The Deep Breath before the Plunge

“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” - J.R.R. Tolkien;  The Fellowship of the Ring

If you've ever been adrift in a river, you know that there are parts that are smooth, where you drift forward at a pretty constant rate and encounter few obstacles.  Over time you notice that your rate of speed increases until you are whipping past rocks and flying past tree limbs in the water.  You are approaching the rapids.  Hang on!

We have found ourselves in the tranquil part of the river that lies between two areas of rapids.  We exited the first rapids after we moved into the apartment.  More rapids are ahead of us as we begin to plan our move.  Downtown awaits.

We were very fortunate to get a contract on our house late last week.  It just goes to show that when the Lord is ready to make it happen, He does.  I believe He had to bring us to a place of utter desperation for Him so that we would realize that He is all we need.  We simply must have a good understanding of that as we gear up for the ministry here in Everett.  We were very happy about the contract on the house, but I think our reaction was probably muted relative to how we might have reacted a few months ago.  We believe and we trust that God has a plan for us to purchase a house here in Everett.  That plan is contingent upon the sale of our house in Huffman.  We believe that He has a house picked out for us in this area, probably downtown.  It is possible that it has been waiting on us and hasn't sold for months, and it is possible that there are people downtown who are only now making the decision to put their house on the market.  All of these things require timing to be perfect, so we ultimately know that God is going to work it out His way and that the plan is perfect.  We used to have head knowledge of this, which was marked by words but often wasn't backed up by actions.  Now we have heart knowledge.

Lord willing, our house will close in mid-February.  What's next?  That's anyone's guess.  Amanda and I have talked extensively about where we think we need to be.  We have prayed and sought the Lord's guidance, and we keep coming back to some common themes.  Right now we live in a place that is a comfortable, safe suburb of Everett and Seattle.  It is ranked as one of the top 30 places in the United States to live.  People here have money and live very comfortably.  They generally busy themselves with their pets, sports, or filling their lives with the best of what is out there.  But, as I have said before, these things are all empty and are an attempt to fill a God-sized void in their souls.  The unfortunate part is that, because they can purchase their way out of anything, they don't "need" God.  They are hardened to Him.  Worse yet, many of them would tell you that they go to church occasionally and therefore believe that they are saved.  But you don't see the fruit in their lives that indicates the presence of the Holy Spirit.  There is no such thing as a fruitless Christian.

Isaiah 29:13

And so the Lord says,

“These people say they are mine.

They honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

And their worship of me

is nothing but man- made rules learned by rote.

As a contrast, if you travel downtown you have a completely different element.  You see the homeless, the drug addicts, the poor, the destitute, the imprisoned, the abused, and you even see some of the rich that I described above.  These are all elements of the urban environment, and Everett is similar to a mini-Seattle.  Downtown isn't a dangerous place, but it also isn't a comfortable place.  It is a place where we see ministry opportunities around every corner and even when we step out the front door.  People who have hit bottom many times will come to recognition of the God-sized hole in their lives and will take action to fix it for eternity.

Matthew 5:3

 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,

for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

I got to eat lunch with my beautiful bride today and she said something that resonated with me.  We were discussing where we should live and she said that she feels like we aren't supposed to be somewhere that is perfectly safe.  I couldn't agree more.  While the Lord won't always lead you into extreme danger, He also won't always keep you where you are comfortable.  

This is the specific area that we are praying over.

We hope to find the right place in the downtown Everett area.  There you can walk almost anywhere and you will encounter people from all walks of life as you are going.  There are shelters, restaurants, jails, movie theaters, office buildings, and apartments all in a relatively small area.

Starting of Ministry Work

In our last update we had introduced you to Mike, our home inspector and fellow church planter.  The Lord clearly orchestrated our meeting as we have discovered so many similarities in our personalities and plans.   Since the last update we have discovered that he and his family are friends that we never knew we had.  We have spent a lot of time together as a group, talking about ministry plans and various things that are on our hearts.  They have really turned into an oasis for us in the middle of all of our chaos.

Last Tuesday night we met up at an apartment complex nearby where the church meets.  This complex serves individuals who are in lower income families.  Some individuals have battled drug addictions in the past and have had their own children in the foster system.  The church meets there to provide a free meal and fellowship with the people that live there.  We had a great evening and, due to an unusually low turnout, we got to spend the evening talking to a number of very nice people.  We were not allowed to do a prayer with the group, but we did get to tell them a bit about our lives and invite them to come worship with us on Saturday night.  Several of them showed up that night!

