August Update and Prayer Needs

Having passed the finish line of raising our minimum monthly budget to leave for the field - we are FINALLY being able to "move on" to the final Resident Visa process and packing part of this journey!  From one stress to the next! Ha! The last month of itineration was excruciating enough!  We were right down to the deadline on having enough monthly pledges to receive clearance and move on to this next stage in the process!

Now we continue to weed through paperwork, government requirements, and Spain approval.  We HOPE that we will be able to make the trip to Chicago NEXT week to meet with the Consulate about our resident Visa being granted.  That's why it is so much harder.  We are not just tourists, but we are moving to Spain as "residents"....so many more requirements and hoops to jump through.

If it looks like we will be delayed in this process more than expected - we are set to go ahead and begin our language study here.  This way we can transition more smoothly into language school on the field.  There will be no wasted moment while we wait patiently for God's perfect timing for our departure!

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AUGUST PRAYER NEEDS

1.  Please pray for us to have FAVOR at the Consulate.  These powers that be will be deciding how quickly they process our application without problems.

2.  Please pray that we have FAVOR at the Spain government offices where our application will be approved.  They are notorious about being SLOW in this process on the Spain side - but we know GOD can move things in creative ways!

3.  Please pray for our LANGUAGE study.  We will begin soon - and need God's supernatural help in grasping and remembering a new language!  Pray for us to become FLUENT!  In incredible time!  :)

4.  Please pray for us in the packing stage.  We have to figure out what we can/need to take overseas in order to set up our house there.  Nothing that we own that is electrical will work there.  All of that will need to be replaced after we get on the field.  Pray that we won't become stressed through the packing phase.

5.  We have decided to WAIT until we arrive in Spain to look for a house to live in.  Please pray that God will go before us and open up the right house at the exact right time for our arrival.  Having the right home in the right neighborhood is going to be so key in our "settledness" once we move overseas.  Will you please pray that God will bless us with exactly what we need?  That He will give us favor in EVERY aspect of finding a home?

6.  Macy has started 3rd grade!  Please pray that she will FLOURISH academically!  She has been in a new school every year since she started....and will only be here until we leave for Spain.  So she will change schools yet again! PLEASE pray that God will bless her mind to grasp concepts and excel in school. I have been worried about how she seems to have some "gaps" in her learning.

7.  Please pray for my EYES!  I continue to have extremely DRY eyes.  According to the eye doctor my tear glands are not working and producing the tears that I need to lubricate my eyes.  It has even caused re-occuring infection in the glands behind my eyes b/c of the dryness.   This problem is causing me much discomfort, pain, and frustration.  Pray that God will HEAL me and that my eyes will be PERFECTLY restored and healthy!  You never realize how much you use your eyes for EVERYTHING until it hurts to hold them open!

Thank you friends, family, prayer team!  YOU are making a difference by partnering to pray for us!  We thank God daily for the gift of YOU in our lives!