The School Bells Toll

If there was a theme to these last nine months it would be ______. In all honesty, the Lord has been teaching us so much about trusting Him, our identity, flexibility and faith that it's virtually impossible to summarize it all in just one word. Whenever we think we have everything planned out, God decides it would be a good opportunity to grow us and He changes things up. Yet He does so for the better! This last month He has not only provided Cameron an awesome job with phenomenal hours and benefits but He has also opened the door for Cameron to attend seminary THIS semester!!! Last Monday was Cameron's first day as a student of Grace Theological Seminary. He's been accepted into their Master of Divinity program and we are so excited! This was completely unexpected and very last minute as we, our references and the seminary staff scrambled to get everything in order before the start of classes. Needless to say it was a total God thing and we have been so encouraged with our interactions with Grace. For these first two semesters, Cameron will be taking a couple of classes online and this time next year we're planning on being in Indiana so he can attend on campus!

While we have been feeling that our lives have been in a serious state of limbo, the Lord is faithful as He continues to lead us as He opens and closes doors. We've only been in Florida just over two months and God has provided full-time jobs for both of us, a seminary that accepts Cameron's unaccredited Bachelor's and even has given him a semester's worth of advanced standing, a Bible-teaching church, and friends with which we can laugh. What the rest of this year holds, who knows. God most assuredly will tweak our plans but we are confident that, though it may be difficult at times, He has our ultimate good in mind.

As per tradition, we included our first-day-of-class picture in this update along with a picture of Cameron's giant textbook that doubles as the ultimate spider-smashing weapon.... Be sure to check out Cameron's first paper for his Systematic Theology A class that he shared on his blog, Biblical Perspicacity.

Thank you all for your continued prayers!

United in Christ,

Caitlin and Cameron

Our 49-Day Roadtrip Pictorial Summary!

As we wrote in April, Cameron and I graduated from the Missionary Training Center on April 22nd and two days later we took off on a whirlwind road trip around the country! Our whole trip was 49 days long from the day we pulled out of MTC in Roach, Missouri to the day we pulled into my parent's driveway in Winter Park, Florida! We saw so many family and friends that it was nearly impossible for us to choose which pictures to include in this update! If you would like to see all 850 pictures, be sure to check out my photo album on facebook!

We would like to give a BIG thank you to everyone who graciously hosted us, those who prayed for safety on the road and the health of our car and for those we saw! We had a blast!

Enjoy the pictures!

Having some fun while my parents visited

Caitlin and Cameron

Took my parents to Bridal Cave

Our moving truck all loaded up

They drove down to Florida and we headed west

The farthest west Cameron had ever been!

Monument Rocks in Kansas

Rocky Mountain National Park

Toured the Celestial Seasonings tea factory in Colorado

Lots of fun in Colorado!

Meanwhile, my dad stacked all our earthly  possessions neatly in the middle of the garage

 

 

 

Visiting Grandpa Andy in Jackson, Missouri

Ryan's graduation from NTBI in Wisconsin

At the Pennsylvania welcome center

Trying out my Aunt and Uncle's tandem bike in Connecticut

Seeing an old childhood friend in Connecticut!

Cameron helped Papa install new lampposts in CT

Having fun with Grandma Nancy in Connecticut

Hanging out with Sarah in Maryland

Touring our nation's capital city!

Spending time with my Aunt and Uncle in Virginia

Got to meet our goddaughter!

Meeting up with a Bible school roommate in North Carolina

Getting ready for a block party in South Carolina

Shop kicking with Miss Debbi in South Carolina

Last day on the road! South Carolina --> Florida

A week after arriving in Florida we are all settled!

Special thank you to my parents for arranging our furniture before we arrived!

Home sweet home :)

What Happened? What's Next?

Dear Friends,
     
With graduation now behind us, we want to take this time to share with you what lies ahead as we begin a new chapter of our lives. As many of you are aware, this past semester has been very difficult for us. Without getting bogged down in the details and sending you a thirty-page letter, we will do our best to summarize all that has transpired these last months.

