Further Joy and Blessing.....

Greetings! Nine more days until take off! In the meantime, Tim and I are getting lots done and are getting the opportunity to spend some amazing time with friends before we go.

Yesterday I was so honored to go out for lunch with my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) discussion group ladies. I haven't seen them since early May and while we have spent since last September studying the Bible together, we have never been able to connect outside of the classroom. Until yesterday!

My discussion group is filled with beautiful women from all over the map. Most of them are immigrants from Asia. I am the only "white chick" in the group.....I'm also the only one that cannot speak an Asian language. However, they have accepted me with wide open arms and have taught me so much in Cantonese, English, and Mandarin! I've learned ooodles more about Christ, love, and .....Korean BBQ from these precious ladies.....hence the BBQ pit in the table! I've never been to a restaurant where you buy the food and cook it yourself at your table! They had me trying all kinds of Asian goodies and with the exception of a few slimy things, I loved it all!

What overwhelmed me was their willingness and desire to connect with me before our trip....they remembered to pray for me in the discussion group when I couldn't go anymore....they sent me a beautiful card filled with messages of prayer and hope for the coming year...and even supported me with a donation for the journey. Then they bought me lunch! I was so blessed....and humbled...and grateful for the time that I had getting to know them and their journey to know Christ better.

A few of them even said they would come and visit us on their way back to Hong Kong or Taiwan! God has been so good. I am so thankful for our dear friends. They have shown me God's great care for me.

Be blessed!

"Feeling Phlegm-y" (set to the tune of "Feeling Groovy")

Greetings! (Sorry, Mom, this picture was just too awesome!)

My Mom is awesome...my dearest friend and my confidant and wise counselor....a woman who reflects Christ in every area of her life....or so she desires....except for in this picture!

Yes, this is my Mom....this is my wonderful Mom in a disgusting mask....this is my dear, lovely Mom posing in the mask that she bought from a garage sale.....this is my Mom's mask that she used to scare her granddaughter, Gracie, when she was two! I have to mention that I also used the mask while visiting my parents to surprise Tim when he returned from his getaway with Paso. :) Gross, eh!?

Well, that's a bit how I am feeling as of late. I came down with a nasty fever and the attack of killer phlegm. Deep in my chest is sloppy goo making me cough and sputter. Painful and goopy, I have been sick and yet, God is still being so gracious to me.

We're still staying at my in-laws' place and this passed week was filled with good-byes and blessings.

Tim's dear Aunt Donna and Uncle Hugh treated us to an amazing feast at their house on Saturday....it was to DIE for! The food and the fellowship were such a blessing...they are the blessing.

Then on Sunday, we had our "good-bye" service and we were overwhelmed with the words of encouragement and prophetic words so many spoke over us. Many have been a part of our church family for over 7 years and to have them surrounding us along with many of our new family members was so humbling. Uncle Bob and Aunt Sylvia (whom I have spoken of many times) were there to anoint us with oil and pray a blessing over our marriage and also communicate to us how much our Father delights in us. I cried. A lot. Being sick made it more messy, too.

I think that part of the reason Tim and I feel so safe heading off into the "great unknown" is that we feel so surrounded by our family. Not our biological family, but our adoptive family in Christ. No matter where we go or what we are doing, we are completely surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1) and many who are praying for us. Even Christ is interceding for us before the Father day and night! We cannot fail. I am so grateful for my family.

Thank you for your prayers and your encouragements....we are so humbled at the grace of God in His provision of our dear family. Only 11 days until take off! Please pray our car sells this week! We'll keep you posted! Blessings!

Feeling dizzy!

Greetings! Sorry for the delay....things are getting a bit goofy in our world. We just arrived back in Vancouver, BC after almost 12 days in Oregon with my family.

We had an opportunity to say good-bye to friends and family while there and though many tears were shared, the time spent was full of joy.

We even had the opportunity to spend some fantastic time with Gary and Lynn Jones who spent seven years in Davao City caring for the poor with the directors of Mercy Maternity! We had a gas with them and regretted that they would not be there this coming year.

Tim led worship at my parents' church and I got to preach! Seriously! It was the first time that I was given the whole sermon time to preach. What a humbling experience. But God was so faithful and spoke volumes.....to me, too. I even had a few people ask for a copy of it!

We spent almost everyday with my brother and sister-in-law as well as their kids. I have been so amazed at how God has used them to bless me like never before these last few months.

My parents were such a blessing, too. They went out of their way to make sure that we were provided for and that we were having a peaceful stay with them. I loved spending time with them.

