Rain Deprived

I love the rain.  In fact WE love the rain.  It started in college after David and I met.  Most all our important or special moments together included rain like the day he proposed at a park and the day we got married.  I began to see rain as a visual picture of God raining His love down on us.  A symbol that we were not forgotten but instead very special in His eyes.

This summer was hard.  Lots of changes, lots of uncertainties loomed in the distance.  On top of that, we’ve had a bit of a drought so there’s been little rain.  I didn’t realize how much I missed that until this past week when I reached the end of a tough day and discovered to my dismay that our oven was not working.  This was of course right after I had mixed up a batch of pumpkin bread.  So, at 9 pm I called our neighbors to see if they would bake the bread for us.  I stepped outside feeling dejected and discouraged with a tear rolling down my cheek.  Then it began!  One drop after another falling from the sky.  I had forgotten but He hadn’t.  He LOVED me and it was visual and tangible to me in that moment.  What a difference a rainstorm can make.  Sorry to those of you who don’t like rain but I say:  Let it rain on down!

p.s.  The pumpkin bread was amazing!  If anyone wants the recipe let me know.

Little prayers, Big answers

We are a week down now with David at his new job teaching high schoolers Bible.  God has been faithful and although the hours are long as he writes curriculum, I see that he is enjoying the challenge and joy of shaping young minds for Christ.  It has been an adjustment for the whole family to have dad gone for 12 hours a day, but God is giving us more strength than we could have imagined.  David was thankful when his prayer for a good nights sleep has been answered nightly in spite of the stress of each day and the uncertainty of the next.

As you all know, the countdown for our little one arriving continues.  We have been praying about what to do for a vehicle wondering if we’ll be able to fit 3 car seats in our Subaru station wagon.  At the same time we didn’t want to buy something that would require a loan since we know that we will only be here for a short time before launching to Brussels.  Without our knowledge, God was already working out the problem.  Some friends and supporters of ours had just purchased a new vehicle and wanted to get rid of their mini-van when God put it on their heart to offer it to us at half price.  Not only are we getting something we never dreamed was possible to afford, but we are acquiring it at just the right time, a month away from baby 3 arriving!!  This left us in speechless amazement.

For those of you who are housewives, you’ll appreciate this next answered prayer story.  We have tried for years to find a sweeper that does a good job sweeping the hard wood floors in our house.  All the sweepers we’ve had have either broken down, not done what they’re supposed to, and the latest one wouldn’t hold a charge.  David was content to sweep the floors with a broom and dust pan, but with my asthma and the fact that we DO live in the 21st century, I was praying for a different solution.  He agreed last week that we could invest in another sweeper so for the first time I read all the consumer reports on which one to get etc., so that this would be the LAST time we’d have to buy one.  Anyways, with the expenses of starting school I knew we’d have to wait until sometime in Sept. to even think of buying one, but I was praying for patience in the meantime.  Two nights ago I went over to a friend’s house who was moving to pick up some of the food and cleaning supplies that they needed to get rid of.  Along with the food she loaded a SWEEPER into our car.  SOOO, we finally have one that works great and for the first time in a month I can walk around in my bare feet without picking up all kinds of crumbs!

Does God answer little prayers?  We sure think so and hope that this is proof enough for you.  Of course if you need more stories we could talk about how God has provided a new wardrobe for David, a crib for the baby’s room, school supplies for the girls…but we’ll save them for another day.

Long Time No Write

 

David and Eleri cooling off at one of our rest stops home from Charlotte.

I can’t believe that this much time has passed since our concert and the the last journal entry.  A lot has happened since June and I wanted to fill you in.

 

Right after the concert an amazing thing happened that could only be God working.  David was supposed to leave for 2 weeks to complete seminary classes in Charlotte.  I was going to stay here with the girls but at the last minute, the people he was to stay with asked him to bring the entire family.  So we all packed up in four hours and off we went on the biggest adventure of a lifetime.  The people we were to stay with were total strangers but by the end of the two weeks we believe we had found lifetime friends.  Dave and Leslie live on 10 acres of land so everyday we had walks to the creek exploring God’s nature and the amazing wildlife such as deer and all kinds of birds and rabbits.  They had chickens so we were privleged to eat fresh eggs each morning along with goodies from their garden.  It was a much needed break for us all.  Our cell phones didn’t work unless we walked up the long lane and the internet was down for the first week so we felt like we were at a resort and came back rested and ready for what we knew would be a crazy summer and fall.

