following His footsteps

We always sing that "where He leads, I'll follow"... right? Our most recent news is a little unexpected, even to us, but we are so thankful that God is blessing us with a little one in September! We just got a comment from a friend who labeled us "newsy people"... she's so right... I'm so tired of being newsy... I hope this is it for a while! Now you know everything about us! :)

On a more serious note, I know there are probably some questions floating around out there about our future. We have a few ourselves! Please pray for us as we sort through everything and seek out God's will. It is so comforting to be able to rely on His plan and to know that it is perfect.

We do know that God's calling to us to go to Mexico has not changed. And we also feel that His timing has not changed either - we still feel that we will probably go to Mexico this summer. I can't necessarily offer any explanation - although in searching out His will so far we just keep feeling like He constantly points back to the clarity of His call. We feel that to ignore that now would be completely disobedient.

Just the other night, we were reading in Genesis 46, and felt like it was meant just for us:
"And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt" (vs. 1 - 7).

God told Jacob not to fear, and promised to take care of his entire family. Jacob's willingness to be in God's service and God's subsequent provision are very encouraging to us. We are so thankful for the many, many prayers that have been offered on our behalf so far, and would ask that you continue to pray for God's direction as to where to have the baby and how everything should go with that. We know His plan is perfect... we just wait to see where His footsteps will lead!

As we experience such a multitude of blessings, I find myself hurting for those who do not know Jesus and the peace that is in Him. There is so much need for His love in the world! God has been teaching us in so many ways, though, that we are blessed so that we can share our blessings with others. I'm going to borrow from a friend's blog and post the song "Freely, Freely" here because it so beautifully summarizes the calling that each of us have to give of what we have been given:

God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name, I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name;
And in Jesus’ name I come to you to share His love as He told me to:
He said, “Freely, freely you have received – Freely, freely give;
Go in My name, and because you believe, others will know that I live.”


All pow’r is giv’n in Jesus’ name, in earth and heav’n in Jesus’ name;
And in Jesus’ name I come to you to share His pow’r as He told me to:
He said, “Freely, freely you have received – Freely, freely give;
Go in My name, and because you believe, others will know that I live.
~Carol Owens

Finally, the song "Speed the Light" has spoken so closely to my heart lately. May we each one be willing to share our blessings and the gospel message... wherever we are!

"To the millions living o'er the deep, deep sea
Speed the light...speed the light!
To their cry of pity dare we heedless be? 
Speed the light...speed the light! 


There in anguish millions for the gospel wait,
Speed the light...speed the light! 
Go and seek their rescue ere it is too late,
Speed the light...speed the light! 


Jesus bids us bear them the gospel news,
Speed the light...speed the light! 
Can the souls He ransomed His request refuse?
Speed the light...speed the light! 


We will go, and in our blessed Master's name
Speed the light...speed the light! 
We will His salvation and His love proclaim,
Speed the light...speed the light! 


Speed the light, the blessed gospel light!
To the lands which are in gloom and night.
Souls are waiting and the fields are white,
Speed the light... oh speed the light!"
~Elisha A. Hoffman