A Day in the Arizona Life

It has been exactly 2 weeks and three days since our sudden move from Atlanta to Phoenix. It is mind boggling to think about just how in control God is of our lives if we give Him the reigns. It has been difficult moving a family of 10 sixteen hundred miles away and it will take some time before this place begins to feel like home.

It has been lonely in a lot of ways for us all. However, I am watching the beauty of a family draw closer in relationship. If the Lord moved us out here just for that, this is significant and I am beyond grateful. Just a couple of months ago, I sensed the Lord speaking to my heart about the weightier matters of life-the demonstration of heart felt love and mercy. So many times we go running from here to there and we drift apart in our most important ties. God is into our relationship with Him and our relationship with family.

Relationships. God's favorite pass time. He will do anything to preserve them in a life submitted to Him. This brings me to what happened yesterday. We decided last week that we were going to visit a new church. I found the church on the Internet a couple of weeks before we moved from Atlanta. To be honest, the whole family was battling the negative attitude of having to go through the whole church hunt ordeal.

However, we did not let it get the best of us and we went. The church is called the Voyage Church. It is a new plant which started up a year ago and they meet in a movie theatre.

The thing that stood out the most was what happened as we were approaching the doors of the church/theatre. One of the men saw us coming and he actually left the doorway and started walking toward us. He met us halfway. Immediately he introduced himself and started talking to the children. He memorized their names...all eight of them before we even walked in the front door. After church we ended up walking with him and his wife out to the parking lot. We had great conversation. Not the surface stuff, but real stuff about family, faith, and relationships. Then he climbed into our van and told the children ,one by one, goodbye.

Because of this one man and one woman's kindness, we will be going back next week. Also the youth pastor called the teenagers the Saturday before. The leaders also made us feel very at home and welcome. We felt special and cared for. This is what our mission is....to reach others and share the gift of hospitality whether we are in our homes, church homes, or out about in the streets. We are already feeling more at home in Arizona because of a few people. Never estimate the seemingly small gestures of kindness that we are all able to give. We tend to make it so complicated at times...but complexity it not needed. The love of Jesus is simple. We just need to let Him fill us as we adore His beauty and His beauty will simply flow from us as a cascading waterfall.

There will be more updates coming...so if you are wondering what is new with us, just keep checking back. We miss you all and know that you are in our hearts always.

Love,
Ange

P.S. As I was just sitting here editing my blog, my four year daughter just came up to me and laid her hand on my heart and started praying for me. She has been doing this a lot lately. She keeps telling me that God will protect my heart. This was her prayer.

"Dear Lord,
I pray for Mommy's heart. That you will protect it. That you will heal it. That you will help her not to be sad. And keep her from a bad spirit. Amen.

Out of the mouth of babes God has ordained praise...so HE has ordained prayer and all the gifts HE has put within them even before the foundations of the earth were created. How great is our God!