After a difference in opinion between us and a staff member, he began to misrepresent our character to others on staff and these rumors quickly began to take on a life of their own. On January 27th, we were made aware of what had been circulated and, based upon this misrepresentation and incorrect assumptions blown wildly out of proportion, we were told that we would not be extended membership into New Tribes Mission. Immediately, we contacted our churches and asked them to pray for us as we sought counsel from them as to how we should proceed. After weeks of seeking to resolve this conflict, including a meeting attended by a pastor of one of our home churches, little had been done by the Missionary Training Center and New Tribes Mission to rectify the situation. On the contrary, we felt that our concerns were minimized and swept under the rug rather than seriously addressed.
 
We initially thought this situation was a test to strengthen our resolve to be missionaries with NTM, however, it became abundantly clear as things unfolded further, that what we were experiencing was similar to Paul’s redirection away from Asia. In the end, we were extended membership, though none of the previous “disqualifying” remarks had been rescinded. While we know that no organization is perfect, we have been left very unsettled by how our situation and others like it have been handled thus we do not feel that we could serve with NTM in good conscious at the present time. Please know, that none of the areas brought to our attention were in regard to sin issues. On the contrary, our biggest struggle with these accusations was the abstract vagueness with no concrete backing. Most had to do with a subjectively perceived lack of spiritual growth which they backed with feeble evidence.
 
After prayerful consideration, we feel that this is not the time for us to go overseas with NTM. Because of their two-year deadline to arrive overseas after taking membership, as of April 23rd we declined membership with NTM as we seek the Lord’s direction as to where He would have us. We received no acknowledgement of our declination from anyone in NTM nor a message informing us of the procedure to close down our account. We had assumed our account with NTM would be open until June, thus giving us time to remove ourselves from the situation in order to write to you with thoughts uncluttered by emotion. However, we found out through your emails to us, that NTM had shut down our account in May and informed you that we were not going on with NTM at this time. We apologize that many of you found out this way rather than from us.
 
For this next year, Caitlin and I will be living in Orlando, Florida getting to know her church better, meeting with her pastor to process all that has happened, and developing a deeper relationship with the Lord. Although not the overseas tribe we thought we would be serving, as has been brought into sharp focus this last week, Orlando is a hurting mission field to which we can actively minister. We see the Lord’s provision in providing us a place to live and Caitlin’s previous employer offering her a job again with a raise. Caitlin and I have many dreams and desires of what we would like to do with our lives, one of which is to perhaps one day teach at a Bible college. Therefore, we will be spending this next year working and saving in order to attend Dallas Theological Seminary next fall so I can earn my Master’s Degree.
 
Because we are taking this year to step out of the mission’s bubble and our account with NTM has been closed, we know that much of our financial support will cease. We completely understand so do not feel that we will be offended. If you do wish to continue supporting us, you can do so by sending us a personal check.
 
We have learned and grown far more in the last six months than at any other point in our lives. As Caitlin’s pastor told us four days after everything initially happened, “You’re experiencing the best and hardest preparation for ministry you could get.” It feels like every day the Lord is showing us something else concerning people, leadership and Himself. That being said, growing pains are real and we have spent many hours shedding buckets of tears. Through this, we have come to love and appreciate the Body of Christ more and more as you all have surrounded us in prayers, letters, texts and emails. Know that God used and is using you greatly in our lives to encourage our hearts and fix our eyes on Him. Though we felt so very alone and isolated that first day, now we feel surrounded and strengthened by those who love and care for us.
 
Please pray for us as we enter this new chapter of our lives. It is sometimes a struggle to not have a concrete plan when we have spent the last decade working toward this particular desire that will not unfold as we had anticipated. We’re not sure what the Lord has for us, whether overseas ministry or ministry here in the States. All we know is that we now have completely open hands and hearts to serve Him in ministry. Pray as we transition as students in the mission’s bubble to a married couple in the “real” world. Pray that our marriage will continue to grow strong and that the Lord will be at the focus. Pray for the MTC and NTM staff involved and aware of our situation as we are all broken people serving a perfect God. Pray for the other students in situations similar to ours that the Lord would heal them and bring alongside those who will encourage them. Pray that we would be content and joyful in all things. Pray that the Lord will lead me to the Master’s program that would best equip me in my goal of teaching and that the Lord would grant me a keen mind to learn all He has for me. Pray that we will have teachable, loving and humble hearts as we continue to process and grow.
 
