Summer Lovin'

It's about time {past due} for an update for you all! Many months have passed since our orientation with EMI in Colorado and thankfully with those months came the warm weather we are enjoying today!

Not only have we been busy continuing preparations for our move to Uganda but our family has grown by one as well! And a very cute one, I might add....

Hannah Jo - April 2015

We are all adjusting well and settling in to being a family of 5. Big sister and brother are pretty in love too.

Three beautiful blessings - May 2015

At times it has felt overwhelming as we look forward to the coming months with the multitude of tasks and other preparations we face before we move. But we have also had countless reminders of God's faithfulness and provision in all of this. 

One of those reminders comes in the form of Ms. Mary. Over the past year Mary has developed a relationship with our children through the childcare at our church. She is an amazing young woman with a clear gifting and passion when it comes to working with young children. Mary also has a heart for missions and a desire to use these gifts to serve God's Kingdom. 

We still aren't sure how it all came about, other than the Lord's perfect timing and plans, but after a brief conversation at church with Mary and further conversation with her and her parents a week later, Mary has agreed -rather enthusiastically- to take a semester off of college classes and work as our nanny for the first 6-8 weeks after we move. This is an answer to a prayer we had not yet prayed and it will be such a blessing for our family as we adjust to our new home. Having someone with us that our children already know and trust to help ease the transition will be wonderful. Our hope is that it will allow Matt and I to perhaps run errands and make other accommodations with less worry and stress of what to do with the kids. God is so good!

Despite a slow month or so after Hannah was born, we have been encouraged to see people continue to join our team in supporting the work we will be doing in East Africa. Thank you to those of you who are a part of this team. We could not do this without each one of you!

Please keep our family in your prayers in the coming months that:

• We will have wisdom for when to put our house up for sale and peace in the stress of getting the house ready to sell.
• We will enjoy special time this summer with our family and friends that are so dear to us.
• We will not be overwhelmed by tasks, preparations, fears, or other anxieties but trust in God for the strength and courage.
• Hearts will be open as we continue to share this mission and our financial needs with others.

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." 

Luke 12:31

EMI Orientation

What a week! We've had the opportunity to spend the last week in beautiful—and sunny—Colorado Springs. We are here for the staff and intern orientation to Engineering Ministries International. The week has been packed full of lessons and messages from those who have gone before us. What a blessing to have these people come alongside us as we prepare to serve with EMI helping us to not only better understand the history of EMI but more importantly to see God's hand working in so many lives in so many different ways to make His name known to all people and all nations.

We have been given such a wealth of information throughout our time here and we will continue to learn more as we look back on the messages shared with us this week. As we look ahead to the many changes and transitions to come as we continue to prepare for serving in East Africa it is encouraging to see other families in the same place and to hear their stories of 'life in the field'. We trust that God is with us and before us on this journey.

We have felt God confirming in our hearts this week the work He is calling us to in Uganda. There will be challenges ahead but we trust that God knows all these things and will not call us to something that He will not provide a way to accomplish.

Will you continue to pray with us for:

• our family as we prepare for these transitions
• and that the lessons God is speaking to us will be woven deeply into our hearts and not easily forgotten.

We are so thankful to be here and to have this focused time together with other staff, interns, and volunteers of EMI as we each strive to be obedient to the call God has placed in our lives. We are excited for the opportunity and privilege to serve with EMI and to see the ways God's hand has lead us to this point in our lives.

Now it's time to head home and give our sweet kids the kisses and hugs we've been missing all week!!

Pikes Peak, Colorado 2015