Here we are in Oklahoma City. We've been here a week. We need a Tulsa area address to get a job over there. We are heading to Bartlesville to live . We went over yesterday and were astonished at the low price of houses. We decided to buy our first rental with cash and live in it until Leon had a job and we found a place farther out. So we have about 20 more houses to look at on Monday and then we'll make an offer. We found several that would be fine, but, the realtor wanted us to look more before picking one. She's a very low pressure sales person.
Everything over here is low pressure. If you drive slower than you should or take forever to pull out from a stop or don't go right away when the light turns green; they just sit there and wait patiently for you. They are not in a hurry. I know because that's how I drove yesterday in Bartlesville.
It's definitely not our favorite weather or bugs or vipers but like Patty Anglin said, "the perfect place for you is following God". The rest is just peripheral, it's not the main thing. My uncle Harold asked us, "what are you willing to give up for the main thing?" Well when the main thing is showing children the love of Christ and singing a new song to the Lord I can eagerly answer , "everything". Your main thing may be different but, if Christ is first I'm sure you can just as eagerly say, "everything"! "God help me, help us all to live this out more, ..help our unbelief".
Pray that we are able to get into a bigger place soon and welcome home many more children. We love them so. Jennifer
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
Failing Forward toward Tulsa and Acres of Hope!
Greetings in the Lord from the state of Iowa. We swam and played and had a great time at our hotel last night. Poor us :)
Most of you probably know that Harold joyfully went up to his redeemer and received his reward last week. We got to sing to him the day before he left. I'll never sing the last line of Trust and Obey flippantly again.
Well, the goal remains the same: minister to children and sing a new song to the Lord.
The plan is changeable.
It seems good to us after much prayer and an overriding peace and confidence, to move to the Tulsa area. Bartlesville is the actual city we hope to settle down in. The main offices of Voice of the Martyrs is located there. We hope to work with them at some point in the future. In the meantime we plan to begin investing in properties. When we get enough rental properties that Leon can be home more we'll have more time for our home ministry to grow. We don't plan on waiting until that happens to accept more children. If God can use our home to care for His precious kids we are exceedingly thankful. He sets the lonely in families.
We miss everyone.
We attended the Acres of Hope adoption festival for 2 days in Northern Wisconsin. It was a wonderful time in a beautiful setting for adoptive families and prospective adoptive families to share and worship together. Acres of Hope is a ministry organization that helps African orphans, and facilitates adoptions. http://www.acresofhope.org/
One thing God has been doing for me is making me give up my favorite things. He is teaching me that He is my favorite thing. What a secure freedom this is. Thanks for reading and praying. I pray for you.
Most of you probably know that Harold joyfully went up to his redeemer and received his reward last week. We got to sing to him the day before he left. I'll never sing the last line of Trust and Obey flippantly again.
Well, the goal remains the same: minister to children and sing a new song to the Lord.
The plan is changeable.
It seems good to us after much prayer and an overriding peace and confidence, to move to the Tulsa area. Bartlesville is the actual city we hope to settle down in. The main offices of Voice of the Martyrs is located there. We hope to work with them at some point in the future. In the meantime we plan to begin investing in properties. When we get enough rental properties that Leon can be home more we'll have more time for our home ministry to grow. We don't plan on waiting until that happens to accept more children. If God can use our home to care for His precious kids we are exceedingly thankful. He sets the lonely in families.
We miss everyone.
We attended the Acres of Hope adoption festival for 2 days in Northern Wisconsin. It was a wonderful time in a beautiful setting for adoptive families and prospective adoptive families to share and worship together. Acres of Hope is a ministry organization that helps African orphans, and facilitates adoptions. http://www.acresofhope.org/
One thing God has been doing for me is making me give up my favorite things. He is teaching me that He is my favorite thing. What a secure freedom this is. Thanks for reading and praying. I pray for you.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
May the Lord never quit...
When we were almost to Wisconsin we called to say we'd be coming in a day early, so much was our eagerness to get home. There had been a date mix up and the house wouldn't be vacant until July 9th. So we went to the Cornerstone festival and camped there 5 nights. It was good. We swam everyday and slept to the beating of drums and monster vocals of the HM stage. We were uplifted very much by the Kirkegaard sessions. We had some enlightening conversations with the young adults that we met. A couple of them said that we inspired them about God just by riding our bikes around with our children and loving them so much.
Finally on our way, Leon and I had a foreboding feeling because our phone had died just after we talked to Winnie on July 3rd. Some of you may know that Harold took a turn closer to heaven just after that. We drove all day and pulled in around 6 pm.Winnie put her hand on our shoulder and said "you know, you guys are walking by faith" She then told us Harold wouldn't speak to us again. They had taken him to the hospital and cranked his pain killers up very high and his mind was confused. The drugs would kill him in a few days. Later when I did visit the hospital uncle Harold did speak to me. He said "oh Jennifer, I love you." He also put out his arms and hugged me for a long time. It was a wonderful exchange. I think that was the best visit with uncle Harold I've ever had. (Jenn)
Pray for us. We need direction. We knew the risk when we left, but we all believed Harold had more time. Harold's property managers, Darrel and Kris Hoffman are so great. We met with them and they told us Harold is like a father to them. They said they would help us all they could, but they wouldn't be able to really 'mentor' us like Harold could have. We believe God will continue to direct us, pray we will be good listeners and faithfully and obediently move in the new direction He has for us.
