As we do every other year, we are about to take a brief home assignment. It’s a great time to share what the Lord has been doing in our lives and ministry here in Mexico and to catch up with what God is doing in the lives of friends and family back in the USA as well. This one will be about 2 months in length and will cover about 10,000 miles in about 10 weeks. It’s a lot of driving. It’s exhausting. It’s worth it.
We will conclude the trip with Thanksgiving in Florida with my parents. It’s the first time since 1995 that we’ve enjoyed Thanksgiving with any of my family. Christmas has been even longer. But, Thanksgiving was the holiday we always enjoyed the most as a “family holiday.” To make it even better, all four of my siblings are planning to be there too. The last time that happened was also in 1995. Our boys will get their first taste of Thanksgiving with the McManus tribe. It will be a special time.
In case you’re wondering where we’ll be heading, here is the general outline. A few details have yet to be determined as we’re waiting on a few replies, but overall this came together very quickly and many pieces to this trip fit together as only God could make happen. It’s really amazing to watch Him work!
ITINERARY
9/23-24 – Drive to Dallas
9/26 – Wills Point, TX
9/30-10/2 – New Albany, IN
10/3-10-9 – Dayton, TN
10/9 – Westminster PCA, Dayton, TN
10/10-12 – Griffin & Stone Mountain, GA
10/13 – Pickens, SC
10/14 – Beckley, WV
10/15-19 – Bethel Baptist, Parkersburg, WV
10/21-23 – Traverse City, MI
10/23 – Rollins Christian Fellowship, Manton, MI
10/24-25 – Travel MI to IA
10/26-28 – Atlantic, IA
10/30 – TBD (IL*)
10/31-11/3 – Chesterton, IN
11/6 – Linn Chapel, Grafton, WV
11/7-10 – Glenmoore, PA
11/12-13 – Mifflin, OH
11/13am – Little Flock Fellowship, Mifflin, OH*
11/13pm – Cornerstone Community, Millersburg, OH*
11/14-11/18 – TBD (family rest)
11/19 – Xenia, OH
11/20 – Calvary Grace Brethren, Kettering, OH
11/23-28 – DeLand, FL
12/2-3 – Dallas, TX
12/4-5 – Drive to Home
* – tentative
(missing dates are travel days)
If you’re in our path and would like to catch up with us (and we haven’t already arranged to do so), send an email or something and let us know where you are and how to reach you. Our schedule is pretty tight in most places but something might work out. We always want to make the most of these trips and we hope we can see everyone we possibly can. If you follow this blog, you probably know everything we have to share, but in person, we can share a cup of coffee, some fellowship, some laughs, and a hug and prayer too.
As always we’d greatly appreciate your prayers for our travels. We do have some dangerous spots to drive through here in Mexico and while we take precautions with our planning and actions, we always find that section to be a little stressful. Nonetheless, the risks are in God’s hands not ours and He is with us at all times no matter what may befall us.
I just was reading with the boys tonight “Paul’s Boast” to the Corinthians as part of our annual reading plan. It is amazing to read of some of what Paul endured for Christ, the sake of the Gospel, and the benefit of many others. It was a fitting reminder that we would be expected to do no less for the same Christ, the same Gospel, and likewise for the benefit of others.
I don’t mean to sound melodramatic. The trip is almost always uneventful. I mentioned to a friend tonight that it’s probably the only time we travel when we pray for a boring trip. We really want have no desire to see any danger in our path. Praise God He is in control and He is in front, behind, and beside us!
Knowing Your ABCDs 