you would like them sent!)
Today, we had the honor of leading a Bible study on Matthew 10 with a group of our youngest missionary partners - Mrs. McClane's 4th grade class at Knoxville Christian School! How ironic/convenient they are on this incredible section in Matthew where Jesus sent out His twelve apostles to "preach to the lost sheep". It is amazing how God can find a way to renew and refocus our spirits at just the right time! We have recently returned from over a month on the road and will soon depart again on a new adventure during and after the Thanksgiving holiday! We were in great need of this revitalizing lesson ourselves!
I have read through this section many times but never focusing on the symbolism the author Matthew places in this book. The first thing I noticed was that the chapter really begins with the section before, in Matthew 9: 35-38. Here Jesus sees the harassed and helpless people in the crowd and makes a beautiful statement: "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (37-38). This is a great explanation/analogy for the great need of servants to spread God's word and I feel blessed to be called to do this great work in His name!
The section then goes on to describe the many things expected of the apostles: do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey or extra tunic, no sandals or a staff, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons, etc. I know God has asked Kevin and me as missionaries to rely on the people around us for support, but not to the extent of leaving everything behind! This is a humbling section for me! Can I be faithful enough to trust that God will provide everything for me or will I continue in my ways and try to plan, plan, plan?
The final part I wanted to mention is my favorite - Matthew 10:19-20, "When they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." At our meetings, Kevin and I are asked to explain why we feel called to missions and how do we know this is where God is calling us. My personal prayer before every meeting is what Matthew 10:19-20 clearly states. I ask God to speak through me so those with me can clearly see the work we are called to is an obvious calling from God. It is very reassuring to know Jesus told his apostles how God will speak through them. I know through faith, God will speak through us as well.
Today, we had the honor of leading a Bible study on Matthew 10 with a group of our youngest missionary partners - Mrs. McClane's 4th grade class at Knoxville Christian School! How ironic/convenient they are on this incredible section in Matthew where Jesus sent out His twelve apostles to "preach to the lost sheep". It is amazing how God can find a way to renew and refocus our spirits at just the right time! We have recently returned from over a month on the road and will soon depart again on a new adventure during and after the Thanksgiving holiday! We were in great need of this revitalizing lesson ourselves!
I have read through this section many times but never focusing on the symbolism the author Matthew places in this book. The first thing I noticed was that the chapter really begins with the section before, in Matthew 9: 35-38. Here Jesus sees the harassed and helpless people in the crowd and makes a beautiful statement: "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (37-38). This is a great explanation/analogy for the great need of servants to spread God's word and I feel blessed to be called to do this great work in His name!
The section then goes on to describe the many things expected of the apostles: do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey or extra tunic, no sandals or a staff, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons, etc. I know God has asked Kevin and me as missionaries to rely on the people around us for support, but not to the extent of leaving everything behind! This is a humbling section for me! Can I be faithful enough to trust that God will provide everything for me or will I continue in my ways and try to plan, plan, plan?
The final part I wanted to mention is my favorite - Matthew 10:19-20, "When they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." At our meetings, Kevin and I are asked to explain why we feel called to missions and how do we know this is where God is calling us. My personal prayer before every meeting is what Matthew 10:19-20 clearly states. I ask God to speak through me so those with me can clearly see the work we are called to is an obvious calling from God. It is very reassuring to know Jesus told his apostles how God will speak through them. I know through faith, God will speak through us as well.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Funding Our Ministry
We have officially been fundraising for five weeks now and boy is it an adventure! This time has been both challenging and rewarding for both of us. Our first obstacle was our personal views on what it means to fundraise. Here we were, picturing ourselves as sleazy TV evangelists, begging for money. So, what does fundraising really look like? Fundraising is not begging for money and it is not a worldly charity. It is about relationship building and vertical giving. A wonderful Bible study that we did is “Funding Your Ministry” by Scott Morton who uses the example of Luke 8:2 -3 to show how Jesus was supported in His ministry by “Mary, who was called Magdalene…and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.” Jesus did not work an outside job other than His ministry. It is very humbling to be dependent on others but at the same time, we must realize that God provides the money through the relationships we build.
Our next obstacle we had to tackle was our energy level. We started this process with what I can describe as an “energetic high.” This did not last very long! Just this past Monday, we had six appointments! We left the house at 8 AM and did not get home until 11 PM! I don’t know about you but I have personally never worked such a long day! No, we did not do manual labor for that time, but we went to one appointment after another, had a luncheon followed by a meeting, and ended the day with an interview and a dinner. Talking is very exhausting! Our “energy high” plummeted like an airplane after a vulture flies into your jet engine. Needless to say, Kevin and I have learned the meaning of taking a day off, which we are happy to do…tomorrow…
On the rewarding side, we have received support in so many unique ways:
- Attorney services (will, living will, power of attorney, etc.)
- Website set up and maintenance
- Rosetta Stone (in French)
- A trip to Dollywood
- House/dog sitter services
- Home remodeling services (volunteers are still being accepted)
- Radio spot
- 5K fundraiser in our name
- Meals
- A place to stay when away from home
- Books (Bible studies, Congolese history, self-helps, etc.)
- Things we need when we leave the country (i.e. water filter, etc.)
