End of the Line or Full Circle?

Most people are pretty busy in December, so this will be short.

Just last week we sent in Dejan's application for naturalization (U.S. citizenship), which he is eligible for in February 2012, and the same day we mailed it we learned that his employment will be ending December 15th. This came unexpectedly to us, but we have complete peace from God, and it is such an exciting time for us. So..... we are transitioning now to live from the support which we are raising to be in Canada.

We are also wondering, is our time here in the U.S. almost at an end? Or has the Lord brought us full circle in our time here because He is sending us out soon and very soon? We are eagerly waiting on Him. A funny thing is, we were recently praying that Dejan would again have more time for translation. God answers! Dejan will be working translation at home in the coming weeks, and Lord willing, the freedom from an office job will aid in the raising of the balance of our support.

Praising Him Who is working it all together for our good,

Dejan and Julie

Fly by...just checking in

So that was an eye-opener. Moving, that is. What alot of work...and what alot of stuff! Not too keen on moving any time soon. Well, not unless we have some major organizing/boxing/packing help from others. It's a snail's pace for the two of us to do alot of things, between Dejan working full-time and Julie keeping track of the girls.

Life is meant to be about people and not possessions, this is probably agreed upon by most people. But, wow. Moving definitely sets things into a whirl. We'll probably just be getting to feel settled when it will be time to box up and go. (It seems we have about 60% of our financial support covered!)

Thanks to those who prayed for the move, who helped with the move-in and move-out process, who prayed for Julie the next day when she fell totally ill (all is well now), and to Grandma for her short-notice taxi, childcare and cooking service on multiple occasions. We are grateful to GOD for every act of thoughtfulness toward our family in these several weeks. He continues to show us He is looking out for us, and we are encouraged by all the love from our brothers and sisters in Christ.

On a more serious note, we are preparing Dejan's application for U.S. citizenship, which can be mailed any time now. He is eligible in early February and can apply up to 90 days in advance (read: November). We hope all will go smoothly and appreciate your prayers for this process.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. " 1 Thessalonians 5:18

REQUEST FOR PRAYER

Yesterday we were able to move the majority of our things into our new apartment, thanks to lots of help! However, during the night, Julie became very ill and she is currently quite feverish and not functioning too well. This makes it very challenging complete our move and almost impossible to care for our girls. Please be lifting her up in prayer. Thanks.

4 Anniversaries and a Dress Rehearsal

Forgive the long pause since our last update. I was just getting ready to post when we were rear-ended in a car accident. Now I can literally say of my aches and pains that "it feels like I've been hit by a truck"!

November brings many anniversaries for us as a couple, a family, and concerning the Lord's leading in our lives:

1. This month it's Eva's birthday (already)! Time flies when you're having fun!!

2. Then, on the 12th is our anniversary of when the Lord called us together and we started on the path towards marriage; 8 years of awesome friendship!

3. The weekend of the 9th-12th also marks the end of our fourth year of living in the U.S. Yep, we've been here that long. Hard to believe in some ways.

4. And last, but certainly very significant, it was three years ago this month that we sensed the Lord's calling on our lives to church-plant in Edmonton.

To celebrate, we find ourselves sandwiched in between doctor and dentist appointments, two weddings and a birthday party. But, as if that weren't enough excitement, we are also moving! No, we're not headed to Canada just yet, but we are moving north! Recently we learned that we are exceeding the occupancy for our little apartment, so we are moving into a larger one, and it just happened to become available during this next, busy week.

There was quite a bit of back and forth in our minds about moving in town, due to concerns about uprooting our girls too many times in a short period (since the plan is to move to Calgary for several weeks before finally settling in Edmonton once we go out). HOWEVER, the LORD addressed all our concerns in such a sweet way.

First, since we are required to get into a bigger apartment, we couldn't really argue with that being God's will. Second, He has given us great favor with the property manager at our complex, and she is allowing us to move without signing a new lease, which enables us to continue renting month-to-month so that when we are able to move we can do so freely. Third, since we will be in the same complex, the layout is nearly identical to our current apartment, so it's not a huge change for our children.

Fourth (this one is pretty fun), we are looking at this move as a sort of dress rehearsal for our big move into Canada. Like a trial run-practice move, so to speak. We're only going about 500 yards, from one end of the complex to the exact other, but we still have to completely vacate and clean the one we're in right now. So we figure it will give us a fair impression of what we will be facing when we ultimately leave this country.

So that's it. Fun and blessed memories of the Lord's work in our lives and sweet times He has graced us with. A long and growing history together. A crazy international move across the globe, relocating, and the call to a new nation. A precious new life in our family. These are some of our "Ebenezers" (stones of remembrance--1 Samuel 7, esp. v.12), and we're thankful for them. Thanks for letting us share them with you.

