Finding a new home church.

Our moving date: Saturday, October 29th - the day that it snowed roughly 6 inches .. in October! It took 3 hours to get here because the roads were so terrible. But our road was paved before us and the Lord guided us all here safely! For the first week we were here it felt like we were on a second honeymoon. I loved being able to spend so much time with my husband; having breakfast and dinner with him at a decent hour has not been something we've been able to share in a very long time. Not only that but just enjoying each other, it's been such a gift. In fact, just before we moved he was only home about 2 nights a week because of all the over time he was working and couldn't come home. The Lord has been so faithful in providing for us through my husband, we are so grateful!

For the past two weeks we have been searching our churches to make our new home. The first one we attended, we agreed we probably couldn't see ourselves there. The church we attended yesterday, we think we might like to be a part of! The worship was great, similar to where we came from. The one difference that we're not used to at all, is that it's a very young church - not meaning years they've been around but the ages of everyone attending / leading; the pastor that preached yesterday was 25 years old. The good thing is there's a lot of young married couples our age that we would have great fellowship and friendship with. They hold meetings on Mondays for new comers where we can ask any questions that we might have so we will do that, and pray that our questions get answered to see if this might be our new home church.

Grace

FOUR days and we'll be in our new little cozy home! I think to myself, "I can't wait until I can do this and this and that.." And I catch myself, I'm thinking as though I will be fulfilled when I get to do all of these things. Have you ever thought these thoughts before? "I can't wait until we get our own place, I can finally be a real wife." "I can't wait until moving is done, then I can have more time for God." I say that as if I am not a real wife already and I'm pushing God to the side for 'more important things.' This constant reminder of how wicked we are just makes me long for the day when there will be no more sin! I, in my sinful being push the Almighty God, Creator of the Universe push Him aside so I can pack my clothes. I feel condemned but I remember grace.

Grace, grace, grace paid for my sin.

We're moving!

The news is out - WE'RE MOVING! Dave & I have found a quaint, cozy apartment in North Bergen and our move in date is October 29th! I am so thankful for my husband who has faithfully commuted for 2 years, 5 hours each day, to provide for us. We have been searching for months and it was a rough couple of months trying to find the right place. First, north Jersey is [outrageously] expensive. Second, there's a lot of areas that aren't the greatest. Third, it's not suburb - the closer to the city you are, the more it's LIKE the city! I mean, you're lucky if you see a sidewalk or grass anywhere .. it's crazy!

Through these last few months we've really learned what it means to seek the Lord's will and to wait on Him. After applying to an apartment that we *loved*, it was [below] our budget and in a great location we prayed that we would get it. Well, we didn't get it. We were denied; Others were more qualified. "Alright Lord, what are you trying to teach me?" I asked myself. He opened my eyes to His will - that's what he was trying to teach me. I realized that I was praying for what I wanted, not for His will to be done. Knowing, that He knows what's best for us. In the midst of all this, Dave has been trying to meet to discuss being hired as staff but things keep coming up and the meeting keeps being pushed off. My first thoughts are, "Why can't everything just fall nicely into place. We could get this apartment, he could get this job and everything would be all peachy?" I am doubting God's faithfulness and goodness. Day after day, this meeting was supposed to happen and it didn't and it still hasn't. BUT, God has been teaching me patience! I noticed my prayers changing [from what I want, to what the Lord wills] and just resting in the fact that God is sovereign and has ALL authority over everything that happens in our lives.

With all that said, on October 2nd I went to north Jersey to look at an apartment I found on Craigslist and I loved it. Dave wasn't able to be with me because he was sick. After discussing it, we decided to submit our application but some things came up and we weren't sure we were going to get approved. It had to be submitted to their regional person and after a week we still hadn't heard anything. On that 7th day, they said it would be another 2 weeks and it wasn't guaranteed we would get approved. We almost withdrew our application and I was content that we again, might not get to move into this apartment. A few hours later, the leasing officer calls and says, "you're approved!" "Wait a minute, you just said 2 weeks ..!" I was thrilled!

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment.. 1 Tim 6:6