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. 

Our God is a Supplier!

Our God is a supplier - of good gifts, of timely words, of strength and energy, of money and resources, of rest, of everything we need!!!  He is constantly giving us just what we need - physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally....in every way, He supplies our needs...and so often His supply to us comes through YOU... 

The following is Nick's response to a precious lady who shared some encouragement with us and was asking about the financial support we'll be needing.  His response applies to so many of you who have strengthened us with encouraging words and kindness and because so many have asked how to support us financially. 

Thank you so much, for your kind and encouraging words regarding Mercy Ships!  They are definitely a great source of affirmation and comfort for us in the midst of one of the most emotionally stressful and exhausting times in our lives. We are so excited about the future! -- and yet so sad about leaving everyone we love so much... We would be honored to have you pray for us over the next 4 months as we work through the process of having literally every single aspect of our lives change!  As for finances, we are leaving our paying jobs here to go be full-time volunteers on the ship, so we will have to raise the monthly support for our family to be able to go.  Including travel expenses, housing & food, insurances, etc. for our family of 5, we have a monthly budget of $3450 that we will need to raise between now and June, as well as an initial "get us on the boat" budget of about $9,000.  I will certainly add you to our mailing list so we can keep in touch, and if your family feels led in any way to support ours on this journey -- wow, that would be such a blessing and an honor!

Please know that every encouraging word you say, type, text or write are gifts that we treasure.  And, even if it's awkward to say/type, there's no hiding the fact that we do need financial support.  Please pray and ask God if He wants you to love on some of the world's forgotten poor by giving financially to Mercy Ships on our behalf.  We know He's going to provide our every need (He's promised!!) - spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally, monetarily!  Maybe He wants to use you to be a part of that provision. If He does, you can go to the "Giving/Be a Part of God's Provision" page at the top of this blog...or email/call us: dianna@teenadvisors.org 706/662 0190.

We're looking forward to all that God is going to do in the coming days and weeks and months. "Oh for grace to trust Him more." 

Surely there will be more to come

few facts & a video

few facts (courtesy of mercyships.org)

• Around the world, billions of people live in fear and desperation - with impure water, inadequate food, and little or no access to health care.

• More than 1.2 billion people survive on less than $1 per day.

• Nearly 50% of Africa's population has no access to a hospital or doctor.

• More than 6 million children die each year from completely preventable causes like malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia.

But, behind every statistic is a story, a life - a person waiting for hope and healing.  Mercy Ships, a global charity, has operated a fleet of hospital ships in developing nations since 1978.  Mercy Ships follows the 2000-year-old model of Jesus, bringing hope and healing to the world's forgotten poor.

where we are

we want to go but we don't want to leave.  that's been the phrase in my heart and head these past few weeks.  we want to be obedient.  we want to follow where the Lord is leading us (and OH has He shown us that the path we're on is HIS path for us!).  we are excited for what is to come....but man, oh man, the thought of leaving is quite difficult (understatement of the week)(along with "i'm not a fan of forms, policies and procedures related to the GA Department of Revenue." that would be an understatement.)(here are few things - on a very short list - i'm GLAD that i'll no longer be responsible for once we're in Africa:  G-1003s, W-3s, 1099s, 1096s, G-7, Quarterly 941s, DOL-4s).

(just a quick side note:  i don't want to write this blog in the first person...but i don't know of any other way to do it at this point.  so it's going to be from me on behalf of "us".  here's hoping that other members of the family will post -- and at times it will certainly be more "we" focused than "me" focused)(now there's a lesson..."more we than me...")

as far as "where we are" -- we're HERE.  we're abiding in Him daily.  we're seeking to be fully present at 2215 19th Ave...all the while, preparing to head to Texas June 8th ish.  i'm not quite sure the "plans" for the summer -- not sure how long we'll be in Texas/when we'll actually leave for Africa/etc.  everything that needs to happen is happening....kind of...it all kind of feels "limbo-ish" -- just hanging...nothing is settled...but things are happening....God IS at work....

with TAs - applications for our jobs are being received, instructions are being written down (very detailed instructions!), God is at work providing funds (TAs just received a very significant grant from the Columbus Office of Crime Prevention!), we're getting ready for the 25th Celebration/Family & Friends Night next week (keep praying!)

with our house -- we've got a family who really wants to buy our house!!!  we've got a strong verbal commitment (nothing in writing - but we trust them quite a lot!!!).  they need to sell their place - and there's someone interested in it....so lots of maybes....but good stuff going on! (keep praying!)

with our cars -- nothing definite...possibilities out there....(keep praying!)

with our stuff -- we still use most of it on a regular basis (ie - we can't get rid of our bed because we need to sleep in it)...so no yard sale is possible yet - but that will come (i suppose we'll be able to know more of a time frame for a yard sale once we know a closing date for our house....) (keep praying!)

with support raising -- that will really get going in a few weeks after the TA event.  this is an area that my mind keeps trying to be anxious about - but God keeps reminding me that He is the same this week as He was last week (last week - and all prior weeks! - i've had tremendous peace about God's provision for us!  this week the anxious thoughts have been trying to creep in.  they need to back off.). (keep praying!)

God continues to confirm and encourage and bless us in this process....just today we've had someone offer to do what could be a very significant fundraiser for us - talk about "immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine" -- i didn't ask for or imagine that one!!! 

and in a week when the anxiety and fear tries to creep in, He sends me words like "do not fear change...find your security in me alone."  and in the very moment when i'm really wondering if we're supposed to leave TAs, He sends a song that says "the same God who lead you in will lead you out...take all your fear and doubt, go ahead and lay them down.  The same God is with you now." 
 
and the same God is with YOU now.  and He will be with each of us every step of the way (no matter where that way takes us....).

Surely there will be more to come.

Jump In

Where does one start a blog like this?  It feels sort of like standing on the edge of a pool at the beginning of the season...boy, we want to swim - but it's going to be cold!!  Gotta just JUMP IN.  So here we go....

I can't begin to tell our story without celebrating our God who has written our story - every word! up to this moment...and who is continuing to write the next chapter as we take prayerful steps of faith into an unknown realm of life and become volunteer crew on a ship off the coast of west Africa with an organization called Mercy Ships...

Our God is so good.  so amazing. so worthy.  That He CARES about us and CARES about what we do with our lives is incredible.  We are indeed privileged to be His sons and daughters...to know that we are His.  what freedom!  what joy!  what an honor!!  To know that He has plans for us - each of us! and those plans are GOOD.  There's such security in trusting His plans...in not having to figure it all out on our own...in not having to have all the answers about why and how and what's next...

That's what this blog will be...a tribute to our God and the plans that He has for us.  A testimony of what HE is doing in us, through us and all around us - for now, that story will center around our adventures as we join the crew of the Africa Mercy ...but who knows where the story will go.  He does.  I'll rest in that. 

Surely there will be more to come.