"Is this our church in Arizona, Momma?"

While traveling, alot of people ask me what the boys think about us moving. The boys know we are moving to the state of Arizona. They have no concept of how far Arizona is from North Carolina. They don't realize their buddies won't be coming with us. They think their grandparents are moving with them. They think their girl cousin Landrey will be in their Awana class on Wednesday nights. When they ask us about the move, we answer their question! But, for their child-like mind, we feel like less is more and that they will adjust to the move just fine. We know there will be hard times, but everyone tells me that kids are resilient and that my boys will be fine. I'm banking on that! Trusting God to meet my children's needs.

All that to say, when we travel to different churches, they sometimes think that we are in Arizona at our new church! They loved being at Victory in Goldsboro! We all did! I love visiting big churches, small churches and everything in between! I especially enjoyed watching the boys in their children's church! They loved meeting the new boys at their table. The boys kept telling me how much they loved the church! Evan kept saying, "Mom, I wish this was our church in Arizona!"

I've only attended two churches my entire life-- our home church Faith, and then Temple Baptist in TN while Myron received his Masters. These churches are very large. That's all I know! However, I will be moving to a rather small church in just a few months. There are so many benefits of attending a big church and small church and I'm excited to see what "small church" life is all about. I know our boys will love it, and they will be our little helpers in the ministry!

Everyday that we get closer to leaving, my heart starts racing a little more. Leaving my family and friends hurts my heart, but going where the Lord has perfectly placed my little family excites me. The countdown is on!

Join us in praying for:
1. House to Sale
2. Co-laborers to join us

On the Road to......Chocowinity!

The boys absolutely love to travel with daddy when we can. We have had so much sickness lately, all taking turns with different weeks! Thankfully, we were able to go with daddy to Bro. Horne and Mrs. Laurie's church in Chocowinity! (I was really excited to spend some time with my bff's parents! I love them!!)

Most of the time, when we travel to churches, they do not have classes for the older boys. By the way, when I say older, I'm referring to 3 and 4. Evan would do completely fine, but Evan plus Pierson (and plus baby Cohen, too!) in church just isn't happening yet. When we move to Arizona in June, it looks like I'll be at the piano and Myron in the pulpit. I hope the vision I have in my head of my boys misbehaving and cutting up won't really come true! We've got some work to do, but I'm positive that these sweet boys can handle it! (pray for me)

Once we get to a church, I usually scope things out always looking for a hideout room for these two lil men. It would be easy to get discouraged. I've traveled pretty far. I've gotten 3 boys ready really early, normally when others are still in their Sunday nap. (so that means these boys have skipped naps) I've arrived to a church to find myself shut in a room with my 3 boys while the service is going on. Its not easy. BUT, right now in this season of my life, it is my job, and I'm learning to be ok with that. There will be times when they won't need me as much, so I'm going to enjoy this training time while I can. I am thankful that the Lord is teaching us so much a long the way, and that He has chosen us for this adventure!

While the boys were doing puzzles, I looked up on the wall in the preschool classroom and saw the most encouraging sight. These preschool children had our card on their wall promising to pray for us weekly. I was once reminded that we are not going alone. We have children and adults in so many churches around the world who are going with us through prayer.

Usually, right around invitation, I gather up the boys and give them "the talk." I go over how to respond to adults and how to shake hands. I take them to the back doors of the church, anxiously awaiting for the service to end. Then it  happens. The doors fly open and the boys come to life. Oh my. Some things they say and do are quite the embarrassment, but the adults seem to smile and love it. Sometimes things seem to run pretty smoothly......

And then it happens. One of the boys will say something that makes me want to die. Literally. Pierson, my middle man who hardly says a word to a stranger, just happened to have a few words he just had to tell this lady that was talking to me. He kept tugging at her purse and she finally looked down and he said, "Did you know that my Daddy kisses my Mommy...EWWW!" He then runs off to catch his brother who is by now probably hiding under a pew. I wish that this was the only embarrassing remark, however, Evan added to it and did a pretty good job. That remark, however, can NOT enter blogland. (Myron threatened me!;)

 

After church, we headed to the fellowship for some great food! I loved talking to Mrs. Laurie and getting great advice from an awesome pastor's wife. She said something to me that I will always remember. She explained that going through cancer and quitting her job which she loved so much made her really think about her legacy. What kind of legacy did she want to leave? A good career? No. A lot of money in the bank? Not close. She wanted her legacy to be all about people- loving Jesus more, loving her family more, her grandchildren more, her church people more. All about People not a Job. What an example Mrs. Laurie is to me....of strength, courage, and Godliness. I'm thankful that even though I may not actually be "in" the service when we travel, that the Lord can still give me encouragement through His people.

 

Deputation is hard, but the end is in sight. I know that God will work all of these things out for us and even give us encouragement along the way!

 

Prayer requests

1. We need monthly support. If you can help us, please click here. We trust that God will help us reach our goal!

2. We need co-laborers. We are praying that God would lay it on someone's heart to come with us. Of course, we would love if someone would join us indefinitely, but we are just praying for a family to come even for 2 years. Please pray about it.

3. We are praying that the Lord would somehow provide our church with a music man.

4. We are praying for our house to sell.

 

Thank you for teaming up with us through your prayer and support!



