God is Faithful

Last month ended with a lot of change.

Ironically enough, after posting in early February about how we are settling well in Marathon, we found out shortly after that Mathew's contract will not be renewed come April. The church's budget simply cannot afford to keep us on for another year. 

We are grieved in a sense that we feel our ministry here is not done. However, God has brought us to a place of peace and renewed hope and we are trusting in Him to move us forward. We have learned much in our first year of full time ministry and our church family here in Marathon have been amazing. They have been patient with us, trusting, encouraging, loving and basically our family away from family. We walk forward in faith and with a solid foundation - God can use even us!

So we spend our days in constant prayer, seeking God for direction. I personally spend a lot of time fighting a battle of emotions, daily surrendering my heart to God to guard against my flesh that sometimes can get the best of me. Maybe it's just the hormones that go along with pregnancy, or maybe it's just the shock of so much change coming at us once again, but my Mommy's heart aches for what this all means to my boys - once again having to enroll in a new school and make new friends. Thankfully they are sometimes much more resilient then we are as adults! I'm also heartbroken that we will say good-bye already to all of our new friends and the students that we have spent so much time with this year.

As I've started to pack our belongings, it is bringing along a lot of reflection over how God has changed us this year and how He has grown us. Change can be so difficult but it's also exciting. I can't wait to see where God is going to lead us next and what kind of ministry opportunities await our family. I'm happy that through this time of waiting we can teach our boys how to trust God and have faith that He has not left us alone. And in the moments of doubt or self pity, we can count our many blessings and lean on a God who does not change. He will make a way.

The week after we were given this news, and the shock had worn off, it hit us really hard. Our focus and energy seemed gone, it took everything just to act "normal" and live life in general. All the decisions we realized we were facing stared back at us and seemed impossible. It was rough. I had my 19 week ultrasound booked in the middle of the week, and it couldn't have come at a better time. We found out that we are having a baby girl! What a merciful gift from God - to take our focus off of the crazy part of our lives and place it on this tremendous blessing that will come in the middle of another year of change. It is so hard for me to wait for the birth of our beautiful good news baby girl!

We are thankful for the MANY prayers that are lifting up our family at this time. Please also pray for our church in Marathon, Pastor Adam, and the changes that they will go through as well once Mathew is done. This is his last official week on staff and the separation in the weeks ahead will be difficult.

I titled this blog entry, God is Faithful, because I believe with all my heart that we are living proof, time and time again, that this is the kind of God we serve!

"Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23

Long Overdue Update

I am 17 weeks pregnant with our third child and so thankful for having such an "easy" pregnancy so far! God has been gracious to me as I've had no morning sickness at all, and unlike the other two, I've been able to drink coffee! Just my one cup a day of course:) My energy level hasn't been great, but because Samuel and Josiah are in school all day, I work in a nap most days. So except for a little bump in my belly area, a few little kicks that felt like tiny hammers, I really haven't felt pregnant! This little one will be arriving around July 22.

Life has been flying by here in Marathon. I almost can't believe that it has been 10 months this week that we left Hamilton to start this journey.  We have been encountering blessing after blessing through our church, and have been growing closer to the members of our youth group.  Every morning we wake up with a million ideas, lists, thoughts and to-do's running through our heads, but only because God has been giving us vision to move forward with so many amazing things! Our church will be hosting Teen Challenge next month, the Watoto Children's choir in April and we are planning on taking some of our youth group to the youth convention in Waterloo that is in May. Exciting times ahead!

The boys have also been settling in well. They are just finishing up their first session of swimming lessons and have loved it! I'm praying that by the time summer rolls around (I think that's in August here?!;) they will be strong enough to swim a little on their own at the beach. They never complain about the cold here - and boy have we had some cold days. One week at the end of January, it was a high of -38 almost everyday. -50 with the windchill! But I made it! I honestly feel like I could make it through anything after that! 

I'm still teaching vocal lessons and have 10 students. That's another blessing as I'm able to bring in some income, but work around the boys (including Mathew's) schedules. I am enjoying getting to know my students and we are having our second recital this Saturday. 

February is Pastor's Wife Appreciation month and the ladies of our church are being so gracious to Pastor Adam's wife, Melanie ,and I! We've already been out to lunch with the ladies, I've received a beautiful knitted scarf, flowers and they are also hosting a brunch for us at the end of the month. I can't even believe it some days - this is my life!

We give God all the Glory for any of this. We are humbled daily and so grateful that He has chosen for us to be here during this time. Being in the center of God's will is sometimes the hardest place, but when you look for even the smallest blessing, you will find it!

The Great White North

I'm the Mom at the bus stop in mid September who made my boys wear their snow pants. Yes, I realize there was no snow yet, but that wind blew right through you!

I'm also the Mom who wears a big, white, knitted hat every morning- it's not the most attractive thing, however, my ears stay warm and that's what's important.

Meanwhile, teenagers walk around in Spring jackets.

I was also the "Mom" who gave away half my scarves and mittens away to these teenagers because I really don't think it pays to be "cool" when it's so cold outside. Not sure they truly understood or appreciated my concern.

Yes, I am the girl from the "south" who is freezing. And who almost cries when those who grew up in the great white north tell me "this is nothing, wait until January!"

I ordered snow pants off of Ebay - will that be enough? For Christmas I asked for Sorel's instead of my regular perfume.

Can it really get colder?

I know this Blog entry is really lacking depth and insight, especially since it's been a long time since I wrote anything. But honestly, my hands are too cold to type.