Here is our family's latest news. It involves what God has done and is doing in the life of our family. It affects what we’ve been doing for the past couple of months, and will dramatically affect the next five months!
Back in January, one of us had a funny little thought shared with the other one night while driving: “What if we quit our jobs and went to work at Echo Ranch this summer?” Hmmm… it was something we had briefly considered back in 2009, before moving from Ketchikan to Colorado. Echo Ranch Bible Camp is run by Avant Ministries, and is located 40 miles outside of Juneau, Alaska. Around this same time in January, David was coming to the point where he was feeling it was time to be done with his employer. So, we began to pray about what to do. Around the same time, David received a job offer from an avionics shop in Alamosa, CO (think Great Sand Dunes, Sangro de Cristo Mountains, etc.). We drove through a raging bizzard (literally) to go check out this job offer. We came to the conclusion that it was either going to be the job in Alamosa, or Echo Ranch Bible Camp. God led our hearts toward Echo Ranch.
We had contacted some old friends who serve at Echo Ranch each summer and spend their winters in Ketchikan. They had put us into contact with the camp director, who told us that camp staff would be praying for us as we decided. Once God’s leading was clear, we put our applications in as camp mechanic (think wheeled vehicles- not winged ones) and camp nurse. We found out later that camp staff had already, before our inquiry, been praying for God’s provision of a mechanic and a nurse. Very neat, how God works- in ways we often don’t understand, as well as ways that we can look back upon in awe. It is all to the praise of His glory.
In the meantime, we also applied for a home loan to purchase the home. It appeared that the process would be very easy, with a “plain Jane, vanilla” process, as our Home Team Lending agent, Angell, stated. We realized, as we signed all of the paperwork (many papers!), that the loan was contingent on the assumption that we would be continuing on with our employment, as stated on the application. We were both convicted of the importance of being totally open and honest with Angell, and that we needed to disclose to her our full plans of trading current employment for the Lord’s work at Echo Ranch Bible Camp. How can we teach our children to be honest in all things, if our lives do not fully reflect that character in our own dealings? God’s character is one of truth, and thus our own character should be a reflection of His. We emailed Angell that night, and her gracious, loving response the next morning confirmed our decision and gave us further direction: we could not obtain a loan under the circumstances, and we would move forward with packing our belongings to put them in storage. There was no disappointment, or pain with the “loss” of the potential purchase of the house, but more of a sense of joy of knowing God’s will.
In the meantime, we’ve filled out applications, obtained references, applied for reinstatement of an Alaska nurse’s license (Aimee), wrapped up loose ends with employment, made a reservation for the Alaska Marine Highway, had a garage sale, started packing our belongings for storage as well as figuring out what we’ll need for ourselves and four growing kidlets while at camp. Through all of that, the house has been on the market and so we’ve dealt with a few showings as well. Thankfully it is under contract and the deal is moving forward, which means we can make a big mess now!
We are down to the two week mark, slated to get on the ferry in Washington on April 20, with arrival in Juneau slated for the very early morning hours of Monday, April 23. That ought to be interesting… hauling four sleeping children down to the car deck to leave the boat at 3AM! Anyway, we desire your prayers as we embark on this adventure. We are excited to see what God would have for us through it, and pray that He would be glorified and that our family would be a blessing to those around us. There are still many details to which we need to attend, so we would also appreciate prayer in regards to wisdom in packing and patience and understanding while traveling across the country with our children.
At this point, we plan to be at Echo Ranch from the end of April through the end of September. After that... only God knows at this point in time!
http://www.echoranch.org/
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace… to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation- having also believed , you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise…with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:3-7, 13-14
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