A Year in Texas (abbreviated, of course...)

Today I finally changed my phone number from my Ohio number to a local Texas number... Now when I call someone local they might answer, instead of thinking it's another political call or the FBI (does anyone else get those often?). Last month we celebrated a year of being in Texas, and as I look back, I think of the craziness, laughter, tears, and many, many adventures we've had! And it's been too long since I've posted here, to keep friends and family across the globe updated, so I figured I should sit down and write an abbreviated Sliter Family update of the last year to catch everyone up to speed. I will include links to previous posts that go more in-depth, or add links as I write posts, but for now, here's what we've been up to!

March 2013 (and why we moved from Ohio to Texas!)

April 2013:
- April 13th, loaded all of our possessions into a "big yellow truck" as Levi says, and moved to Texas!
- April 15th, the big yellow truck arrived in Texas, and we moved in with my parents for a season, tucking our things into various locations in the upstairs of my parents' home and their barn.
- Nathan interviewed, and was hired, by a local owner/operator of two Chick-Fil-A stores near my parents (about 30 minutes away, which in Texas, is close for a job)
- Nathan also started leading worship at a small local church plant, who's current worship leader had undergone surgery and was beginning chemo for a rare and dangerous form of cancer
- Levi and Eliana jumped right into life in the South, which meant it's already warm & sunny, and your life can be spent outside all day, every day (my parents live on 5 acres in the woods... so much to explore and experience!)
- I took the kids to East Texas (about 2.5 hours away) to visit my grandparents, who I am very close to... we have kept this up pretty much every month since moving here! They have 12 acres, a pond, a large garden, and just in general are a fun place to be!

May 2013-August 2013:
- Nathan continued to lead worship 2-3 a month as needed at the local church, and I began making some wonderful local friends there, with kids similar ages to Levi & Ellie.
- Nathan continued at Chick-Fil-A, learning and growing as part of the leadership team there. Long days & nights because of working mostly closing shifts, but it was a season
- We spent lots of time with my family, since all three of my sisters are local, and of course we were living with my parents! One of my sisters (Sarah) found out in August she and her husband were expecting their first baby!
- We received a queen-size like-new mattress, a huge answer to prayer!
- Levi took swimming lessons, and practiced the rest of the summer (still not quite there, but better!)
- I was hired by our church to help coordinate volunteers for Sunday mornings while their normal staff person was on maternity leave
- Nathan and I enjoyed a three day vacation to the Texas Hill Country (New Braunsfels & Canyon Lake) sans kiddos, thanks to my parents, going to Schiltterbahn (a 40 acre water park incorporating natural rivers & spring), Natural Bridge Caverns, tubing on the Comal River, and staying at a lodge on the gorgeous Canyon Lake. This was our "we turned 30 this summer" trip together!
- We took Levi & Ellie to their first Barnum Bailey Ringling Brothers Circus (or however you spell it)

September 2013- October 2013
- Beginning September 1st, Nathan transitioned into his official position at Chick-Fil-A, the Training & Leadership Development Director. Woohoo! This also meant financially we could start exploring our options for living on our own again.
- Started some basic preschool with the kids, online material called "God's Little Explorers", which fit well with how much time we spend outside
- Got a Houston Zoo membership, which we have thoroughly enjoyed already!
- Started just getting a feel of rental places and/or cost of homes in the area. To make a long story short, while not intending to buy for awhile yet, in October a foreclosure caught our interest with a floor plan we loved, a huge backyard (12,000 sq.ft. lot), in a neighborhood two miles from Nathan's job and our church. It was on the market 4 days for bids, the bank chose ours out of 5 offers, including a cash offer higher than ours, and our closing date was set for beginning of December.
- Attended a weekend-long Whitten Family Reunion at Chicot State Park in Louisianna... ate lots of fried fish and cracklings, enjoyed a gumbo cook-off, had a regular small aligator visit the fishing pier to say hi, and in general enjoyed more time with family outdoors
- Visited some good friends from college, Alicia & Barrett Marcantel and their 3 kids, in Lousianna on the way home from the reunion
- Flew to Ohio to visit Nathan's family and our Ohio friends, enjoying the colorful fall up there (that we honestly don't have here)
- Our church made the decision to keep me on staff as the Sunday morning coordinator, freeing up the other staff person to focus on the admin side of things
- Nathan traveled to Atlanta, GA, on a business trip to CFA corporate with the owner & general managers of the stores, to take part in a pilot leadership development program for CFA
- Eliana Ruth turned TWO! She gained one pound and grew four inches since her 1st birthday. She runs, climbs, explores, and talks to EVERYONE. She hasn't met any strangers yet.

