My heart often hurts and I don't always understand why.  I've prayed with unanswered prayers, I cry out and I try and trust.  I have so much still to learn from our journey these last two years.  I'm not sure, this side of Heaven, I will ever understand each intricate detail.  And you know, I am ok with knowing that.   I press on.  I pray i see the course He continues to lay out before me.  I never want to lose focus and I always want to live intentional.  Intentionally for Him.  

God has His best before me.  Not my plan that is only seeing a tiny portion of what I think is best.  He is beyond faithful and He never lets me down.  Amidst the pain, beyond the hurt, I know He brings us through the fire to refine and no matter the amount of time or the amount of sadness that fire may bring, in the end we come out pure.  He sets our feet back in place.  He prepares our next step.  

It has been such a long time since I have followed through with my blogging. I have written out several and deleted, I have a few scripted out in my phone and here I go again. It's as if I have once again listened to those voices around me, "lay this down and move on," but I feel it heavy on my heart to write and it often helps my thoughts and heart as I begin to type words out. I know that our journey is not over, our time is never wasted. God has a plan for His children, even though most of our time is spent carrying loads that are far to heavy for us to bare. Thank you, Father, that You are the Load Lifter and that you stand ready to lift our load when we relinquish it to You and release that grip we so tightly have on our burdens.

Overflowing with emotions and I'm so beyond thankful for my Jesus, who absolutely is my Comfort.  Yet my heart also hurts and as we are facing new, great things. I find myself overwhelmed with what is to come, even anxious as we take these next steps.  Like David, I ask the same question, "who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family that you have brought me this far? (2 Samuel 7:18)  I know that God has taken us "so far" for His purpose and I know His plans are for a "hope and a future" for our little family.  I am so thankful.  We are beyond blessed.

In studying the life of David, I once again find myself in awe!  In David's life, in God's faithfulness to David and even in just how beginning to study him all happened... after a few consecutive days of reading about him in my quiet time after we traveled to Texas, I really began to have a desire to study his life a little deeper ..and that went to literally being handed a Bible Study book on the life of David after we got to my Sissy's and I was told, "this is what were fixing to study..."  I just knew it was only God's perfect timing!!  Now what we have been studying in scripture and about his life on a weekly basis, I KNOW that this is exactly what God wants me to be studying! 😉  Where David was, to where God wanted to take him.  So far.  The crossroads David faces in his life, time and time again.  I know so many of you, my sweet friends, are at a crossroads...  Crossroads in several very different situations.  I pray and I seek His answers.  I cry out for many of you, just as I cry out for our family.  We too are at a crossroad.  

What step will we take?  Which direction will we go?  We can easily turn to our own feelings and emotions and take baby steps away from what God's great plan is for us. We can stand still, holding onto that devastation.  We can decide we are not moving or even taking a step, possibly refusing to be obedient.  Or we can choose to continue to walk in Him.   Praying.  Crying out.  Asking God to continue growing us in the direction He would have us go. 

I love that David so wanted the Arc of the Covenant right there, in the middle of everything.  He wanted God's presence exactly where he was.  He wanted others to be surrounded by God's presence just as much as he wanted it for himself.   He knew that he must take steps in his life, drawing him closer to his Savior.  Even if it included physically moving that Arc.  How can we want anything less for ourselves.  Why would you not want HIS perfect presence surrounding you ALWAYS?   It's a DAILY getting up and choosing to walk in His ways.  We will fall.  David fell.  Yet David's heart truly sought God.  I want my heart ever seeking Him.  We find Him when we "search for Him with ALL of our heart."  (Jeremiah 29:13)  

It's time we move away from devastation, cry out for wisdom from our Sovereign Lord and walk through the crossroads in the Spirit of our Savior!!!  Being intentional about our obedience to Him.

