What are we doing here?

This only scratches the surface of what we are doing here, but here you go.

We are now more three months into our new lives in Florida. Well, our lives aren't really new except for the fact that we are living them in a new location with new people. I can't count how many times people have asked me "so why did you move to Florida?". When Tim and I were engaged I knew then that his heart was set on moving to Florida to do ministry. We anticipated moving sometime after we were married, but didn't know when. Tim grew up in Florida and after becoming a believer and going off to college he had a strong desire to come back to his home state and minister to people here.

We targeted the Orlando area for two main reasons: 1. There is church called CrossPointe that has had incredible impact in Florida. The pastors are humble, encouraging, teachers of the word that are great examples of how to pastor well. Tim knew he wanted to be under that kind of leadership and to learn from them. 2. We knew I have been called to pursue training as a Professional Counselor. Reformed Theological Seminary is located just north of Orlando and they have an incredible and very unique Professional Counseling program where I will doing my studies.

During our third year of marriage we really began pursuing the idea of really moving to Florida. With Orlando as our target, Tim started the hunt for a job. Many applications later he was made aware that the Wycliffe Headquarters was located in Orlando. He looked at their job openings, applied, didn't get the job and resumed the search.  A few weeks later Wycliffe called about another position they had opening and asked if he would be interested in interviewing. He was.  He got the job. A date was set. We would move June 24, 2011.

(Wycliffe happened to be within a mile or two of the church we wanted to attend.)

We are here. We are thankful and excited. The church has been beyond encouraging. We are excited to grow in the community. I am so thankful for Tim's job. What an encouraging group of people he works with. I was also able to get a job at Wycliffe that I am thankful for. I am really able to utilize a lot of my skills in this job. I have been able to set aside money to save for counseling program and look forward to pursuing my education as soon as possible.

Thank you to whoever has been praying. The prayers have been felt! What a transition this has been, but spiritually so enlivening.

...and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

Indeed He is.

Change

Change

We are in the midst of the largest transition since being married. In fact, the last three years could be described as restful, steady, educating, fun. There are so many ways to describe the last three years, but changing is not one of them. I am taking some time to reflect on our time together in Lynchburg as we are transitioning our life to Florida. I have an overabundance of things I am thankful for…these are just a few. Within each one I could go on and on about why I am thankful for each of these; they truly are all little miracles and blessings.

1. Family

2. Apartment

3. Jobs- fulltime and all the little odd jobs provided when we needed!

4. Car

5. Church

6. Friends- old and new

7. Neighborhood

8. Bicycle

9. RUF

10. Marc and Amy

11. Small group

12. Furniture

13. Food

14. Student loans

15. Vacations

16. Co-workers

17. Marriage counseling

What have I learned over the last three years?

1. My faith in Christ is encouraged and grown in its weakest moments by the testimony of Christ working in others lives. This is experienced mostly in my small group. When I am afraid, doubting, struggling and weak I listen to the members of my small group share what God did for their friend or family member or ways the He spoke to them this week through others or the Word and I am encouraged. It’s like I am experiencing a blanket of protection surrounding me as we are together. Then I walk out for the remainder of the week with this encouragement that God is real, He is alive, He is working and He hears me.

2. I am a Saint that sins. Why is this so significant to me? I have always known that I am a sinner. However, I am often tempted to identify myself first with my sin and then as one belonging to Christ. I am tempted to believe that my sinful struggles (unkind speech when I’m angry and critical/judgmental thoughts of others, to name a couple) are what identify me and I will always bear these and there is no hope of change because I’ve always been this way.

No hope, really? I was recently challenged, in a marriage counseling session, on this belief I have held for as long as I can remember. Either, the gospel is not true and we do not have the Holy Spirit and there is no hope for anyone of us to change OR the gospel is true, the Holy Spirit lives within me and will bear forth its fruit. When I tell myself I am Saint that sins, I am reminding myself FIRST that I have the Holy Spirit, I have been adopted by a Heavenly Father that is transforming me into the likeness of His Son and then yes there are sinful struggles (each of having certain ones that seems to be our identity), but those sins are NOT chained to me, they do not forever have to identify me! Hallelujah!

a. I would say a sub point of this lesson I have been learning over the last couple years, and more so over this last year in particular, is that I need to repent more. I wage war in my own spirit over my sin and I try to figure out how to stop, but then I realize I haven’t even come before my Father and laid my sin before Him. I will continue struggling and it will be burdensome until I lay it before Him in repentance and prayer.

