Rhythms May 22, 2012

In some ways it has been very strange to not be in the trenches of day-to-day ministry in the context of a local church. Though I have never taken a sabbatical, my time here in South Dakota has had what I would conclude to be a sabbatical-ness to it. A time and space for reading, deeper reflection, rest, conversations, and much needed time with my wife and family. This time has allowed me to see the unhealthy rhythms and patterns I have developed over the years due to the rush and demands of life. I have asked our Father to use this time to develop healthy life-giving rhythms to my day-to-day life. It is important to have a cup of coffee and get into the Bible each morning, it is critical that I am home most nights to read to the kids before bed and talk about Jesus and pray with them, and it is vital to spend lengthier times before God seeking His kingdom. I have also had a chance to really pour into some study — this week I have been reading:
Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem
If You Bite and Devour One Another by Strauch (Biblical Principles for Handing Conflict)
2 Thessalonians
Building a Discipleship Culture by Mike Breen

Please continue to join us in praying for the future work of the gospel in Kansas City. We are still in the process of raising funds for the next year and we are excited to announce that Online Giving will be made available soon! God has been so faithful in caring for us thus far and He has and is using you to meet every need. Thanks be to God!

Two specific prayer requests that come straight out of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 2:8
So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
Please pray that God would continue to give us a heart like Paul and his companions — where we truly want to share not only the gospel but our lives with those in our community.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.
Please pray that God would be preparing the hearts of those who will hear the gospel.

Thank you for partnering with us in the work of the gospel in Kansas City and beyond!

Chris

A Better Day May 14, 2012

Thanks for your prayers for Timber!  He slept all night and woke up this morning fever free!  He was a bit of a grump all day but I’ll take grumpy  over fevered and lethargic any day!

The kids had an exciting afternoon!  They received an unexpected care package  from their friend Bella Anthony in Kansas City!

 

The contents of this care package kept them all entertained for the rest of the day.  I don’t think Timber let go of those cars at all — he ate dinner with the cars on his tray and is now asleep with two of them in bed with him.  Flora loved her princess stamps and Scout has already colored several Mickey Mouse pictures for me.  This was seriously EXACTLY what we needed today.  Thanks, Bella!!!  And thanks to Bella’s mommy, Jenn, who probably had a little bit to do with it.

   

 

 

 

Storms May 13, 2012

Today we went to River Community Church in Dell Rapids, SD.  This is one of several church plants that Chris is working with during our time here.  Chris went to a different church last week but the kids and I stayed home so as not to share our stomach bug with the community.  So this was our first time going to church in South Dakota!  Yay!  Timber seemed to like the nursery (he only cried for, like, 5 seconds when I left him) and Flora and Scout loved the children’s church program.

Andy preached (I always feel like I should say “praught” — like teach and taught) on a story in Matthew where Jesus and his disciples are traveling by boat.  A huge storm overtakes them and the disciples — most of them seasoned fishermen so you know it was a BIG storm — were scared.  But Jesus was sleeping through the storm.  They woke him up in a panic thinking they were all going to die and what did he do?  He just told the storm to stop and it did.  And he rebuked them for worrying.

Fast forward a few hours and find me cuddling Timber as he battles a 104 degree fever.  He’d seemed fine all morning and then I noticed he felt warm after his nap.  He’s had a fever all evening and is now fast asleep — but probably still with a fever.  I HATE it when the kids get sick.  It makes me feel sick and anxious and dejected.  I am very “Woe is me” when one of my children is ill.  But today I kept thinking about that sermon.  And I realized that Jesus is in this boat with me and he’s not worried about Timber.

There have been a lot of fun times here in South Dakota but all the sicknesses really wear me down.  Not physically, because I’m not the one sick, but mentally and emotionally.  I’d like to say that I have enough faith that I can just sleep through these storms but I don’t.  I keep checking how high the waves are and how close the lightning is.  I’m trying though — I’m trying to remember that Jesus is in this boat with me.  I’m praying that he will make Timber’s fever disappear just like he calmed the wind and the waves on that stormy night long ago, but also trusting that He will be in the boat with me even if the storm continues to rage.

