Goodbye FBC

We said goodbye to our church yesterday. It was Devin's last Sunday leading worship. Devin had me sing the offeratory song with him and it was just an overall sad day for me. At the end of the service they had two chairs up front for us to sit in while a group of people involved in our lives the last year gathered around us and prayed for us. It was a very uncomfortable thing yet very comforting being sent away like that.

I am at a peace about leaving central Illinois and all that we had here. I will miss the spontaneous thunderstorms, lack of traffic, small town feel, local Walmart, Camille's, Tuesday morning moms group, wednesday night bible study, going out in my pj's, taking pride in my home, and much much more! I don't feel completely ready to close this chapter to my life as it seems so short. However God sometimes gives us that nudge we need to keep on following Him and where He needs us next. I'm so excited to see what He has next for us and I really do feel that He did lead us to FBC for a season and a specific purpose. I've made some life long friendships here I believe and Kai has for sure found a couple of potential wives. Even today he asked his friend Lauren to marry him. The world is small, God is BIG, and I'm just the girl who does what she is told by him. I would encourage you all to pray BIG because he is faithful and will always provide. He takes delight in taking care of us and whenever I'm broken and can't possibly take anymore He never lets me down!

I am healed.

Lately I've been feeling like if one more thing changes I will lose it! My faith has been floundering and I haven't been as solid as I wish I was. Well Devin got the flu last week followed by Nash. That same day Kai got an ear infection. I was the only healthy one and I thought I was clear but today I started getting an achy body, upset stomach, and I just knew I was going to vomit any minute! I laid down in my bed and pleaded to God. It sounded like this: "God this would be my 3rd time this season having the flu. I can't take being sick with the flu. I'm on my last thread as it is and I'm asking you to spare me this time. If you heal me of this flu I will give ALL the praise to you! Please work a miracle and show me you are there." 10 minutes or so later, my nausea was gone, my body no longer achy, and I was full of energy. I'm in tears my friends because God cares about us so much. If He can heal my flu, then He can provide a good job for my husband to support our family.

DON'T EVER BELIEVE THAT OUR LORD DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE SMALL THINGS BECAUSE HE DOES AND HE IS ALWAYS THERE TO LISTEN AND SOMETIME HEAL US.

whats new will be gone

I haven't said much lately. I am struggling with letting go of things such as the house, Devin's job, our life in Pekin, the dreams I had of Kai going to preschool here,and ALL my furniture, all things we've had for less then a year. Can you imagine your spouse not having a job anymore and having to uproot you and your family out of state and part with your favorite treadmill, bunkbeds that you imagined your kids in for years, a crib that you wanted your next child to sleep in, a bbq that you always wanted and got to use just once, or how about your first bedroom set that you got when you got married and you still LOVE it?? I know it's all stuff but not having a lot of money to begin with and knowing that you may or may not be able to replace it is very tough. So, yes I'm struggling with letting go of control and the 'stuff' that I so dearly treasure. I'm sure this is all part of God's plan to have me depend soley on him and let go of all those material treasures that I love. My theme song right now and for a couple years actually has been this: "You give and take away. You give and take away. Still my heart will choose to say... blessed be your name!"

Hubby shout out!

I have a VERY talented hubby! God has gifted him with an amazing voice that is pleasing to the ears and he uses it to lead Spirit led worship. When I first met him almost 8 years ago he didn't know how to play guitar but was very persistent on learning. He's spent the last 8 years playing wherever he can and volunteering A LOT of his weekend time to becoming a more skilled worship leader. He's now searching for a new place to spread his wings and challenge people of God into a more intimate time of worship. Any church would be blessed to have him leading for them. Check out Devin in action:

Church signs

I drive past a church every day that always has a funny saying on the sign out front. "If you can't sleep, don't count sheep. Talk to the shepherd" So I did some searching and here are some others you might enjoy!

1. There was a church that had problems with outsiders
parking in its parking lots, so they put up a sign:
CHURCH CAR PARK - FOR MEMBERS ONLY,
TRESPASSERS WILL BE BAPTIZED!
That took care of the problem!


2. "No God - No Peace? Know God - Know Peace."


3. "Free Trip to heaven. Details Inside!"


4. "Try our Sundays. They are better than Baskin-Robbins."


5. "Searching for a new look? Have your faith lifted here!"


6. An ad for one Church has a picture of two hands holding stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments are inscribed and a headline that reads:
"For fast, fast, fast relief, take two tablets."


7. When the restaurant next to another Church put out a sign with big red letters that said, "Open Sundays," the church reciprocated with its own message: "We are open on Sundays, too."


8. "People are like tea bags - you have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are."


9. "Fight truth decay - study the Bible daily."


10. "How will you spend eternity - Smoking or Non-smoking?"


11. "Dusty Bibles lead to Dirty Lives"


12. "Come work for the Lord. The work is hard, the hours are long and the pay is low. But the retirement benefits are out of this world."


13. "It is unlikely there'll be a reduction in the wages of sin."


14. "Do not wait for the hearse to take you to church."


15. "If you're headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns."


16. "If you don't like the way you were born, try being born again."


17. "Looking at the way some people live, they ought to obtain eternal fire insurance soon."


18. "This is a ch_ _ ch. What is missing?" ----- (U R)


19. "In the dark? Follow the Son."


20. "Running low on faith? Step in for a fill-up."

Prayer Request

As you can imagine things are difficult right now. My biggest prayer request is that I would focus on God's promises and would lead people to want to more about this great God that we serve through my actions. I am going to say that I've been very attacked lately. I am struggling with control and wanting to go out and find a job. I don't feel that I am suppose to work right but be at home with the kids. A couple of years ago I took control into my own hands out of fear that God wouldn't provide the money. I felt confused and ultimately I made the wrong decision. God still blessed me but I learned a tough lesson. Here I am faced with the same situation once again. This time I will not act because of my fear but I am determined to seek only what God wants from me and to truly trust him with our situation.

I wake up every morning and turn on the news. There are no jobs, recession is at an all time high, and millions have lost their jobs. My first thought is worry, anxiety, and fear. God has never ever abandoned us and we've always had a roof over our head and food to eat. Our Lord WILL provide for us and bless us. It may not look like what I want it to but He knows what is best for our family so I will trust him. My prayer is that I will keep in his peace and direction and not try to take control. That I will be prayerful for all things and follow what I feel he is saying.

I'll keep you updated with any new information!

Nash update

It's been awhile since I've done some updates so today we'll start with Nash. He is still fussy and quite demanding but then he does something so cute that it steals your heart! Yesterday he saw an unlit candle and started blowing so I lit it and let him blow it out. He thought that was very fun and didn't like that we stopped after that. Nash LOVES balloons and balls! Everytime he sees a balloon he points up at it and rolls his lips saying 'boo..boo..boo' Anytime he is upset I start asking him to get the ball or I find a ball nearby and give it to him and he gets completly distracted with it.

For the most part Nash likes to play with anything that Kai is playing with. Nash likes to steal it from Kai while saying 'no!'. Then he will throw it at Kai when Kai cries and Nash will say 'thank you.'

Nash just started to sleep through the night but every few nights he wakes up just for me to give him a pacifier. He naps really well and sometimes I will ask if he wants to go nie night and he will nod his head and put it on my shoulder. He always sleeps with his binkie 'bb' and blanket 'softie'. In two days he will be 16 months and he is just starting to get his two upper molers. Nash babbles alot and also says a lot of words. He has the cutest voice! His ear tubes have really worked well and we are very thankful for that!

Some of you will get to see him a lot more next month :)