the back burner

for friends of bob

Dear everybody,

I love you. Here is a quick update on Boblife. I just finished working my first day back on the job at Covenant. I am thrilled to be back at dear old Covenant College with people like Pauline Snyder, Mike Hardie, and Natalie Lodico! When the wild winds of maturity are blowing, it is a comfort to have friends around who have seen the less mature sides and still enjoy me. My tasklist includes tracking down another job for the end of conference season, writing LOTS of letters, setting up house again, and reconnecting with college friends. At the same time, I'm developing a new theory about homesickness: it is inevitable and it sets in about 12 hours after leaving one or more of your family members.

Ok, enough theories. Now for the future -- when I left Belgium, I was ready to accept the missionary team's invitation to return for a 2 year apprenticeship. This apprenticeship will involve a lot of interaction with Turkish people in "My New City" and with college-age folks of all nationalities. After that? Perhaps missions forever. Perhaps seminary. Perhaps development studies.

As I said, I WAS ready to accept their invitation. I told them so when I was there. And then I returned to the States, where many very special, very close, very godly individuals had some hefty qualms about this plan -- not MOST, but MANY. Returning to my country meant returning to these reservations and questions, and I began to understand something about this decision. I want it (the decision) to be one of those choices that I can look back on and say: "yes. it is clear that this was God's leading. how could i have done otherwise?" To that end, I am setting aside the next month (August 8th -- September 8th) for prayer and pondering. In that time, I will do zero support-raising, except to invite potential supporters to pray with me for the future. I fully expect God will amaze all of us with his faithfulness and creativity in calling broken people to work in his kingdom. Please pray with us! Pray on your own, pray with me on the phone, pray on paper and pin it to the wall or send it to me - anything at all, so long as you are seeking the Lord. Thank you for your friendship and for your prayers.

For those of you who expressed those aforementioned doubts about this apprenticeship, please know that I am absolutely floored by your diligence to care for me and love me through your doubts. They are precious to me, and so are you.

Here's my brand new contact information:
Bob Nickles -- 423/432-1412
PO Box 2095
Chattanooga, TN
37409

Did you ever wonder how it would be for the next wave of missionaries going to tell people about the abundant life? Did you ever think it would be like this? Did you ever think you would be such an important part? Who knows what God will do next? There's something beautiful and frustrating about asking these questions in faith.

Lamentations 3:21fv -- "But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' syays my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him.' The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.

John 10:7fv -- "So Jesus said again to them, 'Truly, truly, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me were theives and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.'"

Call me sometime. I have free nights after 7pm and free Sprint-to-Sprint calls.

Praying for you,
Bob

PS -- a special shout out to Steve, Russ, and Brian at Chalmers! I saw some of you from a distance today and also saw just about everybody else who's teaching at the Institute. I'm rearranging my B.E.S.T. schedule so I can see you at lunchtime! Praying for you as you teach and work! One of these days we have lots to talk about!

PPS -- another quick note, this time to the folks in Chattanooga whom I haven't yet seen: find me. I want to see you. I have to work. You see my dilemma? Know that I am hunting you down, if slowly.

Posted by nickles at August 11, 2004 01:16 AM