Gonzalez Family in Thailand - Vol.1, No. 1

Our Mission Begins...

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

-Jim Elliot

Students of the Lanna Theological Center in Chiang Mai

Friends, Family and Ministry Partners - Most of you reading this first newsletter will already know that James and Sara are following God's calling to move our family to Southeast Asia to work alongside the Lanna Theological Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand. However, to a few of you this will be news, so we want to use this first newsletter to catch everyone up on what this move is all about.

For many years we have wondered whether God might lead us into full time vocational ministry and whether that might be overseas. Yet for the last 10 years we have known that God has had us focused on building a stronger marriage, raising and discipling our children and serving in our churches while he blessed us with a wonderful career at TAMKO Building Products. Two years ago that began to change as God showed us numerous signs that he was calling us to a new chapter in our service to Him (more on how he called us in the next newsletter).

That new chapter will put us in Chiang Mai, Thailand beginning in June of this year. James has been invited by the Director of the Lanna Theological Center to serve as their Director of Discipleship and Associate Professor. To learn more about our family, the country of Thailand and our calling please visit our home page at lannadiscipleship.org.

If you are receiving this newsletter, it is because at one point or another you had a significant impact on our lives and our walk with Christ. Thus, it is our hope that you would be willing to pray for our ministry as we travel to the other side of the world to follow where we believe God has called us. Leaving the joy and comfort of a wonderful job, nice home and loving church family is not easy and we would be lying if we told you we don't struggle with it some days. Nonetheless, we know we have been called and we know your prayers will help sustain us through our journey.

We will provide more details and updates over the coming months and we will try to keep them brief and to the point as we know everyone has many demands on their time. We hope to reach out to each of you personally over the next few weeks and months. However, if you would like to learn more about our ministry sooner than later please feel free to contact us via our website.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update and we hope you will stay connected to us in the future.

Specific Prayer Requests

• For the Lanna Theological Center -That it continues to grow leaders for the Church in Thailand.

• For our efforts to build our prayer team.

• For our support raising process - Trusting that God will provide what we need.

• For our supporters - That our ministry is a blessing to them in addition to those we seek to serve in Thailand.

• For our family (especially our children) - That we resist the lies of the Enemy as we take a big step in this season of our lives.

"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed upon him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 2: 9-11

Katie working at an English camp during our first trip to Thailand in 2018.

Miriam assisting during English class at the Lanna Theological Center during our vision trip in 2019.