So our prayer requests for today:  Pray that these storms would calm.  Please pray that Timber’s fever breaks soon and stays gone.  I don’t know what is causing it but I just want it to go away — preferably without another visit to the doctor (I took Scout to the doctor last Monday after he had been throwing up for 3 days).  Also, pray that the rest of us avoid this fever and that we can all just be healthy for a while.  We’re really not a sickly family but maybe we’re just not accustomed to these South Dakota germs!  Also, pray for me to have peace when the kids are sick.  I try not to worry but I’m usually not very successful.  And pray that Chris will be able to get some work done.  All of our illnesses have kind of interrupted his schedule.  He’s been awesome about it though — I wouldn’t want to be in South Dakota with anyone else!

~Stefanie~

Sickness, Study, and Family May 10, 2012

Today marks one week into our short time in South Dakota. As many of you have heard we have been hit hard our first week with stomach flu. In tight quarters this proved to be quite unpleasant. Yesterday Stefanie felt sick and it seems that Satan has aimed his early assault not at me but rather my family. Please pray that this will be the last day of sickness.

Amidst the sickness I have begun to work out a study plan for our time up here. I will be focusing much of my time on biblical doctrine, discipleship, biblical discipline, and casting vision. Much of this includes a lot of reading and processing. I am so blessed to be surrounded by such a great group of men here who are committed to the ongoing work of the Gospel.

Finally, I would like to highlight the fact that being here has created a lot of time for us as a family. We get to spend a ton of time together and it truly has been great! The pace of life for us has slowed down and I hope and pray we will develop some healthy rhythms as a family during this time.

Please continue to pray for us as we seek God’s glory along this journey.

Chris

Hello, South Dakota! May 4, 2012

Well, we made it!  We’re finally settled in here in Chester, South Dakota.

Our day of traveling couldn’t have gone any smoother.  We had a quick, easy trip up to Omaha, a fun 4-hour break at the Omaha Zoo, and then an easy trip up to South Dakota.  The weather was great and traffic was light.  Thanks for all of your prayers!

Our little basement apartment is perfect.  It’s small but not too small and very nice.  I’m afraid it might be slightly less nice after Flora, Scout, and Timber live here for five weeks but I’m trying to keep everything in the condition we found it.  I was quite impressed with myself for squeezing all the kids’ clothes into this hall closet!

We have a beautiful lake view and a screened in porch area that the kids love.  I put all their toys out there and they are happy to spend most of the day in what I’ve dubbed the “playroom.”  This morning we watched a big storm roll in over the lake and had to “batten down the hatches” to keep the playroom from getting soaked!

 

Yesterday I dropped Chris off to meet up with some local pastors while the kids and I got groceries and explored Sioux Falls.  It’s a 35 minutes drive from our house to Sioux Falls — a big change from the 2 blocks from our house in Kansas City to the local grocery store.  I hope I remembered everything!  There is a local gas and convenience store down the road, but my hopes aren’t high for getting fresh produce here…..

Overall, things have been great.  Our hosts, Jim and Lynn, are super nice and have made us feel SO welcome.  The weather is awesome, there’s a school playground nearby, and cows in the field behind the house that are still mesmerizing the kids.  Speaking of the kids….please pray that they continue to adjust to this big change well.  Yesterday they didn’t sleep much or eat well and were all pretty grumpy most of the day.  I’m trying to cut them some slack since I know they are just trying to process all the new things but I’d like to have my happy, easy-going kids back sometime soon.  They DO love their bunk beds though!  Flora surprised us by jumping right up on the top bunk and sleeping all night up there both nights.

Chris will write an update sometime this week on his side of things.  Here are some pics from the past few days!

Our basement apartment screened-in porch

Sunset over the lake on our 2nd night here.

View from the back of the house. Can you see the cows in the distance?

Checking out the lake on our 1st night here.

Park! It’s a school playground so we can only play when school’s out but better than nothing!

 

On the Road May 2, 2012

Though the journey started a while ago, today we leave for South Dakota to officially step into our Residency!  We will stop in Omaha to go to the zoo and have some fun with the kids.  Once we  get settled in we will share some pictures of our temporary home.  Thanks for taking the ride with us and please pray for safe travel and a good transition for us and the kids.  May our Lord be glorified from the beginning to the end!

– Chris