Full Steam Ahead

I updated our website today and thought that it might be good to share this here too:

As the new year begins, Joshua and I are ever more passionate to get to the mission field. Besides the usual prayer for new financial partners, please pray with us for the following upcoming events that need to take place to make it happen:

• Joshua presenting his ordination paper to our church elders (probably by the end of this month) followed by presenting his paper to an ordination committee.
  
• We are aiming to attend the final training required by TEAM in February.
  
• Wisdom about selling or renting our home and when we should put it on the market.

"In this world you will have trouble..."

This is something I wrote down on the back of a crumpled Starbucks bag as I was overwhelmed with some of the hardships people around me are facing mixed with things God has and is teaching me....

We all have troubles. None of us want them. Most of us don't pick what our encumbrances or struggles will be. Some of us couldn't have imagined what "it" would be - like for me, I never considered one of my afflictions would have been the unquenchable fire of infertility. And yet for some, "it" is their worst nightmares coming true. Since we will have troubles, the question is what I do with them. As exhaustion clouds our vision or bitter numbness begins to settle in at shattered dreams, there is a soft and gentle call "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest...rest for your souls."

Time does not stand still...

Every time I write 2010, I can't believe it! It feels like I have gotten to this place in time too fast. This especially hit me when Joshua and I celebrated our 10th anniversary.

Yet I am excited about what 2010 holds! We hope this is the year we get to Italy. One prayer this year is that the Lord would order my days. While I have so much I need and want to get done daily, ultimately I want my focus to be what He would have it be. I want to walk in His freedom and not in the overwhelming shadow of "to do" lists. I don't want to be consumed by things that are trivial but have an eternal perspective on all aspects of life.

Since 2009 has come to a close, I would remember some of what God did: wonderful care for Charis while I worked full time, a pt time position from home so I can stay home with Charis, special gatherings with family from all sides, new financial partners, celebrating our 10th anniversary, and celebrating Charis 1st Birthday.

With that I will sign off with a couple pictures since I last blogged (I had planned on them being separate entries)...

We got to be all together as Flemings for Thanksgiving.

What a sweet unexpected treasure!

Charis 1st Birthday

Our 10th anniversary - A Special Day

(This was taken when we walked down to the chapel we got married - it was very COLD! )

Christmas Day