This child, that brings so much joy and yet, also so much angst (the things she thinks to get into!) is fully in the talking world. And with her little high pitched words, some comments can melt my heart when it has been so frustrated by her actions.

Like when she so cheerfully says,

“OK, Mommy!!!” on the fifth time I’ve asked her to do something.

or when she says,

“I’m weally sorry, Mommy!”

when she’s squeezed out all the toothpaste, or spilled her drink, or clogged the toilet with an entire roll of toilet paper.

or when she declares,

“Look, Mommy, I a mommy, Mommy!!”

while trying to help me mop by dumping two more inches of water on the floors.

or when she climbs up on my lap and says

“I love you, Mommy!”

sigh.

This world of talking has definitely softened some of the “blows” she brings me in daily life. And her chatty little self will endear her to anyone,

even when she just pushed your kid over.

We had tons of family coming into town for the holidays.

We already would have a full house.

I’m pregnant (and tired!) with baby #5.

We have four little rascals running around.

We already have one international student living with us.

Money’s tight, more mouths to feed might be an issue.

I even blogged to promote the ministry.

Surely, it just wouldn’t work this year. “I’ll just recruit others to do it.” I thought.

But as we took our gaze OFF of our own little world’s circumstances, and looked at the call of our Savior to invite the stranger in (Matt. 25:35), we knew we were called to, once again, walk that line of faith. To put ourselves in a a place to be a watchman on the walls.

OK, Lord, if we’re going to do this, you have got to give me the energy.

I called up the area coordinator and told him we were willing to host up to two students (our other housemate, a seminary student would be out of town for the holidays and said we could us his room).  ”Oh, good, he immediately said, I’ve got two Saudi Arabian young men who I’ve been trying to find a place for!”

Gulp.

OK, Lord. Here we go.

But oh, what joy, what riches, the Lord was trying to bless us with through this call to obedience!

So on Dec. 20th, Danny drove to the airport and picked up “James”*.  He came back and joined our family chaos of having a gingerbread making contest amongst Danny’s siblings and their kids.

That evening while eating dinner, we tried to explain to “James” that we would be going to a prayer meeting that night because Danny is a pastor of a church.

“Church? Pastor? I don’t know what those are.  We do not have those in my country.” he said.

We had a great discussion trying to explain to him what a pastor is, what a church is, and what we believe as Christians. The only thing he said he knew about Christians is that they “have to get wet.” (baptism)

Prayer meeting went well, and he seemed so intrigued by all we did and studied. A whole new world was opening up to him.

Then, that night, quiet “John”* arrived, and as I observed his trendy clothes and his cornrowed hair, I felt like we were hosting a Newark youth again.

Thursday and Friday they were off doing touristy things with the whole group, but in the evenings we enjoyed talking with them and playing board games with them and Danny’s siblings. Saturday they attended the “Christmas conference” portion of their trip and came home, each with a Bible in hand, excited to practice their English by reading it.  ”Oh, Lord, make it come alive to them.” my heart throbbed.

I felt guilty feeding them quickly and ushering them out the door again to another “Church thing”, attending a Christmas Eve candlelight service at Sara and Eric’s church, but they seemed up for anything.  We tried to explain to them that many different churches believe the same thing, but worship in different ways, and the one that they would be attending this night would be a more formal church. It was encouraging to watch them try to sing along in the hymnbook our classic Christmas carols, triumphing the coming of Christ.

Since, actual Christmas day, we would be at our Korean church all day, we decided to surprise the kids after the Christmas Eve service with all the presents and stockings set out.  I dashed home with my sister-in-law and Danny went with the kids and “James” and “John” to McDonald’s for $1 ice cream cones.  I quickly got everything set up and awaited their arrival.

