Nutshell

Here is my life in a nutshell...

• The weekend before Thanksgiving we had our church planting assessment. 

 (These were our fellow Kansans!)

• We were home a total of 4 days and we then went to Texas for a week. 

• We got home early Saturday morning.  
• Took a nap and regrouped from driving all night. (Naomi ws up from 1:30-3:30am.  It was a very long 15 hour drive.)
• Sunday we loaded up in the van again and headed to Emporia.  There Adam preached and They asked us questions about our "calling."  We got to hang out there all day and Adam lead a Bible study in the evening.    
• Thursday was MOPS. I had a wonderful time and we even had two new moms!

This weekend is packed as well.  I have a Women's Christmas Brunch , an association Christmas party in Topeka, We are going to have a Christmas get together with some friends, as well as trying to finish getting the decorations up.

I love the Holiday season!  Just why does it have to be so busy? My head is spinning from the up's and down's and unknown's we are currently facing.  It is just the start of the Christmas season and I am exhausted!  I am continually praying for God's peace. I know I am greatly blessed.  Though this may be a bit of a "valley" I know there are others who are struggling more than I.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters

he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me
       in the presence of my enemies.
       You anoint my head with oil;
       my cup overflows.

 Surely goodness and love will follow me
       all the days of my life,
       and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
       forever.

Psalm 23

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a big day for our house.  If you remember this post, I mentioned a little boy whom we were being considered for.  Well, tomorrow, November 20 will be the staffing.  They will decide during a meeting at 10:00am.  We will be praying for wisdom for the staff who are meeting.  We know our chances are rather slim considering we have no income. So it will truly take and act of God for us to get this little boy.  I truly hope and pray that we might be chosen.  But I'm trying to keep things in perspective.  I know I am still healing from the fact we were not chosen for Amara. God has a plan for good and not for evil.  I am resting in that promise.  

God is in the drivers seat... 

Last weekend was pretty intense. We had a 2 hour interview where we had to give "our story" and answer 13 in depth questions. We also had a second round of interviews that were "speed dating" style. We also had to come up with a worship session and we were fed a TON of information. Naomi had a blast with her grandparents. They said she only fussed once because she did not want her teeth brushed. It was the longest she had been away from Adam and me.

Now we wait and see what they thought of us. They will designate us in to one of four categories.

1) Not a church planter

2) A Revivalist (take a dieing church and build it up again)

3) A Paulene Church Planter (Fast paced get a church started then move on in about 2-3 years)

or

4) A Founding Pastor (plant a church and stay for long term, about 5-10 years).

We personally feel that we are the fourth. But we will see what they have to say. 

Hope everyone has a good weekend!