The Myers Tribe

We have had the blessing this past week of being back in Taiwan. Dane has been teaching in the SBS here and has given the family a chance to reconnect and see some good friends.

It’s amazing that we only left Taiwan 6 months ago, but so much has changed. All the little kids are growing up, and we have our house back in Cambodia, a vision and promise that our friends here have seen come to pass with us.

We will be leaving for Cambodia again on Sunday. Please pray for a great time with our friends and that we would be a blessing to people here, as they have been such a blessing to us.

Oh, and we got to eat turkey for thanksgiving….God is good!

-themyerstribe

Well it’s Tuesday right now and we are heading to Thailand tomorrow after Dane gets done teaching.

We will stay a night in Bangkok before heading out to Taiwan on Thursday at noon.

The problem is… Sickness!! Bee is really sick right now. Fever, aches, chills, and “stomach problems”. Please pray for her as she is completely wiped out and is in bed.

Also pray for owen, he has a cough and runny nose. Oliver is having some diarrea (in the middle of potty training, so that is fun)

We would really appreciate your prayers

Thank you all

-myers tribe

This week, Bee and I have been teaching about ‘relationships’ in the DTS here in Phnom Penh. It’s been a great time meeting with the students and also seeing people set free from their pasts.

Please pray for the students this week as we are really wanting to see restoration and God’s design for them in all areas of relationships; families, dating and marriage.

Also, please pray for Oliver and Owen as they are trading off being sick. Right now Owen is down with a fever and a cough and Oliver is just getting over his. The fact that we have moved down here for the week just means that we aren’t in the comforts of our home as they are getting better, so please pray for the boys.

Please pray for Bee and I, that God would use us to speak life into the students and really just speak his words.

Be blessed.

-the myerstribe

Well, here it is. The long awaited update for our blogsite. We really should have gotten on this long ago, but alas, here we are. So Let’s catch you up with what’s been going on with the Myers Tribe the last two months

August 15th: Our family (along with Bee’s parents) made the trek from California out here to Battambang Cambodia to set up our new home. It was a great transition and we really enjoyed having Bee’s parents here with us for the move. It was good to have some more familiar faces for Oliver and Owen to see.

We were greeted in our new home by the base staff here in Battambang. What a great group of people God has allowed us to work with.

September: We hit the ground running here in Cambodia with Dane and Bee both helping out teaching with the School of Biblical Studies (SBS) staff training. We covered topics like, Preparing and Presenting You Lecture, Teaching to Different Learning Styles, and Reaching Oral Communicators. God has brought a great staff together for this SBS.

Bee also got to teach the book of Titus during the first week of the school, which started September 14th. She did a great job studying for and teaching this book to the 8 students that are in this school. We have 4 Khmer, 2 Americans, 1 Ukrainian and 1 Finnish. It’s a great group and they would love your prayers as this pour through the scriptures.

We were also able to visit Bee’s mom’s family in Thailand at the end of the month, including Bee’s brother. It was a great time to have our kids meet “Uncle A” And it’s good to know that we have family close by on this side of the world.

October: So far this month has been a used trying to settle in and allowing some stability for the kids. After traveling to 6 different places this year, we are really looking forward to allowing our kids, (and ourselves) to dig our roots in and unpack for the long term.

Part of this digging in includes language studies. We would love your prayers as we are spending our days studying Khmai and getting a few odd looks as we ask for the wrong thing at the market, or call people we meet “Grandma” instead of “Aunt”…oops. We are having a great time, but we would really like to be farther along than we are.

Prayer Points

1) Our transition: Please pray for our family, that we would really settle into Cambodia as our home. Especially pray for Oliver and Owen to get rooted here and have it feel like home.

