An Offer!

Well, nine months after we put the house on the market, we finally have an offer! The offer is a fairly low one... but it's an offer! Last night we made a counter-offer and they have until noon to respond. We are praying that this the right buyer and the right situation we have been praying for!

God has really been working on our hearts about materialism– an in particular regarding our next steps with a new house. It is so tempting to look at houses beyond your means and try to work out a way to "afford" it. Deanie and I both feel like this time we want to be really faithful with our finances– especially in selling and buying a new house. We feel God has kept us in this apartment situation to teach us about this very topic. And we think it is no coincedence that the one house we found here that we really liked, was big enough for the kids and was actually more affordable than any other house we've looked at here over the past nine months– came BACK on the market here. Yes, we saw it several months ago and thought it would be perfect and very affordable, but then it sold. Well, yesterday when we got the offer I hoped on line to see if there were any new houses in our price range and low and behold this house pops back up!

Is it a God thing? It sure feels like it...

Please be praying for us that we will follow God's lead in this and every matter.

Father, thank you for your love and faithfulness. Thank you for bringing a buyer to us yesterday– we ask your blessing on this situation. Father, make your will for us plain and obvious. Thank you for providing for us so beautifully. Amen.

Using my talents for God!

I've mentioned previously that we retained a new Christian Ministiry as a client and that I was going to be able (for the first time) to use my creative talents for God. Well, now you have the opportunity to see and participate in my work-- that's right-- it's the new battlecry.com website!

Battle Cry is a ministry focused on reaching and saving this current generation of teens for Christ. Statistics demonstrate that if we continue on our current trend, in five years there will only be 4% of our teens claiming to be true followers of Christ. That is scary to me-- I hope it's scary to you, too! But, there is something you can do about it-- something that TOGETHER we can all do about it-- join the Battle Cry Coalition! The BCC is a national network of local chuches, youth groups, teens, parents and concerned adults who are working together locally and nationally to take back this generation for Christ.

The website, battlecry.com, is the umbrella or "meeting place" for all the individual members of the coalition to exchange ideas, encourage and even help hold one another accountable. After you register fot the Coalition, you can create your own personal "Battle Plan" detailing how you specifically entend to engage and be invovled.

Check it out-- and send the link to eveyone at your church and certainly to all your blog readers... Together we can save a generation!!

BTW-- I'm doing well! Family is also doing well. Please continue to keep the sell of our house in Illinios in your prayers-- we think we're close!!!!

Father, thank you for using me, my talents and position for your glory! Bless battlecry.com and the Battle Cry Coalition! Amen.

You call this winter?

This morning actually feels like Winter-- really to be honest it feels like Fall. Not that I'm complaining mind you-- this is one of the key reasons we were so excited about moving to Texas-- Winters that feel more like Fall!

The grass is always greener isn't it, though? There have actually been moments where I missed the shocking cold-- you know when you open your front door and the cold air is so biting that it literally takes your breath away. Although, on New Year's Day when I took my dog out for a walk and I was wearing shorts, it was a sweet moment! I think I might have actually broke a sweat!

To be really honest, the only thing I really miss about Winter is wearing winter clothes. You all know black is my favorite color... and turtlenecks and sweaters are my weakness. So this morning when there was a slight chill in the air, I grabbed the opportunity to wear a sweater without feeling like a displaced Yankee. Yes, there have been other days when I wore appropriate winter clothing only to be walking next to someone at the mall or at the movies wearing shorts and flip-flops! I guess that will just take some getting used to!

On the home front-- we have a couple of buyers who are now interested in our house! One of them has looked at it three times, the other twice. Please pray that one (or both if you're feeling generous) of these people makes us a solid offer. It has now been seven months in the apartment and it's getting tight!!

Father, thank you for loving us in all seasons. Help us to find grace and peace in the moment-- each and every one. Amen.

God is working in Austin

Well, it has not been the journey I was expecting-- and to complete the analogy: I didn't pack right for this trip. But it's been a great trip nonetheless!

The last seven months here in Austin have been a time of real growth for me. Still confident that God's hand was definitely in our coming here, but less sure everyday exactly why and for what purpose. And even less sure of why things have been so difficult for us here-- our house in Illinois still has not sold-- and has cost of several thousands of dollars to make repairs and updates. We had a real difficulty getting our kids accepted into a Christian school (there were very long waiting lists at all of them) and there have been some struggles with the school they did get into. Work has been especially trying-- I had no idea the level of adjustments I was going to have to make in order to have any success in my new job-- difficult doesn't begin to describe my work life. And home life has been challenging as well with the children sharing a bedroom and all of us sharing a bathroom-- the lack of privacy has really taken a toll on all of us.

But through it all, we have felt God's hand and presence. We have learned we can live with less. We have learned to depend on Him. And He has answered our prayers for a deep and rich church family relationship. Our new church here is definitely the bright spot in our new lives in Austin.

Now, I can see one more reason God brought me here-- yesterday our firm closed a significant deal with a Christian ministry to help them reach the youth of America. This will be the first time I have been able to use my advertising and communications skills directly for God's glory. And, it has brought together a very small group of Christians who were previously sort of "hidden" within the firm. Now, we are front and center with this new business win. Yesterday's meeting was my first true business meeting that opened and closed in prayer-- it was awesome!

