ENCOURAGEMENT!!

Each word of encouragement, promise of prayer and support continue to increase our faith.  I decided to add a few to show how God is working on behalf of His two missionaries to Peru!  I've removed names and places to ensure their privacy.

 

 

It is a great privilege to be partner with the Fling Family in God's ministry in Peru. Though having never met the Flings God spoke to my heart before leaving home for the service that evening. Upon arrival the ole devil tried to talk me out of it, telling me I was crazy. Guess what! Ole Splithoof was defeated. I doubled the amount God had placed on my heart and trusting God to supply that pledge for 36 months. God Bless The Flings over and over again. Brother @@

 

 

Hello Bryon and Michele,

It was so good to have met you at God's Missionary Church in @@ when you were there and to hear of your work in Peru. Michele, as I told you after the service, I was so moved by your story and could have listened to you for hours!

I had pledge $XX/month toward your support. I wish it could be more; but I pray that God will use it and multiply it as He did those five loaves of bread and two fish. I just wanted to let you know, I just made the first donation via your blog and set up a recurring monthly donation through Paypal.

Speaking of your blog, you were my inspiration to start my own blog.

I trust that it will be an encouragement to you.

I will keep you in my prayers! May God richly bless you in your ministry!

Love in Christ,
Lela

Happy New Year to you folks and Sammy too.  As you pray in the New Year....pray boldly because our Heavenly Father loves us all so much!!  Now that's a good reason to bang some pans at midnight tonight!!  Blessings on "our" Missionaries to Peru!!

Bro. @@ & my six Kids-----Hebrews 4:16  "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

OUR MISSIONARIES! YOUR MISSIONARIES!!

Over the past 2 1/2 years, we have had to make major adjustments as we followed the course that God has laid before us.  We moved to Cincinnati and sat up housekeeping, we were warmly welcomed into a new church that we had never heard of but God had :), we took a required mission course that enhanced our understanding of God's Mission for missions, we began months of cold calling churches and asking for mission services, and then traveling all over America to visit those churches that welcomed us with, "Yes!  We want to hear about God's work in Peru!"  All of this might sound exciting and many parts of it were, however there was something I (Michele) was craving.  The need was met by a simple message sent via text.  It stated, "Our missionaries, the Flings, are welcome here anytime!"  Our home church, the Christian Nation Church, was always warm and supporting, but as you travel place to place you begin to wonder if God's and your vision for Peru will be remembered as you drive away.  This simple text from another church gave such encouragement to me, to realize others were catching the vision for God's Advancement in Peru and were counting us as "Our Missionaries."

Again and again over the last couple of months that statement in some form has been said or written to us.  Many will not realize the boost to our faith to sense that total strangers are being called of God to support HIS WORK in Peru, and are carrying a burden for this needy field.  One dear brother wrote how God instructed him before leaving his home, though he had never heard of the Flings, to support our ministry and how much to give.  He signed his letter, "For Jesus In Peru."  Praise God!  That simple signature showed us that another one had caught the vision of the need for Jesus' Name to be proclaimed to the masses!   Another letter came telling of a dear saint's prayers for our needs down in her grove of trees that she goes to pray in daily.  She was telling God of our needs and God spoke to her to step into the gap.  She and her husband have faithfully done so and continue to hold us up daily before God's Throne.  I don't know if this blog can adequately express our great appreciation for the feeling of being YOUR MISSIONARIES!  What an honor!  What an encouragement!

A wonderful dinner out with our Mission Director Mark & Kristal Becker and Pastor Carl & Gayle Eisenhart.  We so appreciate their Godly leadership and the shouldering of our burden for Peru upon their own hearts.

We also want to mention how thankful we are of the many homes that have swung their doors open for us.  Across the many miles and many states, we have not had to pay for one night in a hotel.  Thank God and thank you for giving to the Lord through such warm hospitality!

What a wonderful time we had at Rev. & Mrs. Kenneth Sickler's home.  Though he was busy with directing the New York Pilgrim's mission program and was flying out soon, he took such gracious time to take Samuel sledding.  We were not "THEIR MISSIONARIES" so to speak, however they treated us like royalty....we were spoiled there and look forward to returning again!

