As spring is now here in earnest, we've hit 60 degree temperatures (wow!) and the drifts of snow in our yard are now finally reduced to small mounds and puddles, we'll share with you the news that we're staying here in Kenai for the summer. We did not reach our goal of raising support and since we need to be at 100% before moving, it means that we'll stay where we are for a while longer. While we knew that God could do anything, we also knew we were on a very aggressive schedule timewise (we attempted to do in 5 months what takes many families a year or more) and weren't surprised that we need more time. So, while we are disappointed to be missing out on what's shaping up to be an amazing summer at Victory, and our hearts go out to Aaron Meeuwsen and others who'll be shouldering the load of program staff this summer, we are gearing up for a move to a more affordable place, a new job for Justin, and a summer spent here in Kenai continuing to raise support. We are fully trusting God and we're looking forward to see how he provides for us. While it feels frustrating at times and also sort of feels like starting back at square one (we have to find yet another place to live; this makes 4 moves in 2 years; and Justin needs a job since school ends next month), we know that God won't build your faith if things are always running smoothly! So we are trusting Him and remembering that He wants us to walk by faith, not by sight. We're glad to be able to spend more time with our precious church family and all our friends in the area, too.
Ways you can pray for us right now:
-Encouragement to remember that God always follows through on his plans for us
-A job for Justin
-A place to live
Thanks to everyone for all their prayers and support! We plan to press on!
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Saturday, April 28, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
A preview of the way our life will change
As our goal date draws closer - we are now just over a month (42 days!) from our proposed move date - we are trying to work harder than ever at raising support, getting the word out there about this awesome ministry at Victory and hoping that God will spur His people to invest in this work. While we've hopefully informed people about what goes on at Victory and what Justin's job will be, I'd like to share with you some ways that our life as a family will be changing.
If you want to hear more about this, we will be having a pizza lunch at Calvary Baptist Church this Sunday, April 15th, immediately following the second service (about 12:45). I'll be making some homemade pizzas to share with everyone. Come eat, hang out with friends, and listen to the details of what will go on in our ministry.
For now, these are a few of the changes that we'll expect about life at Victory and in Glacier View, the community in that area:
-WE ARE GOING FOR GOOD, PERMANENTLY! Many people tend to think this is a temporary thing, since it's a "summer camp". It's a permanent move...a year-round job and career change for Justin. This in itself is huge!
-We'll have camp housing. Lots of people have asked me whether we'll be buying a house up there. The camp provides housing for each of its staff families, and our awesome camp director has been putting a focus on lots of upgrades and remodeling for much of the staff housing. We'll pay rent each month, along with heating for our housing unit.
-We'll live an hour from town - ANY town. This means planning to grocery shop every two weeks, and attempting to combine any other appointments and errands on those days to save time and gas. It's a little frightening for me as a mom to be so far from a hospital (the nearest one is about an hour and 15 minutes' drive away) but I do feel much safer knowing that two of the camp's staff members are EMTs and the community's Emergency Services are located very close to us. While this is quite a rural place to live, we feel that we've been very well prepared by living in Quinhagak, a village on the Western edge of Alaska, for several years (this is a whole other story itself! :) ). The setting, which is in the midst of the amazing Chugach mountain range with views of the Matanuska glacier, is absolutely worth it! God's hand is all over the view every time you look out the window!
-Small community size...this means not much opportunity for jobs outside of camp ("tent making" if you're familiar with that Biblical concept) and dependance on God for providing for our family.
Some ways you can pray for us right now:
-Trust! Our numbers are not looking the best at the moment. We are battening the hatches (I'm not even sure what that means!) and asking God for an extra measure of faith as He works out his perfect plan in all this.
I was encouraged the other day by a verse from 2 Thessalonians 2 (which is now on my kitchen chalkboard so I can read it regularly): "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word." He has given us comfort and hope! We want our hearts to be established in every good work and word, in order for others to also know the comfort and hope that's in Him. This is the reason and purpose we desire to be in this ministry.
Our Evie is really growing up!
We enjoyed a trip to the Anchorage museum a couple weekends ago
Hockey season is ending...I'm really going to miss it!
If you want to hear more about this, we will be having a pizza lunch at Calvary Baptist Church this Sunday, April 15th, immediately following the second service (about 12:45). I'll be making some homemade pizzas to share with everyone. Come eat, hang out with friends, and listen to the details of what will go on in our ministry.
For now, these are a few of the changes that we'll expect about life at Victory and in Glacier View, the community in that area:
-WE ARE GOING FOR GOOD, PERMANENTLY! Many people tend to think this is a temporary thing, since it's a "summer camp". It's a permanent move...a year-round job and career change for Justin. This in itself is huge!
-We'll have camp housing. Lots of people have asked me whether we'll be buying a house up there. The camp provides housing for each of its staff families, and our awesome camp director has been putting a focus on lots of upgrades and remodeling for much of the staff housing. We'll pay rent each month, along with heating for our housing unit.
-We'll live an hour from town - ANY town. This means planning to grocery shop every two weeks, and attempting to combine any other appointments and errands on those days to save time and gas. It's a little frightening for me as a mom to be so far from a hospital (the nearest one is about an hour and 15 minutes' drive away) but I do feel much safer knowing that two of the camp's staff members are EMTs and the community's Emergency Services are located very close to us. While this is quite a rural place to live, we feel that we've been very well prepared by living in Quinhagak, a village on the Western edge of Alaska, for several years (this is a whole other story itself! :) ). The setting, which is in the midst of the amazing Chugach mountain range with views of the Matanuska glacier, is absolutely worth it! God's hand is all over the view every time you look out the window!
-Small community size...this means not much opportunity for jobs outside of camp ("tent making" if you're familiar with that Biblical concept) and dependance on God for providing for our family.
Some ways you can pray for us right now:
-Trust! Our numbers are not looking the best at the moment. We are battening the hatches (I'm not even sure what that means!) and asking God for an extra measure of faith as He works out his perfect plan in all this.
I was encouraged the other day by a verse from 2 Thessalonians 2 (which is now on my kitchen chalkboard so I can read it regularly): "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word." He has given us comfort and hope! We want our hearts to be established in every good work and word, in order for others to also know the comfort and hope that's in Him. This is the reason and purpose we desire to be in this ministry.
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