Prayer Circle for our three year old son.

This spiderman-bubble-loving boy of ours turns three tomorrow.
Isaiah brings us such joy and laughter.
 He begins each day asking a million questions and ends each day asking a million more.  And I'm not exaggerating.  Ha!




Please join us on Isaiah's birthday in giving him a most wonderful gift....the gift of prayer.

Pray that Isaiah will continue to grow physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Pray Isaiah's curiousity will lead him to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pray for Isaiah's relationships with his sisters.
Pray for his mommy and daddy.

10 years in the making. Part 4.

Are we willing to get on the plane?

Kevin finished his Master's degree in December 2011.  In April 2012 we were invited to attend a Missions Expo in July with the IMB.  We were excited.  It looked liked things might be falling into place for us to "go".

A week before we left for the Expo, Kevin got a call from our college alma mater in California.  They wanted to interview him for a job the first of August and were pretty sure he was the right guy.  Kevin's heart soared and mine dropped.  We came together in prayer and decided that we would still go to the Expo.

Selfishly I was praying that Kevin would realize he was not to interview.  But it was me God was working on.  We arrived for the three day Expo.  The first night began with a dinner and speaker. The speaker shared a story about a worker in the late 1800s who was on her way to China.  However, before she even arrived she got sick and died.  Because of her testimony many, many single women decided to go to China.

Right away I heard the Lord saying to me, "Deny yourself, Keri.  Deny yourself."

I knew I had to but it wasn't easy.  I did think, how if we went to California I could help mobilize many more to "go" instead of just me.

Over the next couple of days we were asked the same question over and over.  Are you willing to get on the airplane?  Some struggled with this but for Kevin and I are answer was a resounding yes.  Our big question was where was the plane going to land?  Was it in California, Turkey, Lake County, IL?  Oh, Lord, just let us know.

We left Expo knowing a couple of things.  We were willing to go and we were willing to stay.

Kevin traveled to California the first week of August.  In his hotel room a picture hanging on the wall prompted him to consider his role in the kingdom.  The picture was of a shepherd and his sheep.  This has been a common theme in Kevin's life lately.  Shepherding.  His heart's desire isn't to pastor/preach but to shepherd.  Feed the flock, take care of the flock.  He could do so at the college.

After two days of interviews and meeting many a people, Kevin was offered the job.

10 years in the making. Part 3.

Are we going?

The plan upon arrival in Illinois was for Kevin to get his MDiv in three years and then we would go.

Well, once Kevin went on church staff, schooling became part-time therefore delaying the original three years. Some other factors came into play as well.

Was the Lord asking us to stay in the U.S.?  Too many times I would cry out to God, "Lord, why are we stuck in Lake County, IL?"

And God in his great mercy would remind me of how great he is  especially when he would prompt me to remember that we are living among the nations.  We have neighbours from Poland, Haiti, India and Venezuela.  There is no way we could live in all four of those countries at the same time, yet we could love and share with them all here including the Americans.

God also provided us opportunity to go to the nations through short-term trips.  Kevin was able to go with our church to Japan and Haiti and I was able to go with our church to Israel.

It's taken awhile but I understand more how it isn't just about going but about obeying.  Kevin and I desire to live a life of obedience to our Lord.  And that has meant in our daily living and not just the big things.