Prayers Answered

April has been a very good month! By mid-April we had already met our business expenses for the month. Many Realtors are beginning to learn what a fine inspector Mark is, and are sending business our way. However, I must admit that last week's business was too slow for comfort.

Yet, after such a disappointing week last week, Mark started praying for a certain dollar amount of income to cover April AND May's business expenses. Incredibly, the phone started ringing again and he booked enough inspections to meet that goal today!

This is important because he is going on a short mission trip to Haiti next month and quite honestly, we were a little worried about the possibility of lost income while he is gone. But, it's important for him to go to Haiti. Our church has a church plant in Haiti and we have sent mission teams there regularly for years. But, the current instability of the country has made it too unsafe to send mission teams there right now. However, our church has a church plant there, and our Pastor feels that he really must continue to make visits there, in spite of the political climate. The Haiti pastor really needs spiritual support, direction, and encouragement. As unsafe as it would be for us to send mission teams there right now, it would be even more unsafe for Pastor to travel there alone. He really needed a man or two to go with him. He asked Mark to accompany him, as well as another man in our church. They will also be bringing some food to distribute to the Haitians.

You may not be aware of the escalating food prices, food shortages, and devastating hunger in Haiti. People are resorting to eating mud cookies just to fill their bellies. The problem in Haiti is so vast and severe I feel ashamed for worrying one iota about our own circumstances. We really don't know hardship yet. We are disgustingly RICH in comparison to these Haitians , no matter how poor we may be by American standards.

Please pray for Mark, our Pastor, and our friend Stan, who will be making this trip to Haiti. Pray for their safety and that all of their goals will be accomplished. Might I also ask that you pray for our son, Paul, who is going on a mission trip to Japan in May, too? Please pray for a good, safe trip for him, and that he will be able to raise all of his needed funds quickly. We've seen God meet our monetary needs again and again, and I have no doubt that God will provide for this, too.

Thank you for your prayers, friends! We would never have made it without you.

God Meets ALL of our Needs

Even after 22 plus months of living on faith and prayers, there are occasional days when I feel saddled with anxiety. When the phone doesn't ring (with business) or when something seems poised to go completely wrong, it can be a challenge and a struggle to stay on top. There are a couple places I go when I'm feeling that way. First and foremost, my Bible, where are are so many scriptures that I revisit for encouragement. Secondly, George Mueller's writings. His amazing testimonies never fail to encourage me.

We've basically followed the example of George Mueller who once made this pledge:

"Never to ask any human being for help, however great the need might be,
but to make his wants known to the God who has promised to care for
His servants and to hear their prayer."

I'm not saying that we feel it's wrong to ask men for help, but from the beginning of this journey, we have felt God assuring us that He would care for all of our needs until we were able to again provide for ourselves. I think that, for some reason, this is what He is asking of us, but that doesn't mean it is what He would ask of others. There may come a day when we find God directs us differently... but for now (or should I say, for almost 2 years!), when we've had a need, we've asked Him for help. It is an amazing exercise in faith to go to God, and God only. Many times, after we go to God in prayer, He will whisper our name and need to a believer, and that person will act in obedience and do precisely what God has told them to do. And then we have the privilege of experiencing God's amazing provision... a mini-miracle before our eyes.... we watch God meet our need exactly... and he shows us that He has again heard our prayer and that He is willing and able to meet our needs.

In the words of George Mueller:

"If the Lord fails me at this time, it will be the first time."

And, this beautiful faith-filled quote from Hudson Taylor:

"We have twenty-five cents - and all the promises of God!"

Oh, that you would bless me!

We can tell you've been praying!!! Mark has had three inspections so far this week! Please continue to remember us in your prayers. Thank you!

"Jabez cried out to the God of Israel,
"Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!
Let your hand be with me,
and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain."
And God granted his request."
I Chron. 4:10

Just Because He Loves

I was thinking today about one way God has been showing his power and presence in our lives recently. Our daughter, as I have mentioned before, has a pretty active Shepherd group as well as our Youth Group. Last month, there was a Shepherd group outing and Hannah wanted to go but was penniless. But, she ended up getting a babysitting job the day before the outing, and was able to go.

This month, we again faced the fact that there were some expensive youth things going on. It includes a really awesome event Hannah looks forward to going to each year. Again, there seemed to be no reason to believe she'd be able to go. She had no money and no prospects. But, just a couple of days before these events, she had an opportunity to work in childcare at church and to babysit again! Both were the DAY BEFORE she was supposed to pay for these events. And the money she made was just enough to meet these needs.

These are the moments when the timing is so "God", you just know that it is from Him. He is our loving Daddy and even when something isn't a "need", sometimes... just sometimes.... he says "yes" just because He loves us that much.

Praises!

We are coming up on the 2nd year anniversary of the day when we first began to spread our wings and attempt to fly. I cannot believe it has been that long, yet another part of me says it has been the longest 2 years of our life!

We have a couple of praises to report. We have a major problem with our house and we were able to get a HUD grant to make some repairs. Praise God for a major blessing! There are still some details to work out... we'll be working with a tight budget and not sure yet we can do everything we need to do.

I also had another God-moment last week. I was putting off going to the grocery store because we had very little cash on hand. I had been cooking out of the freezer and pantry for a while.... which is not a bad thing, we did have food, but food combos can get pretty weird sometimes! :-) Wednesday a woman at church came up to me and said, "I don't know why, but God laid you upon my heart this week and I think I was supposed to give you this." It was a grocery gift card and a perfectly timed gift.

Again, thank you for your prayers and the many ways you all care for us.
May God be glorified!