Mike invited me to teach a small group study at their church after he preached last Saturday night.  It went really well and appeared to be well received by those in attendance.  As is customary, we ate a meal together as a church after all of the teaching sessions were over.  This church is a true family environment where the people care about and love each other as though they were part of the same family.  As it turns out, we ARE in the same family.  This is the way that the body of Believers are supposed to act toward each other.  This is what you see when the early church was described in the book of Acts.

Mike has kept the door open for us to continue to do more through his church.  We feel that the Lord clearly has this door opened and we are willingly walking through it.  We have a lot we can learn from Mike and his family, and there are numerous opportunities through their church and ministry to begin to engage the community in a meaningful way.  None of us know what the future holds, but for now, we will stay on this course.

A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

The picture below was taken last week on a typical morning here in the Seattle area.  It has become largely symbolic of our journey as a family.

Ahead we see a road that curves around a bend.  We cannot see around the corner.  There are a few lights along the road and some dark places in between.  You can travel two ways on this road, and there are even arrows which insistently point in the other dirrection, loudly stating "you're going the wrong way!!!"  Objects can be seen in the distance, but their form is not clearly defined until you get closer to them.  Are they trees or buildings?  People or rock formations?

Psalms 25:4-10

Show me the right path, O  Lord;

point out the road for me to follow.

 Lead me by your truth and teach me,

for you are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in you.

 Remember, O  Lord, your compassion and unfailing love,

which you have shown from long ages past.

 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.

Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,

for you are merciful, O  Lord.

 The Lord is good and does what is right;

he shows the proper path to those who go astray.

 He leads the humble in doing right,

teaching them his way.

 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness

all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

The Lord is revealing to us just what we need to know in that moment and no more.  We can't see where we are going.  We would never have guessed that we'd encounter someone like Mike and his family here and that this would detour us.  A year ago we would never have imagined that we'd be living in Washington.  But we didn't need that information during that time period.  The road that the Lord has laid before us is curved, but it is a road.  And make no mistake:  He has made its way and has cleared the path before us.  He is our leader.

Joshua 24:14-15

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Specific Needs

Many people have been asking over the last few weeks regarding what we need.  To be honest, our family really doesn't need anything apart from your prayers.  I believe the next few weeks will be quite critical for us as the Lord lays out His plan for where we are going to live for the long-term.  This will determine who we get to impact, and I have to believe that all of this is part of the grander plan He has.

For right now, I wanted to give those who are interested an opportunity to participate in the beginning of our ministry here.  Here are two ideas that I have had:

1.  Business cards for handing out to the homeless-  While I'm walking the streets I generally pass by numerous homeless individuals.  Occasionally one will strike up a conversation with me and it presents an opportunity to witness and present the Gospel.  When you are homeless you are unsure of who to trust, and relationships are built over time.  I thought I'd hand out business cards with my name and phone number on them.  If someone gets into a bad situation, needs someone to talk to, needs help with something, etc, they can call me.  I stole this idea from a church planter in Seattle and it seems to work well.

2.  Bibles- I'd like to begin carrying around a few Bibles so that they can be handed out as needed to people who don't have one.  This might include the homeless or people that we just encounter on a daily basis.

If you want to participate in funding these things, please look for the green button on the right side of the blog that says "Go Fund Me."  By clicking on it, you will be taken to a site that allows you to donate as much or as little as you want.  None of this money will go to our family.  It will only be used for specific items that we will buy for this ministry.  I hope in the future to have a more stable way to donate to specific ministry needs.  For now, this one will do.

If you do not feel comfortable with donating money, another option would be to simply order these items yourself and have them shipped directly to us.  If this interests you, please contact me for our address.  Again, we need the items, not the money.

Above all things, please continue to pray for our family.  The Lord's fingerprints are all over everything that is happening right now, and I will continue to work to shine light on what He is doing here.  Our God is an awesome God!

Psalms 20:1-5

For the choir director:A psalm of David.

 In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.

May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.

 May he send you help from his sanctuary

and strengthen you from Jerusalem.

 May he remember all your gifts

and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

Interlude

 May he grant your heart’s desires

and make all your plans succeed.

 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory

and raise a victory banner in the name of our God.

May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Culture

Last Saturday night we were truly privileged to attend a local church plant in Mill Creek named Everett Family Church.  The pastor of this church is Mike, our home inspector from several weeks ago.  They are typical of many church plants here:  they are fairly small in number but love the Lord, and it is evident in worship time.  They rent a church building in the community that is in the middle of a residential street at the center of one of the suburbs of Everett.

Worship time at Everett Family Church.

