Update

Apparently I am just one of those women who do not do well with pregnancy.  I spent last Thursday evening at the women's hospital receiving IV fluids and medications because I had not kept ANYTHING down for over 24 hours.  Those fluids and intravenous meds rescued me from what felt like the brink of death...  It has been difficult. And discouraging.

However, my doctors are trying different medications that are available now to try to control it.  Right now I still swing between extreme nausea and being knocked out cold.  It is so disheartening.  But then I remind myself....at least I'm not throwing up....   True...  Yet is is still so hard to feel so badly.

Brad has been amazing with the girls and taking care of our household while I am incapacitated.  

Still no word on mine or the girls visas.  I'm just trying to stay alive here!  :)  As soon as those Visas get granted however we will be thrust into motion...

Please continue to pray for me.  That God will grant healing, grace, and peace.  

And pray that we can get everything done as it needs to be done.

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As I've struggled with this "new" dimension to our transition....of course I've questioned God....

Why now?  Couldn't the timing have been better?  Couldn't I NOT be sick?  ......

But God has comforted me with "His plans are bigger than ours....His ways are better..."

He has a plan that there be another child in this generation that will rise up and serve Him...

It's not just about US today....but it is about each generation having voices and children to rise up and make a difference.  

Apparently this child is part of that plan. 

Praying I can get past this sickness quickly...so that I can look forward with hope and encouragement!

November Prayer Update

Brad's Visa has been issued and Glenda and the girls' visas should soon follow.  We are neck deep in preparations for our move, packing, and language study.

First of all....we have a little bit of unexpected news to share with you all.  These 4 pictures represent our life this month:

What???

Are you kidding me??

Seriously??

Now??

All questions that we have asked God this month - I assure you!  But yes, we have been to the doctor and he has confirmed that come June 2012 - there will be a baby in our house.  We are still slightly shell-shocked - as this was not part of our plan!  However we do TRUST God with every detail of our lives...and that His plan is often much larger and more detailed than ours.

How you can pray for us this month:

1.  NUMBER ONE:  Please pray for Glenda's health.  The reason we have never had any other children (other than adoption) is b/c the first pregnancy was the perfect example of DISASTER!!  Glenda was sick 24 hours a day for the first 4 months.  She threw up so much that she busted all the blood vessels in her eyes!  It was a treacherous time.  So- PLEASE join with us in prayer that she will be well this time.  Pray for God's grace to be extended to her during this time of the first trimester - when we are packing, moving, flying to Spain, finding a new home, unpacking, and starting language school!  Whew!  That alone is monumental!  Add in this new "surprise" - and it can be overwhelming!

When our prayer team prays - it is amazing the strength and encouragement that we feel.  I KNOW that we will begin to feel the effects of these prayers TODAY as you join with us for this need.

2.  Pray that we can get everything packed efficiently and that the things we need will all fit into our container to be shipped here in a few weeks.

3.  Pray even NOW that God will prepare the way and help us to find the perfect home to live in for these next 3 years.  God specializes in the details - and we are believing that He will open up the right house, at the right time, and for the right price....and that we will be perfectly content with the house he provides us with.

4.  Pray now that God will help us to find a vehicle quickly that will meet our family's needs and be a bargain!

5.  Pray that God will encourage us and strengthen us as we face so much transition ahead of us.  Pray for peace and direction.

6.  Pray for Macy.  She has been in a new school every year and is about to start yet another one when we move to Spain.  We are still seeing some learning gaps this year and she has really been struggling with 3rd grade.  Pray that God will give her mind understanding...and that she can overcome what she has missed - and EXCEL as a student.  Pray that she will LOVE learning and be a quick learner.

7.  Pray for the people's whose lives will be touched by the international media we work on during the next 3 years.  Pray that God will go before us and prepare their hearts...and that they will be forever changed.

8.  CLOSE TO OUR HEART:  One of the other families that are working at IMM need special prayer. Michael and Dawn Marie Helin are a vital part of everything we do at IMM.  They are raising 4 amazing teenagers, are home for itineration, and Dawn Marie has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Prayer team, will you join us in praying for PERFECT healing for Dawn? For these people who have given their lives to missions?  Pray for strength, peace, and health as she enters into chemo.  Thank you so much.

More Ideas on How to Love your Pastor

1.  If your pastor is NOT mechanical (MANY are not b/c they have devoted their lives to study and church work) - offer to help with any maintenance on family cars.  For free!

