Tuesday, December 27, 2011

We're headed to SEBTS Wake Forest

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls,

We are heading to Wake Forest for Josh to attend Southwestern Theological Seminary. The goal: A Masters in Philosophy and possibly, continuing to complete the Masters of Divinity program in preparation for ministry. I write this note, as requested by many lovely dear friends, to alert you of how you can pray for us:

Pray that we have suitable housing assigned that also allows us to begin the 2 day drive on January 7th as we hoped. Orientation in on the 19th and we would like to have time for unpacking, settling and job hunting before school starts.

Pray for safety on the road. The longest I have ever driven personally, as a driver, was to Houston which is 276 miles. I believe this trip covers over 1200 miles and 7 states: Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Josh will drive the truck, I will follow with the three little ones in the car. I am nervous, but excited about getting to see so many new places on the drive.

Pray for Josh to be able to find a suitable job when we arrive. The school is fantastic about helping students find work and we have had lots of encouragment from friends. You can also pray for our projects and that the Lord will use them to fund us financially. I am launching my photography business, Josh is working on music and art. If you have prayed and feel like you would like to help out our journey, you can use this link http://www.gofundme.com/br8ns

Pray for adjustment for our children, that they can settle into the new surroundings and enjoy it. We've had a lot of change and we are hoping this is a stable home for several years. We have no intention to move again anytime soon!

Pray for God to lead us to a good church home, where we can be a part of a family of believers.

Pray for our preperations these next few weeks, that we would accomplish what is needed, that all the pieces of the puzzle would fall into place such!

Pray for our hearts and minds, that we continue, at all times to seek the Lord and keep our eyes on Jesus!

Also pray for Josh as he works to get The Christian Watershed Non-Profit in action. It's an issue so close to our hearts! The purpose of it is to raise awareness, increase involvement in issues of social justice, especially directly ministering to victims human trafficking. After working with victims of human trafficking, Josh and I have prayed and feel strongly that this is an area of ministry in which we are called.

Thank you so much for you prayers, we are so thankful for them. Please know that we pray for you and ask that you freely contact us to ask us to pray for you and your family.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Who you are.

We enter a time of year in which our lives can simultaneously be filled with the most wonderful of joy and the deepest of pain and sorrow. At Christmas, the problems we face, our personal challenges and the hurt that has been done towards us is somehow more magnified... a missing family member, a broken relationship, lack of money to participate in the commercial aspects of the season.

It is a season is which I believe, more of us ASK, Who am I? What is my life worth? Am I truly loved? Am I making the most of my life? Who is this Jesus, and does He truly have any relevance to my life in the here and now.

The answer is a resounding YES. Did you know, that you are precious to God? Do you know that you are made in His image and that HE, the God of the universe, HANDMADE and DESIGNED YOU. Yes YOU. He cares so much about every detail of your life. He cares if you are hurting, He cares if you are tired and weary.

It doesn't matter to Him, what you have done or where you have been. You are the apple of His eye, and as a mother welcomes home her wayward son, or a father embraces his daughter despite her mistakes, your heavenly Father's arms are open to you. He is waiting for YOU, to run into His arms.

Perhaps you, you have had some terrible wrongs done to you in life. Perhaps someone has done something to you or you have experienced something, so awful, that it influences you everyday and you cannot escape it. Do you know if breaks God's heart? Do you know that He wants to comfort you, to bring you healing?

GOD came to this earth as a mortal, tiny, child, because He loves you so much, that HE was willing to die for you. What other God, is there, that would be willing to be put through humiliation, beatings, mockery and a painful death, so that he could pay the debt of your failures and sin. So that, when you put your trust in HIM and make Him LORD in your life , you are are REMADE. You are NEW. Everything in the past is washed away. You are WHITE and PURE as snow.

That is not all. Not only are you remade, YOU are now the child of a KING. You are the son, or the daughter, of the greatest, most just, good, , king there ever was and ever will be. Nothing can change His love for you. This Christmas, accept the ultimate gift, the gift of LOVE. You are can apart of the family of God, and have a father that will never abandon or forsake you, that will always have your corner and fight for you.

You may wonder about me, about my faith, and this song below echo's the very thoughts and conflicts I have had... if you are lonely, empty, in pain, searching this Christmas... perhaps it will touch your heart...