November 2013-December 2013 (this one will be the harder one to keep brief)
- November 1st, my mom called me downstairs to share a phone call she had just received from the doctor's office. The results were back from some testing on her back and shoulder, which had been causing her a lot of intense pain through the fall. It was not a torn rotary cuff or a simple fracture. She has stage 4 bone cancer. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in September 2011, undergoing a double mastectomy and 24 weeks of chemo, even though it was caught at stage 1A. Since spring of 2012 has been rebuilding her body and life from the harshness of chemo. Even though she went through those, the cancer had returned and metastasized  in her bones from her pelvic area, spine, ribs, sternum, and shoulders. She underwent immediate radiation treatment to help the pain levels, as well as back surgery to alleviate the severe pain from two crushed vertabrae (the reason for the sever back pain in the fall). There is no cure for bone cancer, just treating it to kill it and keep it subdued. It's finding a chemo that the cancer responds to, and she will be undergoing weekly chemo for life. You can hear more of her story here.
- We closed on our house the first week of December, and began re-painting every room inside. We also renovated the kitchen with the help of my dad and some of his friends, to give me more space to cook. Oh the provision of God, providing a home for us in such perfect timing to give my parents space and peace at their home as mom began her treatments!
- We celebrated Christmas at my grandparents and extended family at the beginning of December, then in our new home with the kids, then celebrated with all my family at my parents. December 28th, we moved all our possessions (except a few stragglers) to our new home!
- Nathan led worship less and less at our church, as the worship leader began to wrap up his treatments and regained strength. So bittersweet, missed seeing my husband do what he loves as regularly, but rejoiced at the worship leader getting to resume his passion as well!
- We visited the Houston Zoo several times, as a family, for a mom's playdate, and also for the special Christmas Lights exhibit

January 2014-March 2014:
- Our new home continued to take shape... Levi's room is a spring green color (his favorite color might be green...), Ellie's is lavendar to offset her passion for pink, and the rest of our home is calming neutrals... So much painting!!! We repainted the kitchen cabinets, had granite counters installed, and continued to reclaim the long-neglected yard, while also getting to meet some of our very friendly neighbors.
- Nathan was invited to lead worship at two other church plants in the area to fill-in as needed, once again having Sunday commitments 2-3 times a month (who would have thought he would lead worship 30+ times at three different churches in a year while not being actually on staff at a church?)
- In March I was hired at Chick-Fil-A as a 2nd mile hostess, working about 20 hours a week. We have a fantastic young man in the neighborhood who babysits the kids during the times Nathan and my work shifts overlap.
- In March, I was also asked by our church to start putting together a core team of women to start a women's ministry at our church... the team came together and we're seeing God in some cool ways as we take these steps forward to intentionally connect and invest in the women of our church!
- My mom started chemo in January, and it was a rough go. Neither her body nor the cancer responded well to the initial chemo, and after missing quite a few treatments because her various blood count numbers were staying too low, they switched chemos. She once again got to pull out her fun & spunky wigs, although both my kids aren't phased by Grandma Tink wearing a wig, in a scarf, or just plain mop & glow style (well, she hasn't gotten quite there yet, but we all try to find humor right now). She's still their grandma. Just a lot more tired and slower moving since she can't take jarring movements or impacts from bouncy munchkins.
- I have kept up with taking the kids to my grandparents in East Texas every 4-6 weeks. My grandpa decided his great-grandkids need a paddle boat, whether for their pleasure or for me to work off stubborn baby weight, I'm not sure...
- We got to host a baby shower at my home for my sister Sarah. What joy to see these four walls hold so much laughter and fellowship from friends and family!
- I got to take Nathan to his first Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, and we got to invite Jeff & Julie Streitzel (friends from Moody Bible) to come with us! We went a second time and took Levi as well!

