Sunsets and Seasons of Life

The sun is setting on this season of our lives...

With less than two weeks left in this beautiful country, sentiments are starting to kick in. Starting to have "lasts"- last trip to the beach, last time seeing certain friends, last small group meeting.... the process of good byes and moving on is never easy. And for some reason, this move is the hardest one to date, at least for me (Jamie). Our experience in the DR has been rich and full. Relationships have been deep and challenging, ministry has been fulfilling and sharpening, and God has nourished our hearts with the beauty that surrounds us and all of the fun adventures we have been able to have along the way (like the one Matthew is on right now- as he is hiking Pico Duarte, the highest peak in the Caribbean, with the students!). 

In honor and appreciation of what this time has meant to us, I'd like to share some pictures that represent some of the blessings we have received while living here ... 

Raising kids here has been great!

Beauty- everywhere!

Little getaways

Community <3
(The girls facing the other direction are students, they have to do that for confidentiality reasons!)

And then there are the blessings and the priceless life lessons that cannot be captured in a picture... and that at this point I'm not sure I could even do it justice to try to put them into words. To say the least, leaving the people that we have grown so close to in the past two years and this place that we have come to love is going to be very difficult. We are SO blessed that God brought us here and would never change it for the world. 

Please be praying for us in this transition! Pray that we would end well here, both in ministry and in our relationships. Pray that the Lord would blow us away with his provisions for us in the move, from material needs-car, job, finances- as well as for our future community in Marion and for our little family. Gabe especially is aware of changes but does not quite have the coping skills to handle it, so his little heart needs extra prayers through all of this. 

I'm not sure how many of these blog posts we will write from here on out! It is honestly weird to go back and not be a "missionary" anymore. It has been such a faith builder to walk this road with all of those who have so faithfully supported us with funds and prayers... it is such an example of what the body is supposed to be about! I hope and pray that we can continue to foster a sense of "togetherness" in seeking to build his Kingdom as a body...because after all, that's what we are! 

With thankful hearts, 

The Morley Family

Turning Points

This past May was an unexpected turning point for us in our lives and ministry. The month began with starting two new books, one on prayer (Handle with Prayer by Charles Stanley) and one on the Holy Spirit (Forgotten God by Francis Chan). In hindsight, all I (Jamie) have to say is if you need a spiritual kick in the butt, spend time focusing on your prayer life and having more of the Holy Spirit! In addition, Matthew was also focusing on prayer in his sermons for the month and God had prompted us to fast from several things.

Selah is almost 5 months already!

By the second week of May we had an inclination of why such the spiritual focus. God was readying our hearts for what He was going to ask us to consider... moving back to the states. When it first came to our attention through a series of events that all happened too close together to be considered coincidence, we decided to at least pray about it. I remember telling Matthew, "There is no way God is asking us to move back right now!"

As we spent a few weeks in prayer our hearts began to shift, and we realized God was reorienting our hearts away from the CMA, which we have been 100% committed to. I (Matthew) found the process of this decision to be extremely difficult. About three weeks into it I was facing some serious doubts about my ability to be guided by God, which was also doubting God's ability to guide me. One night while we were praying I was prompted to pray for our upstairs neighbors who had not returned from an all day beach excursion. It was about two hours later than when they normally would return. As I was praying for them, the Lord filled me with a confidence that he was going to bring them back safely. I felt Him say to me that if I can be confident that he was going to guide them safely home, than I can also be confident in God's guidance over my life.

Gabe turns 2 in August!

We are officially returning back to the states August 10th. I will be starting seminary at Wesley Seminary in September. Those are about the only two details we have set in stone at this point! It seems as though moving back to the states has been a bigger step of faith than it was to move to the DR. We have grown and learned so much during our time here. Plus, its hard to give up year-round sunshine and beautiful mountains (this is Jamie speaking again). But we are trusting that God will work all things out for our good and that ultimately all of these changes and challenges will be used to mold us more into His image.

We need your prayers just as much now as ever. Please continue to support us in this way! And if you desire to make one last one-time donation before we move to help with the cost of transition, please do this before August 10th. You all have been an amazing support and we have learned so much about what the body of Christ is all about through relying on you all to make this whole thing possible! Thank you.

All praise and glory to God!

Jamie and Matthew

Praying For Prayerfulness

It has been too long since we have updated all of you on our ministry here at the CMA. First of all, I would like to thank all of you who support us through prayer and finances. We are truly grateful for each one of you. Feel free to connect with us, we'd love to hear how you are are doing.

I continue to find ministry hard, but very satisfying. Each day I am challenged by youth who are at different places in their faith. We continue to be in a season of life where fruit is being produced in the form of spiritually growing teenagers. This is a true blessing, because many times in ministry the fruit is not always visible and obvious as it is now.

I am mentoring a 17 year old male student who recently approached me and asked to go on a walk. He confessed he was a habitual liar, and that he had been lying to all the other students about who he was since he had arrived on campus. I wasn't sure if the sweat pouring off his forehead was from the heat of the day, or from the continual burden of holding in these lies.  He wasn't quite sure what to do, but after we prayed he had the strength from God to do the right thing!  It was a joy to see the physical burden lifted off his chest as he confessed to the other students. Afterwards he told me how glad he was to come to CMA, otherwise he would still be living in lies.

