Family Update: God Had Something For Us!

So it is almost official - we have a home to move into in May!  On Monday we drove around and looked at townhomes then headed back to one of the apartment complexes we visited the previous Friday.  There waiting was the apartment we needed at a price that only God could have orchestrated for us.  We went back today and turned in our application and the lady told us the prices went up by $50 today (they are on some daily pricing system), however our quote was good for 48hrs Yippee!

Thanks for your prayers!

Family Times: A Place to Call Home

When we moved to our current apartment in Jan 2010 we found it during a Dec visit and it was an amazing location at a amazing price so we got it. But since moving we have found a church family, friends, pediatrician, and a great Mom's group that are at least 15 - 20 minutes away - we want to move on that side of town.  The price here has not stayed amazing either! We began looking this past Friday at other apartments and weeks ago (for me its been months) at Townhomes.
I am not good with lots of options :) so pray for us as we look more today.  I really have been anxious about this and so tempted to figure it all out on my own and prone to fear of making the wrong decision, but my hearts desires and the Word tells me to trust God.  In preparing for a women's small group tonight (reading "Calm My Anxious Heart") the following scripture really challenged and encouraged me.  
I hope that you would pray this scripture for me as i will be praying it be true for you - the part about being the blessed man (not the cursed :) ).
 Question: What do you think it means to be a person who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord (vs.7) and what is the difference between the two - or is there a difference?

Jeremiah 17:5-8 (English Standard Version)

 ⁵Thus says the LORD:"Cursed is the man who trusts in man

   and makes flesh his strength,

   whose heart turns away from the LORD.

⁶ He is like a shrub in the desert,

    and shall not see any good come.

He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,

   in an uninhabited salt land.

 ⁷"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,

    whose trust is the LORD.

⁸ He is like a tree planted by water,

   that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

   for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought,

   for it does not cease to bear fruit."

Update: How the dating panel went

"My Dad wasn't a believer when my parents got married but eventually came to Christ, so we should be open to all people and give them a chance."

"My sister dates a muslim and she is a Christian but they believe in the same God"

"Well, the Bible and what it says is interpreted in different ways"

These are loose quotes (cause my memory isn't that great) of what a few people said during the dating panel. Can you believe i actually said "Don't look at me like i'm pathetic, the book (Bible) said it" during the panel (a favorite line of mine from a crossmovement song).  Wow!  But i just couldn't hold it in. Its so hard to be on a panel and hear the opinions of people when the Word of God is clear - there is no negotiation if you are a Christ follower - period.

At the same time, I am reminded that in these times I must preach the gospel to others as well as myself because if not for it I could have the same mindset.  Also the gospel reminds me that "my identity and self-worth are centered on the one who died for me.  I am saved by sheer grace, so I can't look down on others. Only by grace am I what I am" - quote taken partially taken from a book Moe and I are going through together "Gospel in Life" by Timothy Keller - Its Rocking our World. I trust in what God allowed me to say in response to these comments, and it helps that Yana (young lady on our team) affirmed the responses afterward.  Moe was taking care of an overtired Josiah (it was past his bedtime) so he was unable to be at the panel for the entire time.  Thanks so much for your prayers and advice!

Please pray for the students at this panel that they would truly grasp the gospel, the truth of God's Word, and grow in it.

What are your thoughts?  How have you been responding lately to the immorality or way of thinking of others?

We're Home! Pictures From the South Carolina Visit

Announcement:  Now you can get email alerts when we post.  Just put your email address in the space in the top left sidebar and click submit. (It would be so encouraging to us to know you're listening reading and praying!)

Yes! We are home, and would like to say that we are all enjoying a restful Saturday but Moe has two meetings today - bummer (but all for good causes). Anyhoo, Below are a few pictures and prayer requests from our campus visits.

At Clemson spent time with Stephanie.  She is on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ and helping Impact grow.

Pray for her and the ministry at Clemson - that God would raise up another student leader.

Got to spend time with Briana (pictured in the middle)who is the daughter of  fellow Impact Staffers.  She runs track at Clemson.  Pray for her as God uses her to reach out to her teammates.

After Clemson we headed to USC.  This is Mr. Josiah who fell asleep in the mist of creating his masterpiece on the etch and sketch :) the kid was tired!

Once at the University of South Carolina we attended their weekly prayer time. Its so encouraging to see them make prayer a priority in reaching their campus for Christ - Praise God for that!

After the prayer time we ate lunch and went out sharing the Gospel on campus.  Honestly i was not in the mood.  Thankfully Moe and Yana gave me the nudge i needed (Moe by suggesting that i go and Yana volunteering to watch Josiah), i ventured off with this bright young lady who is in grad school there. I am so glad i did!  We had a great time talking with the 3 young women we approached.  Pray for those women that they would fully grasp the gospel.  Also pray for Crystal (in picture) as she desires to share the gospel more with people in  her sphere of influence.

 Thanks so much for your prayers during the week and the advice and prayers about the dating panel i was on.  I will post on how that went in the coming week - that will take about two paragraphs alone :).

Do you have any questions about our time?  Comment and ask.

Sandy's On a Dating Panel Tonight!

This is our second time posting so that is pretty exciting - at some point i plan to get over it (the fact that we finally have a family/ministry blog) but today is not that day.  I'm not quite ready for the newness to wear off.

Anyway, the reason i'm writing is for a quick update and request prayer.  Today is the last day of our coaching trip and it has been really great (check back Saturday for pictures - i forgot the camera cord to download the pics).  We spent the first half of our trip at Clemson and Lander.  Now we are at USC. We went out sharing the gospel there yesterday and we head back to campus this evening.  I really need your prayer because I've been asked to be on a dating panel that a sorority is sponsoring tonight - craziness. 
So pray

- I would be well rested (i'm a bit tired)

- I would use wisdom in my words

- I would be filled with the Holy Spirit
- If you think of me at around 7:22pm (eastern time) - just pray 
Questions:  What are some issues u think will be brought up? What are major things you think i should make a point to say?  Any suggestions or advice?

Posting for the first TIME!

Yep, that's what i came up with as the first title for the first post on our blog.  Not that creative but i think it will work.  Now, after a title like that what does one write about? Anything. Cool.
(a couple minutes later)
(inserting subtitle :) )
ITS TIME FOR ANOTHER COACHING TRIP

Today our team (Impact Movement Southeast Team) will load up a small compact rental car and head to South Carolina to visit our Campuses there. Pray for us!

That's it - did i mention that i am not much of a writer.  That's why I'm so glad that's not the ultimate goal of this blog - to write a lot :) (we're talkers) - the goal is to share our Times (home, family, ministry) with you, to update, seek out prayer, sometimes ask for advise, celebrate, share praise reports, and occasionally to entertain or just make you smile. Hopefully we can do that in 2 or fewer paragraphs and some pictures. Speaking of pictures, it is a must that i have one in this post, it being the first and all. So here's a picture of our team (Impact Southeast Regional Team) . . .


Even Josiah is a part of the team and going on the coaching trip with us!  Did i mention we need prayer.

Pray for . . .

- safe travel

- great times with students on campuses (Clemson, Lander, and University of South Carolina)

- God's leading as we share the gospel

- Josiah will travel well, and adjust to the different places we stay on this missional journey

Thanks so much! Come back ya hear - there will be updates about our time there!

Whew, that's done - i was a bit nervous about this first post but i think that went OK. Yes, No, Maybe? Comment and let me know.  Also, let me know some of the things you would like us to write about or things you want to know.  This is a dialog - we want to hear your responses and answer your questions.

Sandy