A Voice in Exile

Grateful for Your Partnership in This Journey

The last two years have looked completely different from what I imagined. Your dedicated partnership kept me afloat mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. The academic challenge coupled with reverse culture shock of living in the US nearly broke me. I cannot express how blessed I am to have you as partners in this journey.

Many Blessings,

Denise

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

"So, You Want to Go Back to Egypt?"

I have started this newsletter more times than I can count. Anyone who I have talked to during this season has heard me say I feel like I am going through another adolescence. Asking those three pressing questions:

Who am I?
Who are my people that make up my community?
What am I here for?

The struggle is very real and at times overwhelming. But I have been determined to remain in the no man's land between who I was and who I am becoming. I came across the following Welsh word that describes the feelings of this desert well, hiraeth. That deep longing for a past place that no longer exists. There is a profound grief that reverberates to the very core of your being. I remember talking about it when she talked about her "home" country of Sweden. Or the Apostle Paul in his letters to the many people into whose lives he spoke great spiritual truths.

It would be easy to fill the void with something anything to silence the aching emotions. Jesus has spoken to me to do the bravest and the most courageous thing: Wait patiently.

Therefore, I am bucking the push from our culture to DO the next thing and I am sitting in the presence of Jesus. I am beginning to remember how to just be.

This does not change that there is a longing for the consistency of the known of what was. The roles I walked in, the places that were familiar and comfortable.

I am taking the next right step. I will be flying to the UK on August 16th and then Poland on August 29th to see what the Father has in mind. I return to SeaTac on September 29th.

I have chosen to be on a perpetual journey with Jesus. Where it takes me, what I do, and who travels with me are all in his hand.

Please pray for the following:

Safe travel
Finances (I have lost 2/3 of my monthly support)
Divine appointments
Discernment
Favor with the airlines for extra baggage coming back.
Health: For myself and my travel companion Beth.

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Hiraeth n. (Welsh)

A spiritual longing for home which maybe never was.

Nostalgia for ancient places to which we cannot return. It is the echo of the lost places of our soul's past and our grief for them. It is the wind and the rocks, and waves. It is nowhere and everywhere.

It is the shared emptiness we feel as some unseen pain, one that returns again and again.

Trudi Jane

"Wait patiently for the Lord.

Be brave and courageous.

Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14 NLT

Highlights

Health Update...

Praise Jesus! He made away for me to find a great Primary Care Provider in October of 2022. She is a delightful person who loves Jesus and takes time with her patience. The downside is I have to drive over an hour to get to her office. I am learning to use those visits as opportunities to connect with friends that live in that area.

My PCP got me in with an Orthopedic Surgeon right away. My hip was so bad by the time I saw her I could barely walk.

I had a full hip replacement on March 8th. This was the same day my doctoral project went before the professors for final approval.

I have completed my post-surgery PT. Now I just need to be disciplined in walking regularly. My new neighborhood is a great place to walk.

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Praise Reports!

IT IS FINISHED!

I successfully finished my doctoral project and program. I officially graduated with a doctorate in ministry May 4th in Newburg, Oregon, at George Fox University. I was blessed to stay with my dear college friend, Cindy who lives across the street from the university.

I was supported by friends and family who made the extra effort to come and see me walk. Thank you so much to my brother Warren, his wife Jill, Sandy, Vera, and Beth!

Following graduation my African Road Trip classmates and I enjoyed four days on the Oregon Coast. It was a much-needed rest on the beach.

If you would like to see my project, you can download it from this link:

GCM: Generations in Community on Mission

TODAY'S QUOTE

"Jesus did the majority of His ministry on the way of life. He modeled for us to include people from the fringes of life in our world. He charges us to see everyone we encounter, to be responsive to their needs, to listen to their stories and be the tangible present of Jesus' loving presence."

Denise

Poland Scout Trip 2023

Poland my home...I have been in the US now for a nearly 2 years. This is the longest period of time I have been away in 37 years. I have felt the Apostle Paul's longing to be with those he loved. To say that I miss it and my people is an understatement. But for the grace of God, I would be on the plane yesterday, home.

