Growing Towards Maturity

Our daughter Adley has needed some help with her speech so each week she meets with a speech therapist to help her pronounce her words and combine them in sentences. Today was a particularly painful session because they were encouraging her to use her words to ask for a puzzle piece before they would give it to her. In the past they would ask her to try but not force the issue as much. Today they were pushing her harder. You could see her struggle to say the words they were asking of her and just when she thought she was finished they would ask her to repeat it again, but this time correctly. As a mom, I sat in the corner knowing that this was best for her because it was growing her to the next level, but at the same time I was hurting for her because I saw how difficult it was. Part of me wanted to scream STOP, but the other part of me knew that this process was necessary.
To me this is a great analogy of our relationship with God. As his daughters and sons he often puts us in a painful and hard place, not because of anything wrong we’ve done, but because he wants to mature us. I love the purpose behind the process of discipline in scripture and that is to train for correction and maturity. Adley was being corrected with her speech today so that she will be able in the future to say things right. What a great God we serve to love us so deeply that he cares enough to grow us for something better! If you are in a hard place today be encouraged that your father loves you.

Too many blessings?

In case we forget, please remind us.

When meeting with friends last week we were asked what our biggest faith  challenge was.  Without hesitation our reply was believing that God could get us to Brussels.  It’s not that we don’t want to go or that we don’t believe God has called us there, it just feels like the obstacles are impossible.  A lot of it centers around finances and the ability to raise the staggering amount needed to live in a European city much like New York City, but in one where the dollar is increasingly worth less and less.  We left our meeting last week praying that God would increase our faith and show us His power.

Almost a week later God showed up in lots of unexpected ways.

Today we received a substantial financial gift that got our attention reminding us that God does own the cattle on a thousand hills and all the money in the world is His to distribute how He wills.

On Sunday a couple told us that they wish to join our support team after God has laid it on their hearts to give to us.

Two family members sent gift cards, money and clothes in the mail to help David with his teaching wardrobe that needs updating.

Today I passed my gestational diabetes test after failing the one hour last week.

There are many more things to add to our list of blessings, but tonight we sat at the dinner table not only humbled but honored to know that God has not forgotten us or the mission He’s called us to.  Last night I read from Job and this is the song of my heart tonight.

“I know that You can do anything and no plan of Yours can be thwarted…Surely I spoke about things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know…I had heard rumors about You but now my eyes have seen You.  Therefore I take back my words, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:2-6).

Come One Come All

Hope you can join us!

Three days and counting

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost here…that is the concert!  As we’ve been preparing it’s given me lots of time for reflection.  One of the songs I’ll be sharing Friday night was written 15 years ago.  Time goes by so fast and I can’t believe that I have a collection of music from the last 15 years of my life.  Friday will be the first time I’ve ever shared my songs with a live band.  In fact, I never wrote them thinking they would ever be heard by others.  It was my way of processing life and keeping a journal of all that happened.  God has perfect timing and it appears that he was waiting for such a time as this to open the door and let my stories…or should I say “his stories” out.  I hope that you can come and hear what God is doing in our journey and in Europe.  Our two prayer requests is that we would sing and play as unto him and that my voice would not be hoarse.  (I’ve been struggling with that all through the pregnancy.)  Thanks for all your support!  You have encouraged us on our journey more than once.

Song For Peace

“Will I trust you, will I believe in you

Even when life is hard

When violence strikes and the silence is gone will I still look for you anyways

Will I trust your love

Will I rest in your peace

Jesus I need you to see me through this valley

Jesus I want you to be my strength

To make my feet like those of a deer, and enable me to walk on mountain heights

Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines

Though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food though there are no sheep in the pen

Yet I will triumph in the Lord, I will rejoice in my God

Jesus I need you to see me through this valley

Jesus I want you to be my strength

To make my feet like those of a deer, and enable me to walk on mountain heights.”

Wonder what this sounds like to music and the story behind the words?  Come to our concert on June 6th.

SAVE THE DATE!!

 

“This is the church, here is the steeple, open the door…but where’s all the people?”

On June 6th, 2008 David and I are going to give a concert telling our journey to Brussels through original music.  We’ll be giving background on the spiritual condition of Europe and share with those present our struggles and triumphs as we walk this road to church planting.  Keep watching our blog for more details.

June 6th

Tabernacle Church of Norfolk

7-9 pm

Childcare provided

Does Europe deserve a second chance?

