Our first night on the 'Nati

We're here! And we're all settled in (for now). We're really happy to be in Cincinnati, and really excited about what the future holds. For now, at least, we have more time on our hands than we've ever had since getting married! So last night Jen & I took the opportunity to head downtown and spend our first night out on the town.

On the Kentucky side of the Ohio river is Newport On The Levee - basically an outdoor mall & tourist block. It includes the Newport Aquarium, a few dinner boats, a movie theater, a Hofbrauhaus, plenty of other restaurants, and a 2-story Barnes & Noble. This bookstore was our first destination. There is a BEAUTIFUL view of the river & the Cincinnati skyline from the top-floor cafe. The picture's not the best, but this will give you an idea:



The rain was just starting to clear up while we were there, and just as we were leaving, God decided to join us...



Can you see that it's a DOUBLE rainbow??!!! We loved God's extra touch there ;-)

After B&N, we walked around the plaza a bit and decided to walk on the "Purple People Bridge." Here's Jenny at the end of it, and a few views of the Cincy skyline from the bridge:





There are SEVERAL bridges connecting the Ohio side of Cincinnati to its Kentucky counterpart (historic German Newport). One of them is known as "The Big Mac Bridge." Can you tell why?:



Well, we're definitely off to a good start in Cincy. Thanks to those of you who helped us for your prayers and physical help. Check back soon!

Cincinnati here we come!!

Sorry it has been so long since we have updated! Life has been a little crazy! Biggest news is that we are moving to Cincinnati Ohio on Saturday morning at 6am! We are super excited and feel confident that God is calling us to move on from what we have been doing in Grand Rapids. We are sad to leave so many wonderful people behind but we are always excited about what is ahead! We will update more once we get settled but you can be praying with us for the transistion. We still need a place to live and we are still not quite sure what are life will look like but we are always up for an adventure!

So once again we are packing up and moving on!! Hopefully this time we can stay put!

sunshine!!

I have just a few minutes before I have to begin working my beloved job at Starbucks. I have been here for three hours since Mark and I only have one car and he had to work at 11 and I have to work at 2. I just wanted to say how thankful I am that I have flip flops on my feet and sunshine in sight. I know this probably again is temporary but I will cherish it while it lasts. Life has been a little crazy this week and I am thankful to end it with a relaxed and beautiful day like today.

I guess I thought maybe I would come up with something worth while to say but I seem to be failing at this. I am over hearing a conversation about how perfume is the "extra special touch" each day. I have to wonder sometime if I am missing my girly jeans. I can't seem to get the whole doing my hair, wearing makeup and perfume and LOVING shoes thing. Not that I really want to get it. But sometimes I am utterly confused on how I can possibly be female and totally not understand these things. But on the other hand I am thankful that I don't. I'll take a t-shirt, sweats and poney-tale any day over all the girly stuff! (not that there is anything wrong with these things!)

I suppose this blog if of little importance, although it did help pass my time :)

Quote

I get a quote of the day in my email and I really liked todays so I thought I would share it...


"No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence."
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

comfort?

Mark and I are at this point in our lives where we feel incredibly restless. We aren't exactly sure where God wants us or what he wants us doing. There is a huge lack of vision in our lives and lets just say its driving us crazy. We love "The Story" church but yet we can't seem to get jobs here in Grand rapids that will allow us to stay with the story. So we have been questioning for months what to do. Do we move to a place where there are at least some jobs? Do we stay and weather this tough economy, not sure whether we can pull it off or not? We beg from God an answer yet every time we hear His quite whisper to trust him and we are constantly reminded that our God is a faithful God. And yes, these are great things to hear and we trust them whole heartedly and they do bring much peace. But yet we still hang in limbo wondering what direction we are headed, wondering what our vision for life needs to be.

We hear sermons and read bible studies that talk about God calling outside of our comfort zone and that we need to be ok with that. This has become so confusing since we feel as though we no longer have a comfort zone. Staying here isn't comfortable and moving to a totally new place isn't comfortable. We could go to Africa and that wouldn't be comfortable or we could go to Lansing and that wouldn't be comfortable. Whats becoming comfortable is being un-comfortable. I have been telling God to call us to something insanely hard and we will up and go, just please call us to something. This could be risky but I think we both would take the hardest thing we could possibly imagine over not knowing anything, hanging in limbo directionless.

Mostly I long for a home, a sense of belonging. A place where we know God wants us at least for a while a place where we can plant roots and be confident in that choice. I long to feel at home. But I constanly remind myself of a converstation Mark and I had before we got married. We declared to one another that home would be where each other are no matter what. If it was in a desert of in a home with whit picket fence as long as we are both there with our God, that will be home. So here we are this is our home for now. And we will give life all we have now in this moment. And we will continue to worship our God no matter where he takes us or doesn't take us for that matter. Because, he is a faithful God whom we love. He is worth everything even our worship when we don't understand anything about our lives.

He chose me....

Last Sunday I sang with Mark and Jon for our morning worship service. I love singing and I love worshipping so it is something I love doing. I still though, get fairly nervous, especially when they have me sing by myself. This past Sunday in my nervousness my voice got a little shaking and I felt as though I was losing all focus and I was reminded of a beautiful thing: God doesn't need me. He can accomplish everything without me. YET, he chooses to use me even though I mess up on a regular basis. As I lost focus and struggled to sing my part I looked out over our congregation and saw that people were still fully engaged with their God. I took a deep breath and remembered that it isn't about me and that God will do what he wants to do whether I mess up or not. Which seems often that I am mess up. But what an honor that he CHOOSES to use me. He doesn't NEED me yet he chose me. Sometimes I am so humbled by that thought.

He chose to use me that Sunday morning to help lead his people in worship and thankfully when I waivered he stayed strong. Our God is Strong forever.

update

I promised I would keep everyone updated on my running. It holds me very accountable :) This week wasn't as successful mostly due to business and cold cold weather. I went running for 3.42 miles on Monday 3.7 on Tuesday. Both good runs. I even got to teach Mark some Pilates after the second run. I also began running 4 min and walking 2. But other than that I have only gotten i nPilates for the rest of the week. I don't know if anyone noticed but it is incredibly cold out. Don't we all love Michigan weather?

This week Mark and I have had a lot of chances to give to people. It has been so much fun! It is so fulfilling to be able to give to people. Every time we have felt very led by God on what and how much to give and it is silly because he provided perfectly every time for us to be able to give. God is so cool.

We have been focusing a lot of God and just falling in love with him. In the end its all that matters. Our relationship with Jesus is all that will matter when we are at throne of God worshipping someday. Everyting else in life is a by product of our relationship with him.

Take some time today, to just talk to the one who loves you so much and knows every last thing about you.