April 2014-May 2014:
- My sister Sarah, was diagnosed with preeclampsia shortly after her baby shower, and had to stay home on bedrest (she works fulltime as a behavior analyst for an autistic school). Once again, living 15 minutes from her was such a blessing during this season! Her daughter, Claire Alice, was born at 36 weeks, and both momma and baby are doing great!
- Went camping for the first time since moving to Texas, at a Jellystone Park an hour away. Fantastic camping weather, cool at night, hot during the day to enjoy the water slides & activities. All of us loved it!
- My mom got back the reports from testing done in April to see how the new chemo was doing. Not only were her blood count levels staying in normal ranges, but there was no evidence of new cancer growth, there were areas of cancer dying, as well as areas where bone was healing. Such an awesome praise. But with that praise, comes the price of continual chemo. She came down with a cold, that turned into bronchitis that she fought most of the month. Just as she was on the mend, it came back full force and turned into pneumonia. She was hospitalized almost two weeks ago, then released last week after getting "better" (pneumonia can knock down a healthy person, so a person on chemo is even rougher to heal). Over the weekend was in severe bone pain again, and was once again admitted to the hospital yesterday. Looks like she may have some kind of infection still going on, and today will be talking to doctors about stuff... so I don't know much more. Just the scary reality (being honest here) that with how aggressive chemo and cancer are, it's a non-stop life battle. Without chemo, the cancer roars to life. With chemo, basic illnesses like colds & pneumonia are life-threatening. As a family, we have good days and bad days. Cancer has become "normal" in some ways as part of our life the last three years, but yet it's not normal. My mom is 54 years old. I have fears lurking on the edge of my mind (or taking over when I'm not focusing my eyes on Jesus), "what-ifs" that I don't know how to verbalize or process (well, since I'm a verbal processor they are kind of the same thing), and yet life moves forward and there is so much joy in the midst of the pain.
- Levi is playing on a local soccer team for 8-weeks... last game is this Saturday! And guess who the coach is? Coach Nathan! Levi has loved playing on a team, and Nathan has enjoyed his first time coaching little munchkins.
- We are growing a garden... tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, and squash. We have been having lots of almost-tomatoes, until a certain 2 year old picks all the "green balls" and piles them up in the yard. Two heavy rainstorms have made the growth of the squash plants questionable, and we'll see if the peppers produce!
- Nathan may be starting in a local part-time worship leader position this summer... we are fairly far along in the hiring process, but know that God is still in control and are holding it with open hands. Excited to see him getting to step back into one of his main passions, and just continuing to pray for wisdom as we learn the life of being bi-vocational. Again, taking life a day at a time.

We are seeing God work in so many ways. A theme for our little family of four this year has been that God is at work and moving, things just don't look like we might have thought they were going to look. If a little over a year ago someone had told us Nathan would be a leadership development director for Chick-fil-a, and not full-time in ministry in a year, that would have sounded crazy. But he is, and he feels God has been calling him to stay there for a season. Still feels called to full-time ministry, but we both committed to following each door God opened for us when we moved to Texas. And he feels like his time there isn't done yet. But God has also opened the doors for him to regularly lead worship at three churches, as well as me working on recruiting and investing in people at church, starting to build a women's ministry, and getting hired at Chick-Fil-A to reach out to other women in our community. Good things happening, just looks different than we thought it might.

Keep praying for us. We're taking it a day at a time and have so much laughter and craziness and tears and God-sightings through it all. And pray for my mom, my dad, my sisters... and if you know them personally, call them, write them, do something to just reach out and walk alongside them.

Love y'all and just feel the incredible blessing of having people all over the nation and world walking life with us and praying for us in this wonderful crazy journey!

"Discipleship & Discipline" Webinar by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson: Only $17.99!!!

When I asked a friend recently what books she has read that have encouraged and challenged her heart as a woman & mom, "Desperate" by Sarah Mae & Sally Clarkson was top on the list. I have a confession: I had never heard of either author, but after purchasing the book on Amazon last week, I have a feeling I am going to be soaking up books from both women for awhile. It has been an incredible drink of fresh water for this season of life for me right now! I long to embrace who I am as a woman, continue to discover the type mom God created me to be, create a home that shows my husband and children the love & grace of Jesus on a daily basis, and build our family with intentionality (is that even a word? If not, I'm using it anyway).