God promises us in Jeremiah that He has great plans for us.  Plans for hope, plans for our future. He is so beyond faithful and I will be forever grateful that He chose me and I can rest in His faithfulness and the plans He has for my family!!  However, some of my days are just a little more challenging.  Sometimes my heart just hurts.  My humanness leaves me weak and uncertain.  I want to question why..  and God continues to remind me to be still.  I simply have to trust in knowing that in all of my "not-understanding" I wait for Him.  Trusting that He will continue to reveal Himself to me.  To my Jason.  To heal his hurt too. Daily, as long as we seek Him daily!

I know we often struggle.  No matter what life holds for us, the heartache and pain that may come, He simply wants us completely broken for Him.  Crying out before Him, ready to be poured out.  With the uncertainty and pain we have to be mindful of what Jesus tells us in scripture, "in this world we will have trouble!"  BUT friend, guess what else He promises...  TAKE HEART, He has overcome the world.  We too can overcome, simply because He goes before us and is our Overcomer.  

Pray for our family as we continue to put pieces together.  What we see right now is just a fraction of the plan, but He sees it all.  For that I rejoice.  He is so gracious and so faithful.  Thank you for all the sweet messages some of you send as we continue to seek His plan.  ❤️

...just an update

So much I could share and as weeks have passed I have contemplated writing, but thought it might help my thoughts as well as share with any of you what God has been doing in us after leaving Canada.  If you know me well, you know I love to worship My Great God as a God of detail.  He's SO into the details of our lives and I delight in seeing Him work, even when sometimes we really can't see!!!  I love that He knows my heart and He meets me there with His sweet faithfulness.  

Being in Texas has many benefits and the most significant is time with my sister and her family.  Sometimes my Sissy and I think Canada was just a detour to get me to her!  I love being able to see her, share with her and just being part of her families life.  Yesterday we were so privileged to go watch my niece's track meet.  We saw her participate in several events and represent her team well, even those hurdles she had to jump!   As I watched I could not help but to think through the steps those athletes were taking and to know so many years ago I was running in similar shoes.  Running the race.  Clearing hurdles. Giving that track everything I had in me.  This, right now, is our life.  

As i think about all that I have been through and where God has our family right now, it's just like that race that we run along life's track.  One of my heart's set of verses is from the first part of chapter 12 in Hebrews, laying aside the things that weigh us down and allow us to be tempted.  It's "running the race with perseverance" that is set out before us.  Not looking back but staying focused on my Jesus and what is to come.  There are often obstacles, just like those hurdles I had to cross on that track but I knew when I got to it, I had to cross it.  There was no other way but taking it in stride.  Sometimes I'd catch the tip and knock it sideways.  There were times the hurdle and I both fell. You get up. You continue to run.  You give it everything you have.  I did because I knew there was no other way to cross the finish line.  There were difficult days, but it made me stronger.  There have certainly been difficult days.

I would have never thought we would move our family and leave all that we knew behind for the short time we were away.  I know without question that God called us to step out.  We also knew without question that God was closing the door, just as He had opened it for us.  One of the most obvious was having our funding that we were promised and encouraged to receive, abruptly cut by two-thirds of what it was supposed to be.  We were on a clergy visa and neither Jason not myself could legally hold a job in Canada.   Because of these things and the cost of living being so much greater than America, we could not keep our family there.  There were certainly difficult days and there have been many difficult days being back, but we cling to the promises that God is working ALL things out for our good, according to His purposes, for those that love Him.  

We are beyond thankful for the experience and all the ways God grew us while we were there.  I'm so beyond thankful for relationships and for God placing such a precious couple in our lives just as we were leaving.  I love how God works even in the 11th hour and once again, that sweet bond we made the last week will last a lifetime.  We learned so much and saw God in ways we would have never experienced Him.  He constantly reminded us that He was right there with us.  

Continue to pray for us as we come to mind.  There is much need for healing and understanding.  

We are happy to be living in Texas and we are praying through wisdom and clarity as we take each step.  Jason was offered and accepted a new job and has been working one week!!  Huge praise for that and our sweet Hayden is back in school.  He had only been just a few days when he whispered in my ear, "Mommie, I think I like it here."  Again, God is in the details and we know that He has plans for us!!  With that, I resolve to continually trade my dreams for His. 