2.  Ask if your pastor is a handyman...again many are not b/c they have spent their lives specializing in the needs of others....not how to fix things.  Organize a group to make repairs at his home that he feels need attention.

2.  Congratulate, show appreciation, and give love!!!!  Keep your eyes and ears open for ways to show love and concern!

3.  Provide adequate paid vacation!!!!!!!!!!  Most people get to "go home" and "away" from their job every day.  Pastors never really leave their pressures at work.

4.  Take your pastor fishing, golfing, sailing, etc.... -NOT to talk about the church or anything heavy - BUT just to PLAY!

5.  NEVER SAY negative things about your pastor or the church in front of your family or others.  Talk DIRECTLY to the pastor if you have concerns!!!

6.  Care for your pastor's health!  Provide adequate medical insurance!  This is a must!

7.  Respect your pastor's privacy and family time.  Unless it is REALLY an emergency - don't call him at home in the evening.

8.  Buy your pastor a deep freeze and stock it once a year!

9.  Give your pastor's spouse freedom to be who they are.  Don't expect them to fit into a "stereotype" of the "typical" pastor's wife....plays piano....leads the quilting group....sings....etc.   :)

10.  Remember that the pastor's children are this:  CHILDREN!  Don't expect more of them than you do other children!
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11.  Let God use YOU to do something in the life of the church.  One of the most discouraging things can be having a church full of pew sitters.

12.  Make sure your pastor and spouse get to attend conferences to encourage and inspire them.

13.  GIVE NEW IDEAS A CHANCE!  "But we have always done it that way" are the eight most deflating words a creative pastor can hear!!!!!

14.  Never compare your current pastor with a former pastor.  It is unfair, bears no fruit, and stands a good chance of causing discord.

15.  It is amazing how many people expect the church to be lit, air-conditioned or heated, have children's church with creative supplies, be able to get counseling from the pastor and a sermon, or two, or three every week..... yet they never invest ANYTHING into the church...or they give sporadically at best.  Decide TODAY to be a faithful giver of your tithe to the church (10% of everything God blesses you with - you give back to God through your local church).  Your church can not grow and flourish and provide the things you consider so important - without you doing YOUR part!

16.  Form a prayer group that prays regularly for your pastor, his family, and the needs of the church that are heavy on his heart.

17.  Ask your pastor often - "Pastor, how can I help you?"  And mean it!

18.  Write them a letter of how they have impacted your life.  Don't just buy one of those "pastor appreciation" cards.  Write specifics of what you appreciate about THEM.  Pastors need affirmation too!

Pastor Appreciation #2

Pastor Appreciation rolls around every October...and most churches and church boards think....at the LAST MINUTE may I add.... "oh what can we do for our pastor to show appreciation?"

Give him a card?  Take up an offering?  Say from the pulpit "we appreciate you?"

The reality is that there is no other profession quite like ministry.  Where EVERYTHING is personal.  If someone walks out of your store because they don't like your products - no big deal.  If someone doesn't like their doctor - they go to a different one - no big deal.

But when a pastor has POURED his life into investing in people's lives, investing in their children, spent HOURS preparing for sermons, and has even at times sacrificed way beyond what was expected...and THEN some of these same people slander him or criticize him for being overwhelmed, depressed, burnt out, having an "off day"....  it is a serious thing.  In no other profession is rejection so sorely felt.

And yes, many times pastors handle it well.  But in reality - it hurts.  It wears on you. You become discouraged.  You wonder if you are making a difference.

Regardless of their smiling faces you see week after week - pastors NEED encouragement, affirmation, and LOVE!  They need to know that you LOVE them.

“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”

(1 Timothy 5:17, NIV )

Think about why would Paul have said they were "worthy of double honor"?  They carry a HUGE load!  With spiritual implications!

Please take the time this month to THOUGHTFULLY think of how you can affirm your pastor.  And not just a handshake and a "we appreciate you pastor" given in the hallway!

Maybe you could get them a card where you write something SPECIFIC and MEMORABLE in it of how their ministry has made a difference for you and your family?  Maybe include a Restaurant Gift Card or cash gift along with your card?  Maybe get together with a few others and pay for them to have a weekend break away somewhere?

Be sure and check out the previous blog post for ideas from Focus on the Family about Pastor Appreciation.

Pastor Appreciation Month

One time a pastor friend of ours shared with us what his church does for pastor appreciation.  He sheepishly shared that it was quite embarrassing.  They wanted HIM to get up in front of the congregation and take up an offering...for himself!  He said the appreciation he felt was so pathetic - that he would rather them do nothing!