God's timing is perfect... right after being introduced to these two humble, godly women, I saw that they will be having a webinar called "Discipleship & Discipline" this week (Tuesday-Friday, Sept. 10th-13th). I am so thirsty to walk life with other mothers of young children, and learn from older women who have walked this journey before me! In this webinar, which will be from 9pm-10pm EST each night, they will discuss (and you can read the full descriptions of each session here):

- Laying a Foundation of Love (Sally Clarkson)
- Loving the Wild One (Sarah Mae)
- Dealing with Our Junk So We Can Parent with Clarity (Sarah Mae)
- Heartfelt Disipline/Your Parenting Questions Answered Q&A (Sally Clarkson)

Along with getting to attend the live webinar every evening (and then having "on demand" access--that never expires-- afterwards if you can't make one of the sessions), you will get:

• Four days of teaching & conversation with Sally Clarkson and Sarah Mae via live Webinar

• Five daily emails with inspiration, key readings and other resources

• The opportunity to ask Sally your parenting questions

• My 24 Family Ways PDF Packet (I'm assuming a pdf of this book?)

• The UnWired Mom eBook

• Core Lies eBook

Sally Clarkson and Sarah Mae want as many moms as possible to be able to be encouraged & challenged, so they not only removed the time restrictions some of us have (by making this online versus just a physical location), but they have made registration only $17.99 a person. 

Are you looking to be encouraged, refreshed, challenged, and given hope in your motherhood journey? That is what my heart is crying out for, so I am so excited to be able to attend this this week, and want to share it with as many of y'all as I can!!! If this is some of what your heart is longing for as well, you can sign-up here.

Enjoy your week!

* This post contains my affiliate link.

Hearts for Building

This week a new friend shared an article on Facebook that encouraged my heart and made my eyes mist over because of the truths it contained, the encouragement it gave me as a *young* mom (I just recently faced a monumental birthday... eeks!) You can read the article here, but basically, it was written by a mom of five children to moms with one or two who wonder how in the world she does it.

The last 10 years has held a lot of various seasons for me personally: graduating from college, working in ministry as a single female, getting married, learning to be a wife, learning to be a pastor's wife, being involved in youth ministry and womens ministry, having two children, moving states, and walking alongside my husband while he job searches, while longing myself to enter ministry once again.

All of these "seasons" have been so full. Crazy times, exciting adventures, packed out weeks, moments when I can't wait for what is coming, and other times when I don't know how in the world I will hang on through the next thing. These seasons keep pushing me to Jesus. I've had some incredibly encouraging friends walk by my side, and some other encounters with fellow believers that left me hurt or discouraged.

This week at a small group training meeting, our pastor shared that sometimes women can have a difficult time being honest with each other. So much comparison and insecurity goes on, both inside and outside the church.

And for me (as well as probably a lot of you), the "little" conversations lay the groundwork for how safe or open I feel like I can be with women/people around me. I'm finally recognizing how some the "normal" statements made on a pretty regular basis to women sharing something about their life are actually not encouraging, bonding, edifying, or really actually a godly response. Here are some real conversations I've experienced or personally witnessed (typically when a woman is brave enough to answer the question "How are you?" with a real answer):

Young mom: "This has been a really long week. Neither of my toddlers will nap at the same time, and the baby keeps waking up all night. I'm just exhausted."
Other female: "Enjoy this season, it's so special, they grow up so quick. This is a precious time."

Young Mom: "Things have just been crazy. Sick kids, messy house, husband is working long hours..."
Other female: "Honey, wait til your kids are older. Then you'll really know what busy is."

Single Female: "Doing ok. Been some tough things the last few weeks."
Other female: "Your mom just told me about your boyfriend. It's ok, God has someone better and more handsome for you. This wasn't the right one."

Married Woman: "This year has been rough. Our work schedules have been really different and my husband and I haven't gotten a lot of time together. And finances are just so tight."
Other female: "Wait until you add kids to the mix, then it really gets crazy!"

And the list could go on. You know the moments I'm talking about, when you leave a conversation feeling like you're a failure or not spiritual enough and you have to be older, wiser, have more/less kids, work more/less, etc, etc... And after awhile, when someone asks how you're doing, you answer "Great, good, fine" and keep on walking or change the subject. There are truths in those statements, but they aren't always the right time to share them... Like it is true that the first few years of having children is precious, it does go by quickly, but it's also grueling, exhausting, and I've never met a mom who loves changing diapers, thrived on a lack of sleep, or enjoyed the painful adventure of grocery shopping with three small kids.