The Foreigners

So I've spent the whole afternoon today becoming completely confused by government website information regarding all kinds of things from auto insurance to work permits and my conclusion is...? Canada is a foreign country. It might not sound profound (and to some, it is probably downright intellectually offensive), but it is an inescapable fact.

I would imagine that most of you reading this post are not Canadians and that the majority are American citizens. This is both a blessing, internationally/diplomatically speaking, and somewhat of a handicap. Why? Because we are neighbors along the largest undefended international border in the world, and yet, because we are so neighborly with Canada, we tend to blend the U.S. and Canada together in one general category. Yes, there are things that wiggle their way into our common-knowledge humor regarding the differences, but how different could they really be? Way different, that's how.

We used to joke about the bureaucracy in the Hungarian system when we lived in Hungary and were pursuing our permanent residence there. In fact, there was a staff member at the castle whose entire ministry to staff and students was to help them obtain their visas and navigate the issues, medical exams, consulate visits, etc. Boy, I sure wish we had her with us right now as we face our move!

Canadian immigration is no straight-forward walk in the park. Yes, we're going as missionaries, visitors (hopefully I will be able to get part-time work teaching Kindermusik), but that means we have a host of other sticky legal issues facing us. We are foreigners, and the Canadian government, as much as they are interested in populating their nation carefully and ensuring the best for all inhabitants, has put a proverbial wall around the nation to seemingly keep foreigners keenly aware of their outsider status.

To all of this, I would like to apply a truth that was shared with us by someone in our prayer team during our last monthly meeting, which puts it into perspective:

Understanding will not bring you peace.

God is able. Nothing is impossible with Him. Rahab, Ruth, Mary, Moses. Nehemiah, Daniel, Joseph. The LORD is on the side of the foreigner, the unlikely, the unresourced, the outsider. And He is our God. He is for us. Even though we don't understand all the technicalities so eloquently and verbosely layed out in the government immigration and legal websites, HE does, and He opens doors that no man can shut. He's got the inside on everything. He gives favor with rulers, and is the Lord of lords, all who are in authority.

I wish I could get my brain around all the information about what we need for our move, but the bottom line is that we need to trust the Lord. He will take care of that which concerns us. Praise Him for that!!

Video Greetings From Canada

We recently visited Alberta, staying in Calgary to fellowship with Rocky Mountain Calvary Chapel, in addition to meeting with some brothers from Edmonton. During our visit we asked one of the pastors to share about Edmonton and our vision to church-plant there. This is it!

God's gentle leading

Recently I've been thinking about how the LORD has been fulfilling a promise I started clinging to the day we found out we were expecting Sara:

"He shall feed His flock like a shepherd:

He shall gather the lambs with His arm,

and carry them in His bosom, and shall

gently lead those that are with young."

-Isaiah 40:11

Several times I have been reminded of that last portion, that He, Jesus, will "gently lead those that are with young." I'm with young! I have little children. LORD, lead us gently. That has often been my prayer as a mother concerning the things that lay ahead of us in God's will.

We have been praying about going to Edmonton for what seems to us such a long time, and even in that I see how God is looking out for us and our children, that it be a gentle transition. But beyond that, in a greater picture, I recently realized how the Lord moving us out of Serbia in 2007 was part of what He's doing with us today.

You see, the laws in Serbia have changed during the past year in such a way that, even if we had returned to live in Serbia in 2008 as we initially thought we would when we left, we would've had to leave last year anyway. A couple we know who are also a Serbian husband-American wife pair were unable to live together in Serbia since last fall. The wife was living in Hungary, unable to re-enter Serbia, and in December she flew home to the U.S. They are currently waiting for her husband to receive his green card so he can join her and they can continue their married life here in the States.

I am amazed that, though it didn't make sense, and though we had to leave Serbia so quickly in 2007 (we departed 6 weeks after the decision was made), I am so thankful that the LORD directed us to leave then, when it was just the two of us, instead of last year, in haste, when we had a toddler and I was pregnant with our second!

He has settled us here as a family, given us a vision and hearts for church planting in Edmonton, and we have been so blessed to be part of the fellowship of Calvary Chapel Pocatello. Though we didn't see it at the time, GOD saw these legal developments, and He transitioned us to North America in His perfect timing, not ours. That is His gentle leading!

We're headed North tomorrow for a week or so, and I'm curious to see how He will continue to bring things together in His gentle way. More to come...

