Do Not Give Way to Fear

 "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment...instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight...and do not give way to fear."  I Peter 3:3a, 4 and 6c

Home Church:
We have visited over 10 churches since arriving in our new homeland just a little over 3 months ago.  We have heard many good sermons.  Met many good people.  Reconnected with old friends of mine (I think I must know people in about every single church in this city!).  We have prayed and sought God's face as to a new home church.  I will confess not a one of them "felt like home." We continue to wait on God's leading on this one.  It.is.tough.  Really tough.  On us all.  Our little children do not understand why we can't just choose one and be done with it.  If it were only so easy!

Last week's sermon was SO convicting it hurt.  I had the overwhelming desire to squirm in my seat for over an hour.  God convicted me that I was indeed giving into fear.  Many fears.  On many different levels.  So this week is all about SHUTTING UP and BEING QUIET before HIM.  Neither of which I am very good at.  At all. 

So I could write an entire blog about the above mentioned sermon but God used it to speak so directly and firmly and lovingly to me that my journal is about three pages long during that hour.  Suffice to say, I have not always handled the challenges of this new season with grace and patience and GENTLENESS. 

Please pray for us as we seek to find our place, our community, our "family" to get involved with and serve and live life with. 

What we have been up to the last weeks in pictures:

Many hours of fun and goofiness with cousins

Just LOVING early mornings and evenings with Papa and Grammie

Special morning with my dear cousin, Paula.  She helped me learn to save money on groceries.  I have never taken care of a family here in the States so feel I have to learn prices/quantities and money saving tips all over again.

Hours and hours of doing homework.  I am so proud of my girl.  She is still doing 2-3 hours of homework a day and has become quite a sport about it...most of the time.  The adjustments have been challenging and the learning curve HIGH for us both but its happening.  I keep telling her it won't be new forever.

Valentine's Dinner with very special people

For 11 marvelous days in February we enjoyed more N.D. visitors, this time three precious little people who we just loved loving on!  This day I made cupcakes while taking care of five kids!  It was um...busy!

Enjoying the fruits of our labor: our cousins Valentine's Tea

I was most happy to have the support of two more adults that day!!  Oh, it was so fun.

My little guy's dream came true: shooting with Uncle S.

These two are just too precious.  Little S is a copy of his daddy and my parents only other grandSON.  We so enjoyed him.  I had never met him so it filled my auntie heart to overflowing that he liked me!!!

Almond Blossom Festival Parade-The cousins (minus little S guy)

Celebrating Reading Day and Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat!

Celebrating Missy's 9th birthday

I was overwhelmed with JOY when this precious friend sent a message one evening and said she would be driving through our city the next evening on her way south.  We attended Prairie Bible College together as teenagers/young adults and had not been together for nearly 20 years.  I was so excited I could hardly sit still for 24 hours.  God is just so GOOD and I realized again how HE delights in delighting our hearts.

Our families together for the first time ever: we had our babies at around the same time and our kiddos got along so well and mine were truly heartbroken they only stayed a few hours.

A day at the Snow during Spring break last week.  Chloe and Noah were so excited to see and feel snow for the first time ever in their lives!  This is my sister-in-law, Renee and niece, Haley, with Chloe girl.

These kids spent HOURS playing outside while my SIL and I sat and watched them through the windows...sure enjoyed the sweet conversation, my book and hot tea all day long!!!

Chloe's dream when she finally "met the snow" was to build a snowman!

Jobs:
My husband and I continue to look for jobs, though he is way more dedicated to this process than I am.  I am cleaning a few houses, which is such a blessing as I fit it around my children's school hours.  He on the other hand, is at the computer about 8 hours a day if he is not doing odd jobs for various people or interviewing for a possible position.  He is currently in SEVEN selection processes and praying everyday that "today will be the day." 

This is the third stint of unemployment in our 11 years of marriage and it is one area of life where practice does NOT make perfect.  Please continue to lift our need of a job to the Father of all perfect and wonderful gifts.

Home:
We currently live in two small bedrooms in my parents home.  They have been so gracious the last three months and have given up so much to not only give us a lovely home to live in during this adjustment period, but have made us feel so welcome and loved on. 

Living in two bedrooms has shown me once again how little stuff we actually need to live well.  Of course we could not do this forever and we use their appliances and kitchen but it is a good lesson anyway.  I find myself checking out homes to buy and rent everywhere, however, as my heart starts to long for a little place to call our own.  Not because we aren't doing just fine but well, for one, I wonder if my parents home will survive my busy, bouncing, running children and it is good to have one's own little place, especially when your children are so BUSY and LOUD!!!

Please don't forget to pray with us for a miracle of a home.  It looks HUGE right now and possibly impossible but we serve a mighty big God, so we wait and pray and TRUST.  I will NOT give way to fear!

Have a blessed week, dear Readers.  Thank you for supporting us unwaveringly in prayer and love.  We are most grateful. 

                                                                      Because He Lives,
                                                                                        Jama