It is with sadness and yet a subtle peace that we share with you that our journey in Alberta has come to an end.  We are so thankful that God allowed us to experience all that we did and we know that His plans for us are always one step at a time and in faith.  We do not always see or understand what He is doing but we know God called us to Canada, just as we know God was closing the door to our mission there.  If we were there for just one, we are confident that God will grow and nurture seeds that were planted and now we simply trust Him to do the work only He can do.  

We praise Him for being so beyond faithful.  He is with us and He goes before us, wherever it is that we may go.  Not once were we alone.  He showed us so much of Himself and for that we are forever grateful.  Things we would have never seen or known.  We grew closer to Him in our experience and we made precious friendships that we will forever treasure and hold close to our hearts. We are truly blessed and forever changed. 

Please pray as we continue seeking Gods plan for our family.  We pray for wisdom and clarity as we make decisions. 

...pressing on!

Time after time these last several weeks God continues to speak "endurance"  into my time with Him, in sweet words from friends and even in conversations Jason and I have had.  So what about endurance?  Activities that go on for an extended period of time, to go on and on, to continue.  Even as I read yesterday..  to "Keep on keeping on"!  To run the race He has called us to, for an extended period of time, giving Him all we've got!

Even in the battle.  Front lines or the trenches.  Right smack in the middle of the battlefield!  That's where we are.  Everywhere around us there's the "un-religious," the "un-spiritual" and those in desperate need of a Saviour!  Those flocking to a local bar to see the next Medium and anxiously learn what's she heard from spirits.  Yep, that's true.  Just a couple minutes away, right here in Cochrane.  No wonder the enemy prowls around seeking whom He may devour.  The heaviness is real.  The burden weighs down.  The heaviness and burden reflect darkness, yet He brings light.  He wants His light to shine into that darkness and reveal a real hope that only a relationship with Him can provide!  We are here to share just that.

Our weapons are not massive.  I am outside of my comfort zone.  I feel easily overwhelmed.  Yet, my hope remains in my Overcomer and The One who brings us comfort.  He's the one that called us out and He is our Victorious Warrior!  He desires us to live Jesus on the front lines!   Pressing on to that mark He's called us to.  Fixing our eyes on Jesus and continuously laying aside all the things we so easily entangle ourselves with. (Hebrews 12:1-3) Running with endurance, even when we're crying out to Him for our every bit of strength.  He's gone before us, He won the battle when He defeated the grave!!

...from one year to the next..

We have jumped into 2014 pretty quickly and several days already gone by!!  Time never was supposed to stand still!  

I have spent time reflecting these last few days and think about our last year, the chapter we so quickly close...  I think hard about what "we" will do in this next year.  I worked on the latest trend on Facebook, the Flipagram and went through many pictures of things that took place in our family in 2013.  It was obviously with much emotion and brought back feelings of packing and moving, driving away from Carolina.  Time with friends that are often taken for granted.  Time with close family that we never take enough time for.  Even just the simple routines we would often find ourselves in.  Yet, we are so thankful and we were blessed beyond measure over the year in more ways than we could ever imagined.  Sometimes I guess it's necessary to take a step back, God just encouraged Jason and I to take a larger step, and although our step was hard, we feel it's only in the direction closer to Him.  That's all we can ever ask for!  

I am sure that our new year will be filled with much adventure, yet I pray that it will be filled with the most Jesus.  It's not about what "we" will do, it's about what He will do.  His plans for me, our family.  And not only for our personal family, but for each of those around us.  We want to be intentional about each relationship.  The ones that we have already been blessed with and the ones we know God will continue to bring into our lives in Canada!!

Please continue to pray with us!  Please pray for God to continue to grow Vertical Church, in only the direction that He would have us grow.  Pray for the lives already changed through the work of Vertical Church.  Pray we make the most of every opportunity as we trust God   Please continue to pray for Jason and I, that we would forever keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.  Pray for our Hayden & Gracie, may they always grow in the nurture and admonition of Jesus!  