Radio Interview

I think we've managed to embed the recorded interview from last week when Dejan was a guest on The Chris Kelly Show. You can listen below (it's not really a video, but it is about 45MB):

Sharing the vision in Boise

On Monday, April 11th, God gave us a unique opportunity to talk about what God is calling us to in Edmonton. A brother who also serves in radio ministry in the Boise area connected Dejan with The Chris Kelly Show on KBXL 94.1 FM.

He was interviewed for the entire hour, during which he was able to share how the LORD led us to considering Canada, as well as his background and testimony, and some general discussion of European issues and the Gospel. We are absolutely amazed that this open door was given to us, and we are curious about how He is going to use this in His plan for sending us to the mission field.

The interview will be available to listen online sometime soon, and we'll post the details at that time. On their Facebook page there is some basic information as well:

Chris Kelly

Dejan Buljovcic was my guest today! He's originally from Serbia -- but now lives in Pocatello with his wife, Julie. They're preparing to go to Edmonton, Alberta in Canada to start a church and they can use some sponsors! You can check out their info at ccpocatello.com -- click on missions and then Canada to find out more! They also have a blog you can check out from the ccpocatello.com web site...

Monday at 7:01pm

Praise God for His divine appointments!

Growing God's Vision for Edmonton

Last February at this time we were just getting back from 5 days in Edmonton. What a blessing it was to be able to actually be there, to pray, seek the LORD and get a feel for the city. We were able to meet a couple who are praying for a Calvary Chapel to be planted there, and since that time, we have received e-mails from several more people who are also looking for a Bible-teaching church home.

Though we had hoped to be in Canada in 2010, our plans were not including the newest member of our family, who is now over 3 months old and winning our hearts more and more as the days and weeks pass. The LORD knew our family would be expanding and He mercifully kept us here where we are, close to our church family and the grandparents, during a time when much moral support and practical help have been needed. This last six months or so has also been a time of growth and further rooting of the vision we originally had for church-planting in Edmonton.

One great blessing was that we were able to visit two other congregations and meet the precious people at Calvary Chapel Flathead Valley, MT and Calvary Chapel Salmon, ID. Another plus to remaining has been the beginning of a home fellowship in our home. It is such a joy to be able to serve the LORD together again in ministry, after 3 years of opportunities to serve separately. We truly enjoyed ministering together in Serbia and look forward to what's ahead. In fact, all four members of our family are enjoying this home study.

Lastly, we were incredibly blessed to be enabled to go to the Missions Conference last month. The spiritual warfare surrounding our trip was non-stop, but the LORD gave us determination, endurance, and joy which greatly strengthened us. The messages at the conference fit into our hearts in what seemed to be specially prepared spaces. The fellowship with other missionaries, pastors and people like us preparing to go out left us built up and encouraged; we are still drawing from those times of fellowship and prayer.

As we consider our current situation, we see by faith the LORD's hand moving on our behalf to clear the path North for us. We are seeking Him for His timing and are certain that He will be faithful to speak. Thanks for following us so far on this journey. We are believing God to do great things and know that includes all that is yet unseen in the present.

Missions Conference

"Let the Nations Be Glad!" This was the theme this year for Calvary Chapel Missions Conference, which we attended 2 weeks ago. There were missionaries from far and wide, pastors and senders from missions-minded churches, and people like us who are missionaries preparing to go out on the field.

It was a blessing to meet and fellowship with everyone the Lord put in our paths. We were able to connect with peers who are serving in different countries, our friends who are serving in B.C. Canada, friends from Bible College days and new faces. We also spent a bit of time with the sister who Dejan works with for translation of Pastor Chuck Smith's sermons. We had an especially encouraging time of fellowship and prayer with one couple Julie has known for several years and who have been missionaries for as long as we've both been saved. We were truly blessed by the LORD and we hope we also were able to be a blessing to others.

There were specific encouragements from missionaries who are church-planting in places like Kyrgysztan and Nepal, to boldly share the gospel and preach and teach the Word of God, no matter the cultural bias. There were also general teachings and testimony on the Muslim world and Islam, a topic that keeps coming to us as we prepare for Edmonton, with its own significant Muslim population.

The calling of God is a clear thing for us, but it is still nice to be affirmed by others in that calling. For example, one couple from Arizona who are preparing to go to Africa said that the Canadians who winter in their area evidence a clear need for the LORD by their speech and actions. Another woman was glad to hear that there are now about 19 Calvary Chapel churches in Canada, since she has prayed for Canada for years, along with missions worldwide.

We're thankful that the LORD opened up the way for us to attend, even with fierce spiritual warfare in travel and health. Overall, it was refreshing to be with other missionaries and missions-focused brothers and sisters.