Hello friends, we have been in the States now for a little over two weeks, we are spending time with family and friends in IL and WI. We mentioned in our last update that we are going through a time of transition and we’d like to fill you in right now.

For the past six months God has been shaking things up in our lives and ministry. We didn’t know what that meant, and our prayers have been “Lord, open the doors you want us to walk through and close the doors where you don’t want us.”  In April, we were denied long-term visas and only at the last minute received a temporary tourist visa. This unforeseen denial of the longer visas caused us to pause and really ask God, “What are You doing?!” and “Do you want us to stay in Ecuador?”

Knowing that God has promised to guide us, we continued to come to Him asking for clarity. It was hard to think that maybe Ecuador wasn’t where God wanted us, but the visa situation (amongst other things) made us consider that maybe He had other plans for us. About a month ago, God made it abundantly clear that He was shutting the door on Ecuador. It was and still is painful to hear that we needed to leave a life and country and people we loved. But, the certainty that this is God’s will for us, continues to sustain us and give us peace in these difficult days of transition to what is next.

We had planned on being in the States for a time of refreshment and now we add to that a season of seeking to discern what God has for our future.

We would love to stay in touch. Our email is: joshua-naomi.swenson@covchurch.org

We are so grateful for your prayers;  joining with us in seeking God’s will for our lives as we look to Him to guide our next steps.

*Two Sundays ago Joshua preached at Glen Ellyn Evangelical Covenant Church on 2 Corinthians 12. To listen to the sermon Click here , go into the “Launch Media Player” link, and you will see a history of sermons. Click on the link from 7/5/15 with “Reverend Joshua Swenson”.*