Today I completed my new hire paper work at Akin's, a natural food store right next to our home. I am still waiting to hear from Bank Of Oklahoma, I should know by Tuesday if they will hire me. But I am so thankful to have this job at Akin's. I actually had 4 other job offers, 1 of which I was able to give to Derek. God has provided more than enough. I was concerned at first if I would find a job by February and since then I have had the wonderful opportunity to choose between jobs. God is good and I am grateful that He cares so much for us. He knows our needs and is eager to meet them. Even when things don't happen the way we anticipate, if we are searching for His will we will find it.

"It's time to quit playing church and start being the Church (Matt. 18:20)". This is one thing that Keith Green was very passionate about. Ever since I read Keith's biography "No Compromise" back in 2006 I have been hungry and unsettled for a life of no compromise. In every decision we make (most importantly, the smallest places) we choose to either obey God or to neglect Him. Neglecting is our natural tendency. We are born into a sin. But when we challenge our natural thoughts and actions and seek Gods way in every situation we will experience a closeness with God and become more familiar with His voice. It breaks my heart to think that we can actually go before God and He can say "yes, I know you healed people in my name but I never knew you."
God, wake me up where I've fallen asleep. Make me like you no matter the cost.

It's been taking a lot of patience to keep my head on these past few weeks. Between settling in to our new home, finding work, building relationships and doing our very best to follow God. It can be hard to have patience. We were doing life, enjoying where we were and then God told us to go.

Just because we did what God told us to do doesn't mean that it's going to be easy. I think that God will ask us to do crazy things just to see if we will trust Him. I'm sure that it's hard to top the feeling than knowing that the person you love doesn't just believe in you but they also trust you.




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After applying at 20 some different places, visiting each Manager with a resume in hand and following up with a phone call... I finally landed 4 interviews and 3 job offers. Just last week I was starting to wonder if I would ever get a job and now I need to make a decision. This is a much better week. Thank You Jesus!

This week has been kind of hard. I have been struggling a bit with not having a job. But I believe that I have been missing the picture a bit. I have been focusing so much on finding a job with my own strength and not seeking Gods direction in the little aspects of my days. So I am deciding to turn around and be more occupied with allowing God to use me how he wishes this week.

I love Shawna because she is constantly helping me to become a better man. She helps me become more like Jesus every day. She can say an encouraging word to me like no one else. She believes in me more than I sometimes believe in myself. She has strength when I don't. This is just a a glimpse of how much better she makes my life. But what is most impressive, on top of all she does for me, she still manages to chase down bold dreams of her own, give the most sincere and heartfelt gifts to others, serve her friends and church in many ways, write stories and poems that entertain the masses and seek God with her whole heart. She is a beautiful mystery to me. I love her.

update:

Shawna had an interview today with Pier 1, it went very well and she is supposed to hear from them by Saturday.

I am still looking for work, the Lowe's HR Manager will not be in the office until Monday. So I will be at Lowe's Monday morning begging a job.

Shawna and I are learning the area very well and beginning to feel at home. But not to at home. We like to be just uncomfortable enough to follow whatever crazy thing God says to do.

Derek, Daniel and Fred will be arriving this weekend. It will be nice to have a few more close friends near by.

We had the pleasure of meeting our neighbors on both sides. Tiffany is a young single mother, we are really praying for a good relationship and that God would use us somehow in her life. Norvel and Leeann are an elderly couple that love to keep an eye on everything outside their apartment. We are so happy to have such great neighbors.

and lastly, I am so excited for the beginnings of our worship team. I am so thankful for the opportunity to learn from Jeremiah, Charity and Steph Modder. God has used them to teach me so much. Please be praying with me that God would direct me to people that we could teach and disciple to be worshipers for Him. Or that people would be directed to us. However the way, that God would grow this team and our leadership and wisdom to be affective leaders for Him.

We've begun our job search here in Tulsa. So far I have applied at Lowe's, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, Guitar Center, Seatles Best and Boarders. I would really like to work at Lowe's, I go in Monday to meet Julie in HR, please pray with me about that. I had a little bit of difficulty choosing where to apply because all I want to do is ministry. But now I'm thinking that I've got a lot to learn about ministry. I am actually getting excited about all that God is going to teach me as I work to serve Him and work to be able to serve Him. Serving God is a privileged not to be taken for granted.