Day by day...and with each passing moment

God has overwhelmed us with His blessing and the unsearchable riches of His grace.

Praise Him for His faithfulness to us!

The last few days have not been without their challenges- moving across the country is definitely an overwhelming thing, even if it is only for a little while. It feels like we have been gone for a really long time already, and Miriam and I have both been strongly reminded of just how blessed we are by our wonderful families and friends - we miss you all so much!!

It is very interesting living with your best friend. Your differences become more clear, as do your similarities. We have said the exact same thing at the exact same time at least 10 times if not more -it is a little frightening! :-) But we are having great fun together.

The first day of classes was really good. It was a little overwhelming going over the courses in the introduction. We will both be taking James 1:5 to heart: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."

We spent most of yesterday outside at a local park (beautiful place!) studying. It took me 6 hours to get through the prologue and chapter 1 of Love's Executioner and write a 1/2 page on it. I felt like my brain was stretched in every direction. It was a fantastic feeling. I am very excited about where this year is going to take Miriam and I... it will be challenging, but so worthwhile.

Miriam and I were both dreading this morning, missing our own wonderful church and preaching. As it turned out, we went to a little Reformed Presbyterian church that Deanna was part of during the last few months of our studies. It was such a blessing. It is a really small church, and quite frankly the friendliest church I have ever seen. We felt so welcomed and even had the opportunity to share lunch with the congregation afterwards. (Which was good since we don't have much food in the house at the moment :-)) Their service was also excellent, the Pastor was very easy to listen to and present the truth of the gospel in a direct, clear and poignant way. They have no instruments in their singing, (which I will miss) and they sing all Psalms, but they sing from their hearts and with beautiful harmonies. I will still miss our wonderful church, but it is such a comfort to know we will not be missing the ability to gather in wholehearted worship with the people of God!!

This has been very long winded already, but I also just wanted to share with you something I read in Elisabeth Elliots book "Secure in the Everlasting Arms" this morning. It is on being content.

"To love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured out by One who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and His wise apportionment (Do I feel that my portion is too much of something? Tooo little of something else?). It is to follow in the steps of the Master, as did Paul, who was able to say that he had learned contentment no matter what the curcumstances. His circumstances when he wrote that? Prison! No easy lesson, but "great gain," which is the sum of godliness plus contentment (see 1 Timothy 6:6).

Jesus loved the will of His Father. He embraced the limitations, the necessities, the conditions, the very chains of his humanity as he walked and worked here on earth, fulfilling moment by moment His divine commission and the stern demands of His incarnation. Never was there a word or even a look of complaint. E.B. Pusey (1800-1882) suggested rules for those who wish to gain contentment that surely reflects Jesus' own attitude.

1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even the weather.

2. Never picture thyself to thyself under any circumstances in which thou art not.

3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another.

4. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been, or were, otherwise than it was, or is. God Almighty loves thee better and more wisely than thou doest thyself.

5. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow is often to look forward to it. "The Lord will Provide." "

What a humbling list! I know I have broken every single one of these things more than once in the last few days. Yet God is gracious! May He continue to teach us more and more every day.

So that is my lengthy update, now I want to hear all about your life! Please comment and tell me what you are up to, how your day was... etc.

I love you all!