Paper Dove Missions
Our Journey to the Mission Aviation Field : Justin, Anna & Liam Toews
I married a missionary!…
“Did you feel the Holy Spirit? It was there.”
A little more than three weeks ago, I married Justin Toews, and became Anna Lisa Toews. A new name, a new identity in Christ. Wife, future missionary. Justin’s goal is to be a missionary pilot – flying supplies and people to remote areas of the third world – all for the glory of God!
There was no mention of this on our save-the-date, invitation, or in the program. Those who knew, knew, and those who didn’t – well, they got a bit of a surprise when my Father made his toast to our missionary career! The toast was heart-warming and more than we ever expected or could have asked for.
And now I am home, learning what it means to be a military wife, future missionary, student, and business owner (Anna Lisa Toews : Graphic Design, Social Media & Business Consulting in One). The laundry and cleaning call me when I have business to attend to, and my business calls me when I have schoolwork to do. Then, lo and behold, it’s 5 o’clock! It’s time for hubby to come home . . . is dinner ready?
I am saying this to make a point that when change comes – even wonderful change – adjustment is necessary. But no matter how many adjustments need to be made, God is my one constant in life. If anything deserves my time, it is Him.
Just as our friend and mentor said, “Did you feel the Holy Spirit? It was there.” I want to be there for Him too.
4 Comments on “I married a missionary!…”
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Paper Dove Missions 
We’ve never met, Lisa, but I have followed your blog. I too, married a missionary… 41 years ago this June! We were in Bible college and our goal was to be missionaries in Mexico. But, God gave us a few detours on the way. We didn’t always understand why, but we knew without a doubt that they were GOD’S detours and not our own, because, the WHOLE TIME, it was in OUR hearts to go to the mission field.
First, it was 6 years in Texas, our home state, with my husband working as assistant pastor and music minister, and the both of us in the capacity of youth directors, printing, cleaning and maintenance, and general flunkies. Then, when we felt the Lord was moving us, (a VERY difficult move because we LOVED where we were!) we thought we might finally be going to the mission field. By this time we had 2 small children, too. But, GOD had other plans, and we ended up spending the next 14 years with my husband pastoring a church in Tacoma, WA. After so long there, I thought, “Well, THIS must be the mission field where God wanted us all along! And, even tho the people here don’t always understand my Texas accent, at least I didn’t have to learn a new language!”
While in Tacoma, God helped us to lead the small struggling church of about 25 people who had been left with thousands of dollars of debt, to a position of having NO debt and a renovated 100 year old building, more property for expansion, a thriving bus ministry and youth department and a Christian school which was also a training center for those starting new schools. We also sent out two missionaries from our church (one to France and the other to Mexico), started a faith promise mission program and added about 20-25 more missionaries to our mission support program. Before we knew it, we were out of space and having Sunday School classes in the church kitchen and one of the church buses. We dearly loved our people and they loved us and, after years of struggling, God was blessing us greatly and we were seeing our prayers of many years being answered in that place.
Finally, since we were debt free, we decided that the $60,000 in the building fund was enough with which to get started. So, we had plans drawn up for a new church building and began to make our plans for expansion.
But, before starting the new building, we were going to take 2 of our Christian school graduates to Honduras, Central America. They both wanted to work in bi-lingual Christian schools for a year. One of the graduates was our daughter, the other was a young man who had surrendered to missions. My husband and I were just there for 10 days. But while there, God broke our hearts for the people of Honduras and made it clear that someone else could take our precious church thru their next phase of development and we were to leave it all and go to Honduras! I believe resigning from our dear church was one of the hardest things we’ve EVER done!
NO, WAIT! I take that back! Learning a new language at 45 years old was THE hardest thing I’ve ever done!!
We have now been serving in the country Honduras since 1997 and you know what?
I CAN’T IMAGINE LIVING ANYWHERE ELSE! I LOVE IT HERE AND I LOVE THE PRECIOUS PEOPLE HERE and I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!
Yep, it took us a while to get here, but…
I MARRIED A MISSIONARY, TOO! And I thank the Lord every day that I did!
Congratulations on your marriage, Lisa! May our sweet Heavenly Father bless you both as you serve Him!
For the King until He returns,
Debbie Lane
~ Psalm 37:4
OOPS! Sorry, Anna! Don’t know why I called you by your middle name “Lisa” in my original comment to you! I just wanted to add that I hope it was okay that I mentioned YOUR blog on MY blog and put your link. If you want to check it out it’s at http://www.RegionsBeyond-Honduras.blogspot.com. If there is a problem with me posting it, just let me know and I will quickly remove it. God bless!
Debbie Lane, Missionary to Honduras
No problem Debbie! I love my middle name as well – it means “consecrated to God.” Thank you so much for your attention from your comments and your blog – I feel very honored and blessed by it! I just found out today that people from over 50 countries have visited my blog – and I hope that they are missionaries like you, or those seeking the Lord in some way! May God bless you greatly! I hope to join in service one day on the “field.” – Anna
Yes, the Holy Spirit was there. I was blessed to witness this occasion and there truly was love all around.
Anna & Justin, I would again like to take this opportunity to wish you both all the love and happiness to sustain you through this journey of yours. May that love and happiness spill over to others you come in contact with each and every day so they know as we do the light that shines around you both.
All my love. — Kristin