2) Upcoming teachings: We have some teaching opportunities coming up and would love prayer for our preparing and teaching. Also pray for the students that we will be teaching, that God would use us to speak to them and that they would have changed lives. Also pray for us, that we would be changed and be living out the things we are teaching. Dane is teaching in the SBS at the end of the October, then both of us are in Phnom Penh for a week at the beginning of November teaching “Relationships” in the DTS there. In November, Dane is teaching 1st Timothy in the SBS here on the 25th, then we are off to Taiwan for a week where Dane is teaching Ezekiel there starting the 27th. Please pray for our travels and our time preparing, that God would multiply our hours.

3) Our language studies: That we would have wisdom when we study and just how to balance time studying and our kids.

4) Our family: For God to strengthen our marriage, that we would love and serve one another in a greater way, and that we would be the parents to Oliver and Owen that God has called us to be. That God would give us wisdom in loving and disciplining our two beautiful and energetic boys.

5) Relationships with people here: Both Khmai and foreigners, that we would be light and salt to those who don’t know Jesus, and encouragement and strength for those who do.

Thank you so much for your prayers.

May God bless you with grace and the knowledge of Him.

-The Myers Tribe

PS. Check out these links for our pictures on facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=316114&id=651190617

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=316123&id=651190617&ref=mf

More to come….

Well we have been here in LA for a little over a week. It’s been a good climate change from Alaska to help get us ready for Cambodia. When we left Alaska it was in the 60’s; today we are sitting at about 98 degrees… a little different.

The boys are enjoying time with the grandparents, and we have a praise report, Bee’s mom and dad will be traveling with us to Cambodia. It will be great to have family there as we transition to this new place, but it will also be good to for them to see what it is we are actually a part of.

Just keep praying for our transition over there. We head out of LA early morning on the 12th.

We are flying through Taiwan which means a 14 hour flight followed by another 3 hours to Bangkok. Please pray for our kids to sleep 17 hours that day.

Alright, we will keep you all updated on our transition over there, hopefully with some fun pictures.

God bless

We have had the great privilege of speaking at our church here in Kenai this past week. We were the featured missionaries for the Vacation Bible School, and as such we got to come in front of the kids every night and share a little about what we do in as missionaries.

We were blown away by a lot this week, but non so much as how great of questions these kids had for us.

“How many people have you told about Jesus?”

“Is being a missionary fun?”

“How did you get started in missions?”

“Do you eat regular food?”

I would expect questions like these and others when we talk to adult groups, but these were coming from 4 -10 year olds. Amazing how much curiosity and drive these children have to reach people for Jesus.

The other thing that blew us away was their generosity. At the beginning of the week we put a goal up of $500 to raise towards missions. At the end of the 4th night (there were only 5 nights of VBS) the kids had brought about $198. The announcer, Adam, asked the kids, “do you think we can reach the $500 mark?” to which the honest group replied… “NOOOO!”

It was funny, but I will admit, I was right there with them. It was great to see the kids bringing in their dollars and change to the offering plate. Hopefully this is starting them on a journey of generosity and seeing God’s call fulfilled. But I thought we were going to be a bit short of the $500.

So there we were, the last night, closing ceremonies. It was time to see how much the kids had raised. The thermometer was on the stage, covered. As the cover lifted, it got close to the $500 mark.

And then, it reached it. $500. Wow. They did it.

But then…it raised a little more…and a little more.

$1,000. This is amazing.

But it didn’t stop.

There had been more red paper added.

Up and Up. $1,500…

And still going.

The red tape finally found it’s resting place.

Close to $1,900 dollars.

We stood in awe as the room exploded. We couldn’t believe it. They put in about $1,700 that night. We were stunned.

God burst my bubble that night. For a little while there, I had been believing in man instead of putting my hope in God, who can do above and beyond anything we can imagine.

Those kids helped me believe in a God of the impossible again.

So thank you kids. You have done more for this Christian then you will know.

-dane

Although we have been back in the states for about a month, we haven’t posted too much on here. I just assumed that this was mostly for people “back home” and so being “back home”, I thought it wouldn’t be necessary to write. But as I was looking at some of our friends blog sites, I realized how good it was to see what we are all up to, and what God is doing in other parts of the world, regardless where. So we just wanted to update everyone on what is going on with the Myers tribe.

