Standing on the Promises - An Update

       Well, a lot of things have changed in the past couple of months. God has moved us away from youth ministry and the state of Arkansas and back home to Kentucky for a season. We are focusing on our marriage and family and I am enjoying rediscovering my best friend. The picture above is of our kiddos playing in the yard at my husband's parents house where we will be staying for a time. They are so enjoying having the big space to run and play and are enjoying seeing the neighbor's cows and horses :)

       While the decision to move was not an easy one, we are at peace that this is indeed the right thing. God has been so very faithful and gracious to us from the love and encouragement we have felt from our church body in Arkansas to the quick sell and closing of our home, travel mercies, and the  love and support we have experienced among friends and family here in our home town. We are getting settled and hopefully we will have some sort of a routine in the coming days and weeks. Hopefully! 

       I am now 28 weeks pregnant and I have my first appointment with my "new" doctor in a couple weeks. He's not really new because he was my doctor when we lived here before. It's a blessing to be able to get into the group he is associated with so there is some sort of familiarity. I am having fun reconnecting with old friends and am looking forward to church this Sunday. Keeping fingers crossed that no one is sick this week! It has been a month since I've been in a church service. SO ready to break that streak and get back into worshiping with a local body of believers! This week I am working on homeschooling planning and am hoping to get into a school routine next Monday. My goal is to school through the rest of the summer and September and then take October off to focus on taking care of my family as we adjust to the new little one. That's my goal as long as the little guy comes around his due date and not early. I'm due on October 3! 12 more weeks!

       The kiddos are adjusting as well as could be expected.We got a membership to the zoo which also has a splash park so that has been a lot of fun. They absolutely love it. Especially the part with snakes and spiders and frogs oh my! There is also a splash park by some boat docks not terribly far away from our house and some other neat things we plan on checking out in the future. We are also going to join a homeschool group and will be signing Drama Mama and Tater Tot up for Soccer through the church in the fall which will be fun.

       Big Daddy T is currently going to be doing some website sales for a friend's design company and will be driving a couple truck routes for a family member's freight company when they come available for a while. We have also been blessed to receive a transition package from our Arkansas church family that includes health benefits and half of his regular pay which is a tremendous gift that we never asked for or expected to get. God's love has been poured out on us and it is such a humbling and heart-warming thing to experience. Another thing we are praying about T becoming a Navy Chaplain. He is currently pursuing this avenue with much prayer involved. There are actually two processes he has to go through: one with the Navy and the other one with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) which is our Southern Baptist organization that will (hopefully) grant him what is called "Ecclesiastical Endorsement" which is required for military chaplains to have. He will be considered a NAMB missionary but will be employed by the Navy if this works out and is God's will for us. The biggest concern of ours was/is deployment, especially knowing how the responsibilities of church ministry took a toll on our marriage and family. This is why we are praying and seeking the Lord even in the midst of the process. I believe if this is not God's will He will shut the door and that He will reveal an even better plan. As wife to my husband, it is my job and my privilege to stand beside him and support him and to trust him and ultimately trust the Lord in this decision. I have been open and honest about my thoughts and feelings and am at complete peace with whatever the Lord may have in store. Plus, I know my hubby will be held accountable if it is the wrong decision because he is the head of the household :) Takes the pressure off of me haha! 

       The bottom line is that God has proven over and over again that HE is faithful and will never leave us or forsake us. He loves us no matter what and He knows us inside out. It is a very comforting place to be - in His arms and wrapped in peace - even when we have no clue what the future looks like. I am looking forward to seeing what he does in the lives of our children, in our marriage, and in whatever other ministry He leads us to be it the military or something else entirely different. With God all things are possible and the possibilities are endless. It's exciting to know that a whole world of possibilities is at our fingertips and comforting to know that God is in control of the next step. We are never alone. Thank you, Jesus!  

      I leave you with a pregnancy pic:

28 weeks pregnant