Our kids (AND James and John) were surprised and ecstatic when they walked in with everything set up. We took our traditional stair photo, sang “Joy to the World”, and started the stocking openings.  James and John were so surprised when I showed them where their stockings were. And then as we each took turns opening presents, they were thrilled when they had different things to opened. (One of which was a Jesus Film, in Arabic). Christmas is so often enjoyed by parents as they watch the wonder and excitement of the children, and this year we had two extra “kids” who were equally filled with surprise, excitement, and wonder.  It was simply so much fun. (It was also so fun to see bright smiles spread across John’s quiet, reserved face, as he opened his own presents and watched our kids be thrilled over theirs)

James kept saying, “This is my BEST Christmas.  This is my first Christmas and it will always be my best Christmas in my memory.”

I couldn’t help but pray, that his Christmases will get even better, not because of gifts to open, and children squealing in excitement, but because he has opened the best Gift of all, his Savior and Sustainer of his life.

A little past midnight, after the kids had finally settled down and everyone was in bed, Danny went down to check on the guys and say goodnight. John was curled up on his bed watching something on his computer. It was the Jesus film we had given him.

Lord, work through it, Danny prayed.

The next morning was an early morning of ushering children and James and John out the door again for more church services. I almost felt bad for them…they didn’t know what they were getting into when they stayed with us. But they seemed eager to observe and listen to their new friend, Danny, preach of the prophecies of Christ and their fulfillment in Christmas.  Then we had Sunday School, and John was missing. I found him wandering around the property, my heart sank. “We have probably offended him…doing so much “Christian” stuff.” I thought. I asked him if he would like to join us or if he was too tired. (we had so many late nights that week!) He said “No, I want to come, I didn’t know where you were.” “Oh,” I sighed with relief.

Boy, was I glad he came.  Danny told us to look up Matthew 6 and we just read two verses and then watched Tim Keller’s “Gospel in Life” video about work.  John’s eyes did not leave the page after we read those verses. I kept glancing at him as he read and read. The VERY FIRST time he had ever read the Bible for himself.

The guys went home with relatives, because we had to stick around for more responsibilities (have I mentioned that Korean’s are hard-core and take their Sabbath day very seriously…all day events…we, flimsy Americans with our “express services” have a thing or two to learn from them, anyways…”

When we got home around 5pm we found that James had taken a much needed nap, but John had finished watching the rest of the Jesus film.

He had a ton of questions at Christmas dinner. He had many questions that he couldn’t quite articulate so we used James(whose English was better) and our trusty Google Translate to be able to address his questions. One of the first ones was, “That book that we read at church today. Can I get one of them? I would like to read it more.”

“That book” just happened to be the Holy Inspired Word of God. “That book” happened to have words of truth, and hope and salvation, that in all of John’s 19 years of life, he had never even known existed.

And here’s the cool part.  Earlier that week I was researching sharing Christ with Muslims and stumbled upon a ministry website that would send an Arabic Bible for free. I asked if I could get it before Christmas, and they said there was probably no chance it would arrive in time.  Christmas Eve it arrived.  When Danny and I opened it (and some Arabic literature/tracts), we asked Jesus who needed it the most, but we just set it aside to pray about it more.

Here was our answer.

After Danny fetched the Bible we talked for about an hour answering questions like “Who killed Jesus?” “Why did they kill him?” “Did he really come back to life?” “Can God live in my spirit too?”. James, wasn’t asking as many questions, but was still eager to be involved in the conversation, so I asked him what different things said on the tracts (they were in Arabic and I couldn’t read them).  Here he was explaining God’s word to me.  I commended him on how well he translated it, and he said “Maybe I could be a pastor too one day!”  Oh, Lord, may he!!!

The whole experience, and the curiosity and hunger to learn was all so thrilling and exciting to be a part of, I couldn’t imagine if we had tried to “protect” our family time by not hosting these two great guys. What riches we would have been missed out on. What amazing privileges would have been passed up. What new friendships would never have formed.

Our kids cried on Wednesday morning when the guys left, and they still talk about missing James and John.

