It is time for a big Amen to this day. It has been great!

This day brought three satisfying accomplishments and an enjoyable evening of spike ball. I don’t know that I expected even half that upon waking this morning.

Core Contribution

In July of 2014, I submitted ticket #29025 for WordPress core. In January, with changeset 31075, the ticket was closed. Today, with the release of WordPress 4.2, I can consider myself a contributor to the core of the WordPress.

wp42

I had hoped that by the end of 2015, I would have contributed a few lines of code to this framework that powers approximately 20% of the internet’s major sites. And, so it has happened. I must say, it is somewhat of a rush to know that a tiny piece of code that I wrote is helping serve webpages to millions upon millions of users.

Networking

It’s been nearly two years since we first purchased a new Mac Server. For some time, it was in place as the web server for wmpl.org. We have since (December, maybe) employed a LAMP stack for this purpose. I have had intentions for well over a year to replace our in-office machine that operates our DHCP, DNS, and file share (and once upon a time, as mail server). Today, I triggered the final switch! This a yet another great step in cycling out equipment that is likely nearing end of life.

All seems to be running well. I’ll keep an ear out tomorrow for any rumblings of dissent among our network.

Africa

And, finally, tickets have been reserved for a trip to Africa. After traveling with the family to Indiana, I will embark May 5 to join Dieter in Cape Town, South Africa. From that point, on until May 28, we will be traveling throughout southern Africa with focus on South Africa and Malawi. Drew, a WMPL council member and friend, will join us for a few days during our time in Malawi.

Aelah sporting my hat from Malawi

Aelah sporting my hat from Malawi

During this scouting trip, we will meet with individuals who have been engaged in freeWord activities. We will assess the spiritual and missional soil of various communities and regions, praying whether God has primed any specific locale for the launch of the Prayer League’s freeWord engagement. We will, I hope, engage in a number of freeWord activities ourselves. We hope to connect with church leaders in Malawi and South Africa and investigate the possibilities of partnership and/or how freeWord might form itself alongside and/or amidst the established Christian communities. We will pray that the Spirit of God might guide and grant clarity of mission both in our hearts and in our minds. And, after all, we will return to Minnesota with a report for the Home Council and, we hope, with a more comprehensive vision of what lay ahead for freeWord and the Doyle family, specifically.

In short, you could say we are looking to network and offer some core contribution to freeWord. I should be used to this work, it seems – though, of late, it has been in such a vastly different domain. Now to simply employ these skills in the realm of mission mobilization, rather than tech.

Your Task

Please join us in prayer. If you’ve not heard, there have been some recent tensions and talk of retribution involving South Africa and surrounding countries (including Malawi). At this point, we consider it still suitable and safe to embark on this journey. We will continue to assess the atmosphere of this situation.

Pray that all turns well between South Africa and neighboring countries, that a clear and safe way is made for our journey, and that we are able to remain well-informed of any possible threat.

Ask the Lord to show us His way forward and to allow our time to be unimaginably productive, while still surprisingly restful.

May the Lord keep watch over our families as we journey in Africa.

And, join me in praising God for such satisfying accomplishments today!