Multitude of Thoughts: Mind Blown

This post could blow your mind.... Maybe you're at home wanting to live passionately for the Lord but stuck in some "what if" ruts - like we were last year...literally this same time last year I was hitting the resume trail hard looking for the perfect place to work... and we were praying that when I got a job Matt would be okay to leave his, to stay home with our blessings and do ministry more...
we knew this was crazy and outta every societal norm... we knew that even though it was exactly what we heard God tell us- that even our own family or fellow believers would scorn us...
Matt & I knew that serving the Lord in crazy ways would be exactly perfect for our family and the "norm" didn't matter... but the true facts of real life are still there... and our huge what if, over every other thing was the green stuff... "what if our funds run out?"... financial concerns were real... very black and white... bills are bills... although we live simply, we still want to LIVE and love our life and have FUN :) But how does that all make sense with one income? Here's some transparency... God... ALWAYS... Provides... Literally in THE craziest ways... at the CRAZIEST times... Heaven rains blessings.... Looking back from then til now, every detail was taken care of ...

True story.... Guys ...that time when you get a text saying someone got a bonus at work and wanted to QuickPay us if the need was there... and we were actually able to thankfully say NO... the need is not there... the practical financial blessing that has been poured, literally poured, out on from believers from all over, has encouraged us like NOTHING ELSE.... Just a helpful tip to all you momma's out there.. even the "seemingly insignificant" small change that you give to friends for ice cream dates or that random Dunks gift card... makes someone feel like a million bucks....

We have learned SO much this summer... SO much in things we need to change ... SO much in how to love like Jesus ( not easy- but we are learning) thank you to so many friends for showing us this love ...
SO much in how to literally live under a grace waterfall and be okay with it... not sure if you have gotten something and kinda wanted to reject it because "no way that's too much" or "why us?" or "someone else could use this way more than us"... but just accepting blessing with a smile and and huge hug and with thankfulness knowing all the money in the world is nothing if it's not used for the Lord and used with proper motives....

Just a little real love shared with you, because I wanted to pick someone's brain last year... and I didn't know what to do or who to ask... and so we prayed... and that was just awesome... so keep praying... but maybe you have a deep desire to serve the Lord too but wonder how the reality of life will happen... we wondered... and because of close prayer connections with our Father he knew our needs.. ( did before we asked him) and provided...for our every single need and totally above...so friend-when God talks to you ... listen and do what he is telling your family... He will never let you down. Friends may wonder. judge, be weird... no worries... He's got you! You are redeemed. You are His.
{Why lavish love this O Lord to me... Thou lovest me... Deep vast immense unfathomed Lord profound.... Lord I Love Thee}

My biggest issue now, is not the provision aspect... but the Parenting aspect... How to model Christ like behavior when that's the last thing I feel during those annoying moments...when I have been in constant parenting mode for 2 months .... and when to let go and watch them do their thing and when to be involved... and how do I handle the preteen years... and the toddler years... with a son who blows our minds with cuteness and charm, yet is not cookie cutter with his speech and the stress it causes when he is around other kids... the kids who don't know that a "wew wew beep beep" is a fire truck, because helloooo that is the exact sound of that siren ;)

I loved how Kyle Idleman put it in "Not a Fan"- (talking about taking up the Cross and following the Lord wherever He tells us) "wherever may be in your own home. There is a tendency to carry a cross and follow Jesus- but before we walk in the door of our own home, we leave the cross on the front porch. Instead of being patient, you are demanding. Instead of being encouraging, you are constantly critical. " ( pg 177). Press on parents....
XO

Life last week....in photo form :)

Waiting in drive thru :)

Boys date in the city.... amazing....

While Mila, Hannah, Hudson & I went to a far away land to see "Minion Madness", which was not madness... just 2 minions. Here is the line, 2 hours later, after we had left. It was insanity and totally not worth it- but we loved the laughs and the ice cream after was amazing :)

On the right is our new friend Cheryl, her and her family are missionaries from Chile, living on campus in Wheaton, while her hubby Pablo studies Hebrew and Greek for 2-3 years. They are amazing, passionate for the Lord and their 3 kids are almost the same ages as ours and hooray for Mikey, Hudson's partner in crime. Watch out world :)

Matt went to Jersey for a couple speaking events, and so after airport drop off, we hit up breakfast

She's a gymnast!!

For once...he is still :)

Saturday had us out early ... after we handed out flyers about our new hall to the new neighbors

( and it looks like we are building in prime kid territory- hello sunday school blessings!!!) we got to play for literally 5 minutes at the park before the buggies were too much ;(