People Raising is essential.

This has been a busy week for our family.  We had 4 different speaking engagements, one of them being our support dinner.  It is humbling and honoring to speak with people who are interested in sharing our vision.

As I have alluded to before, the "fundraising" aspect isn't my favorite part of this journey.

I have however come to terms with the fact that it's an important part.  Some may laugh.  Obviously we can't go with out having the finances for our trip.  Honestly this has never been the point.

These past few months have been stretching for me as an individual as well as us as a family.  We have been challenged to go beyond our comfort zone, beyond our natural abilities and even beyond our energy levels.  I have had opportunities to speak with countless people from the pulpit as well as one on one.  

I have come to believe that God meant for us to be on this part of the journey.  My faith has been challenged.  I have been asked to look at provision in an entirely different way.

As a nurse I have been blessed with a job that has always been needed.  I was able to work more for the times when Nathanael had less work. 

 This time, no one can work harder.  Nathanael and I are called to do our part.  It isn't even my job to convince people to support us.  We share our vision.  God does the convincing.  This is freeing.

At times I find myself thinking maybe we aren't trying enough, praying enough, trusting enough.  If we would just do this one thing.. we would be funded... but in the end I know that reliance on God and his plan is not just a good idea.  It is the best plan there ever was.  

Spring

elation, excitement, overwhelmed

these are just a small summary of the emotions we as a family are going through.  I should be more specific.  These are some of the emotions that I go through sometimes on a daily basis.

Life is a journey, and in some ways, Belize is just a "step" in that journey.  Getting ready to go has also been a step.  Raising support is a step. Sharing our vision is a step.  Preparing my children is a step.  

I guess I imagined that all of my "goodbyes" would happen at the same time, as we boarded the plane.  Reality is that we have already started.  Some of our children's "lasts" have already happened.  

Two weeks ago Zion and Zephaniah had their last music class.  We have been attending music classes since Zephaniah was "womb bound".  He was born in between semesters, and has been sitting in them since infancy. Mrs Tuttle had everyone blow kisses as a good bye to him and tears welled up in my eyes.  

Although it was our "plan" to start to clean out our house, it hasn't happened.  I made a meager attempt by sorting through a lot of our books and trying to take them to the book consignment shop.  She took about 7 of them and I ended up with store credit.. (my fault really everything in the shop was so appealing).  Now a tub of books sits in the back of the car.  I don't look at them for fear of wanting them back in the house..

When you pray for us you can think about some of those emotions we are having! I try not to get overwhelmed by it all. 

We speak at Finland Mennonite church (the church I attended with my family)  this week and were at Grace Mennonite last week.  Here is a picture from 2 years ago that we took at Grace Mennonite's Fall Festival. 

Spring