Planning and Mothering

The last few days have been relaxing. I have been able to sleep a little later. I think my body is still on central time instead of eastern time. I know I will get adjusted soon. We are very blessed to be staying with Tim and Carol Dale. They are taking great care of us, and God is continually using them to help with the planning of our first service, hopefully on September 17. Justin is daily working out all the little details, who knew how much planning it would take to have a church service. I am doing my best to be very supportive of Justin by mostly watching Karis all the time so that he can concentrate on his work. Carol is wonderful and has already babysat so we could go look at houses. Please continue to pray that our house will sell in Beaumont soon. We will go look at a few more houses tomorrow.
God is daily sustaining me in His Word by reminding me of His never-ending peace and grace. I do have times of missing my friends and parents, but since Carol is home most of time, I am blessed to be able to hang out with her. She is very godly and daily encourages me with her testimony.
I read Psalm 29 this morning and verse 11 says, "May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!" What a verse to remind me of how His peace is always on His people no matter their circumstances.

Finally Here and Settled

Here is a small run down of our journey to North Carolina. First, Karis was fantastic. I think she watched Boz one time on Wednesday and about four times on Thursday. I am now detoxing her from Boz in the car.
Wednesday we left much later than anticipated because all our stuff didn't fit in the U-haul Tuesday night. We had to rent a trailer to pull behind the U-haul for the rest of our stuff. We left around 9:30. After lunch and a few more hours of driving, Justin, Karis and me in the Trailblazer and my parents in the U-haul, the brake lights came on in the U-haul. We pulled over and had to call a mechanic to come check out the U-haul. We waited about an hour and a half for him to tell us everything was fine. We finally made it to Montgomery, Alabama about 11:00 on Wednesday night to the Motel 6. We slept, some of us did, I didn't because there was too much snoring in that little hotel room!
We got up and left around 7:00 am on Thursday. Justin, Calvin, and me were in the U-haul, and my parents and Karis in the Trailblazer. We drove for about two hours and then the brake lights came back on in the U-haul. Then, the U-haul started beeping. We pulled over and waited awhile and my parents switched cars with us. Around 4:30, we stopped because the U-haul was beeping again and the keys got locked in the Trailblazer. I was driving and Justin got out to get gas. I left the keys in the ignition and Calvin was in the car, he must have stepped on the door and locked it. We waited there for two hours for the lock smith to come. Needless to say, I was very upset myself and did my best to trust the Lord in all this. My parents and Justin were real troppers. My parents ended up staying in Florence, South Carolina for the night after the two hour set back. Justin, Karis, and I finished the drive and arrived in Wilson, North Carolina around 11:00 pm. My parents got to Wilson on Friday morning about 9:30.
It was a long journey. Praise the Lord we all made it in one piece! I know one thing for sure, Justin and I would still be driving if my dad hadn't come with us. Thank you so much dad for all your help. Thank you that I always know I can count on you. You are the best dad in the world and I love you so much.
We also took my parents to the airport today. It was really hard to see them go, but I don't think the reality of how far away we are from each other has hit yet. I don't think I have ever hugged my mom so hard in my life. I am going to miss her, she is not only my mom but my best friend. Thank goodness for Verizon wireless free mobile to mobile. I love you, Mom!

Challenging Sermon, Encouraging Send Off

Today was officially my last day of packing, we are loading up the Uhaul tomorrow all day and pulling out of Beaumont on Wednesday morning. It really and truly all seems like such a blur, but I know it will hit me soon enough.
We had a great last Sunday at FBC. Justin preached his farewell sermon and really challenged the church to put God's Word first in their lives. The text that he read from was Psalm 19:7-11. It describes six names of God's Word, six characteristics, and six rewards (or things that His Word does for us). God's Word is to be our guide in all that we do in our personal lives, our family, globally, and in the church. Justin kept it real by challenging the men of the church to read, study, and meditate on God's Word as a family. It is the man's responsibility to be the spiritual leader in the home. I am so blessed to have Justin as my husband. He's not perfect, but he does seek God and lead our family towards Him daily.
After church, Justin's family (his dad, sister, sister's boyfriend, grandparents, and aunt and uncle) came over for lunch. Karis is enjoying her lunch next to Mammou. As you can tell, she really likes to eat. After church Sunday night, there was a reception for us. It was really nice and the everyone was so encouraging. We are really going to miss our FBC Beaumont church family, but we know that you guys are going to aide us in our church plant with your prayers and encouragement for years to come. Thank you FBC for all your support and love. We love you guys!
Now I am going to try to go to sleep before we attempt to load all of this stuff in the Uhaul.

4 Days Left

I spent yesterday with my parents visiting family. Then last night, we had a get together with our Sunday school class. I haven't packed anything in the last 24 hours except one box of misc. kitchen stuff. My brother and his family are coming to see us today, so my packing time is getting less and less. I also woke up this morning with my eye swollen shut. I have a sty, and it really hurts, so much for good pictures tomorrow at church for our reception before we move on Wednesday. The Lord is probably reminding me not to be so vain and worry about my looks when there are so many more important things to think about, like when is all that packing going to get finished. Tomorrow Justin is preaching and his family is coming over after church, then the reception tomorrow night. Thank goodness for Monday. I will probably be packing all day along with trying to watch Karis. The Lord is good and He will give me the will to pack even when I don't want to.

Another day of Packing

I know that I look like a mess, but here is a recent picture of Karis, Calvin, and me. One of our favorite things to do right now is wrestle, Karis and me. Sometimes Calvin joins in as much as possible. Packing is coming along. I have been very fortunate this week to be able to take Karis to Mother's Day Out and have one of my friends watch her part of the day so that I could pack. I got most of her room and my closet packed today, and I wonder, "where did all this stuff come from?"

The Lord is daily sustaining me with His Word. I was reading in Ezra and in 7:10 it says, "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statues and rules in Israel." This is exactly what God is calling Justin and our familly to do: to set our hearts on his Word by studying it and to teach it to others faithfully and truthfully.

Many Changes Ahead

This picture shows how clueless Karis Ann is about what is about to happen in her life. I love this picture because it shows her sheer innocense of all that is about to take place in our lives. Many emotions are going on inside of me, but the greatest one is excitment. I am so excited to be moving to North Carolina to plant a church with my husband. Justin will finally be able to use the talent God has given him of preaching. Moving hundreds of miles from family and friends is also very scary for me, as I have never lived more than four hours away from my parents and brother. This will be a hard time for me, but I am so blessed to have a godly, loving husband and precious 18 month old. God will sustain me as He always has, and I know that this step of faith will only bring Jusitn and I closer to God and to each other. In all the packing and odds and ends of moving, I keep praying that God will give me strength, peace, and patience. I really need it sometimes with Karis. She is into everything, but so much fun to be around. God has given us a unique opportunity to plant Christ Baptist Church in Wilson, NC. Please pray for us as we embark upon this new journey of following the Lord wherever He leads.