Much love and may you be blessed in 2014!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Canada!! 

We trust that you all had a great day celebrating and that you keep Jesus the centre of your heart.

As our first Christmas away comes to an end, I'm so thankful to say that through tears I continue to have peace and today have truly had a joy that I know can only come from our Saviour.  As bad as it hurts to be so far from those close to my heart I am so thankful to know that Jason and I are completely centered in the middle of God's will. There's no other place we would rather be.  

We thank you so much for the prayers that you continue to pray, for the cards, texts and messages that you sent us this Christmas.  They are greatly appreciated and are all sweet reminders of NC!

...rejoice exceedingly!

That's what I choose to cling to.  As we are one more day into the week of Christmas I choose to follow The One True Star, and rejoice exceedingly.  No matter the circumstances.  No matter the cost. No matter the pain.  In a world that is so flustered with acquiring more gifts, more wealth, better this, greater that, richer gifts under their tree...   It can become so burdensome, but I believe that's never what was intended. 

In reading through some of the gospels these last several days about the birth of our Saviour, trying to see some different perspectives on Christ's birth... I found myself stuck on the one verse in Matthew, chapter 2 verse 10.  Matthew is referring to the Wise Men and their response after hearing of the King's birth.  "When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy."  Wow.  Do we truly rejoice this time of year, and is it because of His birth?  Are we so struck by this same exceeding joy....  The JOY He brought so long ago that offers you an eternity of worshipping at this same King's feet?  We can become so distracted with the false hope of joy in these presents we so frantically shop for, the busyness that we often get ourselves wrapped up in.  

This year is obviously going to be much different for us.  We will not spend any of the holiday with our families, we will not make it to any of those traditional Christmas places that are our favourite and there will be fewer gifts for our two babies to unwrap.  However, we have great joy in knowing there will be amazing things to experience here.  It began yesterday with watching a sweet friend's baptism.  Knowing she is feeling so much more joy, in simple obedience to our Father!!  We will have a great opportunity Tuesday morning to pour into our sweet neighbour who is not sure of her beliefs about God.  Time in the car as we carry her into the city and drop her off at the airport.  We pray God makes the most of each opportunity.  Time with young friends who are very lost.  Time at our church's Christmas program tonight, praying for lost people in our community to come in and hear the greatest story ever and to know this Saviour came for THEM!

 

We will rejoice exceedingly as The Lord has our star over Cochrane.  We have come and we await His plans, the plans He has for us and the plans He has for Vertical Church.  How can He use our hands and feet to make Him known. We want to make much of Him. 

I pray for YOU this Christmas.  I pray that all of those around me will experience True Joy in the birth of our Saviour, the King of Kings, Emmanuel- God with us.  The One who came for YOU.  If you don't have a personal, one-on-one relationship with Jesus, I pray that you not go another day without Him.

 Pray with me for our town.  Pray for God to move in ways that only He can.  He is faithful and He goes above and beyond.  Pray for Vertical Church. Pray for Jason and I, for Hayden and Gracie.  Pray we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and that we not go one day without time with Him.

...trusting in Him!!

The weight of heaviness begins to lighten and we continue trusting!  The last few weeks have been quite burdensome for me and Jason has felt the heaviness I was carrying.  Yet, praise be to our Father, who daily desires to carry those burdens for us,  I am finally feeling a little more free today.  It's constantly saying scripture, so thankful that I have His words hidden In my heart.   It's remembering that "the JOY of The Lord is my strength."  I continue to remind myself that Jesus never said it would be easy but He promised to walk with me through it. Even more... That He goes before me! 

He is definitely working and moving in Cochrane and He continues to work and move at Vertical church.  People are coming to know Jesus as their Saviour, others are desiring baptism that have never been baptized and others are growing in their relationship with Him.  We are so thankful that God has us here and we are so thankful for Chris & Gemma, the pastor of Vertical and his sweet wife!  We want to turn our city upside down for Jesus!!

