What God can do in a year...

Since Eric and I have been married, we have found great significance in the timing of 12 months. In every big decision we have made, God has taken us through a year long journey to get where we are going... becoming parents (that one was a 12 month wait + 41 week pregnancy), finding a home in Augusta, waiting for an answer to the question "where next" when we knew God was calling us somewhere new, and the year long journey to this new city as we've waited for God to tie up all of our loose ends! By looking at this list, it would appear that we have spent 4/7 years of our marriage waiting on the Lord... kind of humorous, actually. It is with great joy that I announce today, that God has completely delivered us, yet again, to a new milestone on our journey called life!

Exactly a year ago today, we loaded up trucks and made a trip to a new city to start a satellite church off of a church in Hutchison, KS. Everything was getting ready to change... Eric's job, pay, home, friends... everything familiar would be completely different. Scary for a girl that loves consistency, routine, and predictability.

When we were called to this ministry, we were confident that this was were we were to be, but there were a lot of unknowns to this move... Would I need to work? Where would we live? How would we get insurance? What would our new roles look like??? God has been more than faithful to us. He's continued to allow me to stay home (apart for subbing some Monday's), He's provided us a way to receive insurance in January. AND just this month, He's provided us a home that is perfect for ministry. As far as our roles go... well, we are still learning what that looks like! ;)

As I look back on the fear and uncertainty that came with moving here, I'm so thankful that He pushed us to step into the unknown. That He didn't allow us to become comfortable and complacent with where we were or with what we were doing. That he stretched us to trust Him even more than we ever thought imaginable.

I must admit, 12 months seems SO long when your heart is already pointing you in a new direction... yet I am finding that our times of waiting have been vital in becoming who God has created us to be. If your are in a season of waiting, hold fast. The tedious days are worth the incredible blessing!

"My soul, waits in silence for God only,
For my hope is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold;
I shall not be shaken."
Psalm 62:5-6 (emphasis mine)

Celebrating our days in this great place! Looking forward to what God's up to next!

Augusta Strikes AGAIN!

You may remember my recent post on the Augusta Water Report... you know, the one about us having the "Best Tasting Water in Kansas???" I tell you... this city never ceases to amaze me. This week we received a "Sewer Cleaning Notification."

Eric and I have been homeowners for a little over six years and have never heard of a city sewer cleaning - so this is either something special that Augusta does or our previous community never informed us of such an exciting event. The notification shared that "sometime this week" our sewers would be cleaned and that we should know that the sewer lines can develop pressure during the cleaning process that is supposed to dissipate through your plumbing vents (wherever those are) BUT if there is an inadequate venting, the pressure could escape through your sinks, toilets, showers etc. Doesn't that sound lovely??? So to keep this from happening we are to cover floor drains with plastic and weights, cover toilets with plastic and close toilet lids and if you smell an "unpleasant odor" you are to run water to refill the traps.

I guess the moral of this great story is...
- My sewer system is gonna be "so fresh and so clean, clean" by Friday
- AND that if you need to potty at my house, be sure to pull back the plastic before doing your business. HA! Like I'm going to cover my toilet when I have a potty-trainer... we're lucky to make it in time to get the lid up, let alone plastic! :)

Only in Augusta, KS...

This week, I received a "Consumer Confidence Report" regarding our water supply from the city of Augusta that I just can't bear to throw away yet... it makes me stinkin' crack up every time I look at it. To be honest, I don't actually understand everything they are reporting, but there are two things that I understand very clearly:

• There were two water samples taken last July that returned positive with E Coli (who knows how many samples were taken or how many glasses of water I drank on the contaminated days)
• AND Augusta has the "Best Tasting Water in Kansas" - apparently a team of "professionals" judged water samples in Kansas and picked ours the best!!!
  

Are you rolling on the floor laughing your head off right now... I just don't know how those two things can be documented on the same report!!!??? My friend Erin put it best... Drink on Augusta, drink on.