Zim News

2014-09-22T23:14:00.000-04:00

We praise God as His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Our soul rests in His embrace.

Thank you Lord.

Our Journey

2014-08-20T22:17:00.000-04:00

Our Journey

          I have worked as a commercial/ industrial HVAC service technician for the past 20 years. Four years ago, Anthea and I sensed the Lord’s call in our lives to apply with TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission) and go to Zimbabwe, Africa to serve the Shona people. Anthea came to know the Lord through TEAM missionaries who planted a church on her parent's farm in Zimbabwe. Because of her relationship with TEAM and our connection with TEAM through Columbia International University where we met, partnering with TEAM in Zimbabwe was a natural response. After an intense application and interview process that lasted several months, we received our letter of appointment on May 9, 2011, welcoming us to the TEAM family as appointees to Zimbabwe. We will be working directly with Hands of Hope, a local ministry in Zimbabwe. Our work will consist of developing a piece of property into a skills training center. We will be teaching a number of different marketable skills to orphans who are aging out into adulthood. This is directly in conjunction with the HIV/AIDS project that TEAM started in Zimbabwe.
          Our training with TEAM in the months that followed helped prepare us for our long road of deputation while working a full time job. During that time, God used several people to pay off our van, which in turn helped alleviate some of the financial strain we were having. I was working about 70 hours a week with my employer while trying to develop our support team. November of 2013, TEAM asked us to prayerfully consider going on salary so we could devote more of our time and energy to complete our deputation process. At that time, we were unable to go on salary because of our obligation to paying our school loans but prayed that the Lord would make the way possible. February of 2014, God rose up individuals anonymously to pay off our school loans providing the opportunity for me to resign from my job and go on salary with TEAM. Once going on salary with TEAM we have six months to finish raising our support before funding for our salary runs out; currently October 31. June of 2014 we sold all of our lawn equipment, tools, and our van prior to flying to Zimbabwe for a one month vision trip. While we were in Zimbabwe, we were able to connect with many pastors and the Hands of Hope leaders we will be working with.   One urgent prayer request we had while in Zimbabwe was that God would place the right people in the right place at the right time for getting our questions answered for immigration and reentry into Zimbabwe. Well, God did just that. God used several people to inform us of Anthea’s entitlement as a Zimbabwean. We were advised to apply for residency based on the fact that Anthea was born and raised in Zimbabwe. We submitted all of the necessary paperwork and on August 19, 2014, a Zimbabwean attorney notified us that we have been approved for a two-year residency because of Anthea’s Zimbabwean entitlement. Praise God!
          So what does this mean for us now? We sold our home, our van, all of our tools and lawn equipment. We are currently cleaning out our rental home of things we can’t take with us. God has provided loaner cars until we leave as well as storage for a few of our belongings. We have a house in Zimbabwe waiting for us. We have our area of ministry in place. We have our residency visas and approval for entry and work. We are ready to go! Our plan is to leave for Zimbabwe mid November but lack the funds to sustain us on the field. We currently need $2300 per month by the end of October to fund us completely. We do understand that with God, nothing is impossible. We continue to trust the Lord as He raises up churches, small groups, and individuals to become a part of the financial team who would help send us to the field. The Lord is our Provider!

2013-02-03T21:23:00.004-05:00

January news Loves in Zim blog

2013-01-29T20:07:00.002-05:00

     "Consider the eagle, born to fly. A natural yearning within the breast of the young eagle leads it to mount up on wings and ascend into the sky with a thousand feet of clean air beneath its wings. The eagle may, on occasion, walk on the ground or perch in a tree, but everything about him is designed to fly in the air. If our eagle had its wings clipped, preventing him from flying, he still would have the burning desire to mount up on wings and ascend into the sky. his ability, however, would be so impaired that he could never lift off the ground. He could not be true to his nature.
     Such is the plight of humanity. We are born to ascend into the very environment of God's presence where we belong; but something has clipped our wings, disabling us from responding to the cry from within. 'Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are going over me' (Ps. 42:7). Because man is shut out of the presence of God, he suffers many maladies."                                                                                             A.W. Tozer

2012-12-06T22:12:00.001-05:00

The Compassionate Heart

"Pity leads to despair, compassion leads to hope. Someone has said pity weeps and walks away, compassion comes to help and to stay. Pity often produces the tears that keep us a safe distance away from another person's problem. Pity observes - compassion involves."        Author unknown

    As I reflect on Matthew 9:37-38, I can't help but notice that in verse 36, we see Jesus' heart moved with compassion for the people of whom He was ministering. All through the scriptures we see the heart of Christ moved with compassion as He intervened on behalf of the people and met their needs. One of the many examples is in the feeding of the four thousand with only a few fish and some bread in Mark 8.
     God is a God of compassion and those who have embraced Christ as Lord of their life have God's spirit living in them. This means that if God's spirit lives in us and God is a God of compassion, we should be a people of compassion. Colossians 3:12 says, "So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience."
    Living a compassionate life is not limited to the pastor, the missionary, the Sunday school teacher, or to the elder or deacon. A life of compassion is a life that reflects the life of Christ. It is the follower of Jesus who desires nothing less of being completely clothed in the righteousness of God.

