Nancy, Grandma, drove home with us after our visit to Auburn and spent the next week with us. While she was here we did some fun things, and we just lived our lives and let her be a part of it.
Caitlin striking a pose
Grandma always helped with our flowers, so we made sure she didn't miss out this year! And the three younger ones got to help
Just some fun pictures of everyone playing outside and enjoying having Grandma around!
Our neighbors have been doing a lot of work on their house, and the first project the workers did was build a small wall between our yards. Carson loves to work and was inspired. Since watching he consistently drives around our yard in his "work truck" with wood and tools in the back and fixes and builds whatever he can get his hands on. I love seeing his thoughts and creativity!
One day we went to a really fun park about 10 min from us. It has great play equipment, a huge pond, and a big loop to ride bikes/walk. The kids loved it and we can't wait to go back.
We also got to decorate cupcakes with a fun cupcake decorating kit Grandma got us. Cait had a friend from school over, Tess, who got to join in on the fun.
Kaylee watching after she reaped the benefits of the decorating!
For Caitlin's spring break this year we went up to Auburn to visit our family and friends who we miss greatly! It was a busy time, but a sweet time as well. We spent most of our nights at my parents house and the kids had a great time playing with all my sibling.
Dying Easter eggs
Laughing at themselves as they watch a video they took of them being silly
Carson spent a lot of time out on the bikes and skateboard
Below are some fun pictures of us at Disneyland. The first time around just Tim, Caitlin, Grace, and I went to Disneyland. The next time Tim took Caitlin, Grace, and Carson to California Adventure by himself.
Waiting to see Bugs Life
Dancing with the Disneyland street party
Princess Jasmine (our longest wait for a "ride")
Graces favorite ride until she rode Space Mountain
Over the last month we have seen God answer many of our prayers. I am blown away by the care God has for us and the details He seems to always take care of. To think that He hears our prayers, the sinful and faithless people we are, and uses them is pretty amazing. Below are some of the ways He has answered:
* Financially - We received a $20,000 grant from the Mustard Seed Foundation, and continue to receive support from friends
* Relationally - * I got the opportunity to take Caitlin to a birthday party for a girl in her class and was able to spend 2 1/2 hours talking with other moms from her school. I was encouraged by the instant connections I had with them * I went to the park again with a girl I met, the one that seems to really need a friend. God opened up opportunities for us to talk about the gospel and for me to really just show her love. It was a neat time. Praying for more opportunities. * We met a family that lives down the street from us that has three kids. They are really nice and we talked to them for quite a while. Hoping to get to know them more. They are easy to talk to and seemed like we connected with them. * We have been able to spend time with another family from our church and continue to build a friendship with them. My girls love their girls and I am always encouraged by her sweet and caring personality. * We started meeting with the leadership and their wives every other week - the beginning of our small groups. I am excited to get to know these couples better and to see the way God uses each of them in our lives. They all have so much to offer. * God continues to show me reasons why we are here and I am excited to see what He does!
* We found a time to use our gift cards and take the girls to Disneyland! It is actually 2fer here (you buy one ticket and get another to the other park free) so we are going again this Thursday and taking Carson and Kaylee with us.
* Health - God continues to sustain me and give me the energy I need to do what is necessary. I am needing to continue focusing on this and praise Him for it. It is easy for me to get overwhelmed with all I am not doing and want to, but when it comes down to it I am doing what He wants me to and I must rest in that. Things have really picked up for us so this is a huge praise!
Thank you for all of your continued prayers! God is working and we are excited to see how He continues to use the prayers of His people to bring about His glory!
Today marks a pretty big day for us. It is the first core meeting for our church plant, Redemption Church Northridge. In many ways I can't believe we are here, in others it still feels like we just moved. My emotions are all over the place today. I am excited to see how God builds His church and uses us here in Northridge. I am in awe that we are starting. I am overwhelmed with all that lies ahead. I am thankful for all the ways God has provided, blessed, strengthened, and made possible this day. I am sad because I terribly miss our church family in Auburn, today they are having a feast at church - the first big thing we are missing. I praise God for the way He is growing our church in Auburn and the people we are seeing step up and serve - it makes my heart fill with joy. The anticipation of what is to come and the peace of knowing that God is at work is exhilerating.
I decided that due to all of this today is a good day to write out some of the ways God has been working and growing us over the lat few months. I can't put them all down because I know He is still working and has many plans unbeknownst to us. But I will try to put some down. Since my emotions are all over the place I hope my thoughts make sense.
