As I think about our upcoming move to Kenya, I find myself reflecting often on the life of the Apostle Paul.
Nothing about Paul’s journey was easy. He was shipwrecked, beaten with rods, left for dead, imprisoned, rejected, and constantly carried the weight and pressure of the churches on his shoulders. Yet in the middle of all of that, Paul called these things “light afflictions.”
Paul has always been one of my heroes.
One of the greatest misconceptions many people have is believing that if you follow God, life will automatically become smooth and easy. The problem is—I simply can’t find that idea anywhere in Scripture.
Now, I can say this with confidence: life with God is better. It is meaningful. It is valuable. It is worth living. But I would not describe it as easy in the sense of being careless or comfortable.
The path is clear—but it is narrow.
The path is well lit—but it is still precarious.
We must remain diligent, watching for pitfalls, distractions, and the subtle attacks that try to pull us away from God’s purpose.
Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” That tells me something important: there is still a yoke, and there is still a burden.
Opposition will come.
Conflict will come.
Persecution will come.
But when those things arise, we must recognize that they have an agenda. The enemy comes for the Word’s sake. The purpose of hardship is often to steal the Word of God from our hearts and weaken our faith.
That is why we must continue steadfastly in prayer and in confessing His Word.
His Word is near me. It is in my heart and in my mouth.
When difficulties come, I overcome them through the Word.
When doubt and uncertainty arise, I answer them with the promises of God:
“I am more than a conqueror.”
When sickness attacks my family:
“He sent His Word and healed them.”
When financial struggles arise:
“My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.”
Over the years, I have learned something valuable:
Opposition is part of the journey.
Struggles are part of the journey.
So don’t waste your struggles.
Paul said, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
We must learn how to discover His strength in the middle of our weakness. If we can do that, we stop becoming frustrated by our limitations and begin recognizing something deeper: in our inability, weakness, and suffering, God’s strength is revealed most clearly.
God did not call you because you were strong.
He called you because He is.
The only way we will complete this journey into Africa is by relying completely on His strength, His vision, and His ability—not our own.
At times, we may be weak.
But in that weakness, we remember that He who began a good work in us, is faithful to complete it!
If you feel weak today, remember where your strength comes from.
As we begin this journey into Africa, we are believing God for 100 monthly partners who will stand with us in prayer and support. We ask that you would pray and ask the Lord if He is calling you to be one of those 100 partners.
If He is, step out in faith and be generous. God loves a cheerful giver.
We love you and deeply appreciate all you do.
Blessings,
Hans and Teresa