     "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
     Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
     where there is injury,pardon;
     where there is doubt, faith;
     where there is despair, hope;
     where there is darkness, light;
     and where there is sadness, joy.

     O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
     to be consoled as to console;
     to be understood as to understand;
     to be loved as to love.
     For it is in giving that we receive;
     it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
     and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen"
                                                                          The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

2012-09-03T20:26:00.000-04:00

Humility:

"The more humble a man is in himself, the more obedient toward God, the wiser will he be in all things, and the more shall his soul be at peace."                                  Thomas A Kempis

   September 1, 2012 was a day I will never forget. My family and I had an opportunity to be a part of a mission conference in Raleigh, NC. We had been told several times about all of the great opportunities this could offer in regards to our support development for Zimbabwe. What I did not expect however, was how quickly the clamor of hundreds of people can dissipate when one individual completely captivates your attention. Suddenly, I was oblivious to my surroundings and I am sure I "missed" opportunities with others because I was so engrossed in my conversation with a lady I will probably never meet again this side of Heaven. Anthea was speaking to someone else as I spoke to an elderly lady with a walker. I walked in front of our display so she could hear me explain how God had called us to work with HIV/AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe and to answer any questions she may have had. She proceeded to share with me about her heartache as she had just lost her close friend the week prior to this mission event. Fighting back the tears, she continued to share how much of a friend this other person had been to her. She asked a few more questions as to our work in Zimbabwe and then promptly asked, "where do I put the money?" I thought to myself, " wow! Our first supporter for the evening!" I drew her attention to our response cards that she could fill out and get her support started. She then told me that she was not able to do that because she did not have money to contribute on a regular basis. She took out her wallet and opened it up, leaned forward, and handed me the wallet and said, "turn it upside down and empty it. It is all I have but I want your family to have it." I emptied the change into our basket on our display table designated for our support cards as she requested. Although the room was filled with hundreds of people, there was a silence in my soul that was deafening.
    As I processed what had happened, my thoughts were drawn to the lady in the Bible that gave all she had to the Lord. This little lady at this mission conference gave all she had because she felt the Lord leading her to give. I was truly humbled by her sacrificial giving and her passion to be a part of what the Lord is doing. It was a good reminder for me to be obedient to the Lord's leading and not be concerned if what I have to offer is good enough. The work that takes place is all about what the Lord is doing in and through the lives of others as He leads them. Sure, we know this, but these are good reminders to keep us humble. Praise God for these reminders.

September News

2012-08-16T00:05:00.000-04:00

september news 2 -

2012-07-09T21:56:00.000-04:00

Kudzai Ishe - Praise the Lord!

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” (John Piper)

In light of the recent storms, intense heat, and fires that overwhelmed the U.S. in the past few weeks, I can’t help but think that in all of this chaos, God is still sovereign and in control. He will still receive glory, honor, and praise because He is God and His glory is a manifestation of His holiness. It is sometimes difficult to separate our personal agendas, frustrations and inconveniences from what is most important; the recognition of God’s glory. When we become captivated by God’s holiness and we are completely satisfied in Him, His glory is revealed through us – His bride.

As our family prepares for the mission field before us in Zimbabwe, it is essential that we remain satisfied in God by clinging to the feet of Jesus so that the glory of God will be revealed. Our prayer as a family is that no matter what happens between now and the time we board the plane to Zimbabwe, God receives all the glory. When we face trials of many kinds, when we are spiritually assaulted by our enemy, when those close to us turn away, our prayer as a family is that God receives all glory because it is God who has sustained us. It is God who has embraced us and covered us with His loving mercy. It is God who is our refuge. It is God who continues to provide in ways unimaginable. It is God who provides the peace that passes all understanding. It is God who is the giver of life itself. Glory to God!!

How exciting it is to be held in the palm of the almighty as we serve Him.

