Rest, Renewal and ReEntry

Hi!

This summer was a wild ride. As you know we had alot going on with Steven's internship, Hannah's graduation from High School and getting her ready to go to College.

We left here on Thursday, August 20th mid afternoon. I didn't think we were ever going to get gone but we finally pulled both cars out of the driveway and onto the highway. We had a good trip out to Scottsbluff. Hannah's car did great and we enjoyed our caravan together. Part of the time Hannah rode with dad and part of the time with me. What a special time as it was to be our last for awhile.

On Friday Hannah filled out several job applications and got to know the city of Scottsbluff. Friday evening she and her roommate Lucinda were invited to a bonfire with other Frontier students. Hannah had a great time and she had a twinkle back in her eye for the first time in several weeks. Leaving for college was a trial in itself as she packed up her belongings and put her room to rest. She was anxious to get going but a part of her wanted to just stay at home as she put it. I was glad to see her smile return and the excitement that she had that night.

Saturday we headed to Frontier for registration and to move her into the dorm. She got through the process in good time and unloaded all her stuff. I was afraid that it wouldn't all fit but it did. Thankfully her roomate Lucinda is a minimalist so she graciously let Hannah have all of the desk and the bottom bed on thier bunk beds. As she began to unpack I asked her if she was ready for us to leave and her answer was no! So I helped where she asked me to and we got everything organized. After that she was ready to say goodbye. We left her with her two roomates Reathy and Lucinda and headed off with the Lucinda's family in our back seat to Scottsbluff. Having them along really made it easier to leave. I did shed a few tears and told her I would see her in September.

Sunday we attended the church that Hannah will be attending. The Mitchell E-Free Church. We have known the pastor for many years and the people were so much like the people at Red Cloud. It is a small congregation which we know that Hannah will enjoy and feel comfortable with. After lunch with a few of the church families we headed off to Chadron, NE. I shouldn't have had any CD's going in the car because each song reminded me of our times together as we would drive and sing anything from HS Musical to Remedy Drive! Of course Jon and I were both in tears. Happy tears for Hannah and Happy tears for us as we begin this new life together.

Our vacation was wonderful, just what we needed. Rest, Visiting with dear friends, Too much eating and spending time together. Hannah called us several times over week to update us on how she was doing. She is settled and doing well and we were ready to head home and to see where the Lord would lead us next.

We arrived home safely last evening. Unpacked the car and got things prepared for worship today. I thought it would be hard as my pew would be empty but some dear people decided to change where they sit to sit with me! Thanks Jeff and Diana!

I haven't opened up Hannah's bedroom door yet. I know I will this week when we take down the blinds that need to be washed, but until then I just keep telling myself "This is just like it was when she was in Germany last summer."

Our home is quiet but I am finding it restful. Our table is empty but Jon and I are rediscovering one another and have had great conversation together. Our nest may be empty at the moment, but we know it won't always be. The kids will come home to visit, maybe even to live for awhile.

The one thing I know for sure is that God has a plan for our lives and His plan is best!

So tomorrow I will rise up and not have to homeschool Hannah, but will use that extra time to get to know my Savior better. I will intercede for Jon, our kids, our extended family and church family. I may even sit and drink a cup of coffee in the new quietness of my home and I will remember how good and faithful the Lord has been and will continue to be in this new season of life.

Blessings!

All Because Two people were led by God and fell in LOVE

Hi!

Twenty years ago last week Jon and I made a decision that would affect our future. We spoke our wedding vows to each other. We had to laugh as we watched our Wedding Service with Hannah the other night and she commented how 80's it was with the clothes and hairstyles. We told her it was the 80's and we just laughed!

Being married to Jon for the past twenty years has been a wild ride. I can look back and see how the Lord lead us together and how we have grown together since that day on August 12th twenty years ago! I'm glad I listened to the Lord when he confirmed in my heart that Jon was the one he wanted me to spend the rest of my life with. Yes we are as different from night to day most of the time, but Jesus is what helps us stay together and still in love.

Now 20 years later we are saying goodbye to the blessing of our marriage which is our daughter Hannah. On Thursday of this week we begin our journey to Wyoming where she will begin attending Frontier School of the Bible.

As hard as it will be for me to see her leave home. I am so excited for what the future holds for her. I never had the opportunity to attend a Bible College and I am so thankful that the Lord worked out his plan in her life for salvation and now for this next step of growth in her spiritual life.

