Married in June, 1977, we graduated college in 1979 and proceeded to prepare for a ministry in Germany.

Arriving In January, 1983 with a two-year old and a daughter on the way. Not quite two years of language studies in Würzburg and then on to our present city of Aschaffenburg. One additional son would be born in 1985 completing the family.

Now that the children have their own lives, in addition to church ministry, coaching church planters in Europe has allowed us to travel to some pretty interesting places.

We have established deep roots in Germany and our plans are to complete our natural lives remaining in ministry in Germany (My graveplot is prepurchased here in Germany). The clock does not stop ticking for anyone, so ministry will certainly take a different shape in coming years, but church-planting is and remains the passion.

At this point in our lives we do count every day a blessing and we have been able to check off many desires as fulfilled from our 'bucket list.'

Through the highs and lows - the challenges of ministering cross-culturally, it appears that this statement is true - probably in every area of life, but certainly in ministry: The level of success a person achieves will largely be determined by the pain one is willing to endure. Make a determination to never ever quit. This does not exclude, but rather demands flexibility and adaptation, but it does speak to tenacity and endurance in the face of discouragement.