So, God is working in Austin-- and I'm blessed that He is able to do small things through me!

Thank you Lord for your wisdom and timing... I know and trust that you hold me closely. Thank you for using me for your purposes. Bless this ministry and our work with them. Amen.

Normal

Well, I can't honestly say things are beginning to feel completely normal-- but it's the closest it's been in a long time (PTL!).

We had a great weekend in New Braunfels going to Schlitterbaun (America's #1 Water Park) with the Deanie's sister and her kids. It was a blast and very relaxing. I spent about 3 hours in the "Lazy River" which isn't lazy at all-- it has huge three-foot waves! Grayson and I had a blast together, I know it will be a big "memory" day for our family. Later in the evening, Deanie's mom took us out to dinner. We had a great time together and laughed a lot!

Sunday was awesome! I got to sing on the praise team-- a different group than I usually sing with-- and it was an outstanding worship time. It was a cool and grey day and it made us think of Illinois! We went shopping for sweatshirts since we didn't pack any to bring with us down here! Sunday night both the kids had activities at church, so we went out for dinner with some of our new friends. It was very relaxing and we had a great time-- I believe these people could easily become our new best friends down here. It's been so hard to leave our close-knit group of friends in Illinois-- this was the first time I actually felt like we could be getting close to making the same kind of friendships again!

Yesterday, work went extremely well! We got over a major hurdle on a project I've been working on that has just languished for months now... and then yesterday there was this big break-through! Boy, did that feel good and take some pressure off!!

So, it looks like normal is just around the corner. Now, if we could just sell that house...

Father, thank you for your love and caring. We praise you for all the works you are doing in and through us. Thank you for your provision and protection. Amen.

Driving through hell

On our way to Alabama for my sisters wedding we had to first pass through Louisiana and Mississippi. We opted for a more northern route so as to avoid all the Katrina aftermath. Little did we know at the time that there is no such thing-- we were shocked to learn that the entire states have been devastated! As we drove through Louisiana we began experiencing a very eery feeling. We passed convoy after convoy of military vehicles. Trees lay on the ground everywhere, snapped in two like toothpicks.

We decided to stop for gas before it got worse only to discover that there was no gas-- no electricity either. We got back on the interstate and about 20 minutes later we decided to stop again, this time assuming we'd have better luck. At this exit there was still no power but there was one gas station open. With two lines stretching in opposite directions as far as you could see, the station was being run by military police. It was an eery scene.

A little creeped out, we hopped back on the interstate and decided we would just try to get past these two states if at all possible and then we'd stop for gas. We made it through without having to stop again and pulled off the interstate at the very first exit across the Alabama border. What we found was unbelievable... more lines! We decided not to push our luck and joined the line at this station. One hour later, our car was gassed up and we were back on the road.

I can't explain to you how eery and odd it felt to not be able to pull off the interstate and drive through McDonald's and fill my car up with gas and my kids up with snacks. The idea that these people have no power and limited sanitation just blows my mind. The idea that we have to have military police running the gas stations blows my mind.

Obviously, this does not begin to compare with the challenges and experiences the people in and around New Orleans and Biloxi are facing-- but it is a different kind of hell none the less.

Father, I praise you for getting me and my family through this situation. Father, I beg your mercy on these people who are not just traveling through, but who are living in this situation. I praise you for all the goodness that has already come from this situation. Be with these people as only you can. Show us how and where we can serve. Amen.

Feeling the love

It's so great to be back in blogland with you all and already feeling the love! I was so excited when I saw I had 13 comments-- Jokes on me! Thank you Dwiggy for helping me out on that one.

But seriously, I do already feel your love and it means so much to me! It's been a difficult three months, but knowing I have people all over praying for me and thinking about me makes it all so much better. I'm so blessed to be a part of God's family. One of His greatest gifts to us all.

We'll be traveling this weekend to my sister's wedding-- her fourth to be exact. I won't go into all that here-- but please be praying for our safe travel and for blessings on her marriage. It is all our hope that this one will work out and that she will be able to glorify God through her marriage. She is a wonderful Christian woman, but this part of her life has been very, very troubled in her past.

Work went really well today-- must have been all your prayers for me. I have to admit, I did come to work this morning with a great feeling that I had prayer warriors on my side. I had lunch with my two bosses-- both females-- and we discussed several upcoming projects. I really do like them-- they are super people with strong visions for our company and its future. I'm glad I'm here and part of this organization-- it's just that some days....

Deanie and I have some serious praying and discerning to do about our housing situation. This has been perhaps the most difficult part of our transition. The other house has not sold and our realtor gave us a list of "improvements" she thinks we need to make in order to sell our house. None of them are big, it's just that we're not there to oversee any of this and it's frustrating and expensive! Then we have this side of the equation to worry about-- I mean pray about. Although, I think if we could sell our house, finding one here wouldn't really be a big problem. Please pray for God's leadership in these areas of our lives.

Seeing the homeless people in Mississippi and Louisiana this week has been very humbling for us-- especially right now in the midst of our own housing "crisis." Last night at dinner our 9 year-old son prayed a prayer of thanksgiving for providing me with a great job and a house for us to all be safe and together in. WOW! Does he have the right perspective or what?

Father, thank you for putting family in our lives-- both our physical families and our church family. Thank you for the way you are so faithful to provide for us. Bless all those who are hurting right now in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Amen.