And we daily cry out to God, that his Spirit of truth, will guide them into all truth. (John 16:13)

For, simply being very feebly-available, has led to deep friendship and love for our Saudi Arabian guests, and we long for them to know not only the surface riches of Christmas, but the real riches of Christmas in Christ,

that

Christmas riches, almost missed by us,

would become

Christmas riches,

embraced by them.

Pictures of our guests have been removed for their privacy and protection.

*real names not used because of their Muslim faith which prohibits them from celebrating Christmas, investigating Christianity, and owning and reading a Bible. We don’t want to put our new friends at risk in any way.

And here’s our family’s end of 2011 update letter!

IverUpdate Dec. 2011

As a follow-up to my recent conviction about being moved by the Spirit, I put aside my typical weekly agenda to get ready for a Christmas party for our housemate’s international friends. Amazingly, I didn’t do too much yelling at my children beforehand (they even helped with set-up and we shared a wonderful prayer time for it together in the afternoon!- thanks to the Spirit’s work) and we had a wonderful time with everyone.  We utilized three key universal languages-food, music, and children.  After our meal together, it was pretty amazing to have Muslims gathered around singing songs about Christ, the Savior,’s birth. The Gospel conversations we were able to engage in with each person were even better.  Instead of an “untouchable topic” like it is with many Americans, all the international students were eager to discuss differing views, sharing theirs and asking questions about others. We pray that the doors of hearts have begun to creak open through it all.
I was equally amazed at how eager each person was to interact and play with our kids. Some of them said they are always at the university and don’t see very many children. DJ got to have plastic sword fights with Valentina from Italy, and play iphone video games with “Derick” from Taiwan.  Trinity played musical instruments with her new best friend, Winnie, from Taiwan.  Katy-Grace played “come and get me!!” with Anece from Saudi Arabia. Benjamin befriended Monique , an 8 month old from Libya, whose parents are studying here.

We, including our children, are far richer for having hosted this party. We are challenged and grown as we hear first-hand how one’s religion affects their goals, their lives, and their culture. My children are now talking about flying to the different countries to visit their friends (I showed them on a map where each one lived–how’s that for a built-in homeschool lesson?? Geography 101 based on friends from around the world)

One part of the evening saddened me….When asked if they had made any American friends or been to an American’s home, each person said “no”. These new friends of ours have been here anywhere from 7 mo. to 2 1/2 years. Their most frequent interactions with Americans is with their English teacher in class. I asked Ibraham from Saudi Arabia if they preferred just spending time with other internationals or if they wished they could have relationships with Americans.  He said “No, we wish we could know Americans.  We are here to learn the language and the culture, but the American students are busy with their studies and their lives and we don’t know how to become friends with them.” The nations are 10 minutes away and we are too busy to reach out to them, befriend them, and share the Light of the Gospel with them.

Through these new friends, I have been so convicted…

To truly be a follower of Christ, he said we must obey his words.

This includes “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 28:19) The “going” to “all nations” has become so easy for us. We don’t even have to buy a plane ticket.

They are right here.

he went into the temple courts.

When the parents brought in the child Jesus…

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God..”

Luke 2:27,28

When I read this last week, I was so struck by the “being moved” part.  Because Simeon was willing to be moved by the Holy Spirit, he showed up at the exact right time to be able to witness the Messiah here on earth. He got to hold the tiny form of his body, full of potential and expectation of what he would grow to be and do.

Simeon, who listened to and believed the Holy Spirit (v.25), who was MOVED by Him could claim

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory to your people Israel” (Luke 30:29-32)

He received promises fulfilled, witnessed the climax of many expectant years, met and held the baby Lord Jesus on earth, before he would meet Him again in his life to come, all because he was willing to

be moved.

As I read this to my kids, in a frantic attempt to gain some kind of eternal perspective on my stressful, exhausting week, I realized just how UNwilling I was to

be moved by the Spirit.

