Great Expectations

Celebrating Ax's 2nd birthday

It's a boy!!

Rachel & I leading worship.

I’ve taken a sabbatical from writing blogs. I’m back. As I grow, learning to recognize seasons of life for what they are, not getting hung-up on longing for moments of the past, or yearning for the adventures yet to come, I find a certain amount of contentment creeping in on me. It’s good.
When we came back to the States, our marriage was dangerously off-track and both Rachel and I could barely tolerate our children. We were burnt toast.
Finding ourselves unexpectedly State-side expecting our fifth child was…unexpected. A couple of divine appointments took place which I now can see as points of healing and restoration for us.
Some of our good missionary friends with YWAM set up a meeting with some professional debriefing counselors. I was skeptical. They were old, disabled, and strangers. What could they possibly know? Within minutes of meeting them at the local Village Inn, they saw into our souls. It was one of those weird/wild moments in life where you believe that some people may actually have super-powers. They shared with us all kinds of practical tips, ideas, and suggestions to help us out of the tangly underbrush and get back to the daylight of the trail. Then they prayed for us and great things were accomplished.
The other appointment took place in the form of a parenting book Rachel picked up one day. It’s called, “To Train Up A Child.” The great chasm between where we were as parents, and where this booked encouraged us we could be, slapped us in the face like a cold, Wyoming-winter-wind. You mean you’re actually supposed to enjoy your kids and desire more? What!? Yet within weeks of instituting some of the techniques and training ideas presented within…we began to notice startling changes in each of our children, in our hearts. It was good.
Here we are months later. Living in a basement we are renting from friends in Colorado Springs. On plan “X” or possibly “Y” at this point. The Lord continues to provide for all of our needs in radical ways. Rachel and I are communicating in ways and on levels unknown to us before. We are enjoying our kids and so excited to meet our newest little guy, scheduled to arrive in late-December. We’re actually enjoying our kids so much that we’re realizing that number five may not be enough. How wild is that?
We’re not where we thought we’d be…but we continue to do all the things the Lord has called us to. Through deep, fascinating times of intercession and leading worship, we’re seeing the Holy Spirit minister to us and through us in ways that we could have never imagined before. Through these times we each began to discover our own super-powers.
I began to remember yesterday with a flavor of tender-fondness. Today I embrace with a content, adventurous spirit. It is with great expectation I look to tomorrow.