Playing Bible Study

This Sunday before our community came over for "church", Adri(5) and KJ(4) were missing for a while.  This is where I found them.  They were "playing Bible study"... neither can read yet, but they were studying for a while! 
It's neat to be giving them such a pure picture of what being a Christian is... following Jesus, and what a church is... following Jesus together.

By the way, that is where we meet and worship on Sunday's.  Simple, but that's how it should be.

Change is coming!

Too bad we don't know what it's going to look like.  Here's what's been going on lately...

Our fifth daughter (Kalee Nissi) is going to be 3 months old in a couple days, and is coming into her own.  She has such a pleasant... even comforting nature about her.  And such a great smile!  Even as life seems at times to be completely overwhelming, her sweet little smile can melt away all of the stress and chaos.

Seems to be almost a picture of the work the Lord is doing in our community. 

As the community the Lord has been calling us to matures, it seems to be developing a sort of personality, or life, of its own. There's such a refreshing whole hearted desire in everyone to be pleasing to and lead by our Father... the kind of desire that makes me expect the Lord to meet us every time we gather together.  It's the only thing I've ever experienced that has reminded me of the believers in the Book of Acts.  Not that we have it figured out by any means, but it seems like we are finally a part an environment that allows for the community that the Bible speaks of to be practiced. We are so blessed by what the Lord is doing in our midst.

We have recently been connected to a group that works with kids and hurting communities in Zambia, and have been led to partner with them to see the Lord touch the lives of people in need across the world.  So, we are sponsoring as many kids as possible and trying to get others on board also!  (its through Father's Heart Africa if you're interested... www.fhafrica.com).  It feels like a big step of faith for a bunch of people who are struggling with our own bills, but, seriously, even in our "financial struggles" we are so rich!  Even if we loose our houses and have to rent, we are still more wealthy than what, 98 or 99% of the world.

Maybe its just the times we live in, or maybe it's Lord speaking to His church, or maybe it's both, but we are being stirred to give up our claims on the "american dream" and embrace the lifestyle that Jesus called His followers to.  Where living as a Christ follower really does look a lot different than the world lives!  Where sacrifice is embraced and the a empowered life is expected. 

on that note...

We've been receiving partial support from the Garden Fellowship (the church where I (cory) was a pastor before) since we were sent out to pursue what the Lord was leading us to six months ago.  Now that season of support is coming to a close.  And we're now... still waiting to see what the Lord would have us do, and how He'll provide.  We're in the process of deciding how to balance Cory's hourly job (at a local nursery), the work that the Lord has called us to (developing the community/teaching/music), and raising up our children (home educating/investing).

We're confident that the Lord will provide what's needed, when its needed to accomplish what He wants... and we're learning that that is often a lot different that our comfort would like!  But really, aren't there a lot of things that are much more important than our comfort... like community... like the gospel... like kids in Zambia.

Anyway, that's what's going on with us!

A prayer

Please take us forward into Your kingdom, we want to see Your will unfold as we walk with You.

Help us to lay aside our desire for gain and comfort, and take up sacrifice as our new lifestyle... Your life in exchange for ours.

This what we truly want, even though our flesh says "no", we say "yes" to You. 

This I believe is the essence of the lifestyle the Lord is calling us, our family, and our community to embrace.