Amanda and I have found it difficult to come here and wait on the Lord for many things, particularly regarding a vision for the ministry we want to have here in Everett.  However the Lord has reaffirmed that He wanted us to get here, settle down a bit, and observe.  In fact, I think that may have been His plan all along.  It is difficult to start a ministry anywhere if you don't understand the culture, and its values.  So while we have been a bit impatient, He has given us such peace just in knowing that we are on the right track and still are in the middle of His plan.

So what is this culture like?  Well, it depends on which area you go into.  Downtown Everett has a culture that is very different from Mill Creek, which is a suburb.  Even going within neighborhoods the culture may change dramatically.  A more affluent neighborhood may be right next to one that is fairly poor.  The common factor here is the homeless, as they are everywhere you go.  They flock to this part of the world because you can literally get 3 meals per day for free in Everett.  The city, I am told, is being used as a model within the state because of its extensive partnership between religious organizations and social service organizations.  

Among the middle and upper class of the area, here are some observations about its culture and values:

1.  Among many who live in the city, pets are like children.  Many people in the city don't want children because they are considered to be a nuisance.  In fact, the per capita birthrate here is lower than in much of the rest of the United States. 

Brochures from a local vet.

2.  Sports and outdoor activities are important here.  These are often used as excuses for not attending church or for not going to any religious services.

3.  Many people here are spiritual and are interested in spiritual matters.  Unfortunately all too often that is misdirected into areas that are empty and false.  There are many books and philosophies here that are a blend of many world religions including Christianity, Buddhism, Hindu, and New Age.  You hear a lot about "positive thinking" here, and there are many efforts to either maintain it or grow it.  We have even seen a "church" in Everett that is solely focused on positive thinking. 

Some individuals will put a "Happy Light" at their desk because they are trying to counter the dark moods induced by the perpetual cloud cover and rain during the winter.  Others will take pills or vitamins to help with more positive thinking.

This strange bright orb appeared in the skies on Saturday.  It was widely commented on but it still has not been identified!

4.  People generally are very friendly but guarded.  Just because you make eye contact with someone doesn't mean that they will strike up a conversation with you.  Long term relationships are trust builders.

5.  Art is an important aspect of inner-city life and culture.  As usual, the definition of art varies and is often controversial.  A great example of that is in the picture below.  This is a statue of Vladimir Lenin, the first Communist dictator of Russia.  This statue was taken from Czechoslovakia after the fall of the U.S.S.R. and was imported to...Seattle.  It remains a controversial object in the area, but has lasted through a number of years.

On a related note regarding culture, Washington is the only state in the union where same-sex marriage, marijuana, and doctor-assisted suicide are all legal.

Update on our Family

The Lord has been very good to us over the last week.  We have been able to relax in the new simplicity of our life as a family, which excludes many of the "things" that so easily distract.  We don't have any TV's because they are in the one U-box that is still on the road somewhere in America.  We don't have many toys.  My tools are packed in a warehouse.  Amanda and I sleep on a double-size bed now (smaller than queen), and we had to buy air mattresses for several of the boys instead of going through the drama of trying to dig them out of our stored U-boxes.  About 80% of our cookware is packed, but we have the exact number of plates, cups, silverware, and cooking pots that we need!  We're eating Amanda's great home-cooked food and loving it.  Things are definitely tight and we have our moments of anxiety because of having so many people in the apartment.  This is definitely a small space for 7 people.  But the Lord has shown us through this that we can live on less.  He has shown us that the things that used to bring comfort are not things to rely on.  In all of this chaos and mess, we have had Him all along.  That's all we need.

The Lord shared this message with me last week and it had a deep impact.  The king of Judah in the time of Isaiah had gotten word that they were going to be attached by two armies.  His reaction was one of fear.  Here's what the Lord said to him in response.

Isaiah 7:3-9

Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Take your son Shear- jashub and go out to meet King Ahaz. You will find him at the end of the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed. Tell him to stop worrying. Tell him he doesn’t need to fear the fierce anger of those two burned- out embers, King Rezin of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah. Yes, the kings of Syria and Israel are plotting against him, saying, ‘We will attack Judah and capture it for ourselves. Then we will install the son of Tabeel as Judah’s king. ’ But this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“This invasion will never happen;

it will never take place;

 for Syria is no stronger than its capital, Damascus,

and Damascus is no stronger than its king, Rezin.

As for Israel, within sixty- five years

it will be crushed and completely destroyed.

 Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria,

and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah.

Unless your faith is firm,

I cannot make you stand firm.”

I believe that last sentence was directly for me.  While things don't make sense right now and while we experience confusion and anxiety at every turn, the Father has a plan that He is moving forward on.  It will make sense now.  Nothing that we are going through is a surprise to Him.  

