Smothered yet Breathing

Is that even possible? YES! I'm actual living proof! I'm am so excited, hesitantly excited at times, about this new direction and journey that God is taking us on! but WOW!!!! I'm not sure, NO I'm sure I wasn't prepared for the aftermath of that decision in tackling this past week. Thank Goodness GOD is ALWAYS prepared and ever graciously working in my behalf! Though at times I was close to believing that I could not do this. HE is GOOD however, so VERY GOOD! I felt so shocked and stunned and overwhelmed to almost a point of frozeness at times trying to prepare for this yard sale. THIS WAS NO YARD SALE! WHAT WAS I duping myself into thinking????? This was a "MY WHOLE PRECIOUS LIFE IS FOR SALE, SALE". This was a "take my last whole 8 years here and just rumage through it like it's trash SALE and pay me next to nothing for something that is like priceless to me, SALE. This was a "rip my emotional attachment to precious baby things and memory things and yank my heart out while you're at it, SALE." Images not easily forgotten, an experience and emotions not easily stuffed. OK, OK, OK....I'm sure you get the picture but that really feels better to get that out! Meanwhile in the midst of all this emotional stuff and house cleaning work and because I needed more stress in my life, I also had Lasik eye surgery(so not to worry with it anymore on the field) AND my cornea was misplaced...not lost misplaced, just somehow in the process it was moved off center which was then an emergency to go back the very next day to undergo what was worse than the original surgery to correct it. WHEW!! All in a weeks work, as they say :)

Now more so than ever is God recalling those verses to me that say something along the lines of "until you are willing to leave father and mother, brother and sister and follow me......" and "sell everything, give to the poor and follow me...."

He never said it would be easy.......smothered yet breathing.....

Breathing easier today and so very touched and thankfully for your comments, prayers and encouragement, please keep them coming! :) The body of Christ is our LIFELINE right now and I'm so thankful for the friends and family that I have, those I know and those I don't that are acting as hands and feet and interceders on our behalf. THANK YOU!

More Deep Breaths and A Moving Sale!

Wow! Amazing how much stuff we accumlate isn't it? I don't know what bothers me more, that we spend so much money on stuff or that we have just collected too much stuff we don't even ever use. Piles and Piles of Stuff!
Well it all has to GO!! And EVERYTHING MUST GO MOVING SALE is on for this Friday and Saturday. If you're in the area come with a BIG truck and fill it up!

James Turned 8

James turned 8 years old yesterday! Happy Birthday Baby James! Definately no baby anymore but that's what we all used to call him. My boys always give me a culinary challenge when it comes to their birthday cakes.....James' request was a Reese's Peanut Butter Cake w/ Brownies. So.....I found Reese's Brownie Mix and used that on the bottom with a butter cream cake layer, then layered the brownie and cake again. Iced with CoolWhip and topped with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. It sounds and looks better than I thought it tasted....it was alittle overload if you ask me. But he's the birthday boy!
He spent some of his birthday money on a Lego Star Wars 2 game for his gameboy and the opening of Prince Caspian was last night so Matt took the boys and acouple of James' friends to see it.
Happy Birthday James! We love you! You are such a huge help, so responsible and such a sweet big brother to all your younger siblings. You're so full of energy, excitement and so easy to enjoy!!

Happy Mother's Day!

There are so many mother's who have impacted my life and help me along this path called Motherhood. To all of you, HERE'S TO YOU!!

A mother's job is hard to do, but most rewarding too.

This morning as I think of you, I'm thankful you are a mother too.

You have not only blessed your children but my life as well,

THANK YOU!

For all you do, HERE'S TO YOU!

HERE'S TO YOU! HERE'S TO YOU!

In those times and on those days when your job seems drab and dry

Or irritating and full of strife

Remember that the best things come with consistent love and care and sacrifice.

Thank you for modeling those things to me.

May your life continue to be blessed for ALL TO SEE!

For all you do, HERE'S TO YOU!

HERE'S TO YOU! HERE'S TO YOU!

I LOVE YOU!!

Myra

Taking Deep Breaths

As we are preparing for huge life changes, I am finding myself taking lots of deep breaths. As we are going through the processes of missions applications, interviews, selling our home, giving away our belongings and trying to embrace this new direction, Matt and I have moments where we just look at each other and say "is this really happening"? And in overwhelming moments like Thursday when we're loading up a 17ft. truck full of some of our most treasured things to give to family, we look at each other and say "can we really do this"? It's such mixed emotions. Matt said Thursday "I don't know how to described this but I've never felt like this before." Knowing with great confidence that this is the direction God is leading us in brings peace, comfort and security but at the same time giving up everything you've known and worked hard for(home, things, a place of belonging, friends,family) over the last 8 years is a complex emotional place to be. Matt lived in England for 6 years as a kid, when his dad was in the Air Force but since then he's never lived somewhere this long. So this place, McMinnville, has been a settling place for us these last 8 years. Our first home, raised 5 kids here and they know no other "home" and we don't either as a married couple. That's not easy to give up after that being my only dream in life.....to marry, settle down and have kids. Well, we've done that and now God is opening up a new chapter in our lives and we're praying for the strength and grace to embrace it as we carry on.
On Saturday, January 26th I typed a post entitled A Time To Search. Go back and read it, it's pretty interesting in light of our current events. We're definately not going to be living the American Dream but I'm not sure this is exactly what I had in mind either. Be careful what you hope, wish and search for....God just might give you an adventure around the world :)