One of our most treasured supports has come from the Knoxville Christian School. Our minister’s wife is a teacher there. Each class is assigned with taking on a service project and their yearly goal is to fund them both financially and prayerfully. I don’t know about you, but having the heart of a child pray for your ministry is so powerful! Well, the 4th & 5th grade classes took us on as their project! They will be doing bake sales, making handmade cards, and keeping a loose change bucket. Having these children doing something like this for us is humbling. It reminds me of the story of the widow’s mite. It might not appear that these children are giving a lot of money, but they are giving all they can and from their heart. I know that this means more to God than all the extravagant donations of a rich person, just as it means so much to us.
We are currently at 12% of our fundraising goal. We would like to be at 20% by the first of October. If you would like to sit down with us anytime, we would be happy to make the arrangements! Please contact us!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Good and the Bad...
Job 2:10 "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
Most of us know the story of Job and how he was tested in his faith. In the beginning after he loses everything but his life and his wife, his wife tells him to give up and curse the name of God, to which he replies, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
How easy life would be if God gave us everything that we wanted and we could sit back in our nice expensive recliners in an air-conditioned home and praise his name with little effort. But we all know that if we had everything we wanted we would only want more. How like us to complain when things do not go our way:
-my mom has health issues
-my dog broke her femur
-Mamaw Hale lost her eye in an accident
-my step-brother's girlfriend is pregnant while we have been trying hard
-we can only afford one car
-our income is less than what it once was
It is easy to forget that God gives us these things in life for a reason. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Job kept those fruits no matter what challenges were presented to him. If I stop and think of my woes in a positive manner, I have much to be grateful for:
-my mom has been diagnosed by doctors as to why she is in pain and they can now work towards a common goal to manage her pain
-my dog is still alive and kicking because she is a fighter
-Mamaw Hale's surgery was successful and will hopefully receive a prosthetic eye in a few weeks
-my step-brother's girlfriend is holding a new life in her
-God will grant us children we He sees fit
-we own a car and can pay for the insurance
-we have a stipend and can focus on funding our ministry full time
We have much to be grateful for in life as long as we remember to thank God for every blessing. Just because you see something as a woe in your life does not mean that it cannot be a blessing. It is easy to accept the good but can we accept the not so good in our lives? The best advice I can give is something I learned from my favorite movie "Evan Almighty":
"If someone prays for patience, do you think God gives them patience? Or does He give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does He give him the opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for their family to be closer, do you thinkg God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does He give them opportunities to love each other?"
Romans 5:3-5 says "we rejoice in our present sufferings, because we know that suffering brings perseverance; and perseverance brings character; and character brings hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Most of us know the story of Job and how he was tested in his faith. In the beginning after he loses everything but his life and his wife, his wife tells him to give up and curse the name of God, to which he replies, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"
How easy life would be if God gave us everything that we wanted and we could sit back in our nice expensive recliners in an air-conditioned home and praise his name with little effort. But we all know that if we had everything we wanted we would only want more. How like us to complain when things do not go our way:
-my mom has health issues
-my dog broke her femur
-Mamaw Hale lost her eye in an accident
-my step-brother's girlfriend is pregnant while we have been trying hard
-we can only afford one car
-our income is less than what it once was
It is easy to forget that God gives us these things in life for a reason. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Job kept those fruits no matter what challenges were presented to him. If I stop and think of my woes in a positive manner, I have much to be grateful for:
-my mom has been diagnosed by doctors as to why she is in pain and they can now work towards a common goal to manage her pain
-my dog is still alive and kicking because she is a fighter
-Mamaw Hale's surgery was successful and will hopefully receive a prosthetic eye in a few weeks
-my step-brother's girlfriend is holding a new life in her
-God will grant us children we He sees fit
-we own a car and can pay for the insurance
-we have a stipend and can focus on funding our ministry full time
We have much to be grateful for in life as long as we remember to thank God for every blessing. Just because you see something as a woe in your life does not mean that it cannot be a blessing. It is easy to accept the good but can we accept the not so good in our lives? The best advice I can give is something I learned from my favorite movie "Evan Almighty":
"If someone prays for patience, do you think God gives them patience? Or does He give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does He give him the opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for their family to be closer, do you thinkg God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does He give them opportunities to love each other?"
Romans 5:3-5 says "we rejoice in our present sufferings, because we know that suffering brings perseverance; and perseverance brings character; and character brings hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
Friday, August 12, 2011
On the road again...
We did it!!! After an AMAZING five weeks, we have finished all of our necessary training! Not only are we official Pre-Field Missionaries and employees of Mission Aviation Fellowship, but we are ready to begin our Ministry Partnership Adventure!!!
We have made many life-long friends; we have spent countless hours preparing for speeches and presentations; we have probably done more homework these past two weeks than we did the entire time we took our Bible classes; we have all laughed and we have all cried; we have done weekly Friday night bar-b-ques together; and we have prayed together. We have accomplished so much during this time of training and I would like to thank God and the wonderful coaches in our Ministry Partnership Department.
What is all of this talk about "Ministry Partnership"? Well, that is an excellent question and I am glad you asked! The Ministry Partnership Department provides accountability and encouragement by sharing in our ministry through their prayers and personal involvement in our funding adventures. Philippians 1:3 says, "I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..."
We have been blessed to have Darryl Cedergren as our MP Coach. He has taken on the task with much eagerness! We both feel that he was definitely God appointed for this task! He matches our personalities and sense of humor while managing to provide Kevin with all the tough love lessons he needs! He seems to know exactly what to say to encourage us in this process!
So now, Kevin and I have the task of fundraising ahead of us and we feel this will be an adventure for us! We only ask right now that you begin to pray that we will take on this challenge with humility and a Christ focused heart.
If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to contact us:
Kevin & Tasha Spann
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)