Jon & Amie Cross

Long lost updates on our end. Thank you to the many that reached out to check in on us and continued in faithful prayer even though we were a bit silent. In many ways it is hard to fill you in on all God has been doing and how he has met us in the hard. I think this season is best summarized by this tree burl that we used to see driving on our way to the kids school.

If you can picture my husband and jr. high children giggling as morning after morning we passed a  stump that had formed to an image strongly resembling someone’s bottom. Over time it has become more than a jr. high giggle to our family, but a reminder that what we are experiencing is not the end of the story because of the God we serve.

This season we want to invite you to join us in turning our attention to the phrase used often in scripture…BUT God… While often used to depict the depth of God’s redemptive grace toward our sinfulness it is also used to remind us that though weak, God will be our strength and portion.

In the part of the world we call home, and our personal lives, there has been a fair amount to mourn: civil unrest, hunger, death and illness. There is so much to mourn …. but because of God there is also a lot to marvel at and hope to be found.

God has been inviting our family and communities into understanding greater depths of the tension that though our flesh and heart may fail God is our strength and portion forever.  I’m grateful we serve a God that is redemptive and can use all things for His glory and our good. These are our …but God moments this spring and we invite you to share them with us.

This spring found Jonathan once again flying into South Sudan unexpectedly. It was a difficult trip and while the details will remain unpublished God provided grace and wisdom both to Jonathan, the team on the ground, the local church, and the chief of the village.

It can be hard to articulate the physical needs our brothers and sisters in this small town experience on a daily basis. It can cause unique challenges when managing limited resources. As Jon left for this trip our family continued a tradition of praying over him before he left. We have adapted a pray style from the Korean church, for this, where you cry out to God and pray at the same time. Mid prayer I ran out of words and listening to my children cry out to God for the church, for Jon, for peace, provision and healing. Of course it was intermixed with prayers for good tasting dinners,  exams, tests, and friendships. It was amazing to hear.

We sent Jon in a bit unsure of what he would experience but God by His grace brought Jon home to us with stories of maturity and accountability that is growing in leader’s of the church. A situation needed to be addressed but because of God we have hope the outcome will be used for His glory.

We want to invite you to pray with us for our partner church (the SIC) in South Sudan that God will strengthen their understanding of Him through persecutions, and hardships they are experiencing as well as provide for them in ways that encourage and strengthen them for His kingdom and glory.

After a serious concussion occurred several weeks into working full time last fall I, (Amie), found myself praying so many times that God would not allow my physical weakness to stop what He was clearly doing through spiritual life programming at our elementary. As the year drew to a close I reflected back on three unexpected hospitalizations for the injury in addition to needing to depart a week early for surgery that I needed to complete in the US in order to join up with my family for our home assignment. As Jon drove me to the airport I felt a bit overwhelmed by all that I had hoped to do that was left undone. As I waited to board my plane to the US the tree stump sitting in our living room came to mind …but God…

This past year we had more cross generational discipleship than I could have dreamed occurring on our campus. Fifth grader’s wanting to work with K students, an 8th grader who wanted to work with 3rd grade students. High School volunteers to lead discipleship for 5th graders, 4th graders wanting adults to lead a bible study. Dance teams for worship, worship teams, adults coming in to study scripture with students. I could keep going but this list serves it’s intent in showing that God didn’t need me healthy to accomplish what He wanted in the hearts of His people.

My faith grew in powerful ways on that plane ride to the US this May …But God in my physical weakness was at work in ways I could only imagine. It strengthened my desire to use my ministry role of one of empowerment and not merely execution so I can continue to have a front row seat to how God empowers and utilizes His people for His glory.

*Side note I am much better now physically*

Thank you for joining us in praying!

We are currently on our home assignment for three more weeks. Please pray for mobilization for more workers to join us, for funding for our “harvest workers” project and joyful family memories.

Please pray as we return to Kenya for wisdom for Jon to manage His work load and Amie as she resumes full time work within two days of our return.

Please pray for our kids. Providence is entering her last year of High School and Rosemary will be a Jr. William will be a Freshman, Daniel in 7th grade and Eleanor entering 3rd grade. Pray for good friendships, learning and memories this year.

Please pray for Kenya. It has been a hard year for many with flooding, difficult exchange rates, and protests.

Between us we will have been in eight states this summer! It has been a busy time of connecting with supporters and supporting churches, SIM, family, friends and looking possible Universities with the girls.

Here is where we will be in these last few weeks.

• July 1-8 King County, WA
• Faith Baptist on Sunday, July 7th
• July 10-14th Eugene, OR
• First Baptist Church on Sunday, July 14th
• July 15-26th King County, WA
• Bethany Church in Puyallup July 20-21

If you want to connect reach out now! We’d love to start putting things on our calendar as this is a short trip that will go by fast!

The Cross Family
Jon, Amie, Providence, Rosemary, William, Daniel & Eleanor