God is teaching me to listen. Say a whole lot less (and yes, I do love to talk!), and think through something before I say it. And part of Ephesians 4 has become the standard I want to live...

 "29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Such powerful words. If I respond with "-----", will it be helpful or good for this person? Will this encourage them? Will this show compassion to them? Will my words lift them up while they are down?

I don't know the heart behind some of the responses I mentioned above. On the surface, they seem harmless. But yet there is an edge to them that can cut (not always, but often). It might just be the "church/godly" answer (like a better man out there), it might be a longing that they had chosen differently, it might be unresolved bitterness or anxiety about their own current season, an unidentified mentality that everyone has to endure certain seasons, or it might be they just have had their own exhausting week and didn't think before they spoke. I know the heart usually isn't to hurt. But we are all human, we are all sinners, and sometimes we say things that are not edifying, encouraging, or compassionate.

And since we only get glimpses of each others' lives, we don't usually get to see the big picture of what's going on for the person sharing with us. They might have gotten a scary lab result back from the doctor that week and don't know how to share it with anyone yet. They might have an incredible career or ministry, but have secretly been going through infertility for years. They might long to be married, and are hurting because God hasn't placed them in that season yet. Or they could just be so exhausted and worn out they don't give themselves credit for all the wonderful things that they ARE doing. God might have called them to have five children, or only two, or has blessed them with one, but not any more yet... We just don't know what's going on in their hearts.

Some of the times that have been so encouraging and redeeming for me have been times when I have been told, or heard someone else told, things like:

"Hang in there. This infant phase is rough... it's ok to let some dishes go, and cuddle with your baby for a nap. And you know what? It's ok to cry. I remember crying a ton. Those crazy hormones!"

"That does sound crazy. Need a hug?" (saying life only gets busier is NEVER encouraging to someone who is already stressed)

"If you need to talk, I'm here. Or if you need to just laugh, I can bring over a comedy one night this week or we can go shopping?" (thrift stores are a fun place to find ridiculous clothes to try on for laughs, and frozen yogurt places are great for the heart)

"I'm really sorry to hear that. I'll be praying for you." (And follow that up by checking on them later in the week)

"That does sound really overwhelming. Can I pray for you right now?"

"What can I do to help?" (hold a baby for an hour, fold some laundry, play with kids outside for an hour, give a gift card for a date night...)

"I don't have answers for you. Just keep leaning into Jesus. Keep taking it to Him."

I know this was long, but this has been on my heart weekly for quite awhile. Let's keep encouraging each other, let's build each other up. Let's keep listening to one another and become women of God who can be honest and open with each other, and it be safe. We have plenty of not-safe relationships in our extended families, workplaces, neighborhoods, and more, but let's keep fighting the fight as sisters in Christ that we can be safe together! Listen to someone's heart share a piece of their life. Give a hug, offer a shoulder to cry on, lend a hand in a tangible way so they don't feel like they are walking alone, and most of all, pray for them. Keep taking them to Jesus. One of the most incredible things I have learned from my husband is to push past the awkwardness of being in the middle of somewhere, and be willing to ask that crucial, "Can I pray for you right now?" question. But oh how sweet it is to stop right then and there and take it to Jesus.

For all of us who have chosen to follow Jesus for life, we are on a journey of becoming more like Him. Whatever "season" we are in, single, married, divorced, single parents, college age, retired, parents, longing to be parents, working outside the home, working at home... we keep our eyes on Jesus!

Summer Longings

"Longings" is the best word I can come up with to describe what has been going on in my heart this summer.

As each week is passing, I feel like I am coming more and more alive in this *new* culture we are living in (yes, I was born and raised here, but so much has changed, and I've lived away for so long). God has been stirring up joys, passions, and longings that have kept me verbally processing with a close friend during our weekly FaceTime phone dates.

On a Sunday morning when my husband plays his guitar and leads a local group of believers in corporate worship (like in the video above), my heart rejoices and longs at the same time for him. I see him monthly growing in this spiritual gift he's been blessed with, and can't wait for what God has in store for him. I don't know what it is or when it is, but each time he leads, my heart is reaffirmed that this path we are walking in faith is what we're supposed to be doing.

