Happy New Year
I love New Years Day. It’s infrequently noted within the church calendar, but dare to join me in changing that. Christmas celebrates God’s greatest gift and the joy of hope, and Easter remembers the only perfect sacrifice and forgiveness of sin. But then New Years can serve to bookend the year as a time of remembering God’s promise and provision in the past year, and to cast light and vision on the virgin year yet to come, celebrating our God who creates and restores. He makes all things, well, new! So this week as I remember 2023 and set goals for 2024, I am reflecting on this passage:
Lamentations 3:22-24
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
This past year has been incredible, challenging, and full of growth. Just 16 months ago, Erin and I were same-side-sitting on a coffee shop couch in the magical fairytale land of Grove City, PA., when someone asked (and I paraphrase), “What if we were missionaries?” Even this time last year, we had barely scratched the surface of the missionary calling God had laid on our hearts. So even though today I still am at the same job in America, speaking the same language and going home to the same house, we’ve seen many changes and answers to prayer.
In March, while we were very uncertain of where God wanted us, we prayed for clarity—that God would send us the right people with the right opportunity. That’s when a friend told us about Shoulder to Shoulder Mexico, and shortly after we had a first call with them, which led to many more.
In June, while we were still sorting out the pieces of this 10,000,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, we prayed for strength and words to speak, as we informed our families and children about the Lord’s leading to Mexico. Instantly, an immense burden was lifted to be able to talk and dream together about this mission and future plans.
In October, while we were awaiting buy-in from Parkside (and a bit from ourselves), we prayed for any red flags about joining STS to be waving from the rooftops, blaring on all stations. Instead, we had such a wonderful, impactful vision trip that our fellow travelers from Parkside almost wanted to join us in missions as well.
And now (per the playbook) this time next year we be in a new home in the heart of Costa Rica, on the brink of an intensely full year of Spanish language acquisition. We’ll have new schedules, new Wi-Fi passwords, new methods of obtaining drinking water. Lord willing, a new church and new friends will follow shortly thereafter. This year will bring us to that point. Without a doubt, 2024 will bring numerous more changes, and certainly numerous more answers to prayer.
Thanks to all those who have pledged support through our Donate page already! A big focus of this season will be raising support, so we appreciate your prayers in that and please reach out if you have any questions for us!
Celebrating the new,
The Josephs