Good blog...I wanna be like forrest gump

There's another life coaching couple that I follow and read their blogs. This is a good post......
disclaimer: I'm not necessarily saying I agree with everything they say or how they say it(some mild language) but for the most part very right on!

http://edgeventureformen.blogspot.com/
http://edgeventureforwomen.blogspot.com/

For More Info.

www.usa.om.org Main Site
click "go"
click "global action"
click "ships"

Please don't hesitate to contact us with questions.

Explaining the Actions

Here's sort of Matt's transcript from yesterday's service. If you weren't there and would be interested in reading it.


Announcements –
Welcome – fill out card
FamilyTime – Wed. Patience - May
Monday Night Men – cancelled
Other Announcements

Songs:
Holy is the Lord
Here is our King
Breathe

Communion (PLAY VIDEO)
Offering

VIDEO – CHRIST Follower - It’s easy to call yourself a Christian, even look like a Christian, but another whole thing to be a Christ Follower.
Acts 10 – Peter has a major transformation in his life – He had been following Christ, but now it was time to break through all the religious rules and regulations and see something new happen.
Cornelius wants to know God – God wants to be known, but the new followers of Christ were keeping it among the Jews. It was time to get the word out to everyone. So God appears and tells him to call on Peter
God starts from the top down – Peter needs to be in on this! So Peter has a vision – learns that everything God does and creates is good. God sends Peter to Cornelius. They all get saved and baptized. God is breaking through to set people free.
Chapt 11 = Peter explains his actions – and the church starts something new = reaching out to gentiles

Explaining my actions – I told you last time I spoke that I have been going through some hard times, frustrated and worn out. But not seeing the big picture. After I spoke to you, God started to show Myra and I some things. Myra has a very discerning spirit and often can tell when something is wrong, even if most people can’t see it. After real encounter and having Jim and Vicky Gross here, it hit me… I have lost my passion. I had gotten into a rut. Call it burn out or whatever, but I was simply going through the motions of ministry. If you have known me for a while, you know that I am passionate about a few things… Youth, Worship, discipleship and missions. I wasn’t being passionate about any of these. I wasn’t even planning on going on a mission trip this summer. As I realized that I had lost my passion, I knew that I had to have it back to be effective. Myra and I started praying about how to do that. Could it be done here? Yes. Would it help if we moved to some other church? Maybe. Should I just get a secular job and do ministry as a volunteer? Maybe. IS IT TIME TO GO???(meaning "go ye therefore into all the world") Every time I have ever come a crossroads in my life and now in our life, I have asked, is it time to go(meaning for us overseas in missions)? I have a heart for overseas missions. Myra has it too. As we started to pray about it. We got a contract on our house. It’s not sold yet, but when we realized we would be debt free. That was a big obstacle that had kept us from going in the past. We contacted Operation Moblization and asked them about the process. This is who I had been with for two years after H.S. and My sister is serving with in the middle east now. It is an amazing organization that is both international and inter-denominational. So we have started the application process with them to become missionaries. Usually this takes from 6 months to a year, but because I have gone before we are being able to go through it much faster. I have shared this with the deacons and some people to ask them to pray with us. The deacons have been through much of the hard stuff with us these last few months and they have agreed to serve as our sending church if God leads us that far. There are still a few things that could hold us back from going, but each day God seems to be smoothing those through. I don’t know what the future holds for our family or this church family, but I know that God is faithful and just like with Peter, when God wants to do a new thing, he works different things together to make it happen.

We are not sure where we might go yet, but the probable option is to London to help reach out to Muslims. This is a training program and they bring in short term people to do many different types of out reach. At the same time, they need training and support. I would probably be involved in that training and support for the team there. Another option are the Ships, though they don’t usually take big families, this would be an awesome opportunity.

So our time line looks like this – close on house on or before may 21st and get out within 10 days
Out bound conference in Atlanta at OM USA hq. first week of June
???? JUNE AND JULY – raising support, getting visas, and preparing for mission field
August 2nd – Hannah’s wedding in O.S. MS
Third week in Aug – Debron Conf. in Belguim
Sept – on the field

There is so much that could happen between now and then. Please pray with us so that we can do what God wants and not anything else. I started with a video – Christian or Christ Follower – I have told many people in McMinnville about missions and even taken some with me for the last 8 years. I wonder and pray is it time for me to be the example and go for a while. I want to follow Christ not matter what – no matter where. Will you follow Christ today???? What does that mean for you?



I surrender all

Family Prayer time

CFC

We welcome and open the floor to any questions or discussion.