Thanks to Jim and Michelle Axelson

I thank God for Jim and Michelle Axelson and their children, David and Rachel! The Axelsons responded affirmatively to God’s call to pursue full-time cross-cultural missions with Wycliffe when they were in their 40’s. Jim and Michelle shared during gathered worship at Rocky yesterday morning, and Jim’s “sermonic testimony” of how he has been growing in trust for God was moving and challenging for me.

His text was Proverbs 3:5-6, a very commonly known passage:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”

These familiar verses came alive as Jim reflected on how the Lord is teaching him to trust in Him when his kids remain in the U.S., half-way around the world; when health care in PNG is declining in quality and not readily accessible; when he is dependent on God’s people to provide support for his family; and when his ministry has demanded that he step outside his “task orientation” comfort zone to be people oriented.

Have you stopped to seriously consider the faith implications of Proverbs 3:5-6? What does it mean to “trust in the LORD with all your heart”? Are you doing so? Are you willing to do what He calls you to do? Verse 5 says, “Do not lean on your own understanding.” Are you able to abandon self-trust in this way and seek your understanding from the Lord and His Truth? Do you “acknowledge Him” in all your ways? All?

I encourage you to not flinch and lean into these soul-searching questions with this assurance—God is faithful and trustworthy. Psalm 89:1 is the verse that came to me as I led our church in prayer for the Axelsons yesterday morning: “I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.”

Finally, do pray for and with Jim and Michelle. Here are the requests Jim gave us:

• For Bibleless people groups of the world
• For Wycliffe teams in the last stages of their translation programs; often spiritual warfare intensifies as the translation work nears completion
• For the decline of HIV/AIDS in PNG
• For more translation teams
• For more long term and short term workers
• For David Axelson’s future as he graduates from college and pursues grad school in preparation for mission work in Bible translation
• For Rachel Axelson, studying nursing in college
• For safety as Jim and Michelle travel thousands of miles this summer in the U.S.
• For a reliable four wheel drive vehicle when they return to the field in August