During the week as I tidy up the kids toys in their play area, or adjust to cooking with someone else's things (ladies, you know what I'm talking about, there's nothing quite like your own kitchen items), or tuck my son to sleep in his currently purple room, I long for the day to come that we are once again in our own home. I dream of my home with four bedrooms, one for each kid, one for us, and one for any guests visiting or local people needing a place to stay. A home with a kitchen window overlooking a backyard, so I can watch my kids play outside in the sunshine (our old home didn't have a kitchen window, or really a backyard...). And it will be like Christmas getting to open up all my kitchen things. Who knew a woman could love her silverware, pots, and dishes so much? :-)

Needless to say, these things are challenging to talk about. The last six weeks (since my last blog post), I have been pondering how to put into words some of these thoughts & emotions. They are not easy to verbalize, and don't fit quite into the normal "this is how we're seeing some awesome things God is doing!" update. Yet He is doing some great things. Some of them tangible, some of them only heart stirrings.

The friend I weekly try to FaceTime with (she teaches English in Europe) shared with me something she has been learning... to ask "What is God calling me into? What is He inviting me into?"

Then this last Sunday, our pastor put before us the question, "In what ways am I making myself available to hear from God?" (and I might not have gotten the wording quite right, but that was the gist of it)

I have loved walking alongside Nathan as we've served the Lord together for almost six years now (whoop-whoop!). This has been an exciting, long, painful journey of seeking what is next. And day by day walk into the unknown in some ways. Some days are filled with so much joy. Some days have tears and anxiety. And some days are both joys and longings for what the Lord is going to do in our lives next.

I am near family. I have been weekly reconnecting and spending special time with my parents, sisters, and grandparents that I have lived long distance from for so long. I have two healthy, energetic toddlers, and a humble, godly husband who is working so hard to provide for his family.

God is faithful to provide, He has been faithful to lead, and He continues to be faithful in working in our hearts. These longings remind me of the woman Hannah in the Bible who longed for a child, or the Hebrew people who longed for their own land, or King David who longed after God. So I will keep on taking these longings right back to Him. I will daily ask Him to open doors for us. He is our Hope.

Will I laugh during these fun family memory-building times? Will I give God praise at the very visible, very tangible ways we see Him taking care of us? Will I rejoice with friends who are seeing answers to their prayers? Will I sit and soak in His presence and peace during the quieter times? Yes yes yes and yes.

Will I long for our future, to see my husband once again daily using his gifts of musical worship, teaching, and discipleship? Will I long for my dream home?  Will I cry on days that are hard? Yep, and sometimes it's all of those things on the same day... :-)

The best way I can say it is that this is a sweet and painful journey all at the same time.

Summer Joys

The heat & humidity of a Gulf Coast summer has finally settled in the Houston area, meaning more indoor play time and lots of pool time.

Levi had fun taking swimming lessons in June, and conquered his HUGE fear of getting water in his face. He now jumps, slides, and any other way he can think of, makes huge splashes in the pool. Still not completely swimming on his own, but getting closer and closer. He also has gained several pounds and grown out of an entire size of clothing, which God provided for by an awesome summer clearance store. He is now restocked with running shorts, tshirts, and a few short sleeve dress shirts.

Eliana is just about as adventurous in the pool, trying to keep up with everything big brother does. She daily amazes me with her curious, active, adventurous little personality. Well, big personality in a pint-size body. She is getting taller and slimmer, but still in the same clothing size, so we also went shopping for some new clothes during the summer clearance for her. Her other summer clothes are getting so faded and stained being worn for so many months (and were from garage sales themselves).

Nathan has stayed very, very busy working as a manager at Chick-Fil-A, mowing a few yards, and leading worship several times a month at the church we're attending.

This summer we have had fun as a family visiting the local Houston zoo (pictured below), attending the Ringling Brothers Circus (courtesy of ChickFilA), picking fresh strawberries at a local farm, and over course, eating & playing at Chick-Fil-A! :-)



And I have stayed busy keeping up with those three! Last week Nathan and I had the joy of a 48hr. getaway to the "Hill Country" of Texas (about 3 hours away). We celebrated both of our 30th birthdays this summer by visiting a winery, going to a huge waterpark for a day, touring a cavern, and tubing/floating for several hours on a river! The kids got extended time with my parents while we were on our adventures. And we just had a wonderful time. So, so good. Just a refreshing time for our marriage & friendship! We both agreed it's one of the best trips we've ever been on.

