So Long . . .

To a small extent, there's a grieving process that goes along with any permanent loss.  People lose homes, spouses, and cell phones. Parents lose children, children lose their parents and grandparents. Loss can be agonizing and gut-wrenching, and so I don't think "a loss is a loss". The loss of my unborn babies was agonizing; this weekend was just interesting. I think the kind of loss I'm experiencing is maybe even a little bit healthy. I'm processing the loss of my stuff. Poor me, I know. Just let me process.


This weekend we had a very successful garage sale. My amazing sister drove all the way from Mexico to help us empty our home of the non-necessities and try to get people to pay top dollar for our old candle holders, picture frames and decorative plates. It's just stuff, but it was the frame that held my son's baby picture, and candle holder I used to burn a candle the night my daughter was born. It was the plates my mom gave me to decorate my new kitchen. I sold a painting today that a very dear friend gave me when I was newly married. 


The memories attached to all this "stuff" are precious to me. But there was freedom in letting them go. I know I don't have to keep the stuff to keep the memories. 


There was also the stuff that I just really liked. A really cool table that I didn't want to sell, and other stuff that was just cute. I think we can get so attached to our homes and cars and things, that our identity begins to take root in all the stuff around us, instead of where it's supposed to be. I don't want my identity to be in the cuteness of my kitchen or the sleekness of my leather couches. I want my identity to be in Christ. When people think of me, I don't want images of what I drive or of where I live to be what's pictured. I want people to see Jesus. 

This weekend, freeing myself of things that I feel have defined me was indeed, freeing. This isn't an easy process, but God is so faithful every moment. 

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Matthew 6:19-21

Provision

Sometimes I just have to look at my foot to remember a very simple promise. You would think that getting something inked into my foot with a needle (in a very painful spot, by the way) would serve as reminder enough, but day after day, I forget: God always provides. And it's not just about money. God provides time, resources, relationships, divine appointments, wisdom, strength . . . the list goes on forever.  

In Hebrew this says "Adonai Y'reh", which is translated "The Lord Will Provide", from Genesis 22:14.  This was when Abraham took Isaac up on the mountain to be sacrificed, and God provided a ram instead of allowing Abraham to sacrifice his only son.  A foreshadowing of substitutionary atonement. Beautiful. Simple. Complete. God provides because he loves us. No other reason. He loves us. 


How quickly I forget. I'm starting to think I should have had this tattooed on my forehead instead. 

How long does it take to get a BUTTON?!

Well, in our case, a long time. Could it be . . . SATAN?!  Ok, if you're not at least our age, you won't remember Dana Carvey circa 1987 as the Church Lady, who coined that phrase. But we do happen to believe that satan would like to de-rail this trip, and all our endeavors. 


But, finally our PayPal buttons are up!! 


Many of you have asked how to support us via credit or debit card, so here it is.  You can make a one-time donation with the "Donate" button, or if you'd like to be a monthly supporter, enter the amount you'd like to donate each month, and click on "Automatic Billing".  


We could still really use a LOT of prayer. That starts to sound cliche after a while, but we believe that our God answers prayers. We would really like to be in Kitale in 6 weeks, but that seems impossible. Lucky for us, our God specializes in the impossible. (The virgin birth, the Ark, the parting of the Red Sea, take your pick). So thank you for praying as we eagerly anticipate how God will move.  

Hey friends!!  We figured we owe everyone an update. In the last 24 hours we've had countless wonderful friends ask when we're leaving, and how they can support us. Thank you!!  


FIRST, please pray with us as we anxiously anticipate having our PayPal button up and running on this blog.  We have several friends who have been gracious enough to partner with us financially, and we know that having a way to donate by credit card would make that even easier.  Howie and our friends in SoCal have been working hard to get accounts set up, passwords in place, etc. so that we can provide this helpful link. 


SECOND, we are VERY close to having enough money for airline tickets!!  Praise the Lord!!  We really want to get a date nailed down to leave. Right now we are praying for sometime in mid-late February.  Please continue to pray with us for God's perfect timing, the sale of our house, and the strength and stamina to get everything done before we leave. 


If you'd like to donate via credit card, stay tuned, and please keep praying!  If you'd like to write a tax-deductible check, you can make it out to 


"Reaching Beyond Ourselves", and send it to 
The Biemecks
4332 E Palo Brea Ln
Cave Creek, AZ 85331


We will be getting a P.O. Box soon, and will update that as well. 


What we really need are more friends to partner with us financially on a monthly basis.  We have received many generous one-time donations which we are SO grateful for. But, in order to know that we can sustain our ministry in Kenya, we will need more monthly gifts, big or small.  We are about half-way there with monthly pledges.  Would you please pray with us that God would bring us a few more monthly supporters?  If you'd like to know specifics about our budget, feel free to message us on Facebook, or write us at howienamy@yahoo.com


Finally, we have a new Facebook page. If you are on FB, look us up at Safari Of Six. 


Thanks for your prayers and excitement as we take this step of faith. We will keep you updated when we finally have a departure date!!  


All for Him, 
Howie, Amy & kids

New

A new car. A new haircut. New clothes. A new job. A new house. New friends. A new baby. A New Year. 


There's just something about "new".  No one ever says, "come check out my old car", or "wait 'till you see this old pair of jeans I have".  No one ever gets excited to tell people about a job they've had for 15 years.  I think we can all admit we like things a little better when they're new.  I don't quite love my Christmas tree today, with all it's dropping needles, as much as I did 2 weeks ago.  Those shiny things in the store that we just had to have last year have somehow lost their luster. 


As much as I love my house, I'm actually anxious to sell it and move. There is a leak in our roof. The garage door only works 2 days a week, and we desperately need new carpet. Like, really really.  I'm excited to move to a new country, to have a new house (new for us), and to meet new people.  


But what's with New Years?  There's really nothing more "new" about today than yesterday. It's just another day. But since it's the first day of the new calendar year, we get excited. We have hope. We make resolutions. We want to change.  We feel like somehow, we can start over. 


Nothing on this earth stays new. And nothing lasts forever. Not even you and me. Maybe that's why we seem to have an inborn love of the new; because the "newness" wears off so quickly. It leaves us wanting more. 


I love God's promises concerning new things.  God is the only one who can make anything new.  When we accept Christ as our Savior, the Bible says we are a new creation.  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Cor. 5:17.  


That's a comforting thought to me--that I have been made new by my Creator. It's actually more comforting everyday since just last night, on New Year's Eve, I was plucking grey hairs from my head in the mirror. I'm grateful that my mortal body won't be stickin' around forever.  Yikes. 


What gives me hope isn't the New Year.  What gives me hope is that God is the maker of "new". Even the mercy, compassion and love that God shows to us is new everyday. "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness". Lam 3:22-23.  


Every one of us has the opportunity to start new everyday. To have a new life; make a new decision; take a new step of faith. Take your opportunity. Happy NEW Year.