Our job now is to have faith that He is on this and will work it out in the end.  Jesus himself couldn't do miracles in specific regions and cities because the people there lacked faith.  The Lord acted in miraculous ways when people believed;  he did not when they didn't.  According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is:  

Hebrews 11:1

 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

We currently are praying that God will provide us with His vision for what we are to do here in Everett.  He has assured both of us that this will come in due time.  I am confident we will know it when we see it.  We also are praying for his specific leading on the neighborhood that we are to live in.  This has dramatic implications for the ministry that is started here, and we want Him to pick the place for us.  He has shown us that we can live in a smaller space with fewer things and still be just fine, so this has opened us up to just about anything.  

Please pray with and for us, for the Father's specific leading of our family to the very neighborhood that He wants us in.

Downsizing

"I didn't go to religion to me happy.  I always knew a bottle of port would do that.  If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly wouldn't recommend Christianity."  -C.S. Lewis

Just when you think you have things all figured out, the Lord shows you that He has a plan that differs from your own.  As humans, we tend to fight with Him, resist change, question His motives, make our own plans and wonder why they don't come to fruition, and fail in trusting.  This has been my experience over the last week.  And yet the Father in His grace shows me in the end that His way is better.

When we rolled into Everett on Tuesday, we had been on the road for almost 5 days.  Everybody was tired but excited about coming into town and the possibility of moving into our next house.  Prior to arriving, I had traded emails with our real estate agent Steve regarding the home inspection.  He had given me a list of local inspectors but noted that he knew of 2 who are Christians.  Our job was to pick one to do the work for us.  Since I figured I wouldn't really learn anything by researching these individuals, and because we trust Steve, I told him to just pick one of the Christian guys that he felt would be appropriate.  Little did I know that God might be at work even in something as seemingly insignificant as this.

We spent the afternoon at the house looking around and talking to our "randomly selected" inspector named Mike.  He crawled all around the place and made notes.  It wasn't until the end of his time with us that I really got to talk to him.  The usual question came up of "why did you guys come here from Texas," the question I answer at least once per day.  As usual I explained that the Lord had led our family to move to the Northwest to be involved in church planting.  Mike seemed intrigued by this and immediately told me that he was a church planter!  Now I was really interested, and we began talking about some of the things he had been up to there in the community.  

We eventually got to the point where we discussed the house.  Mike had noted 2 major issues with it that could potentially cost us a lot of money over the next year.  We decided to counter the most recent offer from the sellers and wait and see what would happen.  Remember that at this point we have nowhere to live and nowhere to go.  Our plans were officially up in the air.

That afternoon I did my usual routine of getting on Priceline to search for a hotel for the night.  We found a decent one that was about 15 minutes away and closer to Seattle, so after eating dinner that evening we headed to the hotel.  It was New Year's Eve.  Upon arrival, we noted that our two rooms for the night were on the same floor but down the hall from each other.  This meant that Amanda and I would have to split up that night since we couldn't realistically have kids in one room and adults in the other room.  I offered to go wash our clothes since at this point we were out of clean clothes, and some of the boys had been wearing the same clothes for the second day in a row.  I spent the evening in the laundry room of the hotel washing clothes in a washer made for about 3 sets of clothes with a dryer that wouldn't dry.  Much time was spent in prayer about the house, and I remember asking God to provide that specific house to us and to do it soon since we were tired of living like gypsies!  I went to bed after 11 PM once the last load was semi-dry.  We relied on the room's heater to finish the drying process for this batch of wet clothes.

The next morning we woke up and went into Everett to go play at the YMCA.  Unfortunately it was closed, so since we had nothing to do we wandered around town seeing the sights.  We finally wound up at a Hobby Lobby just trying to kill some time and I began to break down.  I was really struggling with the idea of another night in a hotel room without anywhere to go.  We faced the decision of either accepting the major issues with this house and moving in, or rejecting it an having nowhere to go.  I didn't really like either option and in my mind questioned why God would allow things to work out in such a chaotic way.  In my mind, He was going to provide what we wanted right at the last minute and everything would line up in the end.  But that wasn't happening, and I literally had no sense of what we were supposed to do.  Amanda and I started discussing it in the model aisle of Hobby Lobby, trying to come up with a plan for what we were going to do.  Everybody was unhappy about the conversation and frustrated by the situation.  We left Hobby Lobby with no decision but began entertaining the idea of getting an apartment.

We had a family meeting in the aisle of Hobby Lobby to decide on what we were going to do regarding our living arrangements.  