There is still MUCH to be done and God continues to put people in our path that need Jesus.  We have come to know our sweet neighbour, Ms Bev, and she too is far away.  She has shared with me some, yet I know God has entrusted her to us for this time.  Pray with us, for Mrs Bev.  Please continue to pray for Christine, I will spend more time again with her in January.  Pray for the continued leadership at Vertical, that God will continue to reveal Himself.  Pray for Jason and I to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and that we have open ears to hear.  Pray for our neighbourhood.  Pray for Cochrane.

....giving thanks

As we begin to celebrate such a special time of the year I can't help but feel the blessings through my bit of sadness.  So many new things to get accustomed to, new traditions to make, ...and I'm totally a "traditions" girl, new and different reasons to feel joyful and certainly many reasons to pour out praises to The One whom we should give ALL our thanks.

I am most grateful for my salvation.  I am a yucky sinner saved by grace and I can never be more thankful than knowing that Jesus took my sin debt to the cross and today stands as my righteousness before our holy God!  He has brought me out of my own messiness many times and continues to shape me and grow me into what He desires me to be.  I am beyond thankful to have a wonderful husband that loves Jesus and has put himself and our family in the centre of God's will.   I am thankful for two of the most precious blessings, Hayden & Gracie.  I am thankful for my extended family who do so much for us, none of which goes un-noticed.  I am beyond thankful for girlfriends that stand by me, forgetting the fact I'm thousands of miles away.  FaceTimes, texts, prayers and calls..  they mean more than anyone could imagine.   I am so thankful for Vertical Church.  The leadership, the passion to share Jesus and the friendships that have welcomed us in with open arms!  I pray that we take nothing for granted.  

As we spend this Thanksgiving so physically far from people that are closest to our hearts, we trust and hold on to the fact that God's plans are greater than ours.  He needs us here.  Someone here is crying out.    Someone is in need of salvation.  They need, in their life, the greatest reason to be forever thankful.  Lord, continue to give us ears to hear.

It's been a month....

We arrived in Canada one month ago today, on October 25th!  It's hard to believe it's been a month and here we are.  We certainly have most of our settling in done..  And we're a little more adjusted to this Canadian culture!  Even dressing a little warmer and maybe a few layers!  

Jason and the other leaders at Vertical are doing great and I'm SO beyond blessed to physically see God changing Jason, making him the man God has called him to be.  This has always been my pray for him, not necessarily realizing what God had as His bigger plan.  I am filled with true joy as I watch.  Seeing my Jason truly be able to lay it ALL down for the sake of JESUS!    Trusting and being obedient as we take each new step.  Allowing God to change us and grow us in ways we would have never imagined.  

We are involved in several Bible studies, both individually and together, even through our small group.  Our home is open as often as we can offer it up.  We feel blessed to be here and what we have "on loan" is not ours anyway, we want what we have to be a blessing to others.  We are building relationships and finding ways to reach out into the community.  I pray specifically that we would come in contact with others and that seeds would be planted with each meeting and circumstance.  Let us take nothing for granted.  Let us make MUCH of Jesus!

The months will turn into years and we are here until we know God is leading us away.  Please continue to pray.  Pray for Christine, she does not know Jesus.  Pray for relationships.  Pray for Vertical Church to be a light in Cochrane and for God to use us in ways that would bring Him glory.  Pray for the Leadership, that God would pour Himself out and give them His wisdom and His knowledge.  Pray for hearts to be ready.

...give me Your eyes.

With each new day, there could come a new challenge.  The calling has been placed and we respond in simple obedience.  We want to be broken and poured out, used for Jesus.  Clean vessels, listening and making the most of every opportunity.  We continue to pray that the people of Cochrane be broken for Jesus!!   

Anytime we answer God's call on our lives, we pray and listen for His direction.  He will call us out of our comfort zones and to go beyond our biggest fears.  We must continue to take those steps of faith.  Faith is believing, not seeing.  Jason and I want, whole heartedly, to be intentional about every step and every encounter.  Even blind with our own eyes knowing that He has given us His eyes, even if it's just for one second.  Even when we're not "comfortable".