Oh, I let other things move me-the laundry piling up, the messes to be cleaned, my “daily schedule” hanging on my fridge, my rigid idea of what all should be accomplished in homeschooling, drop-off and pick-up times at preschool, and the constant “to-do” list running through my mind. But being moved by these things, rarely leaves room for

being moved by the Spirit.

I hate to think of all I miss out on when I am moved by my agenda and not by God’s.

sweet hugs from my kids, laughter and giggles, a ministering conversation with my neighbor, a relationship with someone who does not yet know Christ, silent times of prayer and communion with the Father,

I miss out on meeting Jesus.

in all these things

and the thrill of seeing Him work and show up.

So please, Father, forgive my rigidness,

my deaf ears and blind eyes

and make me sensitive and flexible enough

to be moved

by the Spirit.

]]> http://kimberlyiverson.wordpress.com/2011/12/17/moved/feed/ 0 kimzhis http://kimberlyiverson.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/christmas-for-the-1040-window-right-in-our-living-room/ http://kimberlyiverson.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/christmas-for-the-1040-window-right-in-our-living-room/#comments Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:33:30 +0000 kimzhis http://kimberlyiverson.wordpress.com/?p=1120 ]]> Last month a student from Libya moved into our “porch room”, which provides extra rent money AND an incredible opportunity to share the love and light of the Gospel with someone who would not otherwise hear of Him in his Muslim country. It has been a joy to get to share our culture, our language, and our God with Adnan over the past month and a half.  In a season of life when we can’t be “radical goers” to share the Gospel with the nations, we can be “radical welcomers” to those that are right here in our towns, longing for relationships with Americans so they can learn the culture and the language.

One of the most opportune times for sharing not only the words of the Gospel but also the visuals of the Gospel was through the decorating of our Christmas tree last weekend. Amid the tree continually tipping over (Danny and Adnan worked hard to figure out how to keep it up) Danny got to explain that we put an evergreen tree in our home to remind us of God’s never changing love and care for His people. He told of the lights we place on it, because Jesus is the Light of the World.  Adnan asked questions about  the angels posted around our home- so we shared how they announced the birth of Jesus, sent to save the world from their sins.  In the little nativity scenes we shared about how God chose a humble way to bring Jesus into the world, and that lowly shepherds were sent to worship him AS WELL AS high, wise kings that travelled far to welcome the new King.

I didn’t realize how effective a family tradition could be for sharing the Gospel with someone, and I was so thankful for these habits that become “normal” for us and our children, but are the gateway for sharing the Truth with those of another country, culture, and religion. We pray that this “Advent Activity” creates a true advent in Adnan’s heart to be able to receive the humble King who was sent to save His people.

Please pray with us for him and for all of his friends (mostly Arabs from the 10/40 window) who will be coming to a Christmas party we are hosting this Friday.  May it truly be an Advent experience in their lives.

Along with this post, I have to add a little advertising plug:

IF YOU LIVE IN THE ORLANDO AREA, and would like the incredible opportunity of being a “radical welcomer” and bringing the Gospel to people from countries where the the Good News is not known, International Friendship Ministries (IFM) is hosting a week-long Christmas conference for international students from all over the country.  They are in desperate need of host families. The students arrive Wed. Dec.21 in the evening, and then are involved in activities coordinated by IFM throughout the week, spend Christmas Eve (afternoon) and Christmas with their host families and then do two more days of sightseeing with their group before leaving on Wednesday morning.  We hosted three girls last year-two from China and one from Korea.  The opportunities to share the Gospel through ALL different means were INCREDIBLE.  It was a free mission trip in the comfort of our own home.  Yes, you may have to sacrifice it “just being your family” but WHAT A UNIQUE CHANCE to bring the Gospel to the nations!!! Last year, God opened so many doors for conversation, the girls LOVED our kids, and even helped us wrap presents until the wee hours of Christmas day (what?!?, I hadn’t taken care of that yet?!?).

