I know, i know... I've been totally M.I.A. lately. There's been a lot going on! In between growing a human and starting a new job, I haven't had much time to do anything else. My pregnancy is going pretty well. Every day I am just so thankful that we have been so blessed with this unexpected life inside of me. I am now 12 weeks and 2 days! Another week and I'll already be in my second trimester! I had a dr. appt. on Wednesday this week and I heard the heartbeat! But I was too concerned with trying to remember all my other questions for the Dr. that I didn't ask what the heartbeat was! I go back on the 28th, then next month, before we go to Cincinnati, we will hopefully find out the gender!
I am loving my new job. Its a TON of work and there are lots to do, but ultimately, God is in control of all the timing of the new programs I starting and growing. Sean likes me a lot more because I come home so much happier than I used to. There's just something about being where God wants you to be that brings true joy. This week alone he's given me several glimpses of why we are where we are. (Thanks God, were you reading my last blog post? Totally kidding.) I am so pumped to see what He has in store! Thankfully, I have felt so much better this past week and have gotten a lot done.
Now I am just praying for God to bring the right people who want to serve alongside us both in the Mobile medical unit and the Adolscent Sexual Health Education. I need lots of new educators and volunteers to go into our schools and out into our rural areas. In a couple of weeks, my director and I are going to go down to Watts, L.A. (where the riots began several years ago in L.A.) where there is a mobile unit. We'll ride along for the day in the innercity as they provide medical care, pregnancy test, ultrasounds and life-giving truth to the men and women down there. I can't WAIT! Can you see why I'm excited about this?!
It has FINALLY cooled off a bit out here... last weekend was over 100, but thankfully this week dipped back to the 70's and 80's. We've had our a
/c off for a few days now, and i am really hoping we dont' have to turn it back on!
Sean and I were at Target earlier today, and just for fun, I went over to browse the baby aisle. Oh My Goodness. I know babies are expensive, but as I was walking up and down the aisles, I got so overwhelmed with all the stuff we need!! And its not cheap!! I'd never priced all those items at once... the car seat, the crib, the swing (which I know from nannying is a MUST), the baby carrier, the pack-n-play... oh my! And I didn't even LOOK at diapers and wipes and all that stuff... just the "hardware" essentials were enough to make me run! Its so tough not having family out here to get hand me downs from or things like that. But, I know that God will provide...I just have to keep reminding myself o
f all of that. Needless to say, today was a bit of a reality check!
My sister is having her baby (a little girl) the first part of November. Well, she actually thinks the baby will come later this month, but we'll see. I bought a plane ticket last week direct from Fresno to Phoenix for a great price! AND great flight times, too! (Not too early) So I'm super excited to get to go see my niece, Emmalia and my new niece (who's name they have yet to reveal)! My mom will also be back in the States, so I'll get to see her too! Yay!
Speaking of my mom... she is keeping a blog while she is in Egypt... you should add her to your Reader list or favorites... its really fun to hea
r about all the things she is seeing and doing in Egypt! Here's her site: http://samandkimintulsa.blogspot.com/
I'll leave with a few pics from our missions weekend at church, which was last weekend. With Sean being a missions pastor, we are always praying for our entire church to catch the vision of what God is doing in the World... we want them to see His heart for the nations. I think our church is taking some great steps toward this awareness. Next is to put our awareness into action...
James 4:17
17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Proverbs 24:11-12
11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
save them as they stagger to their death.
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
save them as they stagger to their death.
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve.
So our theme for missions weekend was
"Finishing the Task"... we had a 'memorial wall' made with all of the names of the unreached people groups. We had flags from countries that are represented in th 10-40 window, too. After the message, the congregation came out to the wall and laid flowers down and prayed for these people groups. For most of our church, this is probably the first time they've ever really heard about how many people there are who do not know Jesus. I am praying that God stirred some hearts and that He will begin to raise up workers for the harvest. Our church is a big church and has been in existence for decades, but in all that time, we do not have one single missionary who is on the field from our church. We support a lot of missionaries around the world, but as a church, we have yet to send anyone out. I am hopeful and prayerful that God is working in the hearts of our men and women... I know He is. One example: We are hosting a class called "Intro To Islam." Its a college level course, 12 weeks (I think) that looks in-depth at Islam. There are more than a dozen people who are in the class already and the number has continued to grow the past two weeks. People are coming out of their comfort zones and asking God what He wants them to do.... its exciting! Ok, so on to some pictures...