God’s gonna have to do it

 

So this whole support raising thing is way harder than we ever thought.  I suppose everyone in our situation has to finally come to the realization that unless God does it, it’s impossible!  We are at around 30% support and are getting around 2-3 new supporters each month.  As David said “At this rate, we’ll be in Brussels by 2020!”  I called a friend to let her know our frustration and discouragement expecting to get the “well let’s see what you can do better” response.  She surprised us with “this is good because you’re seeing that with men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Truth can be painful at times and not exactly what you want to hear but when accepted, it does yield peace.  Today we are at peace knowing that God knows our situation and recognizing that it is his power not ours that will change things.  In the meantime we feel impressed that we need to be asking him more frequently and earnestly to act in a mighty way.  Would you pray with us that we will see his salvation?

12 Weeks and Growing

This is news for us that not only took us by surprise, but also filled our hearts with joy.  We were not anticipating another child anytime soon but we believe that God’s timing is much better than ours.  I should be about 12 weeks pregnant.  I haven’t gone to a Dr. yet because we’ve been trying to figure out our healthcare options.  Since we are “self-employed” by living on support, we had to purchase our own insurance.  Unfortunately in the state of Virginia, they do not offer pregnancy coverage automatically when you sign a policy.  A 6 month rider is required and if you get pregnant before that time is up, you are not covered for any of the maternity costs.  When the news came, along with the joy came a deep concern for how we would pay for this baby that could cost us up to $20,000 (if there were any complications).  God reminded me immediately that as is said in Luke, do not worry about your life….your Father in Heaven knows you need these things.  This has been a constant comfort to us as we’ve pursued many dead ends in options that would help lower the bills or even pay for them.

 

Today was an encouraging day though.  Someone yesterday told us about a program called “Birthright” and there is one in the hospital across the street from us.  They offer free pregnancy tests and then they can help refer women to the clinic that helps low income families with no insurance.  After my appointment, I went to the clinic office and expected more bad news.  To my utter surprise I discovered something that to us seemed too good to be true.  If we don’t qualify for Medicaid or the state healthcare program, they will set us up on a payment plan that will be max $2,000 including delivery AND hospital stay.  I left almost in tears as I felt God’s faithfulness once again.  We were reminded of the Psalm that says “I’m certain, that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord, be courageous and let your heart be strong.”

Secret Whispers

Some days are long, others are hard but then there are the moments that sweeten every hour before and after.  We’ve all been sick this week with the flu so there has been lots of couch time together over books and movies along with all the coughing and sneezing.  Eleri had that special touch last night when we were sitting on the couch together.  I was playing a game of scramble on facebook and she would ever so gently move the hair away from my ear so that she could tell me a “secret”.  These secrets went something like this:  ”I love you and dad the most mom” or “you are VERY special to me”.  I don’t know if it was the message, or the whisper, or maybe even the touch, but I know that I did feel loved and special and valued for all the snot-nosed wiping and middle of the night bathroom breaks.  I guess that’s what being a mom is all about! And then there’s been those whispers from God again “I love you!” through meals that people have brought this week, phone calls to find out how we are, a check left in the mailbox, friends wanting to buy my month’s prescription, and even 2 guys willing to come help us hook up our stove so now we can cook again.  Funny how the more you listen for whispers the louder they get.  Thank you God! 

HEALTH CARE AND OMAHA STEAKS

Thursday night was the “straw that broke the camel’s back” as they say.  We went to pick up my asthma medication only to find that it was going to cost us another $180 for the month even though we thought we satisfied the deductible the month before.  Frustrated and upset with the entire healthcare situation we’ve been in, we went home to read the “fine print” of our plan.  There in bold letters “generic ONLY medications covered”.  A quick google search gave us the information that Advair is not a drug that has a generic and this drug happens to be the only one so far—-after many other drugs—-that keeps me breathing well.  There were many tears.  In fact tears that soaked my pillow as I fell asleep.  We really felt that maybe God didn’t love us very much anymore.              

 

The next day brought rain.  It hadn’t rained in weeks.  I love the rain.  It’s like a visual reminder that God is pouring his love down on me.  During devotions I cried out to God asking him to show me in some way that he loved me, oh and it would help if he’d let me know just how much.  Eleven thirty a.m.  a friend offered to buy me lunch.  Eleven thirty five a friend who’s a Dr. talked with me and said he’d call a few drug companies to get some free drug samples for a “missionary who didn’t have healthcare that would cover the prescription”.  One p.m.:  arrive home from lunch to find a chest of omaha steaks on our porch with the anonymous note:  ”Just for you…because we love you.”  I called David sobbing while the reality hit home:  God loves me way more than I knew and he cares a lot that I know that.             

 

 

I can’t tell you how many times on this journey to church planting that in our desperation, God has shown up as our lover, our provider, our friend and even our teacher.  We feel overwhelmed by his love tonight and at rest knowing that he has even prescription drug coverage under control.  To be continued…