PLEASE consider hosting a student or two (all three of our girls were in one room…two shared a double bed and one was on an air mattress….they didn’t care-they were just happy to be with an American host family)

If you want to take advantage of this incredible opportunity please contact Dave Hedburg (the IFM coordinator) at dave@ifmusa.org  or myself, through the blog. I can forward all the information, schedule, and list of students still awaiting host families (there are a TON from China!)  37 STUDENTS STILL NEED PLACES TO STAY!!!

"Our girls" and Benjamin on his first Christmas

After having seen God work so mightily in my conversation with my limo driver, I almost wanted sit back and say ‘THAT was what we’ve been praying for.” and not seek to engage in any more conversations. But, as my  flight San Diego to Las Vegas passed by, and I continued to put  the flight in the Lord’s hands and ask for opportunities a conversation gradually arose.  The man I was sitting next to knew alot of the common arguments against the idea of “one religion” being the only one and at this point I was so thankful for all the apologetic books I had read in high school and college.  I knew the arguments, and I knew ways to pose questions so that this man could see things from a different point of view. We had a friendly debate back and forth, with him saying “Ok, I’ll give you that one” often (whatever that means?!) At the end of the flight, I finally felt like we were getting to the root of his unbelief.  He said “Well, what would you say about this?? When I was growing up we went to a Lutheran church and when I was about 12 years old, people started speaking in tongues and that became a big deal.  But then after a year or two it stopped.  So how could that be “God”?  Why wouldn’t He keep doing it? And what about the people who didn’t “speak in tongues”? It made me think everything was made up anyways.”  Our flight had landed by this point and so I didn’t have much time to answer well, but I just told him that first of all, God can choose different ways of working in peoples lives for different seasons, and also, sometimes people take things out of proportion because it starts to become all about having a ‘certain experience’. It was clear that this man had a definite experience “in church” that turned him off to knowing God, and therefore declared himself an agnostic from that point on. I was grateful for our talk because it certainly deepened my faith and forced me to think hard about the issues he brought up, AND it sent me on a quest to research different topics.  I pray that maybe  some of those “I’ll give you that one” statements would creak open the door in his mind to exploring who God is and just how active He is in our lives.

The next flight of our journey was a late four-hour trip from Las Vegas to Orlando.  It was also a much more sobering part of the trip.  I was seated next to an elderly couple who evidently go to Las Vegas to gamble several times a year.  The woman was really friendly towards Benjamin and myself and we made little small talk.  In my mind I said “We have four hours, I can share the gospel with her later”…Well as time went on, she dozed off…then I dozed off…then I was so groggy I couldn’t think straight even though we continued to talk through little small talk things.  All the while I kept saying “Oh I’ll share later”.  Well, that “later” never came.  In the days that followed, I puzzled over that flight.  I sat there, and had FOUR HOURS in which I could have shared the Gospel with a woman who may never have another opportunity to hear the Good News of a Savior who loves her and gave Himself for her. FOUR HOURS.  I could write it off and say “well at least I shared with the other people” or “maybe someone else will share with her”, but NO, God put ME next to her and I failed to be bold, I failed to love in a way beyond my comfort zone. How did that happen?  After I had had so many good conversations already?  And as I pondered these things, I realized- all the other trips I had been inviting the Holy Spirit in…entering into conversation by faith that God would work through it and guide the conversation.  But in this instance, I was not depending on the Helper.  I was calling the shots: “I will share later”, “I‘ll do it after she wakes up”, but ” I am so tired”. I was living independently, and the Holy Spirit has no room to work when Kimberly has taken the wheel back into her hands.  Its the difference between living in dependence upon the Holy Spirit and living in independence.  Living by faith or living by my own strength. Living a life that is filled with power or living a life of failure.  It is a hard lesson to learn.  But may I learn it well and may God place someone in that woman’s life who will be more obedient and available than I was that night.