Yesterday's appointment left my heart sad.  I found a new "friend" through a mom's Facebook page here in town.  She and I had previously met and she stopped over yesterday about an order for a few Christmas Scentsy bars.  Ending the conversation, I simply invited her to our ladies Bible Study that we are fixing to begin.  Her quick response is where I found sadness and a sense of urgency.  She said "I am not a spiritual person, but I'll be happy to let others in my neighbourhood know."  I will see her again and made arrangements before this came up.  I will have more opportunity to be with her, more time for Jesus to make an impact in her life.  Pray I make much of Him, even when it gets hard.  Even if I'm out if my comfort zone.  Please pray for Christine.  She needs my Jesus and I know He had a plan for our paths crossing.  I know He has a plan for her.

Please pray for the ladies Bible Study that will begin in our home this week. Pray for Light to shine so bright, others around would be drawn in.  Pray for salvation needs that only He is aware of.  Pray that we continue to see with His eyes.  He knows where there is true need.  

...to show me You are with me!

LOTS of thoughts today as we start a brand new week.  A life back to normal, yet so far from what normal meant to us.  I can't help but feel blessed beyond measure through all that has happened and God continually draws me to Himself.  He calls and then He strengthens. He shows up and He goes before!  Last night, I truly felt His presence.  He knows just how to reach His children.  

As I was getting into bed, Jason tells me that we can look toward the North and see the Northern Lights.  I had certainly heard of them before and knew a little about them, but never anything more.  Not even exactly sure of what to look for!!  We began looking out our bedroom window and we were both caught by such surprise!  It was simply amazing.  There were shades of green that grew brighter and danced in the sky.  They moved, they got smaller and larger and streaks of green would often shoot out.  We heard from Chris, as he also watched, that they were the brightest he had seen in a few years.  We quickly made a decision about 11:30 to scoop the kids up out of bed and head out of our neighbourhood to a dark country street, just a couple minutes away.  It was awesome to watch and we were so thankful to experience it.  I thank my God for His handiwork! 

This morning as I was getting ready for our day, Jason had music playing downstairs and The Afters just happened to come on shortly after.  I was quickly reminded that He is with us, after what we had just experienced.  If you have not heard the popular Christian song, The words directly from the song say, "You light up the sky to show me that You are with me

And I, I, I can't deny

No I can't deny that You are right here with me

You've opened my eyes

So I can see You all around me

You light, light, light up the sky

You light up the sky to show me that You are with me."  

This morning I stood in awe once again at our God, as I thought through last night and worshiped!  ...And it gets better!

So after our experience, Jason did a little research!!  If you know me well, you know I LOVE to worship my God as a God of DETAIL....  He brought us here and now He's gonna show us His amazing creation- ABOVE and BEYOND the beauty that's already here on a daily basis!!!!  So this is what Jason found out...

       "According to NASA, 2013 is 

       prime time viewing for the 

       aurora borealis. The sun’s 11-

       year sunspot cycle reaches its 

       zenith (Solar Maximum) at the 

       end of the year. This means the 

       best northern lights viewing in a 

       decade is yours to discover, 

       especially in November and 

       December."

Tonight's another peak night.  No guessing where we will be around midnight!

He'll open your eyes. He'll light up the sky. He'll show you that He's right there!  

Feeling like home...

It seems more real than ever.  These last three weeks have gone by so quickly.  Mom has come and gone and she has been such a blessing, at our old home and again here.  She has gone above and beyond and we are forever grateful.  The kids are beginning to get settled and our "Canada home" is beginning to feel like our real home. We are so thankful to have our Canada phones, ever how silly that may sound.  We are able to talk with family and friends again.  This is a huge blessing for me and keeps me close to those dear to me!!  

