~When Journey's Intersect~
Please continue to pray for the Mills Family!

We have been so blessed by this family. We began attending Grace Community shortly after we moved to this area. This is Gary's parents church and though I felt we'd always be tag alongs, I agreed to go because we love Dan Michaels. Dan is one of the pivotal people in Gary's spiritual life. He was Gary's youth leader. He was a teacher, mentor and example in a time in Gary's life when young people often times turn away from faith and look for another path. He was such an impact that Gary insisted on only two things when we got married. Number one, that we marry each other, and number two, that Dan marry us. It was my insistence, of course, that we have a wedding! :) We also agreed to attend Grace because through Gary's parents, we knew so many wonderful families who loved us already. Being new to the area, we deeply needed the love and support of a church family- and this family is immediate.

3 John 1:5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you.

In our time at GCC we got to know Dale and Mary Mills. Our friendship with them began because we just clicked. I also got to be very good friends with their daughter Melissa who is such a blessing in my life. Over the years Melissa has moved away and gotten married and is about to be a MOM! We don't get to spend as much time together, but we are still close. We still spend a lot of time with Dale and Mary too. And it's through them that we've also bonded with Micah and Kara. Gary bonded with them before I did through worship team. When they were in town they'd often join the worship team as they are both incredibly talented musicians and singers *jealous smile*. I never knew much about them except that they lived in Cleveland and loved music and the Lord. I learned later that Micah was very skilled/interested in areas of technology. Gary could tell me about things they had discussed (also with Dale) and I could not understand a word of it!

A little over a year ago we heard that they were going to be missionaries in Africa! WOW! How cool to know real life missionaries. What a blessing it was to see their journey unfold and to see their obedience to such a calling. So as they planned we saw Dale and Mary prepare to let them go. They were scheduled to leave last August (?) and I felt a sadness that we never got to know them as well as we wanted to. Like Dale and Mary, and Melissa (and now Chris) we just seemed to have this natural bond.

We prayed for them and were just amazed and inspired at their willingness to leave behind literally everything to follow God's calling for their lives. Then we found out that Kara was pregnant! I was thrilled (because I love babies) and I also knew that they would wonder what God was trying to say. As with everything they handled it graciously! The call did not change- they would still go to Uganda. They changed their leave date and we continued to get to know them when they were in town, and via Facebook. Through God we just felt the need to keep this entire family in prayer and love them. Let me tell you, you don't just love the Mills'- you get loved and prayed for and fed right back! :) Micah and Kara moved here after Abie was born and we got to spend more time together... and the bonds of real relationship were formed. Our journeys have crossed in such a powerful way.

Philippians 1:3&4 Every time I think of you I thank God for you. I have joy in my heart every time I ask God to help you.

I watched just under two weeks ago as Dale and Mary said goodbye to their son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter ~our dear friends~ as they followed God's call half a world away to Uganda. What a powerful testimony! What a challenge to us as a couple and as a family! Mary has been urging me from the beginning of our friendship not only to pray for my children to come to the Lord and follow Him, but for myself for strength to let them go. Ouch. I have always known that I wanted my children to live for the Lord and follow his calling WHEREVER it takes them. But that knowledge had not hit my heart in quite the way it has in the past 6 months. I believe God has called Gary and I to great things for now and the future and those things are not easy. I also know God has a great calling and plan for my children. I desire with every bit of me for them to follow that calling because ultimately they are not mine, they are HIS. Oh but how hard it is to give them over to HIM!!! I've always prayed for wisdom to grow myself so that I would be equipped to lead them. I've always prayed for strength for myself and the courage to let them go. I just understand it in my soul more deeply now. And yet in that depth I know nothing can prepare me. Ultimately I will stand only on Christ's strength when God calls my children just as I do now as he is calling me. When I tell people we homeschool (or the new term I love ~home educate~) sometimes I get the "WHY?" and usually I get the "what about..." and always I get the "HOW do you do that?" I usually jokingly answer "not very well" because that is usually how I feel! I must remember daily that it is by Christ's strength I do anything.

Deuteronomy 11:18 &19 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

It is only through Him that I can succeed in his callings for my life.

It's only through Him that Micah and Kara have the strength to take their newborn to another continent.

It's only through Him that Dale and Mary can say "until we meet again".

It's only through Him.

Exodus 15:2 “The LORD is my strength and my defense ; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Today Grace has asked Jesus to be her Lord and Savior.

As a mother I'm filled with joy at this moment as today marks a beginning of what I hope is a road Grace will take impacting the world for the Kingdom. It's also a reminder how short my time is to build that foundation of faith she will take with her beyond this house. And another gentle reminder from my Heavenly Father that he is in control.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

We have a hope and a future= all of us. No matter what journeys intersect with ours, It's only through Him.

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.