So What about November?

3 Years ago this month Danielle and I were living in the "Deep South" of the USA helping to coordinate relief work after Hurricane Katrina devastated three southern states. Danielle was 8 months pregnant with our first child (Natalie). And we were in the process of moving homes from Mobile to Daphne Alabama, while co-pastoring a new church plant...

We moved homes (I finished moving our final items on November 30th, the same day Natalie was born and of course after Danielle gave birth!), and then we moved 4 more times in the next three years, not to mention the few months we shacked up with my parents on the east coast! We'vehad a second child and we made a small move to Asia. Danielle is now working full-time in an office doing some great work for the kingdom at Focus, and I've been speaking throughout the country of Singapore, while we both do our best to raise our kids.

It's been a challenge but as I was reminded this morning from one of the great Christian historical fathers, Francis Assisi that, "We go through times . . . we know are developing patient perseverance (James 1:2-3). . . to walk in the eternal life of God." But what does that mean? I'd honestly love to write a lot about what I believe it to be or not to be, but what if I try and bring it to light through a few recent experiences? So . . .

I've been playing a lot of soccer lately and I also had the opportunity to help coach a high school boys' soccer team at one of the international schools here in Singapore. Maybe patient perseverance was in the fact that I could only afford two days of volunteer time when my heart really wanted to offer myself full-time? Or maybe it's when I got the chance to listen to one of the young guys on my team talk about some of his trials and pressures he's been facing?

I had the chance to speak to 500 National Service young men (18-20 year olds) this past week. Sounds like there should not be much of a struggle, right? Yet for me it's the fact that I don't have the chance to "follow-up" with many of these young guys or even truly build a relationship. But maybe the perseverance here is that it's not up to me to build the relationships but to speak the truth in the moments that God gives me and leave the rest to Him to work out?

Natalie is turning 3 this month while her father (me) is growing older as well. I have a few dreams and hopes which still seem to be "on hold" or even "not attainable" in the near future. The struggle seems to be that I continually keep asking, "when" and "how". I tend to work in a humanistic time frame, but maybe these "on hold" dreams and goals are not part of the "eternal life of God" presently!

Simply, I see the present sometimes as a time that I must "go through" in order to get where "I want" to be and yet, God may have a totally different idea. I kind of think He wants me to walk in the "eternal life of God" right now, in the present, the everyday! Enjoy the journey and don't worry about the destination so much. So when my mind starts to play those nasty tricks on me that I'm not achieving my dreams now, I must remind myself that I am and that we are as a family too!

We're living in the eternal celebrating our daughters birthday. . . We're living in the eternal rubbing shoulders with those in our community while we live a life of love . . . I'm living in the eternal when I speak at schools and organizations, or even to 500 National Service cadets. And I'm living in the eternal life now when I get the chance to talk to a couple young men and women about their passions and dreams and how they would love to use them to better this world! And Danielle's living in the eternal as she serves writing and designing for some incredible market place ministry events.

So, may God continue to help us, fill us, and use us for His eternal purposes now!

Finally, here are a few events that we've been graced with most recently:

1. A glorious dinner party at some new friends home. It was a fun night and if you are on Facebook you can check out some fun pics here

2. Danielle was able to get some time off from Focus and we were able to take a short vacation in Desaru, Malaysia. The kids loved the pool, sand, water, pool, sand, water, and oh yeah, the playground! We loved that they loved the pool, sand, water, pool, sand, water, and oh yeah, the playground! (But honestly, not so much the fact that our daughter wanted to sleep with us in our bed. She tends to sleep on you and not necessarily with you. If you're a parent ya know what we mean!)

3. We were able to be a part of something Nazarene. There was a worship service near our home this past Sunday and Dr. Porter was the special speaker. It was a blessing not only to hear him speak and receive a giant and gloriously warm hug from him, but to also be a part of the Nazarene world once again. We do love being a part of His Kingdom work but we also are honored and humbled to be a part of His work through the Church of the Nazarene. We hope to continue to use our strengths, gifts, and abilities for many years to come as needed.

If anyone knows me, you know I could keep writing, but for now we'll sign off. We'll be back soon as one of our goals is to share in more detail and more frequently the many opportunities that are coming up soon in our lives during the Holiday Season fast approaching.

Until next time . . .

Peace and we'll post a new photo album soon, so ya better come by our blog site to check it out!