This is Canyon Lake, the beautiful lake we stayed on (thanks to a Groupon voucher!)



These are just some samples of the blessings we've had as a family this summer. Our continued focus has been building memories together. And we definitely have built some to last for a lifetime! Can't wait to build some more!

"Resting" in the Lord

"My soul finds rest in God along, my salvation comes from Him" - Psalm 62:1

This verse plays through my head because of the upbeat rendition called "Never Be Shaken" by Seeds Family Worship (we listen to "Seeds" regularly).

And towards the end of June, we got to experience the "resting" in God in a way that still brings a soft smile to my face and a bubble of joy inside.

To make our big move down here, we really simplified what we owned. We had several garage sales, sold items online, gave things away to friends, donated items, etc... In the case of our queen size 13 yr. old mattress, we simply put it out for the garbage men to collect. It was sadly sagging in the middle and we had been saving up to purchase a new one this year. My parents had a full bed in the guest room, so why take up truck space bringing an old mattress with us, or haul a new one 1,300 miles? We added "queen size mattress" to our prayer list for God to provide in the future.

So our first month living in Texas went by, and we learned a full size bed is not-so-fun when a couple is 6'2" and 5'7". It works for a short time, but not my favorite thing long-term. Memorial Day supposedly has the best mattress deals of the year, so we started researching and looking at our budget for buying a mattress.

The weekend came, and we started looking at the sales, and for some reason just didn't feel a peace that we should buy a mattress at that time. I was really disappointed, because I couldn't wait to stretch out in a queen bed once again! But I also knew that Nathan and I have learned over the last several years to not push past hesitations when making a purchase (of any size!).

At the end of June, we were having "family time" outside, clearing & burning brush on my parents 5 acres. I went inside for a quick drink break, and my mom told me that a friend of hers in the neighborhood had just called, and wanted to know if we would be interested in a a queen size mattress set. So I automatically said sure, could we get more info (age, price, type, etc...). Mom replied that the mattress was less than two years old, had only been slept on for a month or two, then made into the guest bed because the couple bought a king instead. To top it off, they wanted to just give it to us.

Stunned, I walked outside and shared the news with Nathan. He stopped what he was doing and just about cried.

Within an hour, we were returning home with a *new* mattress, and that night, slept on a queen size bed once again.

When we arrived at this lady's house, she told us they had bought a top-of-the-line mattress to help with their back/joint issues. But quickly decided to upgrade to a king size for more room. And it's been sitting unused since. She apologized for not being able to give us a frame or sheets, she needed to keep those. And when I tried (through tears) to tell her what a blessing she was, she said WE were a blessing to HER.

Definitely confused, I asked "how?" And she replied that she felt the Spirit telling her for several days to call us about the mattress, instead of listing it for sale online. Our having an exact need for that mattress was confirmation to her that she had been listening to the Lord. What an incredible perspective. She had only heard through my mom that we had moved down here and were looking for a ministry position, and we had not previously met her. Yet here was God providing one of our biggest needs through an almost stranger.

During our journey of following the Lord right now, this was such an encouragement. Not only did God show us in a huge way that He is providing for us, He is going above & beyond our "need" (we couldn't have EVER afforded this mattress). He blessed us with an item that has been a daily reminder that He is taking care of us, and we can "rest" in Him.

And in the last six weeks, Nathan and I have noticed our chronic lower back pain (Nate) and hip pain (me) completely go away.

So we continue to seek Him. And continue to find our rest in Him.

An Undivided Heart: Catching Up w/ Nate & Jess

Since we've been in Texas for 9 weeks, that means Nathan has completed 7 of his 8 week trial period at Chick-Fil-A. It has gone really well so far, with surprises along the way, as well as some long weeks there, too. Nathan was promoted to a manager after completing two weeks. They are still working on what his responsiblities will be after the 8 weeks, but have already started having him invest more in the people around him. He works with so many high school and college age students, and they have really embraced having him as a manager, and he has had opportunities to listen to things going on in their lives, encourage them, and pray for them. We continue to be amazed at the way God provided such a good fit for him to be able to work full-time, provide for the family, and also get to invest in people around him. (for fun, here's a picture of Nathan on one of his first days of work, since Chick-Fil-A has a no beard policy...)

