Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Blessings

God has been so gracious to us and has blessed us with so much. We have a wonderful home and all that goes with it. We had a lot of fun, just like we did in Cape Town, running around Atlanta purchasing all of our stuff through craigslist. Little by little we have been able to get things accomplished but not without some trials. As you know, if you have followed our steps along the way, we have had car issues since we went on the mission field. Probably better to have car issues than health issues!!! We waited patiently to purchase what we thought was the perfect car and still probably is, but there is a lesson and a blessing that we are still trusting God for. My parents have both been moved to an Alzheimer’s Care Facility and even though it has been hard for them it has been a blessing for my mom because she just wasn’t able to take care of my dad anymore. Mike and I have moved into our new positions at Extreme Response and are blessed to be a part of a great team. Mike is learning how to handle all the teams and I am learning how to handle all the administration, but this doesn’t come without some frustrations. We have visited a few churches but have not found a place we can call home. We continue to pray for the right one where we can begin to make friends and get involved locally. We are beginning to see signs of spring in Atlanta and from what I have heard they are incredible. Mike and I have been in winter for 9 months and I am ready for some heat!! Mike is getting his summer now as he leads a team to Manila. Pray for us to get our car sorted out as this is a very difficult decision for us. To fix the car right, it is $3600. We could try to sell it “as is” but would probably not get enough out of it. Jesus is calling on us to rest in His presence and to wait, trust, and hope in all He has for us. Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still and know that I am God and that is where we are, resting in His Presence.

6 months of Chaos

Well since we got back in September we have been moving, setting up house, starting a new job, taking care of elderly parents, buying used cars with problems, and trusting the Lord for our provision. It has been a tough 6 months but we are beginning to settle in. Today I am sitting in a hospital room waiting for my mom to be taken in to surgery and Mike and our boss, Jerry, arrived yesterday evening after a 24 hr flight to Manila Philippines. Mike is learning the ropes of how Extreme Response does teams so we will be able to continue the service they provide when teams go to serve with our partners. They have a team of 9 from Hawaii that arrived about 2hrs ago. Everyone is tired but looking forward to seeing the ministries they will be working with tomorrow. We ask that you would pray with us about continuing to get settled in.