Arizona Missions Trip: Grand Canyon and Sedona

Arizona really is a beautiful state! There is so many sights to see, places to go, and food to eat!

On the way to Flagstaff, we pulled up at this little beauty. It was an old store that had all kinds of neat things to look at and buy. I loved the group that we traveled with because they were all about taking our time and having fun!

Kaitlyn and I posing with an Indian!

Kaitlyn and Jonathon did NOT go into a Saloon...just happened to be there.;)

So, out of all the neat things to buy in the old general store, Bro. Harper came out with these 3 suckers for my boys! Yes, those are REAL scorpions inside the sucker. According to the lady behind the register, these are quite ok to eat, and even tasty too!

This was my favorite purchase by the group--a homemade Lemon Pie!We saved these to eat at the restaurant in Flagstaff. Mrs. Tina had looked up a neat place to eat according to the famous show on the Food Network, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. This Mexican restaurant was excellent with a salsa bar for your chips!

In front of the sign!

The next stop was the Grand Canyon! I think the Grand Canyon is about 3 1/2 hours from Gilbert, and maybe 2 hours from Flagstaff? We had reservations at the Bright Angel Lodge on Valentines Day! I know I will never have a Valentines as nice as this---it was such a special memory!

My favorite part was the green door!

David and Tina Williams with Myron and I!

These little cabins were the perfect place to stay at the snowy Grand Canyon. In just a minutes walk out the front door, you are looking at the beautiful sight of the Grand Canyon!

Taking a walk before our bus sunset tour of the Grand Canyon!

We all decided the best way to see the Grand Canyon would be on a bus tour! The tour included 3 or 4 scenic stops with the last stop being a sunset view! Wow, I don't think I've ever seen anything as beautiful and majestic as the Grand Canyon. It's so hard to explain--its beauty is truly amazing!

First look at the Grand Canyon---NO bars!

So you all know that I have such a wonderful hubby, in fact, he's my best friend and soul mate! I love him dearly! However, while most couples like to take the time to do this:

She will kill me--sweet picture of Jonathon and Kaitlyn at Sunset of Grand Canyon!

My Husband would rather be doing this.......HA...(Just Kidding!!) He loved making everyone laugh by throwing snow balls into the canyon. I will have to be honest, his fun spunky personality is one of the many reason why I just can't live without him!

Although these are all iphone pics, they are still amazing!!

Myron's FAVORITE part of the bus tour, we saw several Bucks!

I think one of the craziest experiences of my life, was standing on this ledge with no rails at all! It is very scary, especially not knowing what my crazy sweet husband will do next!ha

The awesome group we went with----we had the BEST time!

I love Mrs. Rose!! WHO doesn't!!

After the tour, we ate at a really nice restaurant inside the Canyon. It was such a sweet Valentine's Day! After dinner, Jonathon, Kaitlyn, Myron and I walked to a shop and then to our cabins. I loved our experience at the Grand Canyon! I'm sure I'll visit many times when all of you come to visit us in Gilbert!!

Friday on the way to Sedona, we stopped at many scenic spots to look around and take pictures. Sedona was such a neat town and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous!

Myron and a Cowboy??

A BIG ice cream cone!

I think what is SO neat about Arizona is that you can be in Gilbert at this time of year with beautiful 70 degree weather, and then travel about 3 1/2 hours to the Grand Canyon and see snow! Sedona was beautiful and the shopping was a neat experience!

Mryon and I enjoyed this neat restaurant--check out that scenery!!

 

This had to be the prettiest spot in Sedona! Yes, that is a church built right into the rocks! The view was amazing and the rocks are stunning!

 

 

 

On the way home, Mr. Mike and Kaitlyn really wanted a picture with a BIG cactus. Ok, I did too! So we pulled off the road, went under a barb-wired fence, and took a picture with these beauties! They may be prickly but they really are beautiful!

Myron, Me, Mrs. Karen and Mr. Mike! LOVE them!

We got to our hotel in Gilbert around 6 and went to eat shortly after at Famous Daves BBQ at the SanTan Village. I LOVE the shopping at the SanTan! I really look forward to going there quite frequently when we move this summer! This was our last meal as a group because some had to part ways to head home. When we were all saying Goodbye, I started to get emotional! WHAT is wrong with me! I had to keep telling myself that they weren't leaving me, I was going with them!ha

I couldn't wait to get home and get my hands on these 3 Boys! Wow, I sure did miss them like crazy!

I wanted to end this post with a text I got from a friend while on this trip. I never dreamed that I would end up in Arizona. In fact, I probably would have never picked it. Let's be honest, it is a very beautiful place with awesome people, but it is very far (like 36 hours) from home. It may not be MY exact plan for my life, but what IS our plan and has always been is to follow God's Will. Period. We both promised Him early on in life that we would go ANYwhere.  Honestly, that is an easy thing to promise God when there are no kids involved, no home that you love, no life-long friends that you have made. It gets harder when all of your life seems so perfect where you are. But, I'm letting go of my life here surrounded by the best family and friends that I could ever want, to submit to God's will and see just what He has up "His Sleeve" for our family. I really can't wait to find out!