we make plans--god laughs!

me: we are all set. dual income, no kids, awesome travels, cool cars and living at the beach in florida!
god: ha ha ha, 4 kids in 4 years!

me: i will never drive a mini-van
god: ha ha ha, 4 kids--you don't have a choice!

me: we sure are comfortable in florida with our church, friends and sweet country club life at the beach.
god: ha ha ha, move to dallas for pastoral training.

me: will have a short season of sacrifice and then michael will get a cool church job and we will be a hip ministry family
god: ha ha ha, that season of sacrifice may just be a lifetime!

me: asheville is pretty granola for me but awesome to be near my family and the church plant is hard but has grown bigtime so that is exciting
god: ha ha ha, you prayed and i answered--just not how you thought i would! there is a great ministry in missouri that you need to go help with!

me: MISSOURI?? BUT I AM FROM THE SOUTH (AND THE SASSY SOUTH-NOT THE REDNECK ONE). MOVE AGAIN?? TO THE MID-WEST??
god: my ways are not your ways my sweet daughter!


celebrating

that i am actually excited about moving to st. joe, missouri. you KNOW that is a work of god--maybe even a miracle--but i am really excited.

when i thought back to my specific prayers over the last year this opportunity literally answers every one. certainly not how i would have answered but faithfully He answered every one. i prayed for michael to find a great fit for his training and passions, that we would find relief from the burdens i have felt trying to do too much, that we would find a place that is excited about our family and the passions god has given us and that we can focus on serving, loving each other and raising our kids. who knew--st. joe?!

details

michael will be the associate pastor for adult ministries at wyatt park christian church in st. joseph, missouri. the senior pastor and michael hit it off from the beginning and the more people michael met the more excited he and they became. it is a church of about 400 or so and they are really ready to embrace the next phase in the life of their church. they believe that involves being community focused both internally with small groups and externally in their community. they are excited and so are we. he will start in mid-august so we will be on our way soon.

divine oversight

michael sent out 80 resumes for active ministry positions that fit his training and gifts. scott at wyatt park went online and found michael and contacted him. the position was never posted advertised.

given the timing and with school starting we will not be able to wait here in asheville for our house to sell. they have a two story, three bedroom partially furnished house that someone is going to lend to us (at no charge!) until our house sells and we can buy another one. remarkably we already have someone interested in our house and the housing market specifically in north asheville is defying all the national trends?!

oh yea!

we had an awesome 10 year anniversary trip to california. i will blog and post pics about that later.