We arrived in Los Angeles late May and got to spend about 3 weeks with Bee’s parents and family. It was a good time of seeing the grandparents, going to the park and the aquarium and painting the outside of Bee’s parents’ house.

We then traveled up north to Alaska where we have been for almost 2 weeks. This has been a good time of seeing family, and also visiting our sending church, Kenai Christian Church, Dane’s church since he was wearing diapers (which was when he was a baby, for all of you who were making some sort of joke there).

We have been blessed to see family and friends and just realize that we serve a God who is everywhere. Things don’t change just because we are in our own beds, or eating familiar food. God still calls us and wants us to live radical lives for him, something that is easily side-stepped when you are sitting on a comfortable couch, eating home cooked meals.

But the choice is up to us. Jesus, although in the form of God, came down and lived among us, away from the comforts of what he knew. We are strangers anywhere on earth, whether it be a place where you can’t speak the language, or your own “hometown”.

We will keep you posted on our plans as far as when we are heading back out to Asia. But for now, enjoy the Lord, wherever you are.

Before I got married and had kids, I remember having some of the most incredible personal times with God.  I remember having the freedom of spending hours with God reading Scripture, praying, worshipping.  But all that changed when God blessed me with a wonderful family.  This week, I want us Mommies to talk about QUIET TIMES in the midst of wife and mother-hoods.  I want to encourage us all out there that they are possible, and that God still wants to meet with us, so don’t give up!

The first thing we all need to realize is that God is not surprised by the fact that we have a husband and kids now.  He knows that because He’s the One who gave us these precious gifts.  We just need to change our perspective a little and we just have to change our expectations of what Quiet Times will look like for Mothers.  I know for me, I love starting the day off with God.  But what about those mornings when it’s so hard to drag myself out of bed because I’ve spent the whole night comforting a teething or sick child?  What about those nights when I’ve stayed up a few hours later than I thought trying to catch up on dishes, the floors, laundry, etc?  God knows all this and He is full of Grace for us.  He also knows that He’s our strength and our wisdom as Mothers.  So how do we have Quiet Times as moms?  Here are some suggestions.  And PLEASE, I want your input, as well, because I’m in dire need of more ways to soak up God throughout the day!

1.  When the kids are napping, spend time with God.  Don’t worry about housework, turn off your computer (your e-mails, facebook, skype, etc can all wait until you have met with God), and disconnect your phone if you have to.  I know that for me I think that naptime is a time to get stuff done.  But I’m learning more and more that naptime is God’s gift to mothers.  This time is a time for us to seek Him and find Him.  The housework, e-mails, phone calls–they can all wait until we’ve received our refreshment from the LORD.

2.  Here’s a suggestion for something you can do once a week or so.  Find another mother who shares this common desire to have time with the LORD.  Maybe on one day, you can volunteer to go over to her house and watch her kids, so she can get out to a quiet place to have a quiet time.  And then she can come over another day to watch your kids and you can go and have a quiet time.  But you have to hold one another accountable.  This isn’t a time to run errands or to do stuff.  This is a sacred time for you and God.

3.  Talk to your husband about the importance of Quiet times for you.  Arrange a time in the week when he takes the kids out to play or watches the kids at home so that you can go and meet with the LORD.  1 or 2 hours with the kids will be very good for both daddy and children, and it will give you a sanity break!

4.  And on those days when it’s just absolutely hectic, just take God as you can get Him.  When you’re washing dishes, sing a worship song or say a prayer for the family.  When you’re changing diapers or bathing the kids or feeding them, pray a prayer over them.  When you’re cleaning the house or doing laundry or running everyone around to soccer practice or school, give thanks that your life isn’t boring and that God has entrusted you with the care of His children.

5.  If your kids are old enough, and if they’re allowed to, turn on a 20 or 30 minute show for them to watch, and in a room where you can still see them, have a quiet time.

6.  If your kids are old enough, have quiet times together.  Read a book of the Bible together and talk about it and pray together.

