Fireworks and Quietworks: Evidence of God's grace

With all the 'fireworks' provided by God in his directing of our family to move from Everett to Spokane and the Inland NW Region, we wondered if there might be a red carpet paved through the Red Sea of the region. Not that we expected the paparazzi to be flashing pics as we unloaded our trucks, but we hoped perhaps that a 'small group' of friends might discover us and invite us in their incredible fellowship, or a best friend for both Janna and Dietrich would appear on the scene without skipping a beat. It has not been quite so easy.

Dietrich cries almost every night at bedtime from missing his friends. Tanya has been wrestling to find her 'place,' adjusting from being in such a sweet spot in Everett.  Janna, armed with an iPhone to communicate with friends back home, a resilient resolve, and a clarinet that gives her access to a room full of musically inclined friends; she has fared most seamlessly.  I had such a well-carved-out rhythm in my life in Everett that I'm still reeling from losing it.  I flourish when I have a daily and weekly connection with God (3 hour solitude weekly, daily journaling, small group every-other-week, having a home church, exercising 5 days a week, etc) and lost that groove back in the summer when the crazy train of transition left the station.

Here is what we do know.  God is with us.  Where God guides, God provides. We trust him.  His love never fails, he never gives up, and he doesn't run out of love on us.  Jesus revealed the heart of God's Fatherly heart for us when he expressed frustration towards a dependence upon miracles and signs (Mark 8:11-13.) We asked God for miracles and signs for this big decision and He GRACIOUSLY gave us them.  He does that for us at times.

Oswald Chambers says: "If God has given you a silence, then praise Him— He is bringing you into the mainstream of His purposes."

He desires a dependence upon HIM, his ever present Holy Spirit which guides us towards his will (love and bringing glory to Him) and away from sin, selfishness and fruitless living.  Thus, in the aftermath of God's miraculous leading of us here, we see the miracle of living in the "promised land"; the life God prepared for us, parted the seas, and paved the way for us to enter into.  We have a daily connection with God and miraculous displays of God's grace to discover.  God was already at work in this region before we arrived.  We are joining Him in it.  And He began a work in us and will faithfully work to complete it.

God is at work in extending his grace, which didn't run out Feb 1st when we moved.  Dietrich was just invited to a 'boys night out' from our friends the Jagers.  Tanya is the new prayer coordinator for North Spokane YL and has also been pursued to be the co-Women's Leadership Network leader for the region and is finding an exciting ways to serve.  Janna is applying to be on ASB next year and even was asked to share at the Regional Leadership Day to 400 volunteers about be-friending non-Christians.  I am growing into the giant role of a Regional Director.  He is equally faithful even when he is not as 'visible' as he is during the fireworks displays.

God is with us!  God is with you, whether you're over your head, in transition, in a dry season, or if you are in a holding pattern and withholding from God out of fear of the unknown.  He is with us!
-Jeff-