We will continue to update our blog and share with you how the Lord is working and leading in our lives. If you have any questions about our time at MTC or what lies ahead of us, please contact us. Again, we apologize for the brevity of this letter but hope it conveyed enough that you understand why we are making this change in direction. Know that we have intimately involved our churches throughout this entire ordeal thus they are aware of the details. Attached are letters from Reach Orlando and FBC Villa Ridge giving their support in our decision.
    
Thank you all for praying.

Together in Christ,

Cameron and Caitlin
cameron.m.neace@gmail.com

Around the Country in (Less Than) 80 Days!

Just wanted to send out a short update letting you know what we're up to for the next month or so. After graduating from the Missionary Training Center on April 22nd and before starting back to work in Florida on June 21st, Cameron and I took off on a whirlwind road trip vacation around the country visiting family and friends! Where are we going? The better question may be where are we not going! Missouri -> Colorado -> Missouri -> Wisconsin -> Connecticut -> Maryland -> Virginia -> North Carolina -> South Carolina -> Florida!

Please pray for safe travels as we will be driving about 5,000 miles!

When we land in Florida and get situated, we will send out a follow-up on our road trip including pictures! Also, we'll share about what this next year holds for us.

United in Christ,

Caitlin and Cameron

Last Three Classes and.....GRADUATION!

A week ago today we completed the last of our classes at the Missionary Training Center!

Practical Skills

The purpose of this class was to learn and apply practical skills that are utilized overseas in areas with limited resources. Topics included how to build a house, cook from scratch, various knots, car maintenance and how to regulate a gas stove.

This class included a Thursday - Sunday camping trip in the woods on campus. For this camping trip, we had to construct a shelter without using tents that was both waterproof and warm for the nights which dipped into the 30's every evening. Obviously, we survived and Cameron and I enjoyed building our shelter which we nicknamed our fort as it more closely resembled a structure we would've made when we were children. We hung our double hammock inside of our fort and laid our one sleeping bag below us and then we each wiggled into two other sleeping bags. Needless to say, it was quite comical trying to get into our hammock without tipping the other person out or losing our sleeping bags!

I also made homemade ravioli with two of my friends during simple living when we had to cook from scratch! I was given my great grandmother's ravioli maker as a wedding present and it was so much fun to actually use it and they turned out delicious!

Phonemics

How do you create an alphabet? When the "t" in the English words "stop" "top" "the" and "bought" are really four distinct phonetic symbols and sounds what do you do? Do you create four different "t's" for English speakers to use? How do you know if the English speaker thinks of all those sounds as one or if they hear it as four separate sounds? That is when the science and art of phonemics comes in to play. We only got to dabble a little in this skill but it was really interesting seeing how linguists take all the phonetic sounds of a language and boil them down to create an alphabet.

Grammar

This class was very amusing for Cameron and I because this was actually our third time taking grammar. We started out taking the linguistics grammar course but then jumped out because we decided not to pursue it further. However, halfway through our grammar class last spring, we decided to jump back into linguistics. Then, having decided not to take linguistics, we were placed into grammar class for the third time. This was our last class we took at MTC which seemed fitting since we had taken half of it so many times! Also, we got to end with one of our favorite teachers which made it all the better.

GRADUATION!

Having successfully finished all of our classes at the MTC we graduated with our fellow classmates on Friday, April 22nd! Both of our parents came including my brother who surprised us the day before as we didn't think he would be able to come. Also, one of pastors from Villa Ridge came to support us as well! We felt so loved by those both there with us physically and those who sent us congratulatory messages and cards. We were so excited to graduate and conclude this chapter of our lives at MTC. It was a long road and we are so thankful for all of you who came alongside of us in prayer, encouragement and financial support. We literally couldn't have done this without you! If you're interested in watching the six minute video I put together for graduation, you can check it out here.


Thank you all for walking with us!

United in Christ,

Caitlin and Cameron