Well, that’s all I have for today.  Be blessed, Moms.  I love you all.  I look forward to hearing back from you!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGwchcv1U1c[/youtube]

We just wrapped up a week on teaching the “Character and Nature of God” in the DTS here in Taiwan.  Basically, the conclusion is the nature and character of God can be best summed up on the Cross.  What He had Jesus do on our behalf really does show that GOD IS LOVE.  We deserved nothing but death, but God gave us life.  I won’t say much else.  Just watch the clip.  I know that if that was me making the decision, and it was Oliver or Owen that was stuck there, I don’t think I would have chosen the people on the train who didn’t even realize what it would cost to cross that bridge safely.  I don’t think they would have been worth it.  But God really did make the ultimate sacrifice.  GOD IS LOVE.

So I’d like to starting dialoging with any other moms out there who might actually read our blogs.  Sometimes, ok a lot of times, I think that the struggles I go through as a mom and especially as a mom on the mission field are solely my struggles.  If they are, cool.  But if not, be encouraged when you read my updates that you are not alone either.  I’m definitely here with you, my fellow sisters, and want to pray for and with you as we journey together with all the joys and sometimes not so “joys” of motherhood.

Today’s topic:  COMPARISON

So let’s be honest, how many of you moms out there have ever or still do compare yourselves to other moms?  Maybe I’m alone in this battle, but I truly doubt that.  I have been in Taiwan for 3 years now and I live in a community of YWAM’ers who are all natural leaders, amazing teachers, and steadfast evangelists.  Mothers are not excluded from this list.  I have found that the mothers here who are also missionaries are all of these things, plus some!  They are also godly wives, loving mothers and sincere friends.  On more than one occasion (we’re being honest, remember!), I have found myself comparing myself to these moms.  There have been countless moments when I really felt like an insignificant nobody on a base full of spectacular somebodies.  And in these times of comparison, I found that I allowed Satan to lie to me and my mind would go all over the place believing lies that I was a nothing on the mission field and that I would even be better off dead.  There were times that the comparisons even led my heart to bitterness, jealousy and envy.  It’s so ugly, I know.  

Comparison is evil.  Comparison is satanic-I’m pretty convinced of it.  We really need to accept who we are as daughters of the King and we need to really even just accept who God created us to be.  We all have different giftings, different talents, different skills-which are all to be used for the Kingdom of God here on earth.  We need to lay down this idea of being a “Super-Mom,” and instead just embrace the reality of Motherhood.  When we compare ourselves to other moms, we are wasting time and energy that could instead be used on actually raising up our children in the ways of God.  

So what can we do when we struggle with comparison?  Here are some things that I’ve actually done that have helped.  

1.  What is the thing you are comparing yourself with?  Is it something that the other mom excels at?  Instead of comparing, why not actually LEARN from the other mom?  You might actually form a cool relationship with that mom and she could probably learn something from you, too!  

2.  Meet the need!  You know, we oftentimes think we’re the only ones who have struggles and hardships, and it’s simply not true.  All mothers struggle (I think!).  So instead of letting yourself grow bitter or jealous, why not meet up with the other mom and have some quality fellowship time with her?   Share with her some things you struggle with and need prayer for and find out some things that she struggles with and PRAY together.  You know, it really helps to know that the women we think are Supermoms are actually human, just like us.  

3.  Live out your giftings, talents and skills!  Instead of trying to be something you’re not, why not live out who God created you to be to your fullest potential?  Nothing will glorify God more than when you are fully using the gifts and talents and skills He’s equipped you with.  

Well, I’m just going to leave it at that for now.  One final thing for you to think about.  My wise husband made this comment to me last night, and it’s really stuck with me as I wrestle with this struggle of comparing myself to other moms.  “We’ve trained our eyes to look at the things Satan wants us to see, but we need to train our eyes to look at the things God wants us to see.”  Let me know some of your thoughts and some ways that you have dealt with comparison.  Be blessed.  You’re not alone.