Our campus has been focusing in on prayer for this month, and one of our female students was telling me how she isn't very good at praying. She said she talks to God like she is having a normal conversation, and tells Him about her day. She sometimes will go to the bathroom to be alone and tell Him how she is frustrated or struggling with anger. With wide eye's I told her that this is exactly what God desires of us. A part of me was even jealous of my very new sister-in-Christ. Just simply talking with God, has never come very naturally for me as it seems to be for her. I've been thinking recently about the question:  Why should I talk with God when He already knows everything about my day.  I think part of it is,  just like I love hearing my one year old talk in broken english to me, God loves hearing me talk to Him. He takes pleasure in listening to me. Another part is, if I truly love God and want him to be an all encompassing presence in my life, I will naturally want to speak with him.

Honestly, a lot of times I struggle having the desire. My most selfish prayer is that God would increase my prayerfulness. I echo this prayer from AW Tozer:

"O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed."



Please pray that my family and our campus will go throughout our days with an attitude of prayer
Blessings,
Matthew

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Introducing Selah Grace Morley

I'm sure most of you have heard by now, but we have been enjoying our newest addition to the family for almost 3 weeks! Selah joined our family on February 14, weighing in at 9 lbs 5 oz. Many of you were praying for Selah's delivery, as we were trying for a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). Although there were several moments during the almost 24 hour labor that the doctor was going to call for a c-section, I was able to deliver Selah naturally in the end, glory be to God! It was evident throughout the entire labor and delivery process that God was present, protecting and guiding everyone each step of the way. 

Here are some pictures of our little cutie :)

 

Thank you all for your prayers and support as we continue to strive to be a family that glorifies the Lord in all things! 

With love, 

Jamie 

The Quickness of Obedience

      "Early the next morning," (Gen. 20:8) Abimelek wakes up to obey God and return Abraham's wife Sarah. "Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey" (Gen. 22:3), to offer his son as a sacrifice, in obedience to God. The servant of Abraham refuses food, so he can find out whether or not Rebekah will be offered as a wife for Isaac, thus fulfilling his oath. (Gen. 24:33). 

      Notice the quickness of obedience found in these biblical examples. Recently God has been patiently teaching me what it means to be truly obedient. My habit in life has been to act slowly. I justify this by thinking greater opportunity may come tomorrow. This always waiting for the best time attitude, has lead to lost opportunity. Sorrowfully, it has let fear and hesitation creep into my decision making. It has hurt those closest to me, who associate my inaction for not caring. It grieves the Holy Spirit. Procrastinating God's will is devaluing God's Word and sovereign timing. "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom. 7:24). 

     Most surprisingly to me is the incredible patience I discover God has for me. We recently got a puppy against our better judgment (expecting a newborn any day...). When it's 4:00 in the morning and the puppy starts whinging right after being taken out, my inward desire is to force this dog to be quiet. I've never done it, but the anger and frustration still pops out. I am amazed at how God does not force me to obey, but exercises great patience in teaching. 

Jeff Schumacher, our director at CMA regular reminds us as we teach obedience to our students that it is, "immediately, completely, and without complaint." My desire to obey quickly has led me to obey God's prompting to start a discipleship program for the teens here who want to go deeper in there faith. I am excited to announce that we rolled out the program yesterday, and 7 of our 14 current students have made a commitments to be disciples of Jesus. A year ago 1 or 2 students might have been interested in this, I am overjoyed at the atmospheric change in our student population. God is at work!

Pray that God will empower us to make effective disciples. Ask for a safe birth for mom and baby. Seek out greater obedience in Him.

Grace and Peace, 
Matthew and Family

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Here's to a New Year!

After wrapping up 2014 with a short but sweet visit to Ohio to visit family and friends, Matthew and I were able to return to the DR rejuvenated and ready for whatever God has for us in 2015. We got the year off to a great start with a visit from a beloved friend, Mary Nolen, who I went to college with at Indiana Wesleyan University. We absolutely love having family and friends visit, sharing with them a glimpse into what our lives look like here in the DR. What else does God have in store for us in 2015?

As many of you know, one of the biggest life changes we are anticipating in 2015 is growing from a family of 3 to 4. And with only a few weeks left before her arrival, we don't have much else on our minds except Selah Grace. When (and how?!) is she going to make her appearance? What will she look like? How will the dynamics of our family change? It is a very exciting and nerve-wracking time! 

So since this pregnant momma does not have much creative energy to offer in terms of writing an inspiring blog post, I'm going to keep this one simple and just ask for your prayers for our family and particularly for Selah as she approaches her entrance into the world (which should be sometime around the 1st week of February). 

Stay tuned for our next blog post-which should be a birth announcement for our baby girl!!! 

The Morley Family

                                          

I See Jesus

I See Jesus

The boy spewing obscenity

Entrenched in longing and distrust.

But by your grace he offers praise.

Emmanuel, God among us.

Old widow digging in my food.

No husband, No daughter, No son.

My full wallet, so full of shame.

Emmanuel, God bring justice.

Pray, realign our living now.

Remove our inward selfish sorrow.

We seek freedom, we seek Your growth

Emmanuel, repentance, us.

In pain and sorrow He appears.

The fatherless are justified.

The widows cause is lifted high.

Emmanuel, I see Jesus. 

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