But to be honest, these are some long days right now. He has been working the 2pm-close shift, so he's gone about 10 hours four days a week, then 5pm-close his fifth day. His body has gradually shifted from being the morning person I've known for so many years, to being more of a night owl. I'm so glad we get mornings together as a family, but getting the kids ready for bed without him just isn't the same, in so many ways. Finding time together as a family and as a couple is taking some creativity, because when he is home, there are normal life things to catch up on, not to mention continuing to job search for a pastoral position. And his heart longs for it. He has led worship several times at the small church plant we've been attending (their worship leader is going through chemo, so Nathan helps when needed), and my heart knows he's supposed to be doing that on a regular basis. So we keep our eyes on Jesus. 

Yesterday we listened to a sermon where the pastor challenged fathers with "an undivided heart of worship is the heart of a godly leader". In 1 Kings 11, God warns King Solomon to not marry foreign women because they would turn Solomon's heart away from God. But Solomon chose not to listen, and over time, his heart became divided and was turned away from God. And the effects were devastating, changing the course of the entire nation of Israel.

That really stuck with me. I know it was aimed at the fathers & men*, continuing to challenge and encourage them in their leadership, but it also spoke to me during this season when I have been continually challenged to keep my eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:2). As a mom to two toddlers, living with my family, having moved 1,300 miles to a new location (and yes, Texas does feel new in many ways because so much has changed and developed around here), my husband working long hours while still searching for a ministry position, with my own heart also praying to be involved in ministry again... So many reasons I can get sidetracked and start worrying about other things. But I don't want my heart to be divided. I desire to build a deeper intimacy with God, I thirst after Him. This weekend I've been challenged in various personal ways of how I need to keep on fighting the fight for my heart. Not to let "small" things creep in and turning my heart from God. Regardless of what is going on around me, I want to follow the Lord completely, as David, Solomon's father, was known for (1 Kings 11:6).

Right now, Nathan and I are on a journey, having some new adventures. We're not sure what God's time table is for a future ministry position, but we're taking it one step at a time, seeking Him, and trying to keep our eyes on Jesus. That is how we can run this race (A portion of Hebrews 12:1-2 says: "And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus"). As I enjoy the sunny warm climate where flip-flops and wearing cotton skirts/dresses is a norm for females, my heart will continue to hope for our future. I know if you're following these ramblings and blog posts of mine, you love our family and are praying for us. We so greatly appreciate it. Here are some of the things we would love to have covered in prayer:

- Nathan's ongoing job at Chick-Fil-A, that details continue to get worked out regarding his position, and for opportunities to continue to arise where he gets to share the Lord with others.
- For me as I stay at home with the kids for long, long hours, investing, training, disciplining... Some days are awesome and some days are wearying. Also as I start to build relationships in the area, that God would provide both some friends, and some women to invest in.
- For Nathan's future pastoral position. We know he is gifted and called to lead worship, teach, and disciple others. He has been regularly applying for jobs over the last 8 months. We know God is faithful and has a specific place He will place Nathan to use those gifts. This waiting period is hard though!
- For us as parents, that God would continue to teach us and lead us in how to parent Levi & Eliana well.
- For our future home... I know one day soon we will again be living in our own place. This has been a special season with family and the kids are getting to bond with their grandparents in ways that wouldn't be possible otherwise. We are so thankful that we have had the opportunity to do this. Yet we still long for our own home once again.
- Most of all, that we have undivided hearts of worship and keep our eyes on Jesus!



* This is completely unrelated to the post, but since yesterday was Father's Day, I wanted to share one more prayer request. Father's Day (as well as all the other holidays) is a wonderful and special time to celebrate as a family, but my heart was burdened with also wanting to pray for the families that it might have been more of a time of mourning. Pray for the dads who have lost a child, for the children (young or adult) who no longer have their fathers with them. The godly single men who desire to have a family one day. For the couple who has been walking the road of infertility and have faced another heartbreaking month. And pray for the godly men who have chosen to invest in younger men like they are their own sons.