To help you to REALLY show appreciation to your pastor - Focus on the Family has developed the following resources:

• Our Clergy Appreciation Month Planning Guide is available online with complete step by step instructions and pages of exciting celebration suggestions. It also includes long-term ideas for the proper care of your pastors and their families. This complimentary guide can be reviewed, downloaded or printed immediately.
  (Note: Adobe Reader is required to view this PDF file. Click on the image to the right to download the latest version for free. The CAM planning guide PDF file itself may take several minutes to load into your computer's memory, especially with a modem, so please be patient.)

Secret Sins #1

As we are packing and purging...I ran across an old message of mine.  Though I would share an excerpt...I'm having to pray about some things this morning!
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There are sins that we would like to try and hide.  We find it easier to stuff them back in the dark place of our heart instead of facing them.

GOD says, "pull it down, cast it out, bring EVERY single thought into captivity."

On the outside you keep the appearance of righteousness but in the deep recesses of your mind there is a hidden chamber with a poison that infects your whole soul.  There is nothing harmless or innocent about evil thoughts.  If they are not CAST DOWN immediately they can poison the soul.

#1  IS UN-FORGIVENESS your secret?

Has someone misunderstood you and said hurtful things about you?
Do you begin to let those thoughts replay over and over again in your mind?
Do you get injured easily? Do you boil inside? Fret? Stay up at night and burn, replaying every word?

There are mothers and daughters, fathers and sons who are enemies.
There are CHRISTIANS that won't even speak to each other.
There are some who say, "I can't forgive what was said.  I can't get over it."

I've been there.  I've thought, "if they would just APOLOGIZE - I could let this go!!!"  :)

But then there came a time when God showed me all that Jesus had suffered...MORE than I have EVER suffered.  And NO ONE apologized.  Ouch.

If we will cast out all thoughts of vengeance and stay sweet, bringing all evil thoughts into captivity, we will live to see the day God balances the books.   Or we will come to see it is not WORTH the pain we have caused ourselves over it.  And we will be so glad we did not take matters into our own hands.

I will try to post #2 and #3 from the "Secret Sins" message soon. Good stuff.  I am having to pray today!

September Update

Today marks the day that our paperwork is officially all done....and we begin the season of transition.

We would be honored for our family, friends, and support team to continue to pray with us about these things:

1.  Pray that all of the documents that are being processed at the Spain government offices will be received with favor and processed quickly so that we can receive our Visas!

2.  We start langauge lessons today....meeting with a tutor 3-5 hours a week until we leave for the field.
 So pray over our minds...that we can begin NOW to learn and grasp the language that we must know to live and function abroad in Spain.

3.  We begin this week to downsize our belongings and prepare for the packing process.
Pray that we will have wisdom in what to take and that God will help us in every step of the packing process.  We have a 20 ft. container to pack our household in.  That is MUCH smaller than a moving truck!

4.  There are some things that will just have to be bought and replaced in Spain.  Most houses do not come with refrigerators, washing machines, or LIGHT FIXTURES! (crazy huh?)  Everything there runs on a 220 current - so we have to keep in mind what electrical appliances we have that will need to be replaced.  Please pray that God helps us find affordable items.  Prices in Spain can be very expensive!

5.  Please pray that God will give us wisdom NOW about what items we need to stock up on in packing.  It would be bad to be three months down the road and realize there are some items we really should have brought with us.  We know God can give us the direction that we need now!  :)

6.  Please continue to pray that God will go before us and prepare the right home for us.  Pray that we will find the right house, in the right neighborhood, and for the right price.  Pray that God will bless us with a kind landlord.  ;)

7.  And PLEASE pray for our team!  RIGHT NOW our team at IMM is producing a film in A*rabic.  Languages in the studio for this production have to be translated between the A*rabic speakers, Spanish actors, and English speaking crew!  Pray for God's powerful anointing on this project!  And pray for it's effectiveness at reaching the target audience!  Exciting stuff!

Update:
1.  My eyes are doing MUCH better! The inflammation is under control!  Praise God and thank you for agreeing in prayer for me!  It is such a blessing to feel like I have my eyes back!
2.  Macy is doing better in 3rd grade.  We have pinpointed where some of her learning gaps are and we are working diligently to get her caught up! Please continue to pray over her mind and her heart - that she will love learning and have a good attitude!