The story behind the rainbow

     I was recently reading Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury where one of the main characters, Megan, volunteers at a youth center three times a week. The Lord reminded me of my passion for children and my desire to make a difference in their lives. I thought about that dream and how I had let it die. I found it interesting that He would use one of my favorite authors to remind me of this, but couldn’t image that it would change much.

                A few days later I felt the Lord calling me back to school, to get my Master’s Degree in Religious Education. I pushed back. It was only a dream to help children, how could I know this was real and not stemming from my own desire to change things? A few days passed and I had reached a crossroads. I could do what I felt the Lord calling me to do, or I could bury the dream. I felt like I was wrestling with God. That night I was praying and I told the Lord if He wanted me to go to school, then He needed to make it clear. I told Him I needed a big, bold neon sign. The very next morning as I was getting ready for my day Matt said “Look at that rainbow!” It was not raining so I was really surprised to hear him telling me to look at the rainbow. It was big, it was bold, not quite neon, but make no mistake I knew the Lord had given me my sign. It was very clear and you could see all the colors! The Lord gave me my sign; I acknowledged it and told Him okay, I would do His will. 

      That day I started researching schools and within a week I had applied and been accepted into Liberty University, doing their online program. I registered for classes, got the books and started reading. My classes started today (October 26, 2015). I am very excited and very scared about this newest adventure. But I know who holds my future and am secure in the knowledge that I am doing what I was called to do, so God will get me through it.

 This picture is for my MIL, who wanted me to do a back to school picture, lol. It's not from today, it's from yesterday, but I look the same. Maybe a little less put together today, haha!

Break Every Chain

I have said it before and I am saying it again. This post has been HARD on us, on so many different levels and for so many reasons. We have started to count down the days until we leave. We are bound up and feel like we are chained to this place. On really bad days I feel like I am in hell, with no way out. I know that sounds harsh, but it is true. I know a lot of people who love being here, but it's all about perspective and your different experiences. I am not saying it is an awful place, just that is has been hard on us. I love visual reminders, so I have made a chain, counting down the days until we go. Today, we have 99 days until we leave. Each day we are going to BREAK EVERY CHAIN that is binding us here, getting a little freer every day! I am so excited about this. I love seeing the chain get smaller and knowing that each day gets us closer to our goal. Do you have chains that you feel are breaking your spirit and binding you to things that you don't want to be bound to? Lies, infidelity, pornography, a bad relationship, bitterness, envy, eating disorder, anything? It is not too late for you to break the chains that are bringing you down!!!!!!!
Please note that not all things that bind you are bad:
Matthew 16:29 says "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
and Matthew18:18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Proverbs 3:3 "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."
Isaiah 58:6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?"
I want to bound up in love and faithfulness. I want to be free from every chain that binds me up. I want to break every chain or yoke!
There is a song called Break Every Chain:
There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
To break every chain, break every chain,
Break every chain
It repeats over and over again.

What chains do you need to break??? What small change can you make today, right now, that will help you see hope in a situation that seems hopeless?
To hear this song, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkR33OsvJSs

Counting Down

Today, I officially started our count down, we have 103 days until we leave Greece. Our departure date has been tentatively set for January 23rd. However, this could change slightly, depending on if Matt's replacement gets delayed or his boss has a problem with when he is planning to leave.

So, now that we know when we are leaving, your next question is most likely, where are you going? My answer to this is: we don't know. They have not started posting jobs yet, but when they do and we know where we are going we will let you all know. Please don't ask us if we know yet, because that only adds to our stress. It's one of the questions I hate most, because it is the one we get asked the most.

The fact that we don't know where we are going yet is causing us some stress as we like to make our plans, but the purpose of starting the count down is to begin getting prepared. There is a lot to do before the movers come and still stuff that needs to be cleaned out. The kids both have "junk" drawers, where they throw a bunch of paper and stuff that they don't need, but refuse to part with. They have toys that they move with us each time we move, that they never play with! I told them that when we move back they are both old enough to organize their own rooms, and they should start cleaning stuff out, unless they want to be overwhelmed with junk as soon as we move into our next house. They both spent some time organizing this morning and Elijah plans to do more tomorrow :) I hate putting things off to the last minute and I know that while 103 days sounds like a lot, we will be busy with school and stuff, so thinking about it now will ease some anxiety later.

If you happen to think about us, pray that jobs start opening up and pray for God's wisdom that we pick the one that will be best for our family. We are really hoping this will be our final move and that Matt will be very happy in the job he lands, so we can stay in one place. They kids need the stability and I imagine it would be good for all of us. Thanks friends :)

God's Power

I believe in God and I believe in the power of prayer. I believe that God provides wisdom with decisions when we bother to ask Him for it. Don't believe me? Let me give you an example. In the Spring of 2014 Matt presented me with several places of where we would live next. We looked at the list and we prayed about it and sought God's wisdom. Sometimes it just doesn't seem to matter which one you chose. We picked Greece and we have been pretty unhappy overall here. However, I have seen evidences of God's grace and good come out of us being here.

So, another place that was on our list? Ankara, Turkey. Do you see my point yet? If not, google Ankara, Turkey and look at all that has gone on over there in the past year or so, and most recently this weekend. I could not be more thankful for God's wisdom and provisions of safety for my family. I am thankful that we did not chose Ankara as our next location.

Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes it is hard for a really long time. However, if you look hard enough you can find good in each and every day. It may be the smallest thing, but it is there. Today, if it feels like you have nothing to be thankful for, look around, find something. If you can find nothing I will say you are not looking hard enough. If nothing else, thank God that you are not living in an area where a peace rally turns into 80+ people dead.