I Needed This Today

My devotion this morning has wrecked my life again. Wanted to share it with you.
May Jesus keep wrecking it over and over again until He comes.

“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14).
They were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfil their prayers.
They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost,
and He sent them sorrow;
they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish;
 they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts;
they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes;
they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace,
sitting by “as a refiner and purifier of silver,” until they should reflect His image;
they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so nigh to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot go back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by flitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out through them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to give up what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, “who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.".”
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot’s portion, not Abraham’s. If they had halted anywhere–if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back–what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well nigh slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
–Anonymous.

Moving on...5,500 miles on.

"Here am I, send me; send me to the ends of the earth;
      send me to the rough, the savage pagans of the wilderness;
      send me from all that is called comfort on earth;
      send me even to death itself, if it be but in Thy service,
      and to promote Thy kingdom."
                                                     - David Brainerd

We have waited a few months to share what the Lord has been stirrng in us.
The necessary waiting has brought on lot's of questions from those around us,
as we appear to be selling all we own,  moving in with Erics parents and
seemingly missing at our local church.

For those of you who have been waiting and wondering, or have been concerned
about us, hopefully this blog post will clear up any confusion and answer your
questions:)

Around the spring of this year Holy Spirit began stirring our hearts about moving.
If you know me, I LOATHE moving. What a pain! So we kind of pushed the prompting
to the side -- I mean, we have lived back in Virginia for only about 2 years.
We just bought a house. Our families are here. Our kids were born here. All of our
ministries have been here. Moving didn't sound like such a great idea.

After multiple meetings with Pastor Kevin at Crossroads between January and May,
Eric and I stepped down from all leadership positions to more adequately seek the Lord
and hear Him clearly. We felt that this next decision in our lives would be a major one--
likened to the seriousness of choosing a spouse. We adjusted our lives accordingly. From
the outside looking in, it probably seemed that we dissappeared, but the time away was
necessary and fruitful.

Following a lot of seeking and heart searching -- some major cutting away of what is
comfortable and easy for us, we have heard his voice clearly and will obey.

As many of you know, we are expecting out third baby in March of 2013. Following
our new additions arrival, in late May/early June, we will be moving over 5,500 miles away
to Kailua on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. We will be a part of  LifeChurch Kailua.
(click for church website)

We have been called to be missionaries to Hawaii and to the Philipinnes. If you are like
the majority of people your response probably is, "wow...tough job. Really suffering for Jesus."
If that is your opinion or feeling, you have greatly misinterpreted the main purpose of the gospel--

                                        Go forth an make disciples of all nations --That all may know Jesus. 
                                        Whether that be to the richest or poorest of all people. Whether on a beach
                                         orin a desert.

              "I care not where I go, or how I live, or what I endure so that I may save souls.
              When I sleep I dream of them; when I awake they are first in my thoughts…
               no amount of scholastic attainment, of able and profound exposition of brilliant
               and stirring eloquence can atone for the absence of a deep impassioned sympathetic
               love for human souls."
                           -David Brainerd

With that directive, from Jesus Himself, we are selling everything we own.
We will leave behind our families and what is comfortable for the sake of the gospel.
"Sell all you have...and follow me," has become a reality for our little family.
There have been tears and fear of the unknown, but we know at the end of the day,
His way is always good. It's always right. It's always perfect and has our best interest in mind.

We will be helping to direct an internship, helping oversee a K-12 private school,
helping with the youth in that district and connected to issions in the Phillipines.
We are so excited to see what the Lord has in store.

Eric was able to visit in September for about a week, but the rest of us probably won't get
to visit before our move next year. God has also graciously provided us with a 3 bedroom house
on the church property for an incredibly small amount, in comparison to the rental rates in Hawaii.

We will be traveling to churches each Sunday from November throug April,
sharing in a little more detail about what we will be doing and where we will be.
Please pray for as we learn to walk in a completely new level of faith -- trusting God for all
we willl need, As we are going as missionaries, none of this comes with a paycheck:)

Please call or email us if you still have questions or want more info about whats going on.
Love you all and glad to be serving King Jesus alongside of you.