Tim's parents then put us up in a B&B on Whidbey Island for a night to regroup and have some 'alone' time as we haven't been 'alone' in over a month! What a peaceful blessing and now, here we are.....back in the disheveled mess of moving.....hence this pic of Grace, my niece, swirling around in my parents' backyard. She wouldn't let me take a picture of her, so I had to chase her. In my chase, I got really dizzy, and now that we're having to get back to working on traveling stuff, I am feeling that whoozy feeling again!

With only 16 days left until we board the plane to Davao, we are busy scheduling bank visits, doctor appointments, and last minute visits with those precious to us. Whew.
God has been so faithful throughout this process and I know I will never be able to thank Him accordingly for His provision, grace, and forgiveness. We haven't always handled everything with peace and trust in the Lord, but our desire is to be a blessing wherever we go and with the help of our Father, even when things get rough, we will be. Many blessings to you all...please keep us and our families in your prayers!

Here we goooooooooo!

Greetings! I'm in Oregon visiting my family, so I apologize for the delay in posting! This is the last time I get to see my side of the family before we head out to Davao! Time is going so fast, I feel like I can't keep up!

But I've been able to spend some fantastic time with my nephew, Ben, and my niece, Grace (pictured here). They are such a blessing to me and I love watching them grow.

I have also had the opportunity to hang out with my sister-in-law, hear my dad preach, go for long walks with my mom, write two book reports for school, visit my mentors and go out for coffee with dear friends. Despite the foreboding feeling of letting go, July 7th feels so far away from now. It's been hard, but very peaceful all at the same time.

God has continued to be faithful, too! We got an e-mail this week telling us that the directors of the clinic in Davao have found us an apartment to live in! PRAISE GOD! What an answer to prayer! It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, too, so we can have the visitors we have been desiring!

It amazes me how God has answered every need with an abundance. Tim and I are so humbled by His mercy and continued grace. I am floored that such a powerful, omnipotent, and holy God would choose me....call me to serve Him....reminds me of Psalm 8:3-5! "What is man that You are mindful of Him....mere man that You should care for him." The Creator of the universe wants to use ME!?

Wow...that He would call us His children and provide for us like a father....His glory is being revealed daily to us and we are blessed. Thank you all for praying for us as we continue this journey. No doubt the prayers are being heard and God is faithful. We serve a mighty, MIGHTY God. Be blessed!

Heavy and full of joy.....

Greetings! Sorry for the delay in posting....it's been pretty nutsy around here. I pray things are peaceful this week for all of you! Tim took this pic and I don't have a reason as to why I posted it....I just like the peaceful feeling it gives. I need a lot of that lately!

I am writing this while sitting in my in-laws' guest bedroom that has now become our home for the next month. They have graciously opened up their home to us despite their crazy schedule and the fact that Tim's granny is coming from Ontario tonight, too! A full house indeed. Our departure date of 7-7-07 is coming quickly!

This passed weekend, we had a benefit concert for our journey along with Chad and Naomi. Despite some mistakes, God showed us mercy and grace with a gift of over $1800. for us and about $2700. for the Bjorgan family. I'd say that's pretty cool. That's our missionary visas right there. It feels as though things are within our reach. God is showing Himself faithful in small and BIG ways....

Tim and I had the amazing opportunity to sing together at church on Sunday, too! For those of you who know me, Tim is a fantastic worship leader and we used to sing together on the worship team before we started working at the group home. Well, since we're outta a job, I get to go to church on Sunday without children so I am freed up to sing on Tim's team and even play saxophone! And you know, God was so there. I loved being able to sing with Tim once again and worship the Lord with a new sense of unity....there was a freshness about it. It felt like our worship to Jesus was flowing out of our marriage...a marriage that has faced many trials and yet, is so strong now. The unity was felt by others, too. We had so many people come up to us and share how they saw the Lord anointing us together during worship and that the presence of God was strong between us.

While I can't say I felt what they felt, I did feel a overwhelming sense of joy and Tim did, too. It was almost as though God was encouraging us and empowering our marriage...taking it to a whole new level. We know we need it in order to survive the next couple of years overseas. Wow, God is good. God is definitely preparing us for the journey in more ways than just the physical. It's been painful at times and yet, the process is more exciting than the future destination. I fully believe that God is taking us (as well as the rest of you) to the next level....urging and encouraging us to walk fearlessly into our destinies. Overcoming fear and insecurity is the hardest part.....but God has been so faithful. I am grateful. Thank you for all your prayers!

Be blessed!