This week has been trying, yet I know that Jesus never said it would be easy.  We had to wait a couple days to get an Alberta license.  Once we were able to get them, they kept and CUT UP our NC license!!   Such a little thing, but that hit kinda hard! The sweet girl helping offered to make a photo copy, but I let it go!!  Oh, the little things.  We had to go into Calgary several times and it's a pretty huge city!!  That was an adventure each time, whether we had Chris with us or not!! ;)  All necessary things that we had to take care of to live in Canada.  Thankful that we have them done!

We continue to covet your prayers.  Pray for the people of Cochrane to have open hearts to hear the Good News.  Pray for Chris & Gemma as they hear from The Lord and lead.  Pray for Jason and I as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.  Pray for finances for our family as well as for Vertical Church.  

There are many needs and we trust in The Lord completely and know that He will provide every need.  He always goes above and beyond.  Again, we are grateful.  

What a ride...

What a crazy ride it has been.  Packing, leaving, driving and more driving (corn and more corn ...just ask Amy)- finally arriving and saying goodbye to the last friend I could hold  on to.  Running around Canada, trying to prepare for a life here, missing my sweet friends and a coffee date more than any of them could imagine, all while anxiously awaiting the arrival of our two babies ...to finally today, being back together again.  

I had not planned for it to be so hard. I know and trust without 1% of question that this is where God placed us.  Things have worked out and fallen into place as only His plans do.  For that, we are grateful.  We are so thankful for what God has here.  We are beyond blessed to have Chris & Gemma and to know that Jesus wants us to love on these people in Cochrane.  He will continue to pour Himself out.  He will continue to give Jason and I strength each day.  We certainly need your prayers and we covet each one spoken!

His joy...

Tonight I was reminded in a sweet conversation with my Sissy that the JOY of The Lord is my strength.  

I'm so thankful that we have a relationship with Jesus.  I'm so thankful He chose me and that I can depend on Him for everything, and yes- even my great joy.  Even when the "happy" in my heart is not so happy!   That joy runs so much deeper and again I am thankful.

Our move has been one of great excitement, joy, and anticipation.   We are still adapting to the idea that we are in Canada.  Setting up things this week at the bank, looking for a home, filling out paperwork for Alberta license plates, ....all these things make it seem a little more permanent.   Little more of a reality.  So even as things continue to unfold, we trust that He will provide.  We wait as He directs our steps.  We praise Him for joy!

The journey complete...

What a Great God who certainly goes before us.  Our Banner!!  

After 3 hours of border & immigration, we made it through to Canada today.  It was with great joy, much praise and much thanksgiving!  It was not easy, but Jesus never said it would be.  As we waited minute after minute of whether we would be able to pass through, I pondered a response that we were first given.   We were not "qualified" with what we presented as our request into the country.  No, we are not qualified, but we don't want to be "qualified."  We want to be equipped.  Equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit that will work through us.  It is not of ourselves that we do anything.   

While we waited, we prayed.  We prayed for favor, we prayed for peace.  We needed a simple trust.  I often worship my God as a God of detail, and once again He has the details planned out for us long before He reveals.  He's got this. We are confident in that.

So, what an amazing journey.  An amazing time to think and reflect and most  importantly, take in the beauty of America. While I miss my family and friends more than they each could imagine, I am happy to be "home," to this land that God has delivered us into.

Here's the BIG step...

Stepping from America into the new land God has called us to today.  As we drive closer and closer to the border this morning, I am overwhelmed with all that is happening and all that is to come.  I am so excited, yet so anxious.  I know God has great and mighty things which we do not know (Jeremiah 33:3) to show Jason and I!  I am excited that God chose to send us and I am excited to be obedient to Him.  I continue to feel His peace during the transition and again I am grateful.  Just like He reminded me in my quiet time  yesterday, "the power to go comes from having first spent time with Him." (Blackaby)  I praise Him for that power, I praise Him that Jason and I get to spend time growing in Him each day. I know this journey in our life will produce great things as long as we remain in Him.  To HIM be all praise.  To HIM be all honor.  

The fields are white unto harvest, Lord, let your laborers be exactly what YOU call us to be.