We’ve been back in the states over six months now, so this update is long overdue; sorry.

A couple months after our return, and we were having trouble thinking through how to communicate, and someone saw us in church and said Wow, you look tired. This turned out to be a great summary of where we’re at. It wasn’t until we left Cameroon that I realized just how stressful and wearying it had been. Since then, we’ve had one emergency after another; I feel like I’ve been mostly putting out fires. I won’t bore you with the (very boring) details here, but feel free to ask if you like.

Transition has been hard this time around. How are you all handling inflation? Without even considering the obvious financial implications, the emotional implications of paying 150% of what we expect we should for just about everything, has been hard. And anyone who has bought a car in the last couple years knows that particular corner of insanity. Anyway, these are things you all may have been getting used to over time (at least to some extent), but it’s been hard for us trying to catch up with the changes of the last few years.

Kim mentioned in an earlier blog post that we are in Tolkein’s Houses of Healing. I was thinking about that, and the fact that Éowyn stayed in the houses some time after Aragorn healed her, saying “Shadow lies on me still.” Still, I look for the turning point, “these two of his charges prospered and grew daily in strength.” So for the moment, it isn’t clear where we’re headed.

But we have seen several encouraging signs.

Anna is doing much better, attending classes at school all day every day, and doing very well in most of them. And wrestling with teenage girl things, like how to bring Jesus to the lunch table, and how to deal with her friends’ various sexualities. It isn’t all easy, but way, way better than where she was at a year ago.

Joel is now in his second term at Le Tourneau, and doing well. He has had his share of bumps along the way, but he’s enjoying what he’s learning, and we’re able to help him with some things he finds more challenging, which gives us hope.

James looks to be on track to graduate in May! The last year we’ve been spending a LOT of time and energy working with him, trying to help him get through problems academic, personal and spiritual. I trust that we will look back on this period of investment, and praise God for his work through us and the many others supporting James.

We’ve had some financial difficulties this year, between a few people stopping giving, general inflation, and the craziness of the used car market. But we were given a 2006 Ford Explorer, which has treated us very well since, and for which we thank God daily. Several people have filled in some of the gaps with substantial one time gifts, for which we are also very grateful.

Thanks to each of you that are still reading this; I know I can be longwinded. I’ll close by asking for your prayers for the rest of this transition. For our complete healing. For wise decisions about future work, given our various family issues. That our lives would contribute strategically to the whole church glorifying God and enjoying Him forever.