God is moving

Greetings everyone,

We are so blessed to have you with us on our journey to join Jesus in his mission in the world, wherever he has planted us.   Thank you for your continued prayers, love, and support.  We could not be in ministry without you.

So often since we have been back people ask us our plans.  Will we return overseas? What does life look like now?  What will our future look like?

Our answer is always the same, we are trusting the Lord with today and our future.  For now we know the Lord has called us to be here and we ask him daily to show us his path for us.  We pray for open eyes, open hearts and minds to be able to see where the Lord is moving and creating a space for us to serve.

 We spend a lot of time these days with young adults, mentoring and praying for them as they navigate life and try to discern how the Lord might be calling them.  Since CoVid many of our conversations have been online, but we are still meeting students as we can using social distancing.  At TMS Global where we serve, cross-cultural workers are coming to us even during this season and being approved to serve all over the world.  We have had to make alternate processes for acceptance and training, but God is continuing to open doors.  One of the students we took on a Greenlight trip for 2 summers has recently gone to serve as a first-year teacher in Eastern Europe.  Though it has its challenges, she is experiencing the fullness of life and abundance of God's grace being obedient to the call to be the salt and light in a hurting world.  God is so good.

Time with young adults

Greenlight 2019

Each week we are talking with cross-cultural workers from around the world, connecting with them and offering a time for them to feel heard and supported.  In America we have had many challenges with CoVid, but our friends in different countries have had deep struggles.  One family in East Asia was forced to remain in their apartment complex for months with 3 children, unable to leave.  Another said many people were dying on the streets without money to buy food.  Life is hard and workers have needed time to share their stories and to be prayed for.  We also join virtually with all of the staff at TMS at 8:30am each weekday to pray for workers all over the globe.  It has been a gift to us to offer that member care to so many God has called to serve overseas and at home.

We have also been encouraged by the Lord to neighbor well.  We have lived in the same neighborhood for over 20 years.  Before we left for Thailand we knew people around us, vaguely.  Today as we walk the neighborhood we realize we are getting to know so many people.  Many young families have moved here and seem to be seeking community so we can offer encouragement and hospitality to them.  We also have many from other cultures including families from Bhutan, Greece, Germany, Venezuela and more.  We are also opening our lives and asking for opportunities to learn more and be in community with those who are not like us. 

Neighbors

Since CoVid we also have elderly people that God has given us to care for and walk alongside in deep ways.  Once couple in their late 80's and early 90's who lost their only daughter to cancer several years ago have become some of our best friends.  The elderly gentleman has struggled with dementia and the road hasn't been easy, but we will never regret the time we have been able to pour into their lives and for all we have learned from them.  It is a great blessings to be able to offer ourselves to others and then we recognize in helping others we have been graced with great joy.  

We have also been able to offer opportunities for facilitating Discovery Bible Study with different groups.  God opened the door for a Facebook Live Bible study for several months with our local church.  It took some getting used to facilitate a discussion with only us on camera and comments coming through the chat, but God did end up blessing it for many people and of course for us too.  TMS Global is working on a Biblical based series "Who is my Neighbor" that has also been a gift to be able to participate in the development of that project.  We believe it will be a blessing for many to use as we explore the Kingdom of God and ask questions and find answers to how we can neighbor well and grow the Kingdom of God where we live, work, and do life.

From January 2020 in Cyprus, prior to Covid

This is a bit of our work and life at least for today. As for our family Noah is at the end of his undergrad degree in Supply Chain Management at Anderson University.  Hannah Grace is a junior at Co-Op Art school and taking dual enrollment at North Greenville University.  Sidney is working locally with an engineering company as a technician  and Ashely is still in LA working on a master's in Counseling and planning to be married next May.  Thank you again for blessing us.  We pray each of you are doing well and pray for your regularly.  We are available to talk and pray with you and would love that opportunity.  We are making plans for a Greenlight Trip to Thailand this summer, but also know that those plans could change.  Just like everyone else, one day at a time and praying for the grace to live as Jesus would have us live and be his disciples to a hurting world.

Sidney, Ashley, Noah and Hannah Grace

Grace and peace,

The Attaways

Prayer Requests

Health and well-being of our parents and children

Continued ministry with young adults or whoever the Lord puts before us and the grace, wisdom, and ability to walk alongside them on their journeys

For neighboring well and chances to share that vision with others who want to do the same

For spiritual protection and provision