                            They graciously loaned all the apparel for Samuel to go on his first sledding trip!                           

Though my pictures would not load I want to mention the wonderful time we had with Rev. Kenny & Rachel Miles in New York.  We were warmly welcomed into their church and spent up into the morning hours reminiscing about our growing up days.  It was a delight to see one another again.



It was so wonderful to reconnect with Sr. Betty Rowley Walter.  I had not seen her since I was 10 years old living in Friendsville, TN.  What a dear woman and so happy to meet the good husband God provided her after losing Bro. Rowley.

                                                              Rev. & Mrs. John Walter Sr.

We were so pleased that Bryon's brothers made the effort to get up early and travel a good ways to hear us speak on Peru. It meant a lot to us!

                                                                            Bro. Dan & Lois Summers                                                                  

Last Sunday we had the great privilege of speaking at Clearfork Wesleyan Church where I had attended their academy as a girl.  It was such a joy to see my old principal and teacher Bro. Dan Sommers and his wife.  This man had such an impact on my spiritual life and I will forever be indebted to his caring for my soul as a young girl.

As we regroup for a few days in Cincinnati, we are gathering our things to begin a long haul to Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Florida, and then Georgia before returning to our snug little home for another couple of days. :) We covet your prayers and want each of you to realize what a high honor it is to be considered YOUR MISSIONARIES!

ANSWERS TO PRAYER!!

"Some through the water, some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the Blood. Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long."  So thankful for the knowledge that God is in control, hears and answers prayers, and sends songs in the night season to comfort His children. 

Our travels have been long and sometimes physically you wonder where the strength is coming from, but God continues to enable us to go forward.  So thankful God sees when we are weary and sends that answer to prayer to boost our faith!  The other night a man entered into his church and though we had never met him nor had our service yet, he informed us that God had instructed him while still at home to support us and for how much!  What an encouragement to our souls, to hear how God is going before us to work our HIS WILL!  Our faith in the Divine Supplier of ALL of Man's Needs is growing daily as we see HIM working out the details for HIS work in Peru.

Another answer to prayer was the picking up of the Mission Helps' van.  Three and half years ago we told God to pick out our vehicle and then repeatedly asked HIM to keep it running until we could get a mission van.  Our old Aztek pushed itself with the help of God to 275,000....almost original everything.  It is still running fine, but with the upcoming trips to Florida and west, we felt that it was time to switch into a Mission Helps' van.  We are very appreciative of this wonderful ministry to missionaries.

Bryon has felt a great need to get our roof redone before flying out to Peru.  We have prayed for almost two years for this to be able to be done. There were leaks and the thought of leaving it for 2+ years was not comforting.  Through a friend we were given the name of a company that offered to do our roof for less than half the normal price. Praise God!  We ask for your prayers that we can quickly sell the ole Aztek to help pay for a portion of our roof.

 

 



In our travels it was wonderful to get to visit with Jeannette Montgomery Estes and her new husband.  She had visited us in Peru while on a AYIM team.  We so enjoyed reminiscing with her and showing her how much Samuel has grown since he was 3 mths old! :)

 



We were so pleased to see how God is using Jeannette and her husband to minister in Rev. Dan Smith's church in Bloomington, IN.  They truly are an asset and our service was also their first day for their Junior Church Ministry. 

Rev. Dan Smith and Bryon had much to talk about.  After three hours of enjoying their companionship....I yawned my way to bed, only to hear Bryon quietly enter hours later.....and they say women like to talk. :))))))








A quick trip back to Cincinnati to go out shopping with fellow missionary Heather Dickinson, putting up the Christmas tree and décor, teaching Samuel more lessons, cleaning the house, cooking a homemade meal and enjoying it with our Christmas dishes bought at a rummage sale, and then packing for our two weeks + of services.

 

 

We so enjoyed visiting with Rev. Dan & Michelle Durkee and their wonderful congregation.  After our service we were able to enjoy lots of fellowship with two young men that were raised as MK's in Peru.  After service we went to Burger King and fellowshipped with the Durkees and Samuel Aiken, an intern pastor from Ireland. 

