Dear friends and partners, Several months ago many of you received a support letter from us about our call to Poland. However, there has been an alteration to our plans that we’d like to tell you about. A couple months ago we were asked to take an evaluation with a doctor who works with many pre-field workers in assessing their readiness for overseas ministry. After going through this process it was pointed out that there are a couple issues (like Stephanie’s physical health) that will probably make life more difficult for us when we’re living overseas. In light of these things, it has been decided that it is in our best interest to slow things down and put off moving to Poland so that we can find some healing. We want to emphasize the point that we’re not canceling our plans to move to Poland, but that we’re taking more time to prepare so we can be healthier and better equipped when we do move. We will not be proactive in raising more funds until we’re given the “go” from our church leaders and Josiah Venture. Josiah Venture especially wants us to communicate that the results of our evaluation does not change the way they view us and that they are still excited to have us on their team when the time is right. As our team leader in Poland says, “this is no surprise to God”. God’s timing is indeed perfect and best. During this period, we’ll be seeking help from doctors and being proactive about improving Stephanie's physical health. I will be looking for additional employment while still serving at Grace Community and Stephanie may try to cut back hours at her job so that she can get more rest. If you have already donated, please understand that these funds will still be going towards His Kingdom work through us. We’d love to connect with you so please feel free to contact us. Also, please pray: -that God’s healing hand would be on Stephanie and that He would guide us to the right doctors -that we would press into Him as we walk through this time as a couple -that God would fulfill His call for us in His timing -that God’s Kingdom work in Poland would be fruitful With His love,

Thomas & Stephanie Washington

Catching up

Hey all! I apologize for the lapse of time since our last entry! We want to be avid bloggers, but we'll have to work hard at it since it is a new thing for us. :) So, much has transpired since we last wrote! Thomas graduated from college with his bachelor's degree in English Linguistics this past December! I am so proud of him and he is happy to be done! He is quickly filling his time with many other activities. Christmas was wonderful, we really cherished the time with both of our families. We have officially begun the support raising process. Thank you to those of you have already responded and joined our team, we are so excited about our partnership! If you have not received a letter and would like one, please let us know and we'd be happy to mail you one.

Greg Carlson, the JV country director for Poland was in the States last month and we had a chance to visit with him! We got to take him to another one of our favorite restaurants, Green (an awesome vegan place in Scottsdale), and dream together while we enjoyed our mock chicken buffalo wings (oh yum)! We talked more about our future roles and what our lives are looking like as we are preparing for Poland. We have just barely started a youth choir at church and had a great turn out at our first rehearsal. We are hoping this will give us both some experience in leading choir since we may very well be doing something similar in Poland!

A few prayer requests for this in-between time are:

1) We will be able to quickly and affordable finish our home repairs/remodeling and get our place rented out for a reasonable rate. We may need to refinance, so please pray our mortgage rate won't be over what we will end up charging for rent.

2) I have finally found a doctor that I think will be able to help me with all of my chronic pain & other chronic issues. She just got back from a conference & learned about an issue caused by whiplash that pretty much describes ALL of my symptoms. We are going to get an extensive blood test within the next week. If the results are positive, we know everything is reversible! Please pray for God's provision and that we will wholeheartedly trust Him in this area.

3)We are going to start meeting with groups and individuals to share God's vision for Poland. Please pray God will move in the hearts of people He will call to join us in prayer, financial support, or whatever other way God may be calling them. Also, please pray that we will be able to communicate this vision clearly. If you would like to have us come and share with a small group, home group, bible study, etc. that you are involved in, please contact us.

We look forward to meeting with you all in the next few months. We are hoping to really connect with people and build long-lasting relationships with you all, so that even while we may be on the other side of the world, you will know you can always talk to us about your lives and we will want to share in your joys and sorrows. God's blessings on all of you! Steph

Life right now...

For those of you who are wondering what our lives are looking like right now, I thought I'd post a little summary. :) Thomas has one month of school left, then he graduates with his bachelor's degree in English Linguistics!! He is so excited, he can hardly believe it. I think it's kind of strange for him to envision life without college classes. He's really looking forward to this new phase of life that is on the horizon. He is also the Assistant Pastor of Worship & Arts at Grace Community Church. This makes him in charge of the music portion of our contemporary service, The Venue. He is loving this new position. He feels like he is getting to really use his gifts & talents here. He is still working with the youth group, leading worship occasionally on a Wednesday night here & there, and he also helps lead the senior guy discipleship group. I am still working full-time at ASU, and will continue to do so until we are ready for our next leg of training (which is 5 weeks in Colorado). So, I'll be working here till June or so of next year. I moved up with my youth group girls when they graduated from the preteen ministry into jr. high, and I have accumulated three new co-leaders! They are all so wonderful and different. I truely believe we are a perfect mix for the students since we each bring something different to the table but still work really well together. I have also been assisting with worship in Student Ministries and hope to continue developing in this area of ministry. I sing back-up vocals, but have also been helping recruit students and assisting with some vocal training for other back-up vocals. I tried to take a Polish Class 3 nights a week, but have decided it was just too much right now. Since I dropped it, I feel freed up to focus more on ministry and even rest a little more. :) We are working on writing our official JV Support Letter and hope to have that out within the month. Once we have it done we will post it on the blog as well. Thank you all for taking the time to read our blog and please let us know how we can be praying for you!!! In His Love, Thomas & Steph

JV Orientation

Most of you know that we have been accepted by Josiah Venture to work in Poland. We just returned from our orientation in Chicago. It was such an awesome time! We were one of two couples heading out to Poland, and there were also two going to Czech Republic and one to Croatia. It was so cool to see how different we all were and how we will all bring something different to the teams in Eastern Europe. We are all on similar journeys. All of us have seen the hand of God gently guiding us toward ministry in our prospective countries. We all can see how He has gone before us to prepare us for this next step. I am amazed by His providence. I am encouraged to hear of the different struggles and paths we have taken to get to this place. For me, it was so great to be surrounded by people who share a similar vision and heart for the youth of Eastern Europe! I loved having that common bond. The vision of Josiah Venture is to see a movement of God among the youth of Eastern Europe that finds its home in the local church and transforms society. All of us are being transformed by a movement of this Almighty, loving God in our own lives. Thank you Jesus, for never giving up on us and using our lives to transform others! I was reminded, once again, that we have joined the right organization-we love their vision, their mission, their model of ministry, their desire to dream big with bold faith, and their humility in relying completely on all He is to make it all come together! Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I know I am not the best writer, but I want to share my heart with all of you and I pray you feel encouraged by what He is showing me. Love in our Awesome Savior, Steph Washington