The previous night we had received an email report on the house, and our house inspector Mike invited Amanda and I over to his house for lunch on New Year's Day.  We were very excited about this since it meant we wouldn't have to figure out where to go for the day and have to pay for ANOTHER meal for everyone.  We wound up spending the entire afternoon with him and his family and a few of his friends, and quickly discovered people who have a real heart for the Lord and for the city of Everett.  They told us about their church plant which had started 6 years ago, about the struggles to keep it going, about the people in the community that they were trying to connect with, and generally told about what had brought them to where they were now.  Amanda and I were so encouraged to hear their story and were extremely grateful for a good meal and fun for the kids.  

We ran into a problem when we left Mike's house for the evening.  It was almost 6 PM and we had nowhere to stay for the night!  I frantically spent some time on Priceline and found nothing that I felt good about.  For the last couple of days I had been wrestling with the knowledge of how much money was literally flying out of the door each day on our quest.  We usually were spending anywhere from $120 to $150 per day just for hotel rooms, plus at least another $50-$75 for food.  Living on the road with a family of 7 was becoming expensive and difficult.  I remember declaring to Amanda that this would be the last night in a hotel.  If the house didn't work out by morning, we would sign some papers on an apartment and be done with the issue.

We finally had to settle on staying in a La Quinta in south Everett for the evening, paying a cool $180 for two rooms.  It felt like insult to injury at that point.  However, we were fortunate to get two rooms next to each other, so Amanda and I could have a room and some valuable time to talk about what we were going to do.  I remember being so desperate for just a few minutes to talk out my thoughts with her and see what she was thinking.  That's how our marriage works, and I have learned that if I make decisions on my own without getting her input things usually go south in a hurry.  My main thoughts centered on why things weren't working out the way I had originally thought they would.  I had been on several days worth of wild goose chases in Everett trying to rent various houses and apartments, all that led to dead ends.  I had tried to rent our house that was choice number 1 and was rejected.  I had worked for more than a week to secure rental on house number 2, fully thinking it would work out in the end, only to find that we were still in a fog and living in hotels each night as we waited for an answer on a place that we were not certain of.  What was God doing?  Had I missed His direction and gone my own way?  Why was He allowing so much frustration and anxiety in our lives?

We got to talk about the plan for the next day and decided to go to an apartment complex first thing in the morning to sign paperwork.  I looked up one that I had previously seen, and the very unit that had been shown to me 3 weeks prior was still available.  It was a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom space...and it wasn't a hotel.  I was sold.

That morning we let our real estate agent know that we were not going to further pursue the house in Everett (we had had no response from the homeowner yet), and went to sign paperwork.  Literally within 2 hours we were given the keys to our new place, and again I was left wondering how things had gone so wrong for so many days.  But a strange thing happened to us at this point.  We were so grateful to just have a roof over our heads.  We had no furniture, no beds, no toys, and few clothes, but we had a consistent place to stay, and it was affordable!  We had gone from a 6 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom monstrosity in Huffman to a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment where everyone slept on the floor in a sleeping bag.  And we were overjoyed at it!

The boys made a game out of a rope and the green plastic box that was tied to our car.

Sleeping arrangements.  Two boys in one room and 3 in another, all in sleeping bags.

Observing the boy's reactions to this week has taught me some significant things about why the Lord used children as an example of how we are supposed to be if we want to participate in His kingdom.  While I was frustrated with our situation and having to find hotels all week, the boys were not worried.  They asked me each afternoon where we would be staying that night and where we would eat.  They didn't question whether we would have a place to stay or have food to eat.  They knew they would have both and weren't worried about it.

When we moved into the apartment, they made the most of everything by playing games with ropes and boxes and were happy with it.  They were excited about sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags under conditions that most adults would reject outright.  When we were traveling, they were excited each day to have their 2.5 cubic feet of space in the car as long as they had their notebooks and rubber bands to make bracelets.  They really didn't complain.

This stands out to me because of what Jesus said about kids.

Mark 10:13-16

Jesus Blesses the Children

 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.

 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

What did Jesus mean when He said "anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it?"  Notice the qualities my own children displayed in the face of frustration, confusion, and disorder this week.  They showed blind trust, faith, and above all, peace.  They didn't bother me with endless questions about where we would stay, what we would do, where we would go, and what we would eat.  They trusted that all of these things would be provided by their parents.

Is it possible that the Lord wants us to do the same with him?

Jesus also said the following:

Matthew 19:23-26

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

These bold statements were made in the wake of His interaction with a rich young man.  Jesus had challenged him to sell all of his posessions and give the proceeds to the poor.  Only then should he come follow Jesus.  The account says that the young man left sad, and we don't know what happened as a result.  It is unfortunate, but I see in myself aspects of this rich young man.  For so long I was blinded by achievement and accumulation, and in this I completely lost sight of what was really important.  Could this be you as well?