 



 

We have often wondered about the Woodhouses that came from Ireland to Stoneboro Camp after reading a holiness book.  Being interested in Ireland, we had tried contacting them before, but to no avail.  We were excited to meet Samuel Aiken and realize that he was from the same denomination as the Woodhouses.  He is soon to marry and then will return to Ireland to preach holiness!  Praise God!

 

 

Answers to prayer!  Sweet answers to prayer.....we look to the right and to the left and see God's answers.  We look straight forward and see HIS hand guiding in answer to your prayers.  Thank you for every offering, every pledge of support, and for every prayer that truly is moving the hand of God to answer!





RECONNECTING & NEW FRIENDSHIPS!

 

 

What a wonderful thing it is to reconnect.  God has been so good to allow us to reconnect with old college friends and make lots of new ones in our mission travels. While holding services in Tennessee, we were able to meet up with a wonderful friend from my AWC days so long ago.  Shelly Getty and I not only went to college together, but also to the Dominican Republic on a mission team.  She so kindly treated us to a HUGE meal at the Apple Barn near Gatlinburg.  We had a wonderful time!

 

 

What a wonderful time of remembering my days at Rincon Marquez, NM. and reconnecting with Rev. & Mrs. Earl Newton who served on the All Tribes board.  We are so thankful for the love and warmth that we feel expressed by them and the Berrysville Holiness Church.  Feels like a part of home is there every time we get to visit.

 

It was a delight to meet Rebekah Cooley Stence's sister Faith Young and her husband.  I so enjoyed hearing the stories of God working in Faith's life as she ministered as a missionary and all the exciting stories of her sister's work on the Amazon River.

 

Loved loved reconnecting with Dan & Carol Roush.  They put up with me when I was in 5th & 6th grade!! (I'm sure I added to their gray hair)  I let them know of a few antics that Debbie Rowley, Jeff Knuckles, and I did way back then while attending what was then known as Christ Academy in Friendsville, TN.  I owe my grammatical foundation to Sr. Roush....am, is are, was, were, be, being, been!!  I shall never forget all they taught me and their Godly lives went on to impact me down through the years.

Also greatly appreciated their church and the Rev. Bentz' for opening an apartment up for us while we were in TN.  They were gracious hosts and stuffed us to the top with wonderful meals!

 

Also want to mention a big thank you to Rev. Bentz for making Samuel's dreams of being a firefighter come a little true.  He loved loved the time you spent showing him around the fire house.

 

We always look forward to any time we can stop and see the Robisons.  They are such a loving couple, doing all they can to see God's Kingdom go forward.  We so appreciated being treated like royalty in their AWESOME farm house. 

 

What an adventure and pleasure to wander room to room....9 bedrooms, two staircases that go three floors up, second story verandah and awesome antiques....love that place and family!!

 

 

Samuel was thoroughly spoiled rotten by Rev. & Sr. Thornton and their wonderful family.  We so enjoyed getting to reconnect and meet their lovely granddaughter for the first time.  We were also able to share lunch with Sr. Cousin and her daughter Naomi (NaNa) whom I taught when she was in 3rd grade.  Seeing her at 27 and getting ready to get married makes an old missionary feel even older! :)

 

 

A GREAT highlight of this past Sunday was getting to visit with Bro. Armour.  My entire life I remember him as a one scoop or two (of mashed pot) as we went through the serving line at Stoneboro Camp.  He grinned and with a twinkle in his eye told me, "I always pegged the two scoopers before I even asked."  He said he gave 50 yrs to working in the dining hall at Stoneboro.  What a delightful Godly man!

 

We have been so blessed by all the friends we are reconnecting and making in our travels.  It is a major benefit to mission work!!!  However, at the end of 1,000+ miles in a week......there's just no place like home!  Thank you, Jesus, for our home!

COW HEAD STORY!

