not what we thought this week would be...

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:8-9

i have no clue what is going on in our lives other than God is doing something!!

we are no longer going to seattle. two days after receiving his "welcome to the company" letter and packet the company ross was going to work for retracted their offer. we were shocked and very disappointed to say the least. as i had said in the previous post my heart ached at the thought of leaving our friends and family here but the desire for adventure rages within both ross and me. we had become excited about going. we were ready to see what the Lord had for us to learn and share there. now that is no longer.

after receiving the "welcome" letter ross contacted the other company who had extended an offer to him and kindly declined their offer. needless to say when word came that we were no longer going to seattle he immediately called this company to see if they would still like to have him. they told him they were already interviewing someone else but would let him know the next week. they did call him on the following monday and extended the offer again (plus relocation). we were thankful but so much less excited...the job is in phoenix (just outside of).

let me say that when this seattle job was taken away it really shook me. when ramey and i both faced death this year i stood more firmly on my faith than i did in this. why? why would something as trivial as losing a job/not having to move to a city 1500 miles away shake my faith more than my daughter's fight for life? the answer- the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. i am sure that we are being pursued by one who wants nothing more than to void our impact for Christ. i, too often, want to sit under a palm tree and sip on an umbrella drink and watch the world pass by but because i am a christian i must fight the good fight all the way to the finish line.

early catholic art made popular the mythical bird- the phoenix. near the end of the life of the phoenix it builds a nest of cinnamon twigs that it then ignites; both bird and nest burn fiercely and reduce to ashes from which a new bird is born. catholic art used this as symbolism of Christ's resurrection.

in our attempt to love and live like Christ i believe our move to the phoenix area may be symbolism in our lives. ross and i, because of Christ living in us, will rise from the ashes of disappointment and pride to make God famous because it is only because He wills it that we even sit here breathing.

i am a very self reliant person- so much so that i once said to the Lord during this layoff, "Lord, could you hurry up and give ross a job so i don't have to depend on you anymore?" i wasn't even being silly in saying that- i meant it and when i realized i truly meant that in my heart i laughed at myself for still being so dense.

i have no doubt that God has plans for hope and a future for me and ross and our kids. i also have no doubt that all too often i get on the floor kicking and screaming because i think i know what is best for us. i am wrong every time. this time i want to step out in faith and trust God to provide for our every need. i want only to be exactly where God wants me for i know there is no better place to be than under the shadow of His wing.

join us as we pray for a new excitement towards this job and this relocation. we want to go and be like daniel, meshach, shadrach and abednago- we want to come out of this fire not even smelling like smoke!

"In my distress I call on the Lord and he answers me." (ps. 120:1)

** to our sweet friends who actually sent us a gift card to ll bean, we would love to return this to you being that we won't need rain wear after all. email me and let me know how to get this back to you.