To Do In The Very Near Future - a partial list

• continue to write thank you notes for the fabulous people who have given financially to support us!
• take Eli, Nick and Grandaddy to the airport on Wednesday for their trip to Scotland and Amsterdam
• figure out what i'm going to say at the Dunlap's community group Wednesday night (can we just do Q&A?!?! that's my favorite!)
• figure out the International Driver's License stuff and get Nick set up with that
• get our insurance stuff set up
• find out if there's any way to get Yellow Fever Vaccines for less than $135 each.
• find out if there's any way to get the Typhoid Pills instead of the shot.
• get previously mentioned vaccines (and malaria meds...and a meningitis vaccine...and any other shots we're supposed to get!)
• get icecream after getting shots (that's an important part of this process!!!!!!)
• transfer photos from their frames on our "wall of love" into magnetic picture frames for our new "wall of love" in our soon to be home with magnetic walls
• sort through all of the girls' clothes and pull out stuff for emma to grow in to
• get material to nicole so she can make a quilt/comforter (bed covering!) out of the girls' curtains
• continue (and finish!) sorting through our entire house...sorting into "keep, give, sell, take" piles
• have a yard sale next Saturday
• make some magnets for the lesley's mailbox
• get eli's scrapbook completely up to date (the other 2 are good to go!)
• start training the lovely lady who is taking my job (no name available yet...but it's coming...)
• be thankful that our "prayer postcard picture" is done!
• enjoy every minute of this incredible journey God's got us on!
• keep letting God do this (refrain from trying to take matters into my own hands...His hands are so much more capable than mine!!!) (and He's doing a TREMENDOUS job of handling it without my help!!) 

Surely there will be more to come!  

peace

It hit me last night as I was rocking Emma (here I go again, posting from the first person...)

The Seeds Family Worship version of Isaiah 26:3 was playing:  "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."  (side note: we highly HIGHLY recommend Seeds Family Worship.  It's scripture set to music - excellent music that I'm thankful to get stuck in my head.  Check it out here if you get a chance).

It hit me - God is keeping His promise to us.  I've been feeling His peace....His perfect, lovely, unexplainable-by-human-standards, beautiful PEACE.  We are trusting Him and He is keeping us in perfect peace.  And the amazing thing is that the reverse is true, too.  As He keeps us in perfect peace, it's easier to trust Him.

"God, we trust You" - that's been a huge theme as of late.  We trust YOU more than we trust ourselves.  We trust YOU more than we trust logic.  We trust YOU more than we trust practical.  We trust YOU more than we trust possible.  We trust YOU more than we trust a plan.  God, we trust You.  

And His Peace -- He's pouring it out.  We're experiencing peace....and it's incredible.  When the anxious thoughts try to creep in, the peace is louder and stronger.  When the practical side of me can't make it all work out, His peace supersedes my reasoning abilities (or lack thereof).

Is it selfish to want more?  I certainly want all that He has to offer....and He wants us to receive all that He has to give.  So I'll continue asking (and would love for you to ask for us, too!).

As we sort and pack and give and sell....peace.  As we sell our house...peace.  As we figure out physical long-distance friendships and family relationships...peace.  As we pray for financial provision to come....peace.  As we prepare to go...peace.  As we take each step of this journey....peace.   (And as we go get shots sometime in the not too distant future...peace)(and icecream). 


Thank you, God, for Your peace.  

Surely there will be more to come.

Must Share God's Faithfulness!!!

We received this in an email yesterday from the fabulous folks who have been looking at/wanting to buy our house  - I can't NOT share the faithfulness of our God: 

"things are looking great with our financing! so that's exciting. so we are definitely going to buy your house. YAY! I know you are happy to finally know that is done!!"

Umm....."happy" would be quite an understatement.  "We are definitely going to buy your house."  Not sure there are many things I could hear right now that would be sweeter than that (maybe someone saying "God's told us to cover all of your Mercy Ships costs...."  or "I'm going to supply you with Cherry Coke for life." jk).

Other amazing things God is giving us:

• 2 monthly supporters!!!  (before we've even "officially" asked :)  We're off to a fantastic start!)
• A potentially really amazing fundraiser (and I think it's one that will live up to the first 3 letters in the word FUNdraiser!!!).   Someone has offered it to us....someone else has offered to "make it happen" - ie organize it for us.  We are amazed.  Feel free to go ahead and save Friday, April 27 from 7-9pm.
• Other offers of "gatherings" for us - ones that give us the chance to share our story and that give others the chance to support us (again, we are amazed...these are things just being offered - not that we're having to go out and solicit or line up or make happen.)
• Other Unsolicited "publicity" (through newsletters and blogs and speaking opportunites....)
• Subway coupons (thanks, brandon!)
• His peace. Reassurance.  Encouragement.  Hope.  Joy. 

What an amazing, generous, pays-attention-to-the-details, wonderful, kind God we serve. 

Surely there will be more to come.