I've often pondered changing the name of this blog.
But since I blog about once every 365 days, it remains fitting.
Last year I filled everyone in on a very scary time in our lives; I continued to update things through social media and never updated here. I will quickly update!
M2 is fine.
His brain scans and eye scans were completely normal by 6 months out.
It was a fluke.
M2 considers it his Jonah moment.
Coincidentally, we did an in-depth study of Jonah as a family that summer.
M2 came to me in August and told me he was sure he needed to surrender to God his work life and enter full-time ministry immediately.
This was a bit problematic because he owed a time commitment on active duty.
He knew it wasn't a problem for God.
We applied to overseas missions through the IMB and a domestic missions opportunity here in the states.
We diligently prayed God would close doors and open doors.
He was faithful. The IMB door closed.
He was faithful. The Army agreed to let M2 go early.
He was faithful.
(I love to share both of our journeys (which are uniquely different), but this forum is a little too impersonal for me. I would love to share it personally though if you are interested.)
That brings us to where we are today. This past week we went on an intensive week-long interview with French Camp Academy. Many of you will be familiar with FCA from simply knowing me :).
For those of you who are not familiar, FCA is a boarding school for children who are in need of a Christ-centered haven to grow and mature. Their mission is to live out Christ to each and every child who comes through their doors. Many of you know that I have a passion for showing children they have value despite their circumstances. This passion is what drove me to help start up Let It Shine! I love to see those kids feel love and value, yet I always leave longing to follow-up and walk the road with them longer than one birthday. With transient families, this is hard.
French Camp is the vehicle for this passion to be played out daily. It is also the place that God has led M2's heart as he surrenders to a call to ministry.
Our family feels blessed beyond measure to get to experience this new path in life.
I have spoken to many people in the last 9 months, many of whom were concerned about M2's decision to walk away from 15 years in the Army when retirement seemed right around the corner. Let me assure you all, God's in control and he has great plans for our family. We firmly believe that we are not walking away from anything, rather walking into something! We are not concerned at all about His provisions. Yes, we are sad to be saying goodbye to this path, but we are equally thrilled to say hello to the next.
We covet your prayers! Those of you who have diligently walked this road with us and have prayed with a commitment that I have at times lacked, you will never fully know how deeply we have felt those prayers. We ask that you continue to pray for our family.
If you are curious and want to learn more about this ministry, visit their website ...
http://www.frenchcamp.org/frenchcamp/
(I love to share both of our journeys (which are uniquely different), but this forum is a little too impersonal for me. I would love to share it personally though if you are interested.)
That brings us to where we are today. This past week we went on an intensive week-long interview with French Camp Academy. Many of you will be familiar with FCA from simply knowing me :).
For those of you who are not familiar, FCA is a boarding school for children who are in need of a Christ-centered haven to grow and mature. Their mission is to live out Christ to each and every child who comes through their doors. Many of you know that I have a passion for showing children they have value despite their circumstances. This passion is what drove me to help start up Let It Shine! I love to see those kids feel love and value, yet I always leave longing to follow-up and walk the road with them longer than one birthday. With transient families, this is hard.
French Camp is the vehicle for this passion to be played out daily. It is also the place that God has led M2's heart as he surrenders to a call to ministry.
Our family feels blessed beyond measure to get to experience this new path in life.
I have spoken to many people in the last 9 months, many of whom were concerned about M2's decision to walk away from 15 years in the Army when retirement seemed right around the corner. Let me assure you all, God's in control and he has great plans for our family. We firmly believe that we are not walking away from anything, rather walking into something! We are not concerned at all about His provisions. Yes, we are sad to be saying goodbye to this path, but we are equally thrilled to say hello to the next.
We covet your prayers! Those of you who have diligently walked this road with us and have prayed with a commitment that I have at times lacked, you will never fully know how deeply we have felt those prayers. We ask that you continue to pray for our family.
If you are curious and want to learn more about this ministry, visit their website ...
http://www.frenchcamp.org/frenchcamp/
Or read their blog...
https://frenchcampblog.wordpress.com/
Or visit them on social media ...
https://www.facebook.com/frenchcampacademy
Lastly, almost 2 years ago, our family attended a family conference where we chose a mission statement for our family.
We chose Nehemiah 2:17,
"Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
And Philipians 2:14-16,
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain."
Let us all work as God's restorers in a broken world as we hold firmly to the word of life!
