12 days and counting

Planning a wedding, preparing for a new term and playing travel guide for 3 family member coming in at 3 different times and staying at different places can be quite time consuming. Who knew?

Firstly I would like to address my last post. It was brought to my attention that it came across as very negative/depressed/angry. I am sorry for that. That was not the tone I was trying to convey. My overall goal was to say that my passion is to do my part in seeing Thailand become a nation who knows the one true God, and that in order to do that, I need the financial stability to take care of my family. I need friends and strangers alike to stand in the gap between our lack and our needs.

Also my mom said I should let everyone know that the wedding hasn't happened yet. I am speaking of myself and bride to be as us because that's where we will be in 12 days.

So back to the update!

Praises -

1. I have my work permit and visa and am completely work legal! and for the double praise bonus round I didn't have to go to Laos!! That's right, I got to do it all right here. Many back and forth trips on several different days, but no major extra expenses.

2. Two sets of pre-wedding shots are done. One more left if I can remember to contact him. Praise God for 3 photographers, two from our extended church family in Chiang Mai, volunteering their time, cameras and editing skills.

3. We have a wedding planner! One of the young ladies at our church here has stepped up to help us get our act together.

4. Our church here is a huge blessing, they have stepped up to offer help in decorating, making food and snacks, and took a special offering for us as well. And they are planning a wedding shower for Anne this Saturday.

5. One of my pastors literally just called me while finished writing 4, and said that he may have found a trio to play violins and cello at our wedding. Mind blown!

6. Got to, and get to, meet the incoming freshmen everyday this week, and they are a sharp group. It's gonna be fun getting to know them this year.

Playing River Crossing with the Freshmen

7. Was able to a nearly expense free trip with my fellow professors to develop ourselves, and then go have some fun and get to know many of them better.

8. Two more people have firmly committed to sending us more monthly support. One will fluctuate, but with them that means we are now only $300/month from our goal!



Events -

My dad will be here in 36 hours (give or take). Gonna take him so see the best live guitarists I have ever seen. Saturday is Anne's wedding shower. My mom and her friend Richard will be here Monday morning. Monday evening going to a manly baby celebration (wedding shower for men). Then my brother will be here a week from tomorrow. The wedding is a week from Saturday. Dad heads back the Monday following, Jared Tuesday. My mom and Richard on Friday. Semester starts the Monday after that.

At this point a honeymoon is very much up in the air, mostly because we are deciding on whether we want to spend money on the honeymoon or on things for the house. If we do anything it will probably be the weekend after the wedding for a sanity break before the semester starts at someplace pretty and close and not to expensive. Then take a real one next year (praying it will be to America so we can meet all you people reading this).

We are also kicking around doing a game night at my house. People can bring over things for a potluck dinner, play board games, but it will be night that I will invite my students over too for a no pressure hang out and they can practice English while the Farangs practice Thai and we can all build relationships. Praying that this will be a way to open doors into a bible study.

Prayer Requests -

1. Sanity and a good attitude.

2. Funds to cover everything for the wedding including the food which is the last big thing that needs to be paid for.

3. A few more monthly supporters to get us up to where we need to be. We are oh so close.

4. Getting everything set up so that we can do a live stream of the wedding for everyone back in 'Merica.

5. Engery

See you... probably after the wedding.

Reality

I can't do ministry. Marriage or no, my ministry goals will not be reached this year if things do not change.

As always there are several paths in front of us. More partners, more work hours, different jobs, multilevel marketing, the lottery, etc. Some of them seem wiser than others. The two that I see most likely to happen are these:

1. God lays it on the hearts of people, and those people respond with "Yes!" to partnering with my wife and I as we do outreach here so that we can plant churches, disciple new believers and if my ultimate dream is reached start a life center to help people from all ages and all walks of life develop the skills to succeed in their dream jobs as well as open a camp with a ropes course devoted to developing team work and critical thinking skills.

2. I take on 12 hours of extra teaching per week to get us to where we need to be. I can do that. Hard work has never scared me. But what does scare me is not having any extra time or energy to do the things God has put me here to do. If all I am going to do with my life is work 60 hours a week as a wage earner, then me being in Thailand is a waste of time. I can move back to America and get a job working the same hours, for more return. 

That being said, I know I am here for a purpose. And that purpose is to do discipleship and build genuine relationships with friends and disciple others in how to walk as Jesus did. Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow, because today has enough troubles. Since this past weekend, I have bought one meal for myself because I have no money left. But God is faithful to me and provides for me through friends and my girlfriend's family and they don't even know it. Either of the above paths I above that I take, I will be provided for by the Father, and I will be working my tail off. I like hard work. So I am content.

So I'm asking each person who reads this. Are you going to partner with me? Option 2, I do it alone, just me my God and my wife. Option 1 I walk forward hand in hand with each brother and sister in Christ and as a body we can do like Jude said, and snatch people from the flames of hell. We can do our part in the final commandment of Jesus and make disciples of all nations. But we have to do it. I can't do it as just Zac Whertvine alone. Not even Zac & Anne Whertvine. We need a community of believers around us who will support, pray for, and encourage us as well as keep us accountable.

So will you join with me in seeing the Kingdom grow here on NCU campus and in Hang Dong and through out Thailand?

If you will, my email is zacwhertvine@gmail.com

Thank you

PS - tomorrow I  am going to Immigration to find out if there is any way to avoid having to go to Laos, but if not, I will have to go to Laos early next week as my current visa will expire on the 7th. PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS!!!