It had become apparent a few months back that David needed to find a job since we were not bringing in enough support to sustain our internship salary.  At that time we were not sure how God was going to provide and as usual it came in a very unexpected way.  One of our good friends decided to move closer to family and in doing that opened up a Bible teaching position at Norfolk Christian.  David’s schooling has concentrated in the exact areas that the classes at the high school cover and he has a passion to teach others how to defend the faith and to know what one believes.  After applying a few weeks before the concert, we left it in God’s hands.  It was while we were in Charlotte that he got the call to set up an interview.  So, as God would have it, we feel blessed to say that he was offered the Job last week!  We will still be doing a part time internship at the church and living on some support to help supplement the salary from the school so all your financial support will still be needed in order to continue both jobs.  Our prayer is that more than we need will come in so we can begin to save up the funds for our one time moving expenses and the three month salary that we are required to have saved up before we can launch to Brussels.

So, as you can see, this fall will look very different for us.  We are excited about the possibility of connecting with lots of new people and churches through this new job opportunity along with continuing to grow our leadership and ministry skills.  God has been so faithful and we feel honored to be a part of building His kingdom.  We ask for your prayers as we adjust to this new schedule and the demands of working more hours along with a new baby coming in Sept.  In the meantime, I promise to keep you updated more frequently.  Thanks for coming back!

 

adley enjoying the time away from home.

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.”

Dilemmas and Blessings

It’s hard to believe it’s been such a long time since we’ve updated the world with our life.  It hasn’t been for lack of events or struggles but merely lack of time.  In preparation for us to leave, we have been trying to get our house ready to rent.  We decided that it would be important to have a dishwasher in the house (believe it or not I’ve only ever had a dishwasher for maybe a year of my entire life:) since that is what people consider to be a modern convenience when searching for a place to live.  As it is with most old homes, one small project turns into more than one bargains for.  The countertops were not deep enough or tall enough for a dishwasher, so….we are renovating the kitchen!  I will say that the past 2 weeks of our lives have been some of the most intense ever.  We rarely eat out anymore so it has been fun to have an excuse to try our favorite fast food once again.  Hopefully by March 5th all will be done and we will enjoy the blessing of having a completely new kitchen.  Those of you who know us well know that this blessing will not go wasted because food, friends and hospitality in our family all go together.  Dilemmas can be blessings after all!

Christmas Greetings!

Here’s a little summary of 2007.  Enjoy and Happy New Year!

This year, for us, has held a continuing theme of gifts.  Gifts given and gifts received in a new way.  It was evident at David’s farewell ceremony with the Navy in Aug. that the past 5 years have been a special gift from God to us.  It was bittersweet saying goodbye because we enjoyed our time in the military.  We also, at the same time, realized the incredible gift ahead of us: being mission interns at our church while we raise support to launch to Brussels, Belgium within the next year to plant churches.

            We have now been interning at Tabernacle Church of Norfolk for 3 months and have continued to watch God give us the gift of the body of Christ coming alongside us in our journey to another land.  People have given gifts of time such as babysitting our girls, gifts of prayer for us as we have struggled to find our way in this big transition, and gifts of money by supporting us financially not only for our internship, but also towards our final goal of being funded 100% for Brussels by July of 2008.  We’ve been surprised over and over as God has used people to meet our practical needs for fundraising events.  We could tell you many stories about how God laid on someone’s heart to give the exact thing, and amount we were lacking.  These gifts have built our faith and caused us to be humbled and acknowledge that it is only through us working in community that we will accomplish the task ahead of us.

            We have been given the gift to grow in areas of our lives that we are sure we will use in Brussels.  David has been doing a lot of teaching at the church and both of us are mentoring others while being mentored as well, along with helping plan strategic outreaches and being involved in the international ministry at Tab.  It has grown us to learn how to communicate our needs to others and to allow people to come alongside us in our endeavors.  David is also trying to finish his seminary work while Joanna stays busy as a mom and a supporter in the ministry.  The most difficult challenge for us this past year has been learning how to work together in a new way.  Discovering who can do what best has helped us lighten the load we both were carrying.

            Our family of four has been a constant gift from the Lord.  We’ve been learning in a new way what family looks like in the middle of full time ministry.  The girls have a way of reminding us of our priorities, and it’s amazing the joy and perspective they bring to both of us.  Eleri is 3 and Adley is approaching 2 this coming May.  They both are the best of friends…most days, and are growing not only physically but also spiritually as we see them respond to God working in their hearts.  Eleri especially is recognizing the truths that God wants to help her make right choices and she often says to us “God keeps her safe”.  It’s a blessing to watch Adley, who is not far behind, follow in her sister’s footsteps.

