Friday, April 25, 2008

Exciting News!

Dear Family and Friends,

We are just sending a praise and petition report this week and will most likely not be sending an update next week as we will be preparing to leave for Nicaragua. I may try to send something while we are there, but will not promise this given that we are not sure what the week will look like at this point.

Praise:

1) We are now (as of yesterday morning) officially appointed by Christian Reformed World Missions as partner missionaries! Yea!

2) Dan's employer has hired his replacement which Dan does recognize to be a praise as he will gradually be able to train this person and give him some of his responsibilities.

3) I'm making slow progress with the house. At times it is overwhelming trying to prepare the house to sell, to keep up with home schooling, and just manage daily life. My praise is that God moved me out of a place of discouragement last weekend when I felt very overwhelmed with my "to do" list. I am back to a place of just trusting that God will either provide time to clean and organize or He will facilitate the sale of our home even when my "to do" list did not get completely accomplished. Praise too for my friend Val and another friend Tony who have committed to help us clean and work on landscaping tomorrow! Thanks too for the Miller and Herman families for play dating with our kids!

4) My dad seems to be doing a little better. As the weather gets warmer, it is easier for him to be more active outside which helps with lowering his blood pressure. He and my Mom plan to drive to Alaska for a 6 week adventure starting in June. Our prayer is that Dad will be feeling good enough to enjoy this trip that they have dreamed about for years.

Petition:

1) The biggest thing on our minds right now is our trip to Nicaragua. We leave next Thursday, May 1 and will return on May 8. Please pray for safety and health for us and for Rebekah and Will who will be staying in Cedar Rapids with my Mom. We ask you to pray for my Mom as well as this will be a change of pace for her too.

2) Related to the trip as well - we are asking that people would pray that God would continue to reveal His vision for how it is that He desires to use our family in Nicaragua and at Nicaragua Christian Academy.

3) In Nicaragua, I will attend a Women's Spiritual Retreat with many of the missionary wives and teachers over the weekend of May 2, 3, and 4. Please pray that I would make solid connections with other women and that I would grow in my relationship with God through the teaching and challenging of the speakers. Relationships are very important to me and critical to my adjustment to new situations!

4) We will also be looking into details like housing, etc. We've been presented with a couple of options and we are seeking wisdom in regard to this.

5) We are also looking into temporary housing here in Cedar Rapids. We are following up with a couple of families who have living arrangements that are intended to be used for missionaries.

Thank you so much for your prayers for us. We so sense God's presence, are very much at peace and excited about what we see God doing!