We're Moving to Florida!!

Even as I write those words I find my self having a hard time letting them sink in, yet God has called us, and we are going! 

A little bit of back story.  Back in 2007/08 Joel and I went into Youth With a Mission (YWAM) to do our Discipleship Training School (DTS).  As most of you know, that is where he and I met.  During our time with YWAM we had the opportunity to go on outreach to Afghanistan.  Out of the 80+ students and 30+ staff at our base, our team had a total of 5 students and 2 staff.  Two of those teammates were Josh and Ruth. 

Unbeknownst to all of us at that time, Joel and I would end up getting married a year later in 2009 and Josh and Ruth would also end up getting married.  Josh and Ruth have continued to work with YWAM these past 5 years, staffing and leading DTS' themselves.  They have also continued to travel all around the world bringing the truth of God to the nations. 

Fast forward to January 2013.  Josh and Ruth were in town visiting Josh's family (small world huh?), so we were able to meet up with them for coffee.  Just a few short hours later, after hearing about the vision God has placed in the lives of Josh and Ruth, Joel and I began to seriously ponder if this could be God's next calling in our lives.  Josh and Ruth have been called to start a YWAM base in Venice FL and with a flutter of excitement in our hearts that night, God began to show us that this is what we have been waiting for. Hours of prayer later, and after meeting with our Pastor and getting the prayer support from family and several good friends we feel confident that this is what God has in store for us next.

So, with that said, coming just a few short weeks away, Joel and I will be packing up our lives in the pacific Northwest and traveling to Florida to begin this new adventure.  We are both excited and humbled that God would call us to join in this great task- and to be able to once again fulfill the calling that He has placed in both our hearts to be in missions.  What an awesome God we serve!

While neither of us feel worthy, we feel that is the best place to start and we are continually praying "Lord, let not my will, but Thine be done."

The details:

Where: Venice, Florida… exact location TBD.
What:  To know God and to make Him known.
Who: Currently there are around 10 staff.
When: Joel and I will be moving beginning the first week in March, we plan to visit my family in NC along the way and be in Florida around the first week in April.

How you can participate:

Pray(!) for us and for our team:
    Prayer Points:   
    •    Housing- currently we are looking for a residence that will house about 10 staff members so that we can begin to develop relationships among the team and become unified and focused on what God is calling us to do.
    •    Relationships- Opportunities to grow relationships with surrounding churches/community during the first few months of living in Florida.
    •    Josh and Ruth- they are moving from Germany and are expecting their first child in June- prayer for strength and wisdom as they move in the direction God has called them.
    •    Joel and I- as we begin to pack up our lives here and make this transition, also for safety during our drive across country.

Financial Support:
    •    If you feel led, please become a part of our support team.  YWAM is a volunteer-based mission organization, so we will not be receiving a salary but rather depending on financial support from our friends, family, communities and churches. The great thing about this is that it is a opportunity for others to join us in the work God has called us to do as well as strengthening our dependence in Him!  At this time, we are completely at a loss as to how to begin fund raising but are trusting that God will provide we we need it as He always does!

If you would be interested in partnering with us please email us at joelandcarrie09@gmail.com to get information on how you can be a part of our team.


"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,Who bring glad tidings of good things!” "
                                        -Romans 10:14-15



    Join with us in prayer as we start this exciting new adventure!
                    Love,
                    Joel and Carrie

Currently Reading

I've been reading a lot lately.... 

Random books mostly, but currently The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
I borrowed the book from a friend to freshen up on the details before the movie comes out in December, but as I'm reading God is teaching me, funny how He uses a fiction book to reveal things about Himself.

I'm only in the second chapter, but let me give you re-cap of whats happened so far (there's a point, I promise)
The story is about Bilbo (a hobbit) and if you know anything about hobbits, then you know that they are quiet and unassuming people who despise adventures and anything out of ordinary.  They are quite happy living their lives in their safe communities eating five or meals a day and seeing the same faces everyday.  Bilbo was just like any other hobbit, safe and happy in his little house in the Hill, until Gandalf (the wizard) chose him for an adventure. The morning he is supposed to embark on this adventure no one is around, so he thinks he got out of it and sets about doing his normal things, preparing his breakfast, then his second breakfast and sitting down to relax when Gandalf arrives and tells him to run.  He needs to be on the adventure in 10 min, people are waiting for him.  Bilbo goes, runs out the door and forgets his hat,his cloak, and his handkerchief and he's so distressed by this that when he meets with his group of fellow adventurers he starts making excuses as to why he needs to go back. His new friend Dwalin then pulls out a spare hat and cloak, and even though they are too large, gives them to Bilbo to protect him from the elements.  Content, but still missing his handkerchief, they continue on their journey until Gandalf arrives and gives him "a lot of pocket-handkerchiefs". 

Doesn't that remind you of someone?  It reminded me of myself, that much I know. I get so caught up in my life, and making sure I get my things in order that I forget to listen to what God is calling me to do.  Back in 2007 God called me on an adventure to Germany and though it terrified me and I had less than a month to prepare I went- and thank goodness I did! I met my husband there and we are coming up on our third anniversary next week!  Hebrews 13:5 says "...I will never leave you nor forsake you"  and thank goodness He never does!  Even when we are so dizzy with whats going on in our lives, and the adventures that it feels God has thrust upon us with out our consent He is still there! Right beside us, every step of the way.

