Hey everyone, thank you for being patient with Kari and I as we lived our internet free lives for that season. We are greatly appreciative to all of you who are praying for us, checking up on us, and generally concerned with our well-being as well as that of the kingdom.

In our recent travels, many developments to our character, our marriage, and both our individual and cumulative walks with Christ have occured. As time and memory permits, we will now be sharing what the Spirit leads to bring any readers of this here blog up to speed. For me, it will be the most effective (at least I think) to start now, and work backwards. So, over the course of the past few weeks, we have been living with Keith and Kristine in their beautiful new home in Shoreline, WA along with their boys and Dave and Aaron. It has been beautiful-and difficult at the same time. We have all been learning and growing and searching for jobs, and our patience and perseverance have been being tested and grown along the way.

Anyway, that’s all another story. My repentant reward is the amazing job the Lord has blessed me with, and in my opinion, it is directly due to two things: our perseverance and obedience at Ashley Furniture, and the repentance I found myself admitting to just a week ago at Mars Hill Church in Ballard (we’ve decided to check out other churches every other week to see and enjoy and learn worship styles, small group breakdowns, etc.). The message was about Jonah, and his decision inside the belly of the whale which brought him forgiveness from the Lord and ultimately freedom from that fish. I myself was suffering from reverse pride for the three weeks we had been out here, and I knew I was becoming an idol to myself.

Kind of confusing. But, to me, reverse pride is greater than or equal to false humility. It is me pouting ‘cuz I lose at Settlers, at Spoons, and can’t find a job. It’s me focusing on me. It’s me not being thankful for what the Lord has done, is doing today, and promises to do tomorrow and forever. It’s me worshipping….well….me.

I would like to report that the Spirit of the Lord is alive and well inside my heart, and called me to repentance then and there. Without fail, He who is full of grace, accepted my plea, forgave me on the spot, and my phone rang as I was prostrated before the Lord, eyes full of tears. The message I received later (AFTER the service concluded, of course) was an offer for a great job at an upscale retirement community in Queen Anne, only to be later trumped by ANOTHER offer the SAME day in Bothell.

God truly loves each and every one of His children, and wishes to discipline and bless us equally. I am now basically apprenticing under a Chef of 25 years, who is an amazing manager and culinarian. I am learning new things about food daily, and the Lord is affirming my character through this man, who I am unsure whether even knows the Lord or not! IT IS AMAZING! I love going there! I love learning! I LOVE JESUS! He is my Savior, my Provider, and truly my REDEEMER.

Thank you Lord. Friends, all you have to do is what He tells you. Ask Him for forgiveness, and He is righteous and just, and will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. I believe Him. Test Him on this, and He will prove His faithfulness.

Be looking for weekly BLOGS as I have made a committment to share with you every monday, and am being held to it. Grace and peace.