My time (all 36 hours of it) in San Diego was SO fun.  Granted my brother, sister, and I were locked in the resort suite for 7 hours  because if we roamed the place we might be discovered by Ken and thus ruin the surprise that he was the recipient of the Spirit of Life Award that year. BUT those Jones kids can think of some really hilariously stupid things do to even when locked in a room. To save face, I won’t post the video’s we made while we were bored. After all, I’m a mother of four, not a fifteen-year-old anymore (which you would think I was based on the videos) Not to mention, my siblings would shoot me if I posted our crazy ipod dance party on the world wide web.

Back to reporting on what God can do when you make yourself available and expect Him to show up….

treated like royalty with personal limo and chauffeur

So I got to share a few last moments with my brother before my chauffeur (yes, chauffeur-I was treated like royalty for those 36 hours) came to pick me up to take me back to the airport.  When he came up to get my things for me, I was like “shoot.”  It was a guy who was probably about my age..which makes things a little bit more awkward. Then we got in the car and the first 10 minutes he didn’t say a word to me, or me to him.  ”Great.” I’m thinking, this opportunity will be a bust.  Finally, I asked him if he was native to San Diego. Just that simple question, began the unfolding of an incredible conversation. He started telling me about moving to San Diego so that he could surf, and he just drove limos to support himself.  I asked him about his growing up years and where his family was from. He mentioned his Dad, but not his mom.  I asked him where his mother was.

” My mom died 10 years ago from a brain tumor.”

WHAT?!?!  I couldn’t believe my ears! The Lord had put me in this car for a reason. What are the chances that MY Mom had died about 12 years ago from a brain tumor.

Any time death is in the conversation it is always a smooth transition into talking about what happens AFTER death.  So after he told me about the events surrounding her sickness and death. And, after I shared that I, too had walked through my mother dying from a brain tumor, I asked him if it made him think about what happens after death.

He started talking about a spirit world…”Do evil people go to the same spirit world as the good people?”  No.  ”What is the standard for which spirit world you get to go to?  What criteria do you have to meet to get there?” I posed to him.

As he continued to talk about these things, I was very aware of the San Diego Airport signs that were appearing.

I was crying out, “Please, Lord! Please let me get to share with him about the REAL spirit world IN YOUR PRESENCE that we get to enter into if we are trusting in your Son.  Please don’t let us get to share the Truth with him!’

The sign said 5 more miles….And then the guy paused, and said, “You know, there aren’t many people you can actually talk to about these things.  Thanks for asking me about this.  What about you, what do you believe happens after death?”

Thank you, Lord!

I shared my belief that God created us, in His image, and in perfect relationship with Him.  But the first man, chose to try to live without God and it effected everyone thereafter.  I told him I believed, just like he did, that there was a perfect and peaceful spirit world. And if Heaven is real and if it is really a perfect place, God is not going to let sin and wrong into His presence.  It must be punished and it cannot enter into heaven because then heaven would cease to be good and peaceful.  As I shared about our rebellion against God, he agreed that no one is perfect. So then we’re all stuck, right? He agreed with that, but then I said “Actually, I know of only one person who was absolutely perfect”.  He seemed stunned and then asked “Who?” I replied “Jesus Christ”, and went on tell him that I believed that the Man Jesus Christ was not just a man, but He was God sent into our world to live a perfect life that we couldn’t live and to die in our place, receiving the punishment  that we deserve.  I told him that I believe that He really did rise from the dead, because the ancient Scriptures say so, and his best friends ALL died horrible deaths still claiming that He really did rise. If it was a lie or a made-up story, then surely at least someone would have backed down and chickened out. And I told him that if you’re trusting Jesus to make you clean and “good enough” for the perfect place in God’s presence, then you will truly get to enter into a “place” with no more sickness, sorrow, sin, or destruction.  ”This was the hope that my Mom clung to, and it is the hope that I cling to, and so when she died I knew it wasn’t the end…that I would see her again”

I was just finishing up telling him these things when we pulled up to the airport drop off.  Somehow God made those five miles turn into 10 minutes.

