Could I possibly be blogging again? Do I possibly have the time to do this? We are leaving MI in 19 DAYS!!! Many of you have already heard the news through talking with us or reading stuff on facebook, but it's been hitting me "big time" in the last 24 hrs. (or less actually). Yesterday afternoon we went to our United Van Lines Company's warehouse to get boxes. We were there at the right time with the right guy to help us. How neat when God does that. I was going to go by myself the day before, but Kris wasn't sure if I would be responsible to load the boxes myself and didn't want me to get hurt--wonderful husband I have. :-) So we decided to go together while our home was being inspected for a potential buyer. Well, we ended up with more than we probably should have. Kris told the guy, "Hey, don't lose your job, man!" because the guy wanted to see if he could find us some paper and tape as well. We just came for the free, used boxes. We left with as many boxes as we could ever want plus pounds of paper and six rolls of tape! Thank you Lord! The other thing we did yesterday was clean through our garage (what a task!) last night and decide what needs to be sold at our moving sale this weekend or taken to CA with us.
Many people have wanted to know the story about why, how, when, etc. we are moving to CA. I think because the whole situation was becoming a really probable one back at the beginning of April, and I couldn't talk about it publicly yet, and it was about the only thing on our minds, I just stopped blogging. I don't know that that made sense, but it's what I did. We were also so busy with many things going on with our church and school here, and of course, Kris's trying to recover from an apendectomy with complications that kept coming up didn't allow me much time on the computer. Once he recovered, he and I made a survey trip together to CA, then we agreed to go back for candidating in May and took the whole family. This of course was right in the midst of all the craziness of the end of the school year stuff going on. It's just been insanely busy! It's not getting better any time soon, but Kris told me to take it easy this morning, so I thought getting to the blog might be a good thing. :-) I am already feeling my fibromyalgia kick in full force like I haven't felt it in a long time. I have to be careful, or I will be worth nothing. God is so good to give me the strength when I need it and a loving husband to stop me when I think I should keep going and I'm wrong.
So, how do I tell this CA story in a nutshell? Hmmmm, how 'bout a timeline? Here goes:
End of Feb.: Kris gets e-mail from his uncle in CA asking if he would be interested in pastoring a small church that is being looked at like a church plant. Kris calls uncle--gets history of the church and a bit of understanding on their current situation.
Couple of days later: Kris has called a guy we know of--church planter, Tim Lovegrove--in southern CA to see what he could tell us. Tim is very passionate and burdened for this region, has a contagious excitement about the great need for reaching people there for Christ. Tells us the area is called the Inland Empire of CA and he believes is the largest metropolitan area with the least amount of good, Bible-teaching churches in America.
Kris also talks to Eric Sipe, our former pastor, friend and mentor about the CA situation. Kris finds out Eric knows about the church there and that he was thinking of calling Kris to see if he would be interested in this ministry. He's encouraged Kris over the years and talked about the potential of Kris's pastoring one day in the future. We've not pursued this in our lives but prayed that if God would have Kris pastor, he would bring that situation to us in His timing. Kris's burden for teaching and preaching has grown immensely over the last two years especially. Kris finds out the Eric found out about this church situation from Kris's cousin. Eric didn't know that that guy is Kris's cousin. His cousin didn't know that Eric was thinking about Kris when he asked Eric for some leads to give his father who is helping find a pastor for his church in CA. Did you get all that??? Kris's cousin thinks of Kris and wonders if he'd be interested so gives his name to his dad to contact us. Eric Sipe plans on calling Kris the next week, but Kris beats him to it, 'cause we received the e-mail from Uncle Dave. Whew! We don't believe this was all coincidental!
End of March: Kris and I are going to take a survey trip to CA to begin to know more fully if this is what God is wanting us to do. Kris gets appendicitis two days before we are to fly out. Trip is put on hold.
Middle of April: We take the rescheduled survey trip. It goes great! We are encouraged by the unity of the leadership and spirit of the people at Heritage Bible Church. No "red flags" seem to come up, but we are not going to say yet that we know we should be there. Much prayer and counsel goes into the next many days ahead. We both believe that God is in this, doing this, leading us toward agreeing to candidating in CA. Kris calls and accepts to call to candidate.
Middle of May: We go as a family to CA. Candidating day goes very well. Praise the Lord! We are encouraged and excited about the people, the place, the potential for ministering for Christ out there.
Now, to be continued, because I need to get over to VBS and play the piano for the closing. . . . :-) Besides your brains need a break, right? More will follow.
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