Love News

2012-06-07T23:53:00.000-04:00

We have had a very busy and productive time since our last news update. Thank you all so very much for your prayer and encouragement.
June 2012 news -

2012-05-27T15:40:00.000-04:00

Firmly Planted

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NASB)
Trust is the complete reliance on the integrity, strength, and ability of a person or thing. To have a confident expectation of something in which you can place your hope. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/trust

For a person to embrace all that life has to offer, both good and bad, we need to identify the source of our security. We live in a world that communicates an idea that our security comes from our employers, our income, how well we perform, and how much success we have obtained. There is a sense of confidence that comes from the empires that man seems to build until we face that day when our world seems to implode all around us. We face the loss of jobs, death, sickness, disappointment, discouragement, and the list can go on and on.

When we understand that our security, our confidence, and our hope come from the sovereign God, we can then trust that He will carry us through the disappointments and letdowns we face in life. The depth of our daily worship for God also begins to change as we understand that He is our trust. While life can still be difficult, when we place our trust in the Lord and our trust is the Lord, we then become like that tree that is planted by the water that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes. We will not be anxious when difficult times come and we will not cease to yield fruit because our security comes from the Lord on High. We have full confidence that He will take care of His people and we will remain unshaken when life does not happen the way we think it should happen.

April News

2012-04-18T20:45:00.000-04:00

The past couple of months have been very fruitful. We have several individuals and churches who were led to prayerfully and financially partner with us which comes as a great encouragement to us. We are truly thankful to everyone who is faithfully lifting us up before the Lord in prayer. We certainly covet your prayers as we all go boldly before the throne of God on behalf of His work in Zimbabwe.

April news -

February news

2012-02-15T21:51:00.000-05:00

The past few months have been very busy for the Love family. We are gearing up for a busy year with all of our training and support development. We appreciate all of your continued prayers as we continue to embark on this phase of our life.

February 2012 newsletter -

2012-01-25T19:53:00.000-05:00

Don’t be robbed of your Joy

Philippians 4:4-9 (NASB)
'Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!'

There are so many things in life that distract us from the things of God. These distractions give room for anxiety, frustration, discouragement, and sometimes the development of sin in our lives. When we face these things, it can be incredibly difficult to rejoice in the Lord or maybe not understand how to rejoice in the Lord.

Understanding the difference between joy and happiness in light of God’s promises are key to our having “the peace of God guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”. Sure, there are days when life seems to be incredibly overwhelming and we are not ‘feeling’ very happy. Happiness is an emotion driven often times by our immediate circumstances in our life. Our joy is not the product of our feelings, but is the outpouring of who we are in Christ Jesus, His redemptive work on the cross, and the Spirit's work in our lives. The problem is when we let life rob us of that joy. Joy is one of the qualities (fruits) that the spirit of God is in control of our life (Galatians 5:22). For us to have the worries of life rob us of that joy is the same as letting it rob us of one portion of the spirit’s control in our life.

As a result of casting all of our worries, petitions, and anxiety on the Lord, we will have the Peace of God guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. As a result of our taking our thoughts captive and dwelling on the things that are excellent and praiseworthy, we are promised that the God of Peace will be with us. As our lives begin to reflect the character of Christ, we can’t help but to “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

Philippians 4:4-9 (NASB)

December Update

2011-12-21T22:16:00.000-05:00

We want to thank all of you who are praying for our family as we continue to build our partner base. This partner base will sustain our long-term connection with ANESU in Zimbabwe. If you feel the Lord leading you to partner with us and join our partner base, we would love to hear from you.

Thank you again for praying for us. Please remember the ANESU team as you bring your request to the Lord.

Steve Love

December 2011 newsletter -

In Celebration of the Children

2011-12-17T14:23:00.000-05:00

This is a posting from www.anesupartnership.com by Bud Jackson. This is dedicated to the children of Zimbabwe. A few of them depicted here are sons and daughters of committed pastors and foster home care givers, but the majority are children without one or both parents due to AIDS.

ANESU Zimbabwe from Bud Jackson on Vimeo.

October News

2011-10-28T20:12:00.000-04:00

God has been so very faithful to our family in answering many prayers that have been lifted to the Lord on our behalf. We do serve a gracious God. To God be the Glory!!

October newsletter -

I Stand In Awe!

2011-10-16T15:51:00.000-04:00

I have never walked on water and I have never felt the waves beneath my feet. I have never seen the wind but I have seen the effects of the wind. I have never witnessed the lame walk, the blind see, or lepers healed. I have never seen someone rise from the dead but can certainly testify as to the change in my life because of a Savior who was risen from the dead. Because of the historical work of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, my life will forever be changing. I stand in awe as to the faithfulness of God in my life as He draws me closer to Him. Our purpose in life is to put God on display in a way that all glory is directed to Him. God deserves our humble and most reverent expression of worship by our daily routines we call life.

Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His might deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150)

The Love's September News

2011-09-23T21:34:00.000-04:00

September News -

Meeting with the Lord

2011-09-04T16:35:00.000-04:00

"...the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." (Isaiah 55:12)

Imagine with me for a moment. You are overwhelmed with life and all it has to offer. You are desperate to spend time with the Lord in prayer and silence. You decide to get out to surround yourself with the serenity of God's creation completely isolated from noise and distraction. You have a preconceived picture in your mind of what to expect when you get to your destination. You arrive and even though you are there for time with the Lord, you are somewhat disappointed because the picture you had in your mind is not at all what you are seeing.

Yesterday, Sept. 3, I had an appointment to meet with the Lord in the beautiful mountains of Virginia at McAfee Knob on the Appalachian Trail. I set out for my 3.5 mile hike at 4:30 am so that I could arrive just in time for the most beautiful sunrise I could ever have imagined. I had envisioned in my mind a blaze orange sunrise with the panoramic view of the mountain ranges and a sky filled with an assortment of color. As I crested the the top of McAfee Knob I set my gaze on a picture that was far from what I imagined. I could see about 50 feet in front of me and beyond that there was only fog. I sat down and brewed a cup of coffee and listened to some music on my IPOD to begin preparing my heart for my time with the Lord. As I sat there, almost disappointed I did not see a beautiful sunrise, the Lord really spoke to me. I had expected to see this grandeur of the sunrise as I arrived at my destination and instead, I was met with the grandeur of God revealing this beautiful creation a little at a time. I started to think this is much like how God reveals Himself to us. God reveals Himself to us in life through prayer, worship, friends, trials, bible study, and life itself. As I was pondering this for a while, the mountains were slowly revealing themselves to me. There was an eagle that began circling in front of me and soon after that, there were about 50-75 little sparrows that were filing into the trees around me. A steady breeze began to blow and I listened to the birds and the trees. The trees sounded as if they were applauding God's handiwork. The passage in Isaiah came to my mind. "...The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." My heart was stirred as I listened to creation resounding their praises to the King of Kings. My expectation of this sunrise that I was so eager to greet, was met with the majesty of the Creator slowly revealing Himself to me. I sat with God in silence and marveled in His goodness and grace. My time with the Lord was sweet and caused more of a hunger and thirst for Him. I desire nothing less of submerging myself in the things of God and to know Him more. I want to be a man after God's own heart.

Click on the "Day of Prayer and Vision" tab on the blog to see some pictures of the trip.

Love's August Newsletter

2011-08-25T21:40:00.000-04:00

We hope you enjoy our August newsletter.

Love's Newletter -

A Glimpse of Zimbabwe

2011-08-24T21:19:00.000-04:00

Date: 26 October 2009 - Added by: TEAM - http://www.teamworld.org/media/recent-videos.html?task=allvideoslist&from=40

This video depicts the very real and sobering condition of the nation of Zimbabwe. There is a sense of urgency for sharing the gospel to the Zibmabean people. Zimbabwe has a population of about 12.5 million people and roughly 43.9% of that population is under the age of 15. The average life expectancy is 45.8 years of age which leaves most of its young people orphaned because of the HIV/AIDS pendemic.

God is good though. He is raising up people around the world to come together as the body of Christ to care for these young lives. The church in Zimbabwe as well as various organizations and initiatives are radically transforming the lives of these children. There is a lot of work to be done but if God can rescue all of humanity from their sin through one man Jesus, and build a community of worldwide followers of Jesus through twelve common men, then I am confident that He can use this living organism we call the church, and turn the tide in the nation of Zimbabwe. To God Be the Glory.

Love's Update

2011-08-24T00:54:00.000-04:00

God is doing some amazing things in our lives as we follow after Him in this journey to Zimbabwe, Africa. We are joining T.E.A.M. (The Evangelical Alliance Mission) in Wheaton, IL in their work in Zimbabwe. We will partner with the local church in Zimbabwe in reaching out to this beautiful nation and her people. TEAM has been in Zimbabwe for 70 years and is well established and respected. The missionaries with TEAM had an active role in Anthea coming to know Christ as a teenager. What an honor to have the opportunity to serve with this part of the body of Christ in the country of Zimbabwe.

We will be working with the ANESU Initiative in reaching out to the orphans in the country who have sadly been infected with Aids and in many cases, lost their parents to this deadly disease. ANESU is a shona phrase that means "He is with us." This phrase alone can bring comfort and reassurance that there is hope beyond our comprehension. It is only when we embrace Jesus as Lord of our life and commit our entire being to Him, that we truly understand that comfort and reassurance He has to offer. God is moving in this nation and it is exciting to be a part of what He is doing. To God be the Glory!