doing well

This is Mark again... got the internet up for the time being (it's been sketchy) so I wanted to post.

we're doing well and learning a lot... God has done some very neat things that i'll let Kim post that.

you can call us if you want at 850-304-0051 its an online voicemail and a milton, FL phone number... you can leave a VM or send text... we won't get it right away... but we will get it when we can get online.

I also finally got some pics up, they are geotagged so they are synced up with GPS coordinates so most have a little map next to them so you can see where abouts they where taken.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mr2donalson

enjoy :)

keep praying

Mark

And then.....

The next day we were awakened to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes! Our house host Allen had prepared breakfast for us.

With full tummies and sticky fingers we loaded up in the van to head into Toldeo.

We arrived at the Life House Worship Center JUST in time for worship.

The congregation is smaller than we’re used to, but we were all so greatly blessed by their sweet spirit of intercession for each other. The bore their souls right there in worship and lifted up their friends and families in a way that we’ve not seen in quite a while!

These people don’t come from the best background, and many of them have troubles that I’ve never had to even think about, but they are sold out for Jesus. They believe that Pastor Jeff is God’s man for this ministry and they anxiously await the opportunity to service God with him.

After being filled with the word some rested and some headed out to do shopping for the week. In addition to groceries to prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner through the week the shoppers also came ‘home’ with the best pizza in the universe….MARCO’S!!!!!!!

We were thankful to have Janelle from the American Center for Women and Children come by and share a little about herself and the ministry that is the school.

We set up for our first day of ‘Joy Club’ and showered and proceeded to pass out for the night.

Up Next......

Last night started the next chapter in our lives. I left work at CLEAR for the last time. As I pulled away I sobbed and poured out my heart to God. I KNOW that his plan for us is far beyond what we could ask or even imagine. But sometimes I wish that the “lamp unto my feet” was more of a flood light.

Mark and I busily finished packing for our next adventure. A mission trip with our church to Toledo, Ohio.

Saturday morning, at 4 a.m., we packed up our borrowed church van and hit the road.

We were all delirious from adrenaline and anxious to see how God would move. It was a bittersweet time for Mark and I. We got some precious moments with our mentors and friends, Andy and Heidi DeGuire.

We also got to see a side of their children that we’ve not been privy to up to this point.

We drove, and ate, and drove, and ate.

We arrived in Cincinnati at about 8 p.m. and were warmly greeted by the leaders of ministry at the BCM house at the University of Cincinnati.

We were grateful for ANYWHERE to brush our teeth and lay our heads.

and so it begins... specific prayer requests for the next week

and so it begins... specific prayer requests for the next week

this is Mark posting as will be evident by my poor spelling and syntax... but you'll get the point :)

for those that don't know... kims last day of work was today... tommarow morning (3:30am to be exact) is the start of the next 5 months of unknown... tommarow we head to OH for a week long mission trip with our church, get "home" late sat (24th), Church on Sunday and then monday we drive to Orlando and fly to Panama on tues (27th)… yes God has a sense of humor... but we're looking forward to this although a little scared... we greatly appreciate your prayers and support.

but moving on to the real reason for this post... Andy our associate pastor and my mentor has given us a list for very specific things to have prayed for each day while in Ohio if you would please remember to pray us and these specific things each day we would be greatful.

Sat July 17
- pray for our safe travel today all the way to our stop-over in Cincinnati. It’s going to be a LOOONG day (Psalms 91:11-12;)
- Pray for our spiritual preparation (Colossians 1:9-12; Ephesians 6:10-20)

Sun July 18
-Pray for our safety to Toledo and while there in the city for the week
-Pray for us to settle in quickly to our housing arrangements at the Southside life Station and get oriented to the ministry of the week (Ps 32:7-8; Ps 121:5-8)
-Please pray for the DeGuire children to especially obey their parents this week! (Deut 5:16)

Mon July 19
-Pray for God to open a wide door for effective service to our ladies who are teaching and serving at the American School for Women and Children, our men who will be building relational bridges with international students and our whole team as we reach out to children on the southside of Toledo. (1 Cor. 16:9; Eph 5:18b)

Tues July 20
-Pray for God’s Spirit to open the minds of the unbelieving (2 Cor 4:4-6) through our kindness, love, and bold witness (Acts 4:31)
-Pray for a servant spirit among us as a team (Mark 10:45)
-Pray that God would open to us a door for the world, that we would speak forth the mystery of Christ (Col 4:3; 1 Thess 2:2)

Wed July 21
-Pray for God to grant repentance to the lost (2 Tim 2:25)
-Pray for God to give us his heart for the lost of the world (Matt 28: 18-20) through the Prayer Tea & continued relationship building, and training.
-Pray for our team to be able to work together well, get along graciously, and serve one another (Phil 2:3; Eph 4:1-3)

