lessons from the Central State

It has been just a crazy few days!  A lot of crazy-good, and a little bit of just crazy-crazy...  Here's some lessons from the road.


1) Don't dive into a deep conversation about the theology of suffering at 6:30 am on the way to an airport you've only been to twice if you don't want to miss you turn, add an hour to your trip and arrive less than an hour before take-off with a car for long-term parking and 2 car-seats.  

2) On that note, don't take small children through airline security alone with an expired driver's license and two sippy cups in your bag.  


3) Don't think that the vegan ways of the day are popular in the Wheat State.  You will eat meat.  A lot of it.  And you will like it.  Because well...it's like nothin' else GOOD.


4) Don't think that a rural town means friends are few and far between.  It might feel small and quiet, but friends gather in a big, boisterous way.  NorthRidge seemed to be the hub and common-ground of the weekend, but it was downright thrilling to meet so many people who are genuinely anxious to do and be whatever He asks.  WhatEVER.  WhereEVER.  WhenEVER.  


5) Our support system isn't just functional--in the sense that it just helps us get things done in His kingdom-- but it's relational...a community that cares about us, with or without Haiti, with or without success, with or without Emmaus.  Praise the Lord!


6) Spending time with people whose blogs we read is even better than reading their blogs!  sidenote: I OH-SO-GREATLY wish that everyone had a blog!  I know you know everything about us.  But I know NOTHING about you!  I know my sister says they are only for the "older" generations like Matt and I and upward.  But I still really do.


7) Having people who rather consistently appear in the lives of our girls--stateside or overseas--is SO important, and such a joy to behold.


8) There are a lot of people out there whom we've never met (many until this weekend!) who read our blog and follow and PRAY.  


9) Lily cares deeply about being involved with other children her age the RIGHT way. She wants to watch what they're doing here in America, make sure she can do it the same as everyone else, and then jump in there tentatively, happy as long as there is no confrontation, unhappiness or loudness. 

10) Sofie does not care whatsoever what anyone thinks, and will throw herself at anything she wants and be as loud as she can.  And eat everything in sight.

11) Martin can be incredibly mischievous and ornery and a great blessing at the same time.  I don't know how he pulls this off.  He probably thinks it's a gift.  What I do know is that it is a gift that his dear wife isn't constantly smacking him.


and finally...


There is little better in life than to be surrounded by friends old and new who make you feel like we are all in this together.  If we love Jesus, and we're in the Word, and we're wanting to be for His glory, then we're all in this together.  One vision...His.  If you're sharing Him in your job or sharing Him in Africa or sharing Him in a church plant or sharing Him at the grocery store, then we're together.  


If we're all His children and anxious to make Him known in our lives and words and works and relationships, then we are all working TOGETHER...I don't think I've ever felt and realized that reality as much as we have these past few days.


B&J are working in a church plant in Nebraska and J&J are looking at preaching the true Gospel in the community next door and M&K are feeling called to live among an unreached people group and C&J are preaching the Gospel in the middle of the US and trying to mentor so many to closer walks with God and M&S are working to put missions into DNA and C is trying to challenge Christians to go deeper and... Matt & Stacey are trying to teach the Gospel in Haiti--We're just all working together as His children.

None better, none worse, none alone, none in the same walk and work.


What great comfort, support, energy, power and relationship is to be found in that...His body...His church!


While we are thankful to have thousands of miles safely travelled and to be safely back in O-H-I-O, we are so grateful for these few days we had in Kansas and to therefore feel a renewed passion for just being HIS.  With YOU.


Thanks, Sabetha!

blessed.

Our blog had it's 20,000th hit today! Man alive...grateful for all of your support and encouragement that comes from taking interest in our lives and in the lives of our Haitian family!

We had such a wonderful time in Kansas! We met up with so many friends from our last trip to NorthRidge, friends from Haiti at one time or another, and made some new friends, too...We're just so thankful for this sincere, sacrificial, generous, loving and gracious body of believers.

In this church and community of Sabetha, Matt and I were able to see a rare living out of true God-honoring Christian community, and it was a blessing to be a part of and was an inspiring example for us as Christians who also live in community in Haiti.

Sharon and Martin were our loving hosts, who showered us with love, friendship, good coffee, good food, shared their home, bathroom, car and motorcycle with us, gave us lots of time with different friends, loved on Lily, gave us good encouragement and advice...their home was just such a wonderful place to be. THANK YOU, guys! (Look, Martin, I made you LOOK like you are sleeping again!)

It was hard to say goodbye to the Aberle's, especially when Lily continues to ask for "Ahhh-zeeee!" over and over, but I am so thankful that they made the 15 hour (yes! at 10 days-till-due-date) drive to come and see us...we are so blessed by your precious family!

Jane, Robert, Luke, Anna and Issac had us out to their lovely home Saturday night along with a bunch of other friends, and we had such a good time....thank you for this encouraging and fun time! (They also might be our most rigid blog stalkers...we love your family! :)

BLESSED.

People keep asking how we feel about heading back to Haiti, and that is my first thought, just BLESSED. We have been so blessed by our time here, and by the love and sacrifice and prayers and friendship of so many friends and family around the States.

