Oh it’s been a while! As much as we desire to write far more often, day to day life with little ones is demanding and exhausting, and writing gets pushed down on the list of things that need doing. However, there comes a point when enough is enough – more than two months have gone by since last posting and we couldn’t let March end without an update!
Over these last couple of months there has been much pondering going on in my heart and God has been speaking to me about the choices I make in day to day life. A number of years ago God spoke to me in a vision of sorts, whereby He showed me that every decision I made, little or big, impacted those around me and the generation after me – the ripples far reaching – either for good or for bad. He’s been reminding me of that, and both encouraging me and challenging me in the day-to-day decisions that face us.
The Jana Alayra testimony I shared back in January has been a source of much pondering in this theme: In all the trials Jana faced she had decisions to make…would she get up out of bed and face the day when depression and grief wanted to overwhelm? Would she forgive herself (& others) when the enemy wanted her bound in unforgiveness? Would she praise and worship even when it was painful? So many choices faced daily. Sometimes they seem inconsequential. But what the Lord has been showing me is that her testimony is powerful and there is an authenticity and reality to her ministry because she chose Him throughout the trials, turned to Him even when she didn’t much want to, got out of bed when it was the biggest battle even to do just that.
In our current circumstances there are many ways we are having to make daily choices to trust, to believe, to obey, to praise, even when we are not seeing much happen. The moment-by-moment, day-to-day choices MATTER. God is challenging me even down to my heart attitude when I have been woken up in the night for the 6th time by one of the girls coughing or crying or wanting to feed or to play (the latter usually applies to Katherine!)…will I choose love, will I choose patience, will I trust that He will supply all the rest I need, will I pray when I’d rather sleep, will I keep my eyes on Him? Every time I choose towards the Lord something is being built, some ground is being gained, some testimony of God’s goodness and grace is being formed. For sure there are times I miss the mark… I lose my temper, get cranky because I’m tired, don’t choose love… and the mercies of the Lord are all the more real and tangible when He reminds me and I turn back to Him, but there can be consequences to those choices – the girls tender hearts getting hurt, peace in the atmosphere of our home being lost, the enemy taking back ground.
When I say ‘we’re not seeing much happen’, I mean specifically on the moving/job front. The packing continues and based on a sense I had back in January that early in May we’d have some revelation about it, we’re being even more intentional to daily make progress with it – but faith is definitely challenged at times and we continue to wait and wonder what God’s up to and what it’s all about! There is a greater settledness and peace that the Lord has brought about being where we currently are…I think He’s been ushering us into ‘learning to be content in all circumstances’!
We have had some encouraging things happen with our neighbors the last couple of months. One lady who we would see walking her dogs around the neighborhood and who God put on my heart many, many times (to what I thought was a weird degree at the time), has become a good friend who comes to play with the girls every week or two, and who is coming to our church tomorrow for the first time with her husband. A door also opened with one of our next door neighbors (who is Hindu) who has been battling illness for the last few months. I got to visit with her and pray for her early in February after she got out of hospital and yesterday she asked if she could have our numbers so she could call us to talk – and we both immediately sensed that it was for her salvation – so we are praying and waiting to see what God will do. There is still purpose to fulfill in our current location!!
The girls are growing fast – in February Abigail turned 5, and next week Audrey turns 4! They are all sick right now with coughs, colds and various infections – challenging all the more the reality of choosing Christ (or not), especially in the night hours – but this too will pass and soon they’ll be their happy, boogie-free selves again! I’ll include some photos from the last couple of months…I could post hundreds – I love to take photos – but it’ll be April by the time I post if I do too many!!
We’re thankful for you all and pray you have a blessed and very happy Easter!
Whoop! It’s still March! Just.
Pursuing Purpose 