Kellybrook Kaleidoscope

Missionaries usually send out monthly updates and newsletters.  Typically, those updates and newsletters have catchy little names that begin with the same letter.  I didn't take any classes on support raising or newsletter writing during my time at Moody Bible Institute, despite the fact that I planned on becoming a full-time missionary once I graduated.  I guess I assumed I would marry into the missionary gig and my husband would have taken all those courses for the both of us.  Well, you know what happens when you assume things.  Perhaps, I should have paid more attention when one of my high school teachers told us, "Assume nothing," and pointed to the words on the T-shirt he was wearing.  Since I can't go back, we will just have to go forward from here and learn as we go.

You see, I am still going to fulfill my dream of becoming a full-time missionary, but not in the way I had imagined.  Note even close.  God has a way of doing that -- accomplishing His plans in ways that I never would have thought, but always, always far better too.  I pictured myself living in a third-world country, serving God in the jungles of Africa or some other far-away, in-the-middle-of-nowhere place.  And for almost two years, I did just that as I worked with Kids Alive International in Haiti.  Then, I came home, got married, and settled down to life in suburban America.  Absolutely nothing like what I had expected during my idealistic college days.

And yet, I was right where God wanted me.  I just didn't know it, yet.  Slowly, over the past five years, as God has been working on my heart and changing the way I think about missions and being a missionary, I have come to realize that I am already smack dab in the middle of the mission field God has for me.  I guess you could say I have undergone a transformation since I stepped off the plane bringing me home from Haiti, way back in 2007.  From the moment my feet touched the ground, I was already thinking about how I would leave again and now I want nothing more than to stay.  Well, technically, I want to move, badly.  But not to a different country.  Just a different neighborhood.  Specifically the area where Lawrence teaches school.

That's where the catchy little name Kellybrook Kaleidoscope comes in.  He teaches third grade at Kellybrook Elementary School, and we want to live in one of the four main subdivisions where families whose children attend the school live.  One of those subdivisions is actually called Kellybrook, but more than likely, we will be in Brook Ridge (that's where the house we are looking at buying is located).  But, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself here; we do after all have to sell our house first.  I have peace about that, though, as we truly believe this vision/mission is of God, and despite how crazy all this seems, we are just acting in obedience to Him.

So....regardless of what subdivision our new home is in, our purpose in moving is to be missionaries in the Kellybrook Community.  The heaviness in our hearts has only been increasing in the past few months as we think about the boys and girls who desperately need Jesus.  Or who have already made that decision to trust Him as their Savior, but now need to be mentored and discipled so they can grow in their faith, learn how to live boldly for Jesus, and receive the encouragement and support to do that when the going gets tough.

We have gone back and forth for the past few months about whether or not we really should put our house on the market.  Every time we would get excited and ready to get that sign in the yard, we came up against a big, tall, hard brick wall called MONEY, or the lack thereof really.  Even if we were to sell our house for "top dollar" in the present economy, we would take a HUGE loss.  Not to mention, we would have to come up with the money to put a down payment on the new house we want to buy.  No way, humanly speaking, we could magically make that kind of cash appear in our bank account.  And so, we have been waiting, waiting and praying, praying and waiting.

As we have been searching our hearts and seeking God's clear direction, we have felt Him gently pulling us to move forward, to simply step out in faith, to trust Him to provide, to do what we cannot in any way do on our own.  We are super duper excited, and yet nervous and scared out of our wits as well.  BUT, we are taking God at His word and going ahead with listing our house, officially.  I just emailed our friend and realtor to let him know about our decision, and he has responded already, letting me know that he will be over later today with a sign for our yard!  He will get everything ready and entered into the system, meaning people will find pictures of our house on the web very soon!!!

I know I have asked you to pray before, and I am asking you to pray again.

*Please pray that our house would sell quickly.

*We have a house in our sights that we would love to buy.  Ironically, one of Lawrence's former students lives there! :)  Please pray we will be able to make an offer on this house before someone else does.  And that they would accept our offer.

*We will be applying for a loan.  Pray we are granted the amount we need.

*Our house will have to be inspected and everything else that goes along with selling a house.  Please pray that the house passes inspection and everything lines up for us to move from this house to our new one in a timely fashion.

*Above all, our desire in moving is to reach out and impact the families in the Kellybrook area.  Pray that we would be able to do just that, above and beyond what we could even dare to imagine!

Thank you so very much for joining us in this crazy adventure!  If you would like to find out more about WHY we want to move, the VISION and MISSION we have for the ministry God has called us to, and how you can PARTNER WITH US, please let me know.  We have a "packet" prepared (can you tell we're teachers?) and would love to email you or send you a hard copy in the "snail mail."  As I said before, we are extremely enthusiastic about the journey God has for us, but we also know we can't succeed on our own.  We desperately need our friends and family and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to come along side us to help us on our way!  So, thank you in advance for your prayers and support as we strive to help boys and girls "know Christ personally and make Him known" (Ponca Bible Camp's mission statement, on which we are building).

To God be the glory in all of this!

The humble will see their God at work and be glad.

Let all who seek God's help live in joy.

~Psalm 69:32

I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done.

I will be filled with joy because of You.

I will sing praises to Your name, O Most High.

~Psalm 9:1-2