We have spoken to literally thousands of you this summer about our friends, family, churches, students, testimonies, communities and ministry in Haiti, and we feel so incredibly blessed to be a part of His kingdom in Haiti. We are ready! After speaking for 7 weeks dozens of times about how we feel led to live and love in Haiti, we are ready to get back to it! We want to see if Jil's house is finished, want to worship next to Pehpay, want to hear about the ministry packed summers of our students. We want to get back to Bible training, catch up with good friends, get back into the Word with my Saturday class and encourage our neighbors.

We'll have our chance soon! Saturday afternoon we arrive home, and start officially with Emmaus on September 1st. This week we have packing, laundry, a presentation in Northern Ohio on Wednesday, final runs to Wal-Mart, final shots, final DQ runs, final phone calls, and final time with family! Please be praying for His presence and preparation these next days...

We'd also love to ask for your prayers for Pop-Pop, Matt's grandpa, who has been a joyful, encouraging and loving part of Matt, Lily and my life. He has been fighting cancer and other health issues for several years now, and the last few times we have seen him we have made sure to have good time with him and made sure to say good-bye, just in case. These last few days his health has taken a major turn for the worse, and while he has told us countless times that he is very ready to be with the Lord and out of pain, we are heartbroken thinking about Mom-Mom and thinking that his time with us might be finishing on earth.

Please be praying for Pop-Pop and for the whole family...thank you!

friends!

Isn't it exciting that we have this many friends? :) Today Jarod and Jen, (good friends from Haiti) their five kids, Sam and Cammie and their two and our family spent the morning together and then the afternoon at this really awesome pool/water park! It was fantastic spending time with all of these dear friends, and I felt so blessed to have had the chance to all come together from Haiti, Kansas and Colorado to catch up and just be friends!

Plus Lily, of course, was thrilled to be in water for the afternoon...
Lily, Dora and Azi spent some time this morning watching Dora the Explorer...I love Lily having such good kid time. She is completely unaware of the fact that she is the baby of the group, and has been sleeping SO well :)

These two women and I, along with Angie, used to meet together every Friday for a few hours to catch up on each other's lives and to pray for each other...truly some of most cherished memories from the past three years...It was GREAT to have some time for that again! (we missed you, Angie!)

We feel thoroughly blessed!

our brethren in the world

(standing out front of "Butchies", the steakhouse that Sam would share dreams about over beans and rice hot nights in Haiti...we FINALLY all ate there...not lots of charm... LOTS of beef :)

Next to 1 Peter 5 in my Bible there is a list of names, names reminding me that we are not alone in His work in the world..."Resist the devil, stand firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world...God, who called you, WILL Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you."

Know matter how hard things get or have been, knowing that there are others around the world loving and praying and preaching and teaching and training and encouraging, seeking and following, giving and going and sending and sometimes even dying that HE might be made known is just DEEPLY encouraging.

Sam and Cammie are two of the people scrawled on that page, encouraging us from afar by the sheer knowledge that they are unwaveringly faithful, deeply committed and uncommonly obedient to the Lord. We flew to Kansas from Ohio, they drove down from Colorado (though their baby is due in 15 days!) and today I was overjoyed to have precious time with these dear friends and their ti-mouns, Azi and Gideon.

I love being with people that make you want more, more, more of the Lord and less, less, less of you! Hanging out with Godly people makes us so much more hungry for Him, and helps us long for holiness and unity with Him over all else. We are blessed to be surrounded by several of these couples this week, giving us rest and friendship, ice cream and encouragement!
Lily was as thrilled as we were to hang out with Azi and Gideon, and kept right at their tails all day until crashing this evening...she's probably dreaming of monkey bars and forts right now :)

"Stand firm in [the true grace of God]" 1 Peter 5 ends. We are thankful to be on the journey with you!

Tomorrow and Saturday, more time with friends, with another Haiti couple coming up tomorrow evening!

on the road again!

This evening we went to the Dixie Stampede, Dolly Parton's country western dinner show...It was SO much fun! Lily loved the racing pigs, chicken chases and horse stunts, and I must say Matt was borderline embarrassing rooting for the "gray team" at the top of his lungs :) It was a great show!

Two nights ago we caught a show on the "Showboat Branson Bell", which was a really great show, too...Lily even got to kiss one of the famous "talking dogs".

This morning Lily slept through part of "Spirit of the Dance" (like Riverdance) but then danced in the aisle through the second half.

Tomorrow is our last day (golfing for Dad and Matt, pool time for Lily, Lisa and I) and then we head back tomorrow evening, attempting an all night drive again so that Lily can sleep...

Being away from it all for a few days has been great, and we are feeling so thankful and blessed to have had a few weeks of great family time on the east coast with Matt's family and this week away with mine.

Tuesday we head for Kansas, and we are looking forward to spending some great time with friends and our NorthRidge family there, and then finally head home for Haiti. God has been renewing His call on our lives to pour out His love and Word with our brothers and sisters in Haiti, and renewing our excitement and passion to be back at it!