But what about Bilbo's hat and cloak? He still had to leave them behind!  Just like Gandalf, God always provides for us.  Even when we lose the things we own, he gives us what we need.  It might come in a funny package, being too big or not exactly like what we had before, but He makes sure we're taken care of.

Matthew 6:25-34 says  

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."

 Jesus, give me the shove I need to get out the door, to go on the adventures that You have planned for my life even when I have no desire to go on them myself.  Help me to get past my personal comforts and to lean on You and trust You to take care of me.  I know you won't abandon me, and if I leave my figurative hat and cloak behind help me to remember that you will provide exactly what I need, when I need it.  Thank-you for being so faithful.

 And, that's what's been floating around in my head lately, what's God teaching you?

Love,

Carrie

Catch up part 1284761825

Okay okay, so it's not quite my 1284761825th catch up post... but it's pretty close!

Why am I so bad about keeping up with a blog that only contains events of my life?  No idea.... but the fact remains that I am terrible at it!

So... rewind a few months back to December...

Once upon a time, my husband and I got our first real tree!  Which I actually blogged about here. This was a lovely tree.  Perfect in many ways, and just the right size for our little apartment (which in itself was a miracle considering we left all tape measures at home when we went to purchase said tree).  Somehow I managed to misplace about half of my old Christmas decorations.... (COME hommmmmme!) so, I had to make a trip to Target for some new accessories.

On December 3rd, I shot a wedding  for a lovely couple.  Here are a few of my favorites!

On Christmas Eve we went to our dear friends Alex and Katie's house to celebrate Christ's birth! It was a lovely time, there were 7 of us in total I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend Christmas eve. Katie and I strung cranberries and popcorn after we ate and decorated the windows with our creations!

That night we all cuddled up on couches and watched A Christmas Story... if you haven't watched it before.... I'm not sure I'd recommend it- but being with a great group of friends makes all the difference.

After the movie, we had a grown up sleepover!  All crashing in separate rooms and waking up on Christmas morning to eggs, waffles and sausage!

The next morning was Christmas!  After getting up early (like a bunch of little kids), Joel and I went to his parents house for another feast! This time it was prim rib and these awesome little olive penguins Joel's brother Brent made!

It was a lovely Christmas, and through it all we celebrated the birth of our Savior, the love that He has given us and the joy of having amazing friends and family surrounding us.

Fast forward a bit... On January 28, I went and chopped off 10 inches of hair!  Talk about a change!

So.... I'm sure there are other things that have happened in our lives.... but for now I'm drawing a blank.

Happy Presidents day everyone ;)

Love,
Carrie

Blog Fail.

So, I'm supposed to be doing a blog a week with my lovely friend Nicole and her Mother, Marie.  I've mentioned it before, on the blog post Lil More Favorite.  Well.  I haven't been doing so well with it.  We should currently be on week 7, and I've done.... well, none of the original blog post ideas lol. 

So, today I'm going to post a Self- Portrait, which isn't really a self portrait cause my little sister took it of me, and Something Green, to replace a High Angle.
That works, right?

Self Portrait:

The purple things in my ears are ear plugs- this is from our Thanksgiving extravaganza!

Something Green: (photos courtesy Kate Weatherby, our tree shopping buddy!)

Our first real Christmas tree together, my first real tree ever!

 

Isn't it beautiful?!

I'm very much in a Christmas mood- even to where I'm drawing Christmas cards in the paint program on the computer.

 

So there's a couple pics to catch up with my blog post fail.  Hopefully (fingers crossed) I'll do a better job in the future (though not likely)!

In other news-I took some photos for a beautiful wedding this weekend- but sure to check back soon to see the lovely wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Sanborn!

Until we meet again,

Carrie :)

Home for the Holidays

 

Thanksgiving. 

I love Thanksgiving.

I love the smells. The food.  The family.  The love.

All of it.

And this Thanksgiving I got to go home and celebrate with my family and also enjoy 70 degrees of sunshiny awesomeness.
  
The week was awesome, relaxing and a chance to catch up with those I love.  We did a lot of eating and a lot of hanging out and it was a great change to our normally busy lives.  The week flew by and before we knew it it was Thanksgiving day and my Grandparents came over to celebrate with us.  We had enough food to feed a small army, but it was still delicious many meals later.

We had the works- ham, turkey, green been caserole, stuffing, sweet potato caserole, rolls, apple pie, pumpkin pie etc. It was mmm mm gooood. 

After the meal we cleaned up the kitchen sat back and relaxed before going out in the woods and partaking in an actual Thanksgiving tradition (not ours, but the settlers).  Target shooting.

*Always use extreme caution when handling any sort of fire arm- they can be extremly dangerous*

We've never gone out as a family to shoot so it was an experience all in itself and Callie-girl had never shot a weapon.  Needless to say she was stoked to be able to do so!

We had a blast finished and then finished the night with some hot cocoa.

Meet Ema.

After I got married my parents bought a Havenese puppy and she is a funny little dog!

Also, a little bundle of a cuteness :)

She is one well loved pup ;)

Mom, Dad, Chris and Callie.
We love you guys so much!! Thanks for the awesome week and your continued love and support, I couldn't ask for a better family!
Love,

Carrie and Joel

__________________________________________________________________

side note:

 

 Happy Birthday to my Daddy!!

I hope you have an awesome day!
Wish we could be there to celebrate with you.
Love you bunches!!