So what is our state of mind now?  I can confidently say that we as a family are happy.  Things aren't easy with so many people in a small space, but we have a lot more time to focus on each other.  There are no distractions of fixing things, of yardwork or extra responsibilities at work.  Our dinner table is a card table and some folding metal chairs, but in this we have found happiness in the simplicity.  We have 9 storage pods worth of furniture and posessions that are still in storage, and we have only emptied 2 for our basic needs such as bedding and a couple of couches.

Was God in all of this?  For sure.  In His wisdom he knew this experience would be good for us and He forced us to go through it.  And He was right to do so.  We are excited to see what He does next.  

Matthew 7:9-11

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Huffman to Everett, the Sequel

On Friday of last week we set out on our official journey as a family to Everett, Washington.  We had great weather on the trip and were able to go through Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and finally Washington.

Now since my truck was already in Washington, we had only our Honda Pilot for driving and carrying any provisions that we needed for the week.  While we did a good job of packing, it is tough to fit all of those items you need for 7 people, including the 7 people and 2 cats, into a car of this size.  But we accomplished it without having to lash anyone to a bumper of the car.

There are 4 kids and two cats in this picture.  Can you find them?

This drive was very different from my first drive to Everett.  We drove anywhere from 575 to 630 miles per day, stopping only to eat or gas up.  

Snowy landscape in south central Colorado.

A small buffalo herd in central Colorado.

We were fortunate to get to stay with my Grandpa in Borger, TX the first night and with one of Amanda's cousins in Grand Junction, Colorado the second night.  From Colorado northward the entire landscape was covered with beautiful snow.  What I didn't know was that Grand Junction is in a bowl that is surrounded by mountains.  Any cold air from the mountains sinks into this bowl, so Grand Junction stays VERY COLD.  We woke up that morning to 14 degrees, and as we drove it got colder and colder, finally reaching a low of 0 degrees.

Central Utah.  The haze is a thin layer of cold air just above the surface.  It was anywhere from 0 to 5 degrees in this area of the state.

The mountains of Salt Lake City, Utah.

After Grand Junction the trip shifted dramatically both in landscape and in organization.  My job each day was to get on Priceline and see what kind of hotel deal I could find each night, beginning with Boise, Idaho.  Keep in mind that we had to meet 3 criteria each night:  lodging for 7 people, free breakfast, and pets allowed.  Just like when you rent an apartment, not every hotel allows 7 people in one room, and some that will allow that many people won't allow pets.  This was a real problem each day.  I went with getting 2 rooms per day, and our hope and prayer each day was to get them either next to each other and connected or nearby.  

As we approached Boise I received a text from a church planter friend in the Seattle area.  He told me that he had been praying for us.  He also told me something that turned out to be a bit of prophecy.  He warned us that we would face spiritual opposition to this move, and that he'd be praying for us as we make our move.  It started with a bit of drama as we selected the hotel in Boise which claimed to allow pets but actually did not.  We were told our cats would have to sleep in the car that night and that we couldn't get a refund for the room.  Now that may not sound like a big deal, but when you have just driven 600 miles in a car with 5 kids and 2 cats, your patience is not at its highest level.  After some prayer and a conversation with the manager, we were allowed to keep the cats indoors and got a good night's rest.  I believe the Lord just wanted us to take this to Him.

The boys watching the Dallas Cowboys on TV.  The electronic babysitter allowed me and Amanda to have a conversation with more than one sentence fragment.

Since we didn't need to be in Everett until Tuesday for the inspection of the house we planned to buy, we took a detour to Oregon to go see the beautiful waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge again.  The kids had never seen anything like this so it seemed like a good place to stop.  

Eastern Oregon

The Columbia River Gorge.  We were driving in Oregon.  The other side is our Promised Land, Washington.

If we can get 4 out of 5 to look at the camera, we're doing pretty good.

Ditto.

We pulled into Everett on Tuesday just in time for our home inspection.  There is a lot to tell on that, which will appear in the next post.

More Provision

On the day of my flight out of Seattle, I woke up to snow!  Fortunately in Seattle they know what to do with snow and I was able to fly out to go home on time.  Apparently Everett gets some snow each year.  Our boys will love it!

"Home is now behind you, the world is ahead."  - The Hobbit

Tuesday was our final day in Huffman.  We spent our last two days doing the most difficult part of packing.  During this time, you seem to go into rooms to find that your stuff has multiplied.  You swear the room was clear a few minutes ago but are dismayed to find that you still have at least 2 boxes worth of things.  We got to the point where we began giving stuff away.  It either wouldn't fit in our storage boxes or wasn't worth the space in the storage box.

