Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Curt and DeDe Iles Gondor, Ethiopia circa 2007
Compelled: to be driven along by a strong force or object.
“It’s O.K. to be out on the limb. That’s where the best fruit is found.”
DeDe and I are taking the first steps on a new journey.
We’ve applied with our missions organization, the International Mission Board (IMB), for a Masters Position. This is a two-year overseas assignment for folks over age 50.
We are in a mid-stream swim through the lengthy application process.
Our next doorway is July 18-21. We’ll attend a conference in Richmond, VA for interviews and possible job assignments. If we pass muster at this point, we’ll go for eight weeks of training in late 2012 and leave for the field in early 2013.
This is a decision we’ve made carefully, together, and with much prayer. (Please continue in fervent prayer for us! Please!) We are committed to moving forward on this part of the journey until God shuts the door or we find ourselves serving in another culture.
This is our current missions manifesto:
We are seeking to serve however God leads.
Currently, we feel that God is leading our hearts toward:
1. Working with/reaching an Unengaged/Unreached people group(s).
2. We are open to serving wherever. Our church, Dry Creek Baptist Church, feels led toward Sub-Saharan Africa. We simply want to be obedient to God’s leading.
3. Our goal would be to reach out to a neighboring/nearby UUPG and serve as a relationship bridge for our church (Dry Creek Baptist Church) and Association (Beauregard Baptist) and other like-minded friends/churches to adopt this group.**
4. Two verses reverberating in our hearts are:
Romans 15:20 “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known.”
Revelation 7:9 ” . . . a great multitude . . . from every nation, tribe, people and language . . .”
“Atttempt great things for God. Expect great things from God.” -William Carey, pioneer missionary to India.
We will be using our website, http://www.creekbank.net and its blog to inform you of how our journey is progressing. We plan to be honest and transparent as we share the joys and challenges of leaving our beloved community and family.
Pray for us.
Feel free to share about our journey with others.
Curt and DeDe Iles
“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…” Matthew 6:33
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
What about your family, children, and grandchildren? This is the difficult part. Leaving our parents (DeDe’s dad Herbert Terry and Curt’s mom Mary Iles.) is a concern. Our parents raised us with a passion to share our Christian faith. They lived the sacrificial life taught by the gospels. They are at peace about our going.
Grandchildren! The joy of our life. We have five wonderful ones and two more on the way in late 2012. Of all the things we’ll miss, they are at the top. However, we feel strongly this will set a legacy of service for each of them.
We feel the same way about Terry and Sara, Clay and Robin, Clint and Amanda. We can Skype, phone, email but nothing can replace hugs and personal contact. But our obedience must trump family.
What about Curt’s writing? I am called/compelled to write. Writing is what I do and who I am. It’s very possible our assignments will involve writing/sharing about the needs and people of our assigned area.
I plan to finish my current work, As You Were, (sequel to Spent Bullet) by this fall. Due to publishing schedules, it is difficult to predict its release.
I will have a short story collection ready for Christmas. Entitled Christmas Jelly, it is a compilation of Christmas stories I’ve written over the years. I believe you’ll enjoy “My Grandpas’ Boots”, “Stolen Trees”, “Christmas Jelly”, and many more.
What about your Dry Creek home?
Today (June 21) our house goes on the market. Realtors Larry and Leah Boyd of Coldwell Realty are handling the sell.
When/if our home sells, we’ll be guests in the missions house of First Baptist Pineville.
This will also mean selling/giving away most of our possessions. Sounds like a challenge. Sounds like fun.
As much as we both love Dry Creek, we feel compelled to make this move. We are doing it together and in confidence to God.
What if this whole thing falls through?
That is always a possibility. We’ll dust ourselves off and see what God has in store.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do
Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
-Mark Twain
