The values of another world.
The Kingdom of God is not of this world. The Kingdom which Jesus invited his followers to participate in is not of this world. The kingdoms of this world have values which advance those nations and their particular goals. Sometimes the line between truth and cultural value becomes blurred and we end up holding fast to a belief system which does not align with the cultural values of God's Kingdom, as seen in the Bible.
From Student to Teacher
Life continues to be filled with lots of learning opportunities and fun projects. Philip has both participated in and led various trainings. One exciting area of training was welding. He sat with one of JAARS lead welders who taught him on a variety of metals, machines, and techniques.
God of the immigrant
In our current moment there is great debate in our nation regarding how we should respond to immigrants and refugees. As Christians we should remember our origin. We have been grafted into the family of faith (Romans 11:17). Their origin has become our own. We were once alienated from God (Ephesians 2:12) but he graciously accepted us and treated us as his own. We are called to be welcoming and hospitable (Hebrews 13:2).
The Bibles thought on immigrants
During this time of governmental and civic shift of mindset and policy regarding foreigners, immigrants, and refugees I wanted to take a minute to let the word of God speak. I have compiled a list of passages throughout the Bible's many writings and have placed them here for your examination.
Saved for good works
We are saved from a life in constant opposition to God, to ourselves, and to others. Salvation is not only cosmic and eternal; it is life-transforming. Paul describes this transformation as "the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." Salvation is not only about what we will become in eternity—it is also about what we are becoming now.
It’s February Y’all!
The beginning of the year has come and gone, taking along for the ride. We blinked and January was over. January has been a classroom month for Philip and a dynamic shifting month for the Mull family.
End of Year Review
“Philip, what’s that smell?”
“Sorry, it's probably me.”
“It does smell like gas but not that kind…is the propane stove hissing?”
Everyone out of the fifth wheel!
Train away!
Hello friends and family! October was a very busy month for the Mulls. We were able to spend time with several friends and family members, including Philip’s parents for several days after Hurricane Milton did a number on Florida. We are thankful for the safety of our loved ones and for the unexpected quality time with them.
Getting Started!
One month ago we put the last of our belongings in the fifth wheel and drove north.
We’ve Arrived
Hello everyone! After an August full of goodbyes and last-minute details, we have officially moved to North Carolina. We are overwhelmed by the abundant gifts of God, from sweet time with friends and family to cool weather upon arrival to traveling mercies, sufficient storage space, and fireflies in the evenings!
Fully Funded!!
We are very excited to announce to you all that, through the provision of our God and the participation of his people, we have 100% of our ministry budget met and are fully able to start our JAARS assignment!!!
JAARS Assisted Take-off
The reason we will be moving to JAARS in Waxhaw, NC in September is to attend JAARS Assisted Take-Off, otherwise known as the JATO program.
Big Change, BIg Opportunity
Happy summer everyone! We have some exciting updates to share. Through a series of God-orchestrated events, Philip has been given the opportunity–if our Wycliffe budget is met– to begin his training at JAARS this September with a number of other pilots and mechanics serving with JAARS.
A Time to Rest
Hello everyone! Is it really June? The month of May has simultaneously flown and inched by for the Mulls. We have had a relatively quiet month adjusting to life as a family of three.
The Duality of Power.
Human beings have a love hate relationship with power. We love it when we or someone we like has it, and we hate it when someone we don’t like has it. I think J.R.R Tolkien described humanity's relationship to power well in his “Lord of the Rings” series. The characters were all drawn to the ring of power, imagining how they could use it to save life. Yet the power they sought to use for life became a means for death.
The Image of God
So, what does it mean for human beings to be made in the image of God? Does this statement imply the active role of striving to live as representatives of the God we serve? Having authority from him to carry out his will? Or does it suggest a passive role where humans are the conduit through which we display our love and affection for God?
Much happening, Much coming!
Hello friends! We have now been Wycliffe missionaries for an entire year! The faithfulness of God and the partnership of so many people over the last year have been an incredible experience, and we are humbled to be in this season. Last month we became a family of three!
Happy Easter
Greetings, all! Happy Easter! We forgot to take family Easter pictures, but we enjoyed celebrating the greatest day in history with Anna’s family in Ocala. We have so much to be thankful for. Over the last month our families welcomed two new babies, one on Philip’s side and one on Anna’s, so our son will have built-in friends when he is born.
Prayers and Blessings
Happy March, friends! February was such a gift to us. We spent our Valentine’s Day eating Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets and researching the Lenten season which began on the 14th. We decided to begin a family prayer book to record both our prayers and His answers to them. We are writing down requests and intercessions that we go over every morning, and these times of prayer have been so sweet and edifying.
The Good Old Days
It is worth mourning that, what was in not what is. Yet we are called to participate with God in turning what is, into what will be. Many of us are struggling with the reality that the culture which we grew up in no longer holds the same values that once felt unanimous. Many of us are feeling threatened by the competing world views that are now in the public sphere. And many of us feel a longing for things to return to the normalcy that we consider the “good old days”