Thurs July 22
-Pray the seeds of the gospel fall on receptive hearts, and that people would hear Him knocking on the door of their hearts and let Him in (Mark 4:19-20; Rev 3:20; Prove 20:12)
-Pray for us to be good stewards of the relationships we’ve made this week & that God might lead us to a “person of peace” (Matt 10:11; 1 Thess 2:8)

Fri July 23
-Pray for good follow-up of new believers
-Pray for the team as we enjoy some down-time together that our love for one another would grow deeper and that we would enjoy one another! (1 peter 4:8; John 13:34-35)
-Pray for safe travels to Cincinnati tonight as we prepare for the long journey home tommarow!

Sat July 24
-Pray for safe travel all the way home (Ps 121:5-8)
-Pray for God to continue the work He began in each one of us though this experience to find ways to live missionally at home (Phil 1:6; Acts 1:8)
-Pray for our relationships with one another to be uplifting and encouraging (Hebrews 10:24-25)

The letter we SHOULD have sent out!

A friend recently turned me onto a website called ‘Stuff Christians Like.”
The writer, Jon Acuff, takes a realistic look at the peculiarities of being a Christian.




*****DISCLAIMER*****
I am possibly the most sarcastic human being in the free world. I think that sarcasm is a highly developed skill that very few possess. I am sorry if this is offensive to you.

***********************

So….Here’s ‘Stuff Christians Like #256”
The mission trip funding letter….ala Mark and Kim:



Dear Friends and Family,

I never write you letters.

That’s a weird way to open a mission trip letter. The truth is that I don’t write anyone letters and if I opened up this letter by pretending this is just the latest in a long chain of correspondence we’ve kept up oh these many years, that would feel as fake as when people run out of things to say and ask you questions like, “hot enough for you?” Wow, that was a really atrocious run on sentence, but I’m excited about this trip and I’m not going to let sentence structure stand in my way.

If I were you, I would probably be thinking, “Mark and Kim are going on a mission trip?” That’s a completely fair thought. I keep asking myself that too. We are not the first couple people think of when it comes to feeding the hungry/helping the poor/working on a coconut farm. Plus, we're so busy. Work is really intense right now and this is not a good time to go on a mission trip. But I’m not sure if there is ever a “good time” to go on a mission trip. And I could probably come up with a list of reasons why I shouldn’t go, but I keep coming back to the one reason I should – God loves people.

I’ve been trying to live that in the life I currently have. I mean it’s easy to pray for far off places and far off people, but loving who you live and work with is a challenge. I’ve been trying to see my life as a mission field, not just this trip. And it’s been cool to see the way God has used this new approach to everything from the way I tip at restaurants to the way I treat people in traffic. But now, it’s time to take the things I’ve learned to a new longitude and latitude.

We are going to Panama, Central America for 5 months. Going wasn’t a hard decision. When it comes down to it, Jesus laid out a pretty simple religion for us, didn’t He? Love God, love others, and love ourselves. Nope, deciding to go was easy. Paying for it however, is a real challenge.

To be honest with you, I just don’t have $3000, laying about the house, eating baked Tostito chips and watching soap operas. So, instead of selling my plasma 87 times, I decided to send letters to people I don’t usually write and ask for something I don’t usually ask for, money. I’d love if you could financially support me on this mission trip. A little, a lot, any would be great. And if you want to know more about the trip, please let me know and I will give you a call.

The one thing on the form letter I got from church that I agreed with was the request for prayer. If you could pray about the trip, that would be great. As much as God loves mission trips, other people don’t. There will be a whole host of obstacles that pop up and entangle themselves around our ankles as we prepare to go love the people of Panama. And knowing that you are praying would mean a lot to me.

Thanks for reading this rambling letter. I have included the form letter version as well in case you prefer a more traditional approach to the “can I please have some of your money” letter.

Sincerely,
Mark, Kim, Camber, and Cooper Thomas

How To Give

We've had several people ask us the best way to donate toward this phase of our ministry.

I included a PayPal button on the right hand side of your screen if you wish to make an electronic donation. You have the option of making a one time gift or a monthly support donation, which ever works best for you.

If you're uncomfortable with that, you can always mail a check or postal money order to:

5222 Goshawk Dr.
Milton, FL
32570

Thank you SO much for your prayers and continued support.

It's Officially Official

We received this e mail this morning:

"Hi Mark and Kim,

I just wanted to let you know that after reading your applications, references and praying we have decided to officially accept you into the DTS school for July! :) So feel free to let you friends and family know all about it. We're excited for you guys. Can't wait to see you.

All the best,

David Tracy

--
Juventud con Una Mision
Panama"

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We're OFFICIALLY in!!!