Honestly, writing this all out is no easy task and yet I know I need to do it 1) for myself so I can begin to process it all and 2) for you so you can rejoice and learn with me.The thoughts and emotions we have had over the last couple months are numerous. And yet, the ways in which I have seen God grow our faith as we learn more and more to trust Him is huge.It has been one of those times where you feel inundated with emotions and wonder if you’re learning anything at all.Yet as you continue to move forward and put one foot in front of the other you see that God is working and will continue to.
In so many ways we have seen God's faithfulness time and again. From our housing situation, to people helping us paint and unpack, to the peace He has given knowing we are where He wants us, to the comfort I have had when I am lonely and missing dear friends and family, to the people He has given to be a part of the leadership of this church, to helping our kids adjust to a new place. He is faithful! I am learning that if I look to Him to provide and meet my needs He always will. I don't always do this, but I am learning.
Dependence is another huge way in which God seems to be causing us to grow and be stretched. This isn't something that comes naturally to me. I tend to think I can do things myself and if I just plan right or grow in the right areas then I will be o.k. That is so far from the truth. I am completely dependent on the grace of God. I can do nothing apart from Him. He is the source and strength of all that I do everyday. Some of the ways in which God has been teaching me this is in my health.. God has been incredibly gracious in giving me the strength and stamina I needed to move and unpack and get us settled. And then I got sick and had a pretty big relapse in my energy levels. This has been hard. I have had the thought of wondering if God realized the timing of me not feeling up to par being really bad. And then I realized that God does know, He is just answering my prayer to keep us dependent on Him. We know that we are not the ones who are going to build this church, save people, or minister to them. It is God and God alone. He will use us, but only if we are trusting in Him and seeking to be used - not working independently along side of Him. I want these truths to constatly ring in my mind through out the day.
One of the other major things that has been causing me to grow in my trust in the Lord is relationships. This has been hard. It has been a long time since I moved somewhere and had to get to know people without the help of a church body. The last time was in college. One of the big milestone of growth in my walk with the Lord. And now I am in the same spot. I have friends around the greater LA area, but none really in Northridge. It has been an interesting and eye opening experience for me. There has been many days I have gone to the park hoping to meet someone, to make a connection, and have come home no farther ahead. In order to see someone during the day we have to go out of the house - something I have not had to do for awhile. One day I went to the park and was excited because there were a ton of moms there. I was hoping it was a play group, maybe something we could get invloved in. It was. It was through a church nearby, a great church from what I know. However, all of the moms were so preoccupied with each other they wouldn't even make eye contact with me. I could tell by their conversations that I would have a lot in common and lots to talk about with them, but they just didn't have the time. I realized how many times I have done the same thing. I don't want to be like that! I want others to feel loved and included even if I have never met them. God is providing though. I have met two different girls in the last couple weeks. One seems to really need a friend. We went to the park one day and I am trying to get together with her again. The other I met at the park. She has one little girl Carsons age. We met by me asking her if she knew of things to do with young kids in the area (this has become my way of starting conversations with people). She replied by saying she has been looking for things too and has found nothing except things that cost a lot of money. This has been the standard reply I have gotten from people. So, I am praying about starting a mom's group and seeing what comes of it. There are none that I have found in the area that is not connected with a church or preschool. And there are a lot of people here that are not connected to either. Tim and I are also praying about getting involved in the YMCA here. Many people seem to be involved in it and it would provide some consistency in seeing people. I can go to the park, but I most likely will not see the same people twice. We will see how God works and provides.
I know there are many more things, but I will leave it at this for now. Thanks for all of the prayers and support. God is working and He will continue to!
Not feeling well - Everyone but Tim got a horrible cold-flu that knocked us out for two weeks
Caitlin and I went rollerskating for a girl in her class birthday - Cait did great
And eating! Seriously, Tim and I are convinced all of our kids are going through growth spurts. They are always hungry these days and will eat anything!
Tim and I also got to go away for a couple days to a friends place in Desert Hot Springs. It was a wonderfully refreshing and relaxing time. There isn't much to do there but relax, which is just what we needed. I have a lot of more serious things I want to write on here, just have not had the time. I hope to soon to give everyone a little more of a glimpse of what is going in on and how we are doing and how God is working in us.
I decided it was time to give our blog a new look, so when is a better time then now. Everything else has changed so we might as well change up the blog too! Here are a few pictures to hold you over until we get more up.
Having fun riding our bikes on our street
We have this great climbing tree in our front yard. The kids discovered it right away, and it is the favorite place to be when we are waiting for someone to stop by.
I am a man created by God, marred by sin and redeemed by Christ. During my sojourn on this earth I have the pleasure of being married to my lovely wife Nicole and fathering four children ranging in age from 16 months to 6 years old.
