A Cup of Cold Water

Thursday morning we started driving to  Louisiana for formation with Family Missions Company!  As we drove off, we read the daily readings and the Gospel reading spoke to us in a very personal way: "Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him." As hard as it was to get rid of our things, leave our house, say good-bye to family and friends, we have an even greater joy in knowing that we are following Jesus! We have arrived at Big Woods, FMC training grounds!  We officially begin formation tomorrow morning with 5 other families, and 15 singles!  We will share all three meals together, pray together, work together, and be inspired by other missionaries through teachings all as a part of our formation day. Today we spent the day making our little house a home.  Unpacking suitcases, and hanging up personal touches.  It is ama...

I came across another missionary's list of prayer intentions. As I was reading through this list of intentions, I desired to have people praying these for our family! We humbly ask for you to commit to pray for us, and to use these intentions to help you do so: PRAYERS FOR MISSIONARIES: THEIR WORK For boldness in sharing the Truth Pray for them to speak with a bold Truth, soaked with love and grace, to be an agent of healing. Ephesians 6:20 For clarity of mind and message Pray for their words to be succinct and well understood, for hearts to hear and receive the Truth and for it to be presented clearly. Colossians 4:4 For a harvest Pray for each seed that is sown to be watered, tended, grow, and eventually bear fruit. Pray that God would do amazing things in each life, in each family, in each community for His glory. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 For language fluency Pray for the missionaries to speak well and understand clearly the language(s) where...

"Lord Jesus, we have asked that you lead us and guide us.  We praise you and thank you for doing so.  You are leading us on this journey!  We thank you for the confirmations that you have been giving us as we take each new step in following you on this journey into foreign missions!  Amen!" Our house is SOLD!   This was another significant step of faith for us, handing it all over to the Lord.  Step by step we are getting closer to our departure date. Here was a little of the process of getting our house ready: Sorting, purging, boxing, sending. Does it stay for now?  Should it go today? Who would like this?  Can somebody use that? How many more days can she play with it?  Bring it to Louisiana?  Mexico?  Then where? No more time to think!  Don't stop now!  It's time to have it pretty, perfect, tidy, clean. Quick hide it, burn it, send it out! Ready? Now! The boys room was a mo...

Surrendering To God's Will With many mixed thoughts and emotions, I recently ended my job as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  In all honesty, leaving my counseling career behind has been one of the hardest aspects for me personally as we prepare to head back into foreign missions.  It reminds me how strong the temptation is to find my identity and worth through my career.  In the world's eyes I was finally becoming somebody.  I had finally made it.  I was now a professional with letters behind my name.  I have to admit that being able to tell people I'm a licensed therapist has felt good.  I finally felt like I was someone people would respect and admire.  People were now coming to me for advice.  I was gaining a solid reputation as a well known Catholic therapist, and business was picking up.  Financial security was within reach.  Then, I heard the Lord's gentle, persistent voice asking me to just let it go and g...

Detachment We began our purging process by having a garage sale.  Leading up to the sale day we kept piling more and more stuff up in the dining room.  Up until the last hour of the sale, we kept searching through the house to bring things out.  Going through our things stirred emotions as I ran across many sentimental things, that brought back lots of memories.   I was surprised by how hard it was sorting through things and deciding what to get rid of.  This stuff was not even the "best" stuff.  What a lesson in detachment, in realizing how attached I have become to things.  I even cried when we packed up all of the baby clothes and sent them off, both as I was remembering all the memories of my kids when they were little, wondering where I will get more clothes if we have another, as well as wishing we could bring them with us to give to those in mission. I think we could all relate to Bridget's outward emotion, as she said "goodb...

I say it begins again, because we have done this before.  We spent three years as missionaries with the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity.  You can see our pictures from our past blog at beckerfamilymission.blogspot.com . That was 10 years ago, and our family has since grown.  Isaac and Gemma don't remember packing up their things the first time.  Augustine, Bridget and Aviana have lived here their whole life.  They would like to share their thoughts with you as we begin to go. "Because we are going into mission, we will have to purge all of our things except for a few belongings which we will bring in our suitcases. I am starting by filling up this empty box shown in the picture." -Isaac  "I love reading, so it is very hard for me to get rid of my books. My love language is gifts.  I love getting gifts(who doesn't), but I also really enjoy giving gifts. It made me happy when I gave some of my books to a friend." -Gemma  ...

We welcome you to join us on our journey to give "a cup of cold water" to those who are thirsty, as you follow our blog.  We have been so richly blessed that we take for granted the cold, clean water we have available to us at any and every moment.  Jesus tells us, "whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these littles ones to drink because he is a disciple-amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."  Matt. 10:42 We are grateful to have the opportunity to put Jesus' words into action as we join Family Missions Company to go out, serve the poor and proclaim the Gospel.  We don't know that we will literally be bringing clean water to families, but we do know that we will have the great privilege to bring the goodness of our abundance and share it with the poor and to bring hope to those in need of hope. Over the next months we will be preparing to leave on this adventure, by quitting our jobs, selling our house, saying "goo...