Jon and I will begin another phase of our marriage without our kids in our home. Our home has been filled with laughter and busyness these past four years as we grew our family of three to five. Each of these dear young people have been labors of our hearts and what a privilege it is to

pray for them daily as the Lord continues to grow them up in Him.

In my devotions today I read the following out of "Talking with God" by Andrew Murry

Prayer: A State of the Heart.

Philippians 3:8 Everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Jesus, though He had all wisdom, only gave us a small number of moral teachings. This is because He knew the desires of our hearts is focused on this world. Nothing can set us right but turning the desire of our hearts to God. Therefore, He calls us to a total denial of ourselves and the life of this world. He calls us to a faith in Him as the One who gives new birth and new life. He teaches us every reason for renouncing ourselves and for loving our redemption as the greatest joy and desire of our heart.

We see that our will and our heart are everything. True religion is only the religion of the heart. We see that a spirit of longing after the life of this world made us the poor pilgrims on earth that we are. Only the spirit of prayer, or the longing desire of the heart after Christ and God and heaven, breaks our bondage and lifts us out of the miseries of time into the riches of eternity.

When the spirit of prayer is born in us, it is no longer confined to a certain hour but is the continual breathing of the heart after God. The spirit of prayer, as the state of the heart, becomes the governing principal of the souls' life.

Then at lunch we were reading from John MacArthur's Truth for Today and it said

Wisdom for Life Matthew 7:7-8

To possess God's wisdom is among the greatest needs we have. God's wisdom helps us to make prudent choices throughout our Christian lives-to choose God's way and reject the world's way in every situation. The Bible provides many commands for godly living, but it is not an exhaustive manual of methods and rules for every conceivable situation. That would not be very workable. And it would keep us from relying directly on God. He wants us to be in His Word daily so that we can know His principals for righteous living and can pray wisely for guidance when we have difficult decisions.

In Scripture the Lord gives believers enough truth to live responsibly, but enough mystery to draw them to Him in believing prayer. James 1:5 tells us "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

This is the prayer of my heart that I might purse the Lord with urgency and that I would read His Word listening to Him speak to me so that I will have His wisdom and not my own. This is my prayer for my four kids and for you also.

So remember to read His Word and pray and ask him for His wisdom which he wants to give to each believer, liberally and without reproach! We just have to ask Him!

I would appreciate you praying for Jon and I as I know this is going to be a very emotional week. We look forward to the next chapter of our lives with anticipation!

Blessings,

Deb

To Be Continued...

Hi! Today has been a hard day for our family! We said goodbye for now to our dear spiritual son and friend, Steven. Many tears have been shed as we have grown very close to him this past 10 weeks.

You would think after saying good bye to Esther-3 times, Damaris-1 time, Steven-2 times, it would get easier but it doesn't. Saying goodbye to Hannah in 12 days will be even harder:(

Today the Lord reminded me of how his Father must have felt when He sent his Son to the cross. I was also reminded how Jesus wept out of compassion for his friend Lazarus. So tears are a natural part of our saying goodbye for now.

My last words to Steven today were "I'll see you again soon, if not here then in Heaven."

Won't it be great when we get to be with all those believers whom we dearly love for eternity! I can't wait!

So life goes on, we can't push the pause button or the rewind but we can look back with many great memories.

I know that my life was changed this summer over 10 incredible weeks that the Lord ordained.

So until we meet again! We continue on...

Blessings

Happy Endings and New Beginnings

August 1st has come and gone and we now have a high school graduate in our home. As I sat in the service I couldn't help but think about what

I was doing 18 years ago. I was waiting for Hannah to make her arrival in this world. Now in 17 days we she will depart from our home to attend Bible College.

Steven departs for the summer next Monday. It doesn't seem possible that he has served with us these past two years. He has one semester left at Moody and then will begin the application process with Village Missions.

As I look at all the changes coming up the Lord has been speaking to me about how I should respond. I am happy that my kids want to serve the Lord and that leaving is a natural response.

My greatest joy is to see them walking with the Lord. I look forward to see just what the Lord will do in each of their individual lives.

Change seems to be happening all around. This past week Jon received a call from Village Missions asking him to become an Assistant District Representative for four churches in our district. Jon accepted and we are humbled by how the Lord is leading. We are thankful that we can stay here in Red Cloud and pastor this dear church family the Lord has entrusted us with.

So as we prepare for this empty nest of ours. We are thankful for the years we have had with Hannah, the two summers we have had with Steven and the 10 months we had with both Esther and DeeDy. God was faithful to answer our hearts cry for a family. How He put it together is truly a miracle in itself.

May the Lord Bless you this week as you seek Him.

Blessings