Leon and Jenn
Finally on our way, Leon and I had a foreboding feeling because our phone had died just after we talked to Winnie on July 3rd. Some of you may know that Harold took a turn closer to heaven just after that. We drove all day and pulled in around 6 pm.Winnie put her hand on our shoulder and said "you know, you guys are walking by faith" She then told us Harold wouldn't speak to us again. They had taken him to the hospital and cranked his pain killers up very high and his mind was confused. The drugs would kill him in a few days. Later when I did visit the hospital uncle Harold did speak to me. He said "oh Jennifer, I love you." He also put out his arms and hugged me for a long time. It was a wonderful exchange. I think that was the best visit with uncle Harold I've ever had. (Jenn)
Pray for us. We need direction. We knew the risk when we left, but we all believed Harold had more time. Harold's property managers, Darrel and Kris Hoffman are so great. We met with them and they told us Harold is like a father to them. They said they would help us all they could, but they wouldn't be able to really 'mentor' us like Harold could have. We believe God will continue to direct us, pray we will be good listeners and faithfully and obediently move in the new direction He has for us.
Leon and Jenn
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Gaylord and Reality
After leaving Craig and Shari Smith's house we went to David and Teresa Alexander's. This is Leon's sister and brother in law. We had a great time visiting with our family including nieces and nephew's. I've been reading another George Mueller book. He's my favorite Hero of the faith. He reminded me that I haven't been believing God enough. So, I'm very excited about my prayers as of late.
Now we're at the Gospel For Asia conference. It is at the Gaylord Texan hotel here in Texas. Our room faces the atrium. It is a giant atrium with waterfalls, ducks, fountains, restaurants, gunfighter shows and paths we haven't even walked on yet. the ceiling is very far up. I have no idea how they would change the glass if a panel broke or change one of the many lights up there if it burned out. the whole area is cool and has a strange greenish tint to my eyes. It's surreal. I don't really like it, it feels weird. When we go across the atrium to one of the other sides it reminds me of a mall I went to once in Las Vegas. Clothes stores, tall luxurious ceilings, coffee shop, shoe shining spot etc,,,.
Leon is the only one who can attend the conference and is learning a lot. The service is bad at this hotel. I think they must know that we are one of the $85 per night conference people and are not paying the usual $225 per night.
It's hard to walk around this luxurious area and not want to fit in to the opulence. I tend to try to communicate "I'm one of you, rich and proud and used to being waited on". I look at myself before going out. Instead of thinking, "do I look like a servant of Jesus? Am I ready to love everyone I see?" I am tempted to think, "do I look acceptable to them? Can I pass as someone who belongs here?" Stop Jennifer, "Lord help me. I'm not supposed to fit in here but, I am desperately needed here. I don't have the lifestyle that they have but, I have something they desperately need and long for in the depths of their hearts.
Tomorrow we head for Wisconsin. We'll camp on the way. I'm so glad to be almost there. Please pray for my brave uncle Harold. Pray that God will extend his life if it's His will. I want to glean from him and have my children learn from him too.
Thanks for listening. Serve God as though your life is almost over and all that matters is people being in relationship to the savior. That's the reality.
Now we're at the Gospel For Asia conference. It is at the Gaylord Texan hotel here in Texas. Our room faces the atrium. It is a giant atrium with waterfalls, ducks, fountains, restaurants, gunfighter shows and paths we haven't even walked on yet. the ceiling is very far up. I have no idea how they would change the glass if a panel broke or change one of the many lights up there if it burned out. the whole area is cool and has a strange greenish tint to my eyes. It's surreal. I don't really like it, it feels weird. When we go across the atrium to one of the other sides it reminds me of a mall I went to once in Las Vegas. Clothes stores, tall luxurious ceilings, coffee shop, shoe shining spot etc,,,.
Leon is the only one who can attend the conference and is learning a lot. The service is bad at this hotel. I think they must know that we are one of the $85 per night conference people and are not paying the usual $225 per night.
It's hard to walk around this luxurious area and not want to fit in to the opulence. I tend to try to communicate "I'm one of you, rich and proud and used to being waited on". I look at myself before going out. Instead of thinking, "do I look like a servant of Jesus? Am I ready to love everyone I see?" I am tempted to think, "do I look acceptable to them? Can I pass as someone who belongs here?" Stop Jennifer, "Lord help me. I'm not supposed to fit in here but, I am desperately needed here. I don't have the lifestyle that they have but, I have something they desperately need and long for in the depths of their hearts.
Tomorrow we head for Wisconsin. We'll camp on the way. I'm so glad to be almost there. Please pray for my brave uncle Harold. Pray that God will extend his life if it's His will. I want to glean from him and have my children learn from him too.
Thanks for listening. Serve God as though your life is almost over and all that matters is people being in relationship to the savior. That's the reality.
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