It is particularly, challenging and heartbreaking at this time. The war in Ukraine, resulting throngs of refugees flooding into this amazingly gracious and hospitable country. I have lots of thoughts and opinions on the situation but... (If you are interested, let's talk) This is the season the Lord has moved me to the US. He has planted me here to learn, to be pressed down, shaped and molded in ways that can only be done here.

As much as I would love to be with my friends in Poland, it would be disobedient. Some days I struggle. I struggle. I cry. I long to be home. But Jesus reminds me that He is with me. He has led me to this place and time. The best thing I can do for anyone is to be obedient.

Today, I am within days of my departure for a 6-week scout trip to Poland. This will be a time of reevaluating my relationship with Poland and its people. What are the needs? What is my role? Whatever Jesus decides, I know that my life has been significantly changed by the experiences and people of Poland.

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Studies in South Africa: Update

September 2022, I got to go to South Africa with my Leadership and Global Perspective Class. All of Portland Seminary Students in the program traveled to Cape Town for 10 days of lectures, educational site seeing, relationship building, and cross-cultural awareness. I was amazed by the similarities between Apartheid and the impact of Communism in Central/Eastern Europe.

This was an exceptionally important time for my class. Due to the pandemic, the time in South Africa was the first time we had all been together in person. It is amazing how important face to face time is for collaboration. I learned a lot from the students in the other classes and their advisors.

Here are some of the sites and adventures I got to experience:

Robbin Island: Nelson Mandela's place of incarceration.
Bishop Desmond Tutu's Museum and got to hear from those who knew him best.
Table Mountain
The Penguin sanctuary.
Great food and fellowship.
Safari
South African winery tour
Girls' Road Trip to Johannesburg with 2 classmates.
See both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

I see poverty and privilege differently as a result of the adventure. I'd love to share pictures and stories.

A Summer Sabbatical:

In the 37 years of dedicated love, and service to Central Europe and her people, I am learning what it means to be at HOME in Jesus.

The beginning of 2023 was an avalanche of doctoral deadlines and pre-op doctor appointments. It is by the grace of God, the support of dear colleagues, the helpful advice of my project faculty, and the prayers of many of you that I finished.

I had hip replacement surgery the day my project went before the faculty review board.

Following surgery, I had another month and a half of edits, books to read, and assignments.

Graduation was May 4th. On that day I walked across the stage to pick up my doctorate degree without a cane or a lip. God is Good!

Please to continue to pray how God would use this learning to bless His Kingdom. I know that I am greatly blessed and full of new understandings about who my Beloved Jesus is.

NEW GIVING LINK:

GIVING LINK

Prayer/Praise

The completion of my doctoral studies.
My new functional hip.
Grateful for my health care and health care providers.
Dedication to my Hip recovery.
The finances for travel to Great Britain & Poland approximately $3500.
The Lord would protect the finances of all those who support me.
Discernment on where Jesus is leading me.
Jesus' continuous provision.

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Contact Info

Address: Os. Witosa 4/8

34-400 Nowy Targ

Malopolska

Poland

USA

133 Fredrick Dr.

Sequim, WA 98382

Email: denisecjohnson@hotmail.com

US Cell: 1-425-273-8767

PL Cell: +48-889-201-335

*I can be reached on "What's Ap" on both numbers

Financial Support:

"Denise Johnson"

c/o Mission Dispatch, Inc

P.O. Box 641

Edmonds, WA 98020-0641

*Please indicate for

"Denise Johnson"

Electronic Giving:

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Financial Church Partnerships

There is room for you, and your church/home group here!

Being The Touchable Jesus

Dr. Denise Johnson

Missionary to Poland

Dedicated to inviting the Word of God to transform my humanness into His likeness, as I make my home among people in unfailing love & faithfulness, so that the glory of The Father is seen.