One of our main objectives was to raise the funds we need for the course as well as pay off debt we have from the past few years. Our departure date came upon us very quickly and we had not raised all the funds we needed for our time in Montana, nor had we paid off our debt. We realized that by going to Montana we would just be adding to our debt each month bit by bit. That did not seem very wise or responsible to us.

So we spent some time praying and seeking counsel. Our prayer was that God would clearly guide us. We wanted to be where He wanted us, and we wanted to be responsible. Over the next couple of days, God again proved Himself faithful to us by speaking to us and leading us.

We are not going to do the School of Biblical Studies this year. There is disappointment because we had planned on doing the course for 15 months, but we have a peace and excitement in our hearts because God has been guiding us. We will take this year and work to pay off our debt and raise the necessary monthly support for YWAM. An example of how we have seen God moving in our lives during this process is that I (Josiah) got an incredible job offer out of the blue. It’s a really good opportunity to work for a great company. I will be able to learn lot, and it will create the income we need to meet our monthly goals. Crissa has also got an awesome job opportunity. She will be working as a secretary at Essential Elements, a counseling practice that her Mom works in. She will also be continuing to work at Ted’s Mexican Restaurant every so often.

When we came back in December we did not have much of a financial plan in place as we transitioned. Now we have a clear and realistic plan to meet our goals. We hate it took us so long to get our heads wrapped around it but are thankful we’re getting there. We will also use this time to build new relationships and continue to invest in current ones. (Please pray for Crissa’s grandfather who was diagnosed with esophageal cancer June 28 and has finished radiation but still in chemotherapy. We are very close with her grandparents and help out frequently, being with them is really strengthening relationships and offering a lot of “God-talk.” Please pray for the whole family).

Our goals are within a year’s reach; we really want to attend the School of Biblical Studies in Montana in September 2010. We just want to be in the middle of what God wants us to do, really.

God is in control. If you are willing to give everything to Him, He will guide you. He is Faithful!

We wanted to communicate again how thankful we are for your prayers, support, and friendship. We will update you throughout the next year on what God is doing in and through us.
Our plan is to do the course next year. We’re sorry this is so delayed; we’ve had quite a few life changes in the month of September. We love everyone very much. Love to hear from you.

The Ritners

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We are doing well. We have had an incredibly busy six weeks, sense moving back from Australia in December. It’s been an awesome time. We were able to spend time with family and friends in Oklahoma and North Carolina. We had an awesome Christmas. It was just a blessed time. We are now working on getting settled in Oklahoma for a little while.

Crissa is currently in kentucky for a couple of days. Her Uncle died in a car accident earlier this week. We would appreciate your prayers for crissa’s family.

I also had not updated our flickr for a long time. I updated today! I upload 175 pictures, so go check out our flickr! The pictures are from the last two plus months. Enjoy!

We will update again soon. We would love to hear from you. There is a contact form below.

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Since the beginning of April Josiah and I have felt a little stirring in our hearts about future steps and what’s next with Reef to Outback and YWAM. For a while it was confusing because we’ve been here so long but felt like we were becoming un-attached to a lot of the new ministries and such, until we started talking to each other and realized we should start praying and considering our next step in missions. We also realized our commitments would conclude in December of this year. After a few months of collecting puzzle pieces and much prayer, Josiah and I believe the timing is right for us to move on. We absolutely love Reef to Outback and where it’s going and the people it’s reaching, but our passions and our giftings are not necessarily aligning with where we’re at now.

So what does that mean? Well, it means we are moving back to the States for a period of time! Due to the amount of time we’ve been away from our families, we are excited to go home and spend time with old and new families and rest a little bit and develop stronger friendships.
Our next big step is we’re hoping to do the School of Biblical Studies through YWAM in Lakeside, Montana in September 2009 (we’re filling out our applications now). The SBS is a nine-month inductive Bible study of the entire bible (five times through) and it’s pretty intense but a reputable course. Josiah and I are extremely excited about this opportunity; it’s such a lifetime investment and I don’t think we can really go wrong learning more about the Bible! I know it will enrich us in what we do and provide many more solid opportunities for us to preach, teach, disciple, live life, etc. There is also an optional outreach afterwards called the Titus Project. The Titus Project equips graduates of the SBS with teaching skills and mobilizes them into areas of the World where Bible Teaching is greatly needed. The target audience is pastors and leaders, who we find to be the most hungry, and the most eager to employ and pass on the tools of Inductive Bible Study. Our friend did the Titus Project in Africa and he said it changed his life; he’s now preaching across the east coast of the States! (www.titusproject.com)
So that’s what God’s been speaking and doing in our lives. It’s a huge step and almost overwhelming considering we have invested a lot of time and basically grown into adults here, yet we’re still excited about our next step in our journey together. We have a lot to process and figure out and are facing a myriad of emotions as we’re starting to find closure to our season here. Although we will be home, we do not simply want to “just get jobs” but want to build a stronger support base as we continue in missions long-term and definitely would love for you to consider supporting us and possibly even advocate for us as we start to fundraise for the SBS. If you have any questions or feedback you can contact us through our webpage, or by e-mail: josiahandcrissa@gmail.com We love hearing from you!

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