Plans (Part #1): From Graceland to Alayna Glory & Back!

Alayna (now 13 years old - driving a golf cart)

The year was 1997, the plan was formed and in action. Kim and I were approaching our 2nd anniversary and had developed our plan to follow the Lord. Our plan was simple, work as an over-the-road truck driver for a year or two with Kim traveling with me and we would have saved enough money to go to a Bible College. Our plans were coming together nicely; I had been hired as an over-the-road truck driver by a trucking company in Memphis and traveled by a Greyhound Bus from Middle Georgia to Memphis for the one month training program the company required.

The training started and aside from Kim and I missing one another all was well, but change was in the air. Within the first week of the training I called Kim back home in Georgia, and she had life altering news. She had just found out she was pregnant with our first child. Suddenly our plans became irrelevant and impossible. Obviously Kim could not travel over the road while she was pregnant, and of course we could not take a newborn baby cross-county. Nor did I want to be on the road five days a week leaving my wife and baby at home alone. Our plans became obsolete and I flew back to Georgia to be with my wife.

There is nothing like that kind of news to knock you into the realm of a mature-responsible adult. I quickly found a full time job as a correction officer with the Georgia Department of Corrections and before we knew it Kim and I were parents of a beautiful baby girl named Alayna Glory Savage.

Despite the major change in our lives, the Lord Jesus still had a plan for us and did not forget He had called us to serve Him...even if we had. Over the next year and a half the Lord led us back to Memphis, TN this time as a family and with another plan in our efforts to follow the Lord's leading.

Savage Sightings # 3

Fellowship with friends in Jenkins, Kentucky

Greetings from the road less traveled or, in our case, the roads we have traveled. We had a great month of June as we traveled all around sharing the vision and passion the Lord Jesus has given us for the people of Ecuador. If you traveled I-40, I-75, I-20, Highway 78, or various winding mountain roads in June maybe you saw us in our family minivan. We have traveled to Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and back to Tennessee sharing with churches, Sunday schools, prayer groups, and individuals. God continues to show us favor as He has opened up other opportunities since being home, but these opportunities were closer to home. However, we have a van and will travel if you would like for us to share our missions’ calling and vision with you, your church, or Sunday school class.

Praise & Prayer

My cell phone ringer is set to a Chris Tomlin song, “How Can I Keep from Singing.” Every time my phone rings I am reminded of our great and awesome Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, and how amazing his love is for each of us. The chorus is:

"How can I keep from singing Your praise How can I ever say enough How amazing is Your love How can I keep from shouting Your name I know I am loved by the King And it makes my heart want to sing"

How can we keep from praising Him for the numerous opportunities over the last month to share our hearts with people? We praise Him for the loving and gracious responses we have had as well as the hospitality we have been shown as we traveled. We praise Him for providing a missions house for our family as we work to raise support for the ministry the Lord has given us! God is good and worthy of all of our praise!

Pray as we are traveling and speaking to churches and individuals. Pray that we remain focused on the calling given to our family by the Lord Jesus. Pray as we share with people that we faithfully proclaim Him, His faithfulness, His worth, His love, and give Him all the glory! Pray that the Lord continues to bless our ministry and His hand remains on our lives.

Progress

We are continually amazed and reminded of the awesomeness and might of our Lord Jesus and His faithfulness to His children. We are still working toward the goal of being able to leave in August for language school and have made significant progress toward that goal. We should know by our next newsletter whether or not we are able to leave in August or have to make the next semester in January 2012. Either way we trust in the Lord Jesus not only for His provision but also trust in His timing.

Monthly Financial Goal $6,000

Progress Toward Goal ($3,942) - 65.7%

Remaining Goal ($2,058) - 34.3%

Initial Goal $32,000

Total Goal ($23,500) - 73.5%

Progress ($8,500) - 26.5%

The Lord has also moved on the hearts of His people to join us in ministry on a monthly or regular basis in order to reach the people of Ecuador with the life-saving message of Jesus Christ. Thank You!

Please, seek the Lord about becoming part of our ministry team. We need additional prayer partners, monthly financial partners, as well as one-time gift partners in order to meet our goals. No gift is insignificant or small when it is faithfully given to the Lord for His Glory and His Kingdom!

Questions and Answers

Q: You are a member of the Southern Baptist Convention; why did you not go with the International Mission Board?

A: Our plans were to go with the IMB and had actually completed the entire process necessary for appointment with the IMB. However, the IMB informed us last July that because of budget cuts they did not have a job for us at the time, and to try back in one year. However, our oldest child, Alayna, turned 13 within the year and the IMB will not appoint anyone with a child who has reached their 13th birthday prior to being appointed to the IMB. Kim and I then sought the Lord about what He would have us to do and He confirmed His calling on our lives to missions and led us to Global Outreach International (www.globaloutreach.org).

Q: What are some of the benefits of going with a “faith-based” missions agency?

A: In just a few months Kim and I have already seen many benefits of going with Global Outreach. It has strengthened our reliance on the Lord and our desire to seek Him. It has allowed us to see the Lord work and answer prayer in ways we have never seen before. It has allowed us to reconnect or meet for the first time many wonderful people who love the Lord Jesus. In addition, it allows people and churches to put faces to the missionaries they pray for and support financially.

Q: Why Ecuador?

A: The people of Ecuador are not only open to the gospel, but also eager to grow in the Lord. God’s Word says,

“And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

– Luke 10:2

The Lord is working in much of Latin America including Ecuador, and we want to join Him and faithfully proclaim Him and disciple the people of Ecuador into mature believers (Colossians 1:28).

Have a question? E-mail us the question at savageb@globaloutreach.org.

In His Service,

The Savages