As we have traveled around Bryon and I have told stories of all the unusual items we have eaten in Peru.  I have explained about a trip to the mountains where the fatted cow was killed for a wedding feast.  We would eat on that cow all week as it aged beautifully on the line in the sun with the flies.  As the meat "ages" they just began to fry it longer and longer.  I've explained how you feel a urge to apologize to your food since you have to look face to face with it many times while eating it. 

Well I found the pics that I mention in our deputation services.  Looking lovely eh? :P

Tired and just waiting to be fed, but who did I say was sitting right beside me?  Ha...some of you remember!

Yep, staring at me accusingly.  You just have to apologize and go on and enjoy him or go hungry!  The part of looking face to face with what I eat I might not be looking forward to too much! :)

A STEP OF FAITH!!!

After conferring with our mission director, Mark Becker, we felt led to make a true step of faith on our parts.  WE HAVE BOUGHT TICKETS FOR PERU!!!!  Though our monthly support has not grown adequately to support us on the mission field, we felt that God was leading us to put our complete trust in HIM!  We are scheduled to fly out for Peru on July 9, 2015!!  We believe that God will raise up those HE wants to support HIS work in Peru, or HE will provide our needs day by day as we are faithful to do HIS bidding. 

Excitement runs through our home today as we think about the land that we love.  Leaving Peru the first time was the hardest thing either of us had experienced.  The excitement that comes with the knowledge of returning also brings with it the full weight of our responsibility before Christ to our precious Peruvian people.  We have been in contact with Pastor Luiz in Lima, and look forward to being an encouragement to him.  He has started different works in Lima, below Lima, and Iquitos (a very hard place to reach...mostly by boat or plane).  He seems to have a  passion for souls and we would covet your prayers as we seek God's will in whatever way HE leads.  We are also praying for other contacts that we have made in southern Peru.

We have another opportunity to work for Jesus in a city in the far south of Peru called Arequipa.  We desire to be working to be a light for Jesus wherever HE plants us. We want to be busy seeking the lost in whatever city HE chooses to place us at any given time!

We are giving each Thursday for fasting and praying for God's work in Peru.  We would ask that if you feel led by God, would you join us in prayer and fasting?  So much more can be done for God's Kingdom through this avenue than any other.  The souls of men, women, and children are slipping through our fingers.....we want to be faithful in the Great Harvest time.  Reap with us through your prayers, fasting, and support.  "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."  Psalm 126:6

You may notice a lot of GOD'S, HIS, HE, HIM up above in the writing......it's because we truly do not feel that this work is the Fling's work in any way.  It's GOD'S work!  It is HE that leadeth us!  It will be done HIS way and will be about HIM.  What more can we ask than that HE goeth before us to Peru?!!!

SWEET MEMORIES OF THAT SPECIAL TIME!!

We still stand back in awe at the precious gift that was given to us by our Heavenly Father!  I'm not sure that a child could be loved more.....we so love our son, Samuel Logan Fling!  Found these pics and it reminded me of God's words in March, 2008.  I heard, "Unto you a son is given," in what appeared an audible voice to me.   A few days later to our delight Samuel was graciously given to us by our Loving Heavenly Father. 

I looked back at that great gift, then literally dropping baby gifts into our laps also.  At the time of Samuel's birth we had two small dingy dark grocery stores to shop in.  Most of the time you could only buy items that were local and sometimes things that were shipped in from Lima, the capital.  However, I'll never forget the day I walked in and through the sunlight shining through an opening on the roof, saw a Fisher Price swing with ALL the gadgets sitting there......all the way from America!  My Aunt Karen had just sent an amount of money for Samuel's birth and it covered the price of the imported swing.  That probably sounds like a small thing to some, but to this first time mother with only 10 days notice that I might be receiving a child, I felt so blessed that my Father personally made sure it was there.  Could Samuel have lived without a baby swing.....MOST DEFINITELY!.....however, it's just like our Father to show up and go beyond what we could ask or think.

The baby shower that was given to me by the Corbins met and exceeded any daydreams I had of having a shower in the States.  God is so good and I will forever be thankful for our Samuel.....a son truly asked of God and given by HIM!