an unintended break

Hello friends!

Well, I can assure you that it was not intentional that I was away from email, computer, blog reading and writing for so long. Everything is okay - only our computers aren't :) At the beginning of June both laptops died; mine could be fixed but isn't worth it, and Joel's will just take some time - Windows needs to be reinstalled and for it to be legal we need his CDs sent from the US. So for now we have a computer borrowed from a friend, and I should be more in touch until we leave for vacation in the summer. However, the break was very good for me, even though I didn't choose it! So I am thankful.

Since it's been such a long time and since I have something real to say now, I thought I would update you all on what we had been thinking about these past few months, or deciding on or waiting for. For quite awhile we were pondering moving back to the US. Joel does not feel like his line of work is suited to him or where he needs to be long-term, though we are thankful for this job here. He would love most to be studying the Bible all day, and I can vouch for that as a true and whole fact. He seems to be gifted by the Spirit with unusual insight into God's Word, and knows that Christ is in all of Scripture. Thus, ministry as a vocation is a likely calling for him, as he is increasingly seeing and feeling. I know that he would thrive and excel and delight in that.

So, we would be going to America either for theological/scholarly/pastoral training, for an apprenticeship with an older pastor and role model, or simply because we were supposed to be in the US. Joel would like us to move back eventually, but we don't know the timeline of that, or what it will look like. What I've learned from my parents' story, and what we hear from many others, is that God's call and timing may not match in worldly eyes, or may be different from our plans - or simply take longer.

Well, eventually the desire to go to seminary faded, at least for now, and the other option was closed. And around the same time Joel felt right in being here for now, and that there was a purpose for doing so, for however long. Whether it is longterm or just 'in between time,' we want to pray for even more revival and reformation to happen in our church, which we love.

So now that you've heard, as far as we know, we are here in Dubai for now! But if it is the case that we are ultimately supposed to be in the US and that Joel is called to vocational ministry, then it is only a matter of time - it could be before we expect, in a year, in five years or twenty.

I hope to be back a little more now that we have the borrowed computer, but for now, here is a hello and some news :)

Much love,

Cait