He closed our conversation with saying”It was really nice talking to you, its hard to find people who are willing to talk about his kind of deeper stuff”.

“Yah, that’s why God put me in your limo this afternoon” I was thinking…

He helped me get my bags out, and I asked if I could pray for him and he said “Yeah, sure”.  At that point I figured I should probably know his name at least.

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“Christian”

he says.

“Wow, thats ironic.” I manage to utter in my shock.

“Yah, yah, I know.”

So I prayed for him, and asked God to pour His love and grace and TRUTH into Christian’s life.

He thanked me again, and we parted ways and I will never see him again.

Unless.

Unless, just as he was conceived, and born, and given a name all without his own initiative.

He is also drawn, born, and given a name without his own initiative- born from above, named “Child of God”, and brought to LIFE by Jesus, Who is LIFE itself, Who chooses to breath life into mankind.

and this random guy driving my limo truly becomes

CHRISTIAN

Little Christ.

A child of God, with the Life of the Resurrected Lord in him.

Then I will see him again. And I will call him brother.

Our God is a lavish Giver.  I dare anyone out there to try to out-give Him.  It just can’t be done.

My most recent experience with the fact that He is far more creative, generous, and extravagant than I could ever attempt to be towards Him and His Kingdom work, was evidenced in a wonderful, refreshing trip a few weeks ago.

Six months ago, Danny was asked to be a groomsmen in the wedding of good friends in California.  I immediately thought, “We can’t do that, we have no money!” Oh, me, of little faith.

SO, the wedding was approaching and the bride and groom offered to help pay his ticket to get there, BUT since Danny didn’t play it safe last April and flew to Japan in the midst of a nuclear crisis, we racked up a whole bunch of Sky Miles (and evidently a “free companion ticket” that had to be used by the end of 2011).  Danny started scheming a 7 year anniversary get-away plus wedding combo due to the fact that we could both get to California for FREE.

My servant-hearted sister-in-law, Sara-Beth, agreed to watching Trinity, Katy-Grace, and Benjamin (in addition to her own three!) and our pastor and his wife welcomed in Daniel Josiah for those four days. (PRICELESS GIFT!)

THEN, since the amazingly generous bride and groom didn’t have to pay to help get Danny there, they put us up in an AMAZING, quaint hotel just across the harbor from San Francisco (I thought we would be crashing on the couches of someone in their home church! I didn’t find out about the hotel until 3 days before the trip!)

THEN, Danny was able to score an ABSURDLY good deal on a rental car AND not only did they give us a deal but then they UPGRADED our car (Danny pulled his “Enterprise” connection on that one) The car providing really cheap site-seeing ventures.

THEN, most of our meals were provided through wedding festivities, and they were such FULL meals, they’d last us through the next meal time.

THEN, Danny got paid?!? to speak at a small gathering of men two days before the wedding. (which fully paid for the car, gas, and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream as we strolled through the picturesque harbor one afternoon)

THEN, a situation arose with our room, and we just let the front desk know that they might want to fix it after we left, and they immediately gave us a $50 credit for room service, their restaurant, or renting a movie! At this point I was thinking “Ok, Ok, Lord, this is getting ridiculous!!”

AND THEN, we were super late for our flight home, which would have resulted in a full night camped out in the airport, plus a hefty rescheduling fee, but miracle upon miracles I was able to get them to hold the flight for 15 minutes while Danny returned the rental car and sprinted through the airport. (Believe me, that was NOT due to my persuasive abilities, because I have none)

The whole trip, I couldn’t believe that we, a poor seminary student and a homemaker of 4+ kids, were experiencing a luxury vacation on the West Coast.  This could only be done, because God is a Giver of good gifts, and He far outgives any feeble offerings we make to “sacrifice for the Kingdom.”