            As we wrap up 2007 we see the gift of friends, family, and ministry.  Just by getting this card we want you to know that we consider you a special gift in our lives from God.  Our prayer for you this season is that you will not miss the most perfect gift of all, the arrival of our King and Savior!  His presence is gift enough for us all.

 

Goodbye but not forever…

We heard today that one of our first supporters went home to be with the Lord yesterday. Bob Diehl was a man of wisdom, great conviction and had the unique ability to lead and be a pillar of strength to seniors at TAB . We didn’t get the chance to know him for a long time, but over the past year we’ve been privileged to spend some time with him hearing about his love for family, friends and most importantly God.
It’s really a neat thing when you start to have people join your team. They become like family to you and there is a bond that forms even if it wasn’t there before. We’re filled with mixed feelings tonight. Even though we are sad to say goodbye to someone who believed in the work God is doing in Brussels, we are also filled with joy knowing that Bob has been re-united with not only his wife but Jesus himself. The exciting thing is that we are still here able to partner with God in the building of His kingdom that will last forever. In the end, goodbye is really only for a moment.

When it rains it pours…

We’ve been seeing lately how much God blesses us and how often He showers His love and grace upon us. This past week was no exception. On Halloween we had the privilege of running the snack shack at the Harvest Festival at church and making money for our internship. It was so beautiful being able to serve alongside our friends and supporters. We even had Steve Adams from Christian Associates staying with us and he was able to come and connect with the people we knew who came to the festival. As most of you know, we needed lots of food donated, and just like God came through for us with our big breakfast event, by the day of, we had nearly every food item donated….including the money for pizza! It is truly amazing to see how faithful our God is and how the body of Christ makes such a difference in the lives around them.

The day after Halloween, Steve gave a talk at TAB church and shared Christian Associates vision for Europe. He also talked a lot about how he desires to see churches and the mission agency connected in an even tighter bond where we can share our resources not only to Europe, but that the church plants in Europe could share their resources with us here in America as well. The idea of a Belgium Summit happening at TAB and connecting all the consortium churches here in Hampton Roads really excites us both. Please pray with us as the vision unfolds.

For those of you who have been praying for Adley who’s had all sorts of random things such as the croup, ear infection, yeast infection, cold, teething etc…..she is finally doing better and sleeping again. That has been a huge answer to prayer for us with how rough this past month has been. My asthma is much better on the new medication, so thank you for praying for me as well. We are learning to trust God about our rental home in Virginia Beach. It isn’t rented yet, so please pray with us that God would bring the right renters our way and that we would trust Him with His timing.

I love rainy days because for me they are such a visual picture of God raining His love and blessings down on my life. We experienced His “rain” in a new way this past week and we once again feel blessed!

Birthday

Today Eleri turned 3! We are celebrating like the queen of England by having parties all week long. It has been so much fun. It’s hard to believe that 3 years ago today we were holding a new born and having no idea what it meant to be a parent. I’ll never forget how terrifying and overwhelming it all was. Just the other day God brought to mind the verse about children being a blessing from the Lord. I always thought that it was because of their hugs and kisses, the memories you make with them and even the grandkids that may come along as a result. I’m seeing it from a different perspective lately. I even told Eleri this week that she was God’s greatest gift to me not necessarily because of all the beautiful moments we share together but because of the ways she’s grown me to be more like Christ. Kids bring out the best and worst in us and they force us to run to God. For me being a mom has been all about that painful but beautiful sanctifying process where God is refining me to reflect more of Him. When I look back three years ago to who I was, and now to who I am, I’m so thankful for Eleri’s life and what it’s meant for me personally. It’s been a privilege not only being her mom but also to grow up with her in the image of Christ.

Quotes from a child

“I need lots of love today mommy because I feel sick.”

This came from our 3 year old Eleri today. That one statement reflected the state of our entire family. This week it’s either been asthma, colds, the croup, fever, ear infections, emotional meltdowns……etc. Finding the balance between family life and ministry has been the latest overwhelming challenge. You feel helpless being in a new place and not knowing how to put all the pieces together. Thankfully we serve a God who does know and who we can trust to make this whole thing work. Please pray for us as we strive to hear His voice in all the noise and as we begin to try and do things in new ways. It’s a good place to be, but just a hard one right now, and…..we need lots of love!