Time For A HUGE Change

Okay so I have been looking forward to quitting work and leaving town and...Well... sort of being on my own anyway for some time now. But the closer it gets the more I realize I'm gonna miss my life the way it was more than I thought I would.
Seriously I have things amazingly great right now. Let's see... well I have GREAT parents, I mean it takes a lot to put up with living with me. Anyone else probably would have packed my bags for me long ago, but check this out, my parents would love for me to stay at home a while longer. Amazing isn't it?

I have portable irritation units and surprisingly sometimes giggle starters that follow me around from the time I get home from work until bed often times. Yeah if you haven’t gotten it by now I'm talking about Caleb, Bethany, and Michal.

I have amazing friends, that even though I do some of the most ridiculous things sometimes, they still choose to hang with me.

I have a niece on the way. Right before I leave for school actually.

And I have a great job, and although it’s rough some days more than others, I love what I do. I love teaching my two year olds and watching them grow and mature as much as two year olds can. I love being greeted with hugs and high fives when I walk in the door in the morning. I love seeing them smile and giggle and I love holding them when they are having a rough day. I love seeing the progress they have made in the last couple months. It’s gonna be so hard to say goodbye to my little friends. I am going to enjoy going back on Christmas, Easter and summer vacations and see how they have changed.

Although transition is hard I know going away to Simpson University is the best thing for me right now. Sure I’ll be giving up a lot, but I’ll be gaining so much as well. I believe God has GREAT things planned for my life. Simpson is just the beginning.

Little Princess Kel

Michal playing dress up.

Little Blessings

Auntie Meg….. Hmmm I like the sound of that. I can’t believe any time I can get a call from my sis saying that I will be an aunt very soon. I cant’ believe that it’s gone so quick. It really seems like not too long ago I found out we were gonna have a new baby in the family. And surprisingly enough it wasn’t going to be another brother or sister, but a neice or nephew. It goes to show you that our days of being “irresponsible, crazy, extremely cool at least to ourselves, and spontaneous tennagers” is over. Although I miss those times, as I look back over my life I am filled with great memories that bring laughter, tears, embarrassment, and joy to my life. Sometimes all at the same time. And as I look ahead to the future I am anxious to see what comes about in our lives. I am looking forward to all the great memories that we will add to our collection of great memories.

Such excitement has engulfed my life since last December. I found out I was exepted to Simpson University on the 13th and the on the 14th (Sandi’s B-day) she told us she was pregnant! Suprisingly enough she will have the baby right before I leave for school. Well once again in my life God has a sense of humor. Mom wanted Him to give me a reason to come home more often. She was thinking a guy, but better than that I’ll have a little baby to visit. Little Abigail.

Having a new little lady in our lives is going to be amazing. I can’t think of a better privelegde or a greater responsibility than watching little Abigail grow up. She hasn’t made her grand entrance into the world yet, and I have an overwhelming love for her already. I can’t imagine what it feels like when it’s your own baby. As she grows it will be a constent reminder in my life of how God answered Me and Sandi’s prayers at the same time. While I was praying about school, Sandi was praying for a little blessing of her own. Now both of our answers to prayer will be put into action at the same time.

Ireland In 2006

I have finally decided after much prayer and consideration to go to Ireland next summer with my church. It has been interesting to see how everything came together to form my decision.

When my church first announced the mission trip to Ireland, I did not immediately feel called to go, as I had felt when I went to Uganda last September. As exciting as Ireland sounded and as much as I wanted to be called to go, I didn’t feel led to go yet at that time. It was really a struggle for me, because I wanted to feel called, yet I didn’t. I felt like God was saying “Trust Me; I know what’s best for you”. So I began praying to be called, and began trusting God to lead me to my decision. During the last couple months I have been overwhelmed with emotions and frustration, wanting to be called and not understanding why I wasn’t.

Through my prayer time I felt like God was telling me to completely trust Him with the present and future, and to remember all the times trusting Him in the past had never let me down. So I gave the decision to God. I said “God, as of right now I am going to focus on what you have for me right now. If you call me to go to Ireland then you do, but if not then there must be greater things you have for me here.” So that’s where I left it.

Not too long after my long chats with God, my pastor did a sermon series on totally relying on God and having “Active” faith. Putting faith into action was something I decided I needed to do. Not just trusting God with little things, but in all things. Faith without stepping out on a limb is not really faith, at least not active faith. So anyway I felt like God was speaking to me, and suddenly while I was in pray one Sunday, God called me to go to Ireland with my church.

I am looking forward to all God is going to do in the lives of people over there. Like the many times before that God has drastically changed the lives of people in Brazil and Uganda through ministry I am confident that he has even bigger things in store for the revival that I believe will take place in Ireland.

Before I felt called to go to Ireland I really thought that Ireland was a poor choice for a mission’s trip. I felt that it was mainly just a pretty country filled with people that were for the most part pretty well off, at least in contrast to Brazil and Uganda. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Come to find out although Ireland is not a poor nation or third world country, only a very small fraction even recognizes there is one true God. Over 90% of the population is Roman Catholic. Most people are not willing to even listen to the message of hope that we want to bring. God truly does have a sense of humor. If I knew all this before being called to go I would probably get scared out of going. God defiantly knew what He was doing.