Isn't it funny that we can spend so much time accumulating things and spending huge amounts of money on them only to discover that they are either sold off for nothing or that we can't keep them?  I first experienced this after my mother in law passed away in 2004.  We had the challenge of selling her worldly possessions off to clear the house out, and in the end we didn't make very much off of it!  We spend years accumulating and purchasing all to have it passed to somebody else in the end.

Ecclesiastes 6:1-2

 There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity. God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy.

The most difficult part of Tuesday was in saying goodbye.  We were fortunate to stay with our neighbors Dave and Barbara on our last night there.  They are among the best people we know, and have been like grandparents to us.  Saying goodbye to people such as this is a very difficult thing.

We also said goodbye to my Dad and his wife Debra after eating lunch with them.  Leaving family is always difficult, but even more so when it is your Dad.  There are so many things that I wanted to say, but in times like these I just can't find the right words.

More Provision

The Lord continues to provide for us on every step of this journey.  Since my last post we nearly gave up on the house that we were attempting to rent.  During our back and fourth with the owners regarding renting the house, they added some provisions to the contract that upon first glance seemed very strict and unreasonable.   I remember seeing them and getting very angry.  I had one of those nights where I couldn't go to sleep and decided that I had to pray.  I was so overcome with emotion that I didn't know what to pray, but I attempted to voice my frustration to God.  As it turned out, the next day I discovered that it was me who had misunderstood and misinterpreted what was written in the contract.  Sadly, in my heart I know I was upset with God the night before for appearing to lead us down another dead end.  But as usual the goodness of the Lord far exceeds anything I can understand, and in His grace he appears to have provided this house for us at the very second that we needed it.  We plan on moving in on either January 1st or 2nd.

That seems to be a pattern for how He works in the life of this family.  We receive his provision at the very second we need it, never before, and never in a way that we expected to receive it.  The Lord is good.

In addition to a house, the Lord has provided financial resources for this move to be able to happen.  When we decided to move to Everett in late October we literally had no idea where the money would come from.  While we do save money in the bank, we don't typically put huge amounts away unless we are planning ahead for something big.  This change happened so quickly that we couldn't plan ahead.

 Here are the things that we didn't have money for.  I don't list them for any other purpose other than showing the world how the Lord has provided for our family in a very specific ways.

- Fuel to drive to Everett in my truck.

- Money for a trailer to take a first load of important items to Everett.

- Hotel money for each night of my drive to Everett.

- Hotel stay in Everett for 2 solid weeks.

- Cost of the move from Huffman to Everett (enormous).

- Fuel cost to drive our other car to Everett.

- Hotel money for the family as we drive to Everett.

- Initial deposit and 2 months rent on a house.

Look at that list above.  While I didn't add costs to any of them, I can tell you that they are extensive and were out of our reach.  Now for the surprise:  the Lord provided in whole or in part for each of these.  We haven't asked for anything from anyone (other than a persistent person at our church, whom I thank), but many have stepped forward, usually stating that they "felt they needed to give" something to us.  We have also found money from totally unexpected places and venues.  Each time it was just in time and was not planned by us.  That's how the Father provides.

The Lord has reminded me so many times of this verse, which can so easily be taken out of context.

Matthew 6:31-34

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? ’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Many churchgoers take this out of context by thinking that they can superficially put the things of God as first in their lives, then on the back-end they will receive all of the things they want.  Our consumer culture in America has created this perversion.  But look at the verses again.  Notice that it says "he will give you everything you need."  Needs are simple and basic.  Food, water, clothing, shelter.  You will notice that the Father has provided all of those things and more for this family.

This morning we will jump into the car and go back to Borger to see my Grandpa.  From there, since the weather forecast looks good, we should be able to go on to Grand Junction, Colorado, then to Boise, Idaho.  Our last stop will be in Everett on Monday night.

Some Ending Thoughts and a Visit

I nearly started this post by stating that not a lot has happened in the last few days.  Really, that isn't true.

I continue to be led to walk around this community and pray, both for the people and for the community.  I really don't pray enough at all, but walking and praying has become an interesting endeavor.  You will see people as you pass them, some homeless, others in a bad state, some simply having a bad day.  Stopping to pray for them at that moment does help.  While I don't do it enough, it does help me to have open eyes and see what is going on around me.

On Tuesday I felt the Spirit telling me to spend some more time in a park nearby the jail that I posted about earlier in the week.  I spent about 30 minutes just praying and observing people as they passed by.  The thing that I keep coming back to is this:  what would happen if the whole world ended now and these individuals I'm looking at died without Christ?  What would happen to them?  As I thought about this I turned to my right and saw the prison.  This, of course, is the answer.  While they wouldn't be in a prison made of bricks and steel, they would be in prison.  And they would never get out.  The thought broke my heart and made me very sad.  While I don't believe it would be effective for me to stand on a street corner with a megaphone yelling at everyone about the Lord, it does give me pause and make me realize that EVERY interaction I have with people counts.  Every minute of every day counts, and it isn't about me.  I'm still adjusting to that kind of mindset.

