The season of renewal

 Wow, winter has officially ended, but you wouldn't know it by looking out our windows! A fresh blanket of snow, atop the dwindling but stubborn snow pack, greeted us this morning as a reminder of how far north we actually live.

Spring is the time of renewal; nature reveals how much the rest provided by winter has made it possible for new life to start bursting forth. Our tulips have just braved the surface of our front planter as a sign of hope. But like all the years we have lived here, we wait. We will wait for weeks, usually well beyond Easter, for true spring. The effects of the equinox and lengthening days have an influence, but it just seems to take SO LONG for the winter's cold to finally yield to the changing season.

Our family is in another season of renewal: visa renewal. And there is waiting, and there are implications to it, too. Yesterday, our visas expired. We are now again in a period of "implied status" here, kind of like bureaucratic limbo. We have submitted our applications over a month ago, but, like the lingering winter that is slow to respond to the coming spring, we have a lingering hold while our applications are processed; approximately a 130-day wait.

Please join us in prayer that the Lord would be gracious and grant us our documents, so that we can continue to serve the church plant here. Until a decision is reached we are permitted to stay, but it is always a strange time that feels unsettled.

While we're waiting we have a few other needs. Some logistical, some personal. All for prayer.

First, a new tax accountant

Our Canadian accountant let us know that he is no longer doing personal taxes for any clients who don't also have a business. As our international tax situation is complicated, we have relied on him for years to help us navigate the complexities of our U.S.-Canada taxes, in partnership with our U.S.-based accountant. We are in need of a new accountant here a.s.a.p. and appreciate prayer for God's guidance to the right person or firm. Last year, due to our short visa status in 2020, we had no clergy tax credit and ended up paying a hefty sum to the Canadian government and will likely do so again because of the same reason. If our visa renews, it will be Lord willing, for three years, and we can avoid these heavy taxes for next year.

Second, health coverage

Every time our visas expire before we get new ones, we have to apply for a health care coverage extension. The extension is 90 days. Please pray that we will get the extension easily and for no health emergencies (both overall and in the meantime). Praise God our recent health issues (eye checks, new glasses, a broken finger and injured toe, all on different people) don't need any further care and our other  care is separate and self-pay.

Third, safety

We have had a string of physical ailments or injuries over the course of fall and winter. Many are from trips and falls; some are adult, some children. Nothing too serious, but it has just seemed like alot. 

Julie has had an autoimmune disorder for years and now one of the girls does as well. Also, Julie's has re-surfaced after decades of dormancy (but this seemed to be connected pretty directly to a tetanus shot she got at the end of 2020 summer). 

Dejan had a toe injury that got re-injured recently at church when something got dropped on it. The podiatrist said it's not going to get infected, but most of the nail bed will not recover from the trauma. He also either displaced or (likely) broke a rib in October moving straw bales in our back yard. Thankfully he has recovered, but it took several months. 

Three of the girls have had minor bone breaks; one a big toe, another a small toe, the third a pinky. Thankfully our little guy has stayed clear of injuries, but we would really appreciate prayer for safety!

Last, harmony

Please pray for our children. They love each other, but they live together pretty much 24/7, and being in ministry, with Dejan pastoring and counseling people we get our fair share of spiritual warfare in the home, which often shows up as discord of some kind. This can happen between them and also between them and us as parents. Wednesdays and Saturdays seem particularly challenging due to Dejan's prep for services. We are so blessed to be able to serve the Lord as a family, and we treasure all the time we get together, as well as the multiple opportunities to pour into our children spiritually, but some days are just hard. Your prayers and ours combined are a powerful force against the enemy who wants to drag them and us down, and a vital lifeline to access God's grace in our times of need.

We hope this update finds you blessed in the love of Christ. He is the Rock that never fails!

In Him,

Dejan and Julie <><