3. He provides! Abundantly! I have to be reminded of this time and time again. I am a planner and a budgeter. I have a plan and budget for everything I do. I would also like to consider myself logical and reasonable (clearly I think very highly of myself- yuck). So, what happens to my world when Tim and I both get fishing tickets and I get a large speeding ticket all in the same week? I freak out- this wasn’t in the budget! So much for our free place to stay in the Outer Banks, now I have this huge speeding ticket and I wasn’t even trying to speed. You get the point! Then I read Matthew 6:25-34 and breathe!

²⁵ "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?^{[a] 28}And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³²For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.³³But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
³⁴ "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

We are moving to Florida. Our lives as we have know them over the last few years will undergo lots of physical changes- weather, where we will live, jobs, friends, where we will worship, places we go out to eat, places we shop, instead of hiking a mountain we will go to the beach, but one thing will not change. The One who is our hope, in whom we cast our cares upon remains the same and He will not leave us or forsake us.

I am so thankful for these lessons and the many others I didn’t write about. They anchor my soul to the only unchanging being that holds us through all the changes that this life will bring; they anchor my soul to Jesus. How timely!

Fall in our Home

Fall is definitely here. Cool air and the smell of bonfires fill the air when you step outside. Today was the perfect day to make this years first batch of pumpkin muffins!

We also enjoyed some homemade tomato soup.

After you try this you will never go back to the stuff that comes in a can!

Virginia 10 Miler

Last year we watched the 10 Miler participants run by our apartment as we sat amazed at their endurance and how easy/fun they made it look. This year I sat there doing the same thing. Tim was among the participants who made it look easy/fun. I am so proud of all the hard work and training he put in to prepare for the race.

For those who are not familiar with the city of Lynchburg, it's also known as the 'City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City". That being said, when you are not running down a hill your running up! Not that 10 miles isn't a lot, but it's especially tough when the last 1.5 of the 10 miles are all up hill.

Mr. Zachos, Tim, Ryan, Amanda and Jessica Boone

I am sitting at about mile 4.5 and these guys come running
by about 16-17 minutes after the race started...crazy fast!

Looking good!

Passing by for the first time!

Heading back.

NYC

We enjoyed a nice weekend getaway with friends in New York City! We actually stayed in a cute town called Pleasantville, north of the city, and took the train in for a day of exploring.

Welcome to Pleasantville

Getting ready for my first train ride...so excited!

Grand Central

If you can't tell, that's the Statue of Liberty behind us.

Central Park

Mary Poppins on Broadway. It was great.

Time Square

The next day the Zachos family took us to a few towns for some more exploring.

A drive through Sleep Hollow


Lunch and a stroll in Tarrytown

Dinner in Chappaqua

A special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Zachos for their hospitality in opening their home and feeding us some delicious meals.

Tennessee

We couldn't pass up the opportunity to drive only 5 hours to see all of Tim's family. It sure beats a 13 hour drive to Sarasota. They all decided to take a week to visit the Smokey Mountains. Unfortunately, due to work conflicts we couldn't take that much time, but it was great to visit with everyone for the short amount we were there.

2 Years- Virginia Beach

This year we visited Virginia Beach to celebrate our two years. It is only 3.5 hours away from where we live, so it was a great location for a 3 day weekend. We asked people who had visited there if it was nice and we received positive feedback. Okay, I am just going to be honest and say the downtown beach area is a little run down. It was probably really nice and cool back in the day. However, we had a GREAT time and lots of FUN. We found a beautiful residential area, just north of the main strip, that had public beach access. This area was less crowded and more relaxing.
We also enjoyed some activities on the 3 mile boardwalk. These bikes were not easy, but definitely a lot of fun.

We enjoyed some great restaurants- Rudees, Pizzeria, and Doc Taylors just to name a few.

Our last night we decided to get away from the beach area and head to Towne Center. Towne Center is filled with great restaurants like Ruth's Chris, Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Changs. We were in the mood for asian and Tim had never experienced P. F. Changs so we decided that is where we should dine. I think Tim liked it ;)

On our last morning, my wonderful husband agreed to wake up super early with me so I could watch the sun rise over the ocean for the first time! 5:30 am came quickly, but the sunrise was beautiful and I was so happy to finally see one!