So as I sat on this parkbench, I really felt the Spirit's presence.  I believe He is using times like these to prepare me and to change me.  You can learn so much in a city by just sitting and watching, but that in combination with the Spirit makes for some of the best time you will spend with God.  While I couldn't point to anything specific that He said during that time, I know He was there.  It can only be compared to spending time with a best friend.  Years later you may not be able to state exactly what was talked about in that moment, but you knew that time was important.

This week has been a confusing muddle of attempts at getting housing for our family.  We have prayed that the Lord would provide a way for us to get a house in the very neighborhood that has been on our hearts.  One by one, each and every opportunity was closed in a certain way.  The duplex that was next to the "God will Provide" sign?  Won't allow pets.  The second unit that was larger and only 2 blocks away?  A person walked in literally 10 minutes before I turned in my application and rented it.  Ten minutes.  In the past I would have gotten angry, but I see things like this now as God's movement.  I can honestly admit to my frustration at the end of that day, but I was more frustrated with the situation than anything.  I did have a sense that God was up to something and was ready for Him to act!

Our next effort came in the form of making a last-ditch effort to rent the house that we eventually wanted to buy.  The owners rejected the idea stating that they had several showings in the last week and wanted to find out what would happen.  In their shoes, I don't blame them and would probably do the same thing.

So in an effort to "save our family," I went back to an apartment that I'd found outside of town and turned in an application.  I figured that we just needed a place to stay for the short-term, so why not?  After doing that, Amanda made a suggestion over the phone that occurred to me about a week ago but that I hadn't acted on.  She asked why we didn't just ask to rent the house that was our second choice for purchase.  Good point.  Let's look into that.  After contacting our real estate agent and having him contact the sellers, we found out that their real estate agent was completely for the idea since the house had been on the market for a while.  We soon got word that the sellers were officially interested, so today I have spent the day going back and fourth with our agent on the details of the contract.  We are structuring it so we have the option to buy in place, so when our house in Huffman sells, we will officially have a house of our own in Everett!  We are just waiting on the sellers to sign the papers.  Lord willing, that will happen.

So what is God up to?  I don't really know.  What I have come to realize is that I was a bit too stuck on our "first choice" house and wasn't concerned enough about where we are SUPPOSED to live.  Had you asked me a few days ago I could tell you a whole list of reasons of why House #1 was perfect and House #2 was not.  However a funny thing happens when doors close over and over again, doors that are shut by the Lord.  Your priorities suddenly change.  Suddenly you don't care as much about where you live or what size house it is.  You just want your family to have a place to call home.  Living in hotel rooms for 3 weeks will do that to you as well.  You learn to live on less.  I don't have all of my books or furniture or power tools.  Funny thing is...it really doesn't matter anymore.  I don't miss it.  Is it possible that God was putting us through this to lead us to this conclusion?  Of course it is!  Our job is to be more concerned about the things of His kingdom than the things of this world.  What better way to do that than to remove all of the things that brought you comfort in your prior life?

In the Parable of the Seeds from Luke 8, Jesus illustrated how it is for people who try to connect with him by talking about a farmer scattering seeds.  In the past, I represented the "other seed that grew up among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants."  Jesus explained it this way: 

Luke 8:14

The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.

Don't think that I've been coerced into this mindset or that I'm sad about the situation I'm in.  Truly I'm not.  In fact, I think I'm happier than I have been in a long time.  Where does that come from?  The Holy Spirit.  

Galatians 5:22-25

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives:love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control. There is no law against these things!

 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

The greatest part of this is that this is freely available to everyone who believe!  This applies to people who have never known Jesus (provided they turn to Him) and to those who have known Him for years but who have been choked by the worries and distractions of this life.  

Tomorrow I will get on an airplane and go to the place that used to be my home, but this time I return as a visitor.  We will be finalizing our packing and will officially pull up all roots next week to go to Washington as a family.  I am overjoyed to see them again.  This is the longest time we have ever been apart, and I pray we will never be apart this long ever again.  Married couples, being now are not intended to live apart for long times.  Tomorrow, I will be a whole person again becauseI will be back together with my wife! Those of you who know her know that she truly is my better half.

After Christmas, we will begin heading Northwest together.  As of now, we plan on moving into our house on January 2nd.  We will see if the Lord's plans are the same!