Happy Easter and Spring!
It’s with little regret that I turn my attention from the quiet coldness of winter and to the growing activity of spring. The tulips are out, daffodils are bright like the constant sunshine that they’re bathed in (sorry Forks residents), and the grass is growing like mad. In fact, it’s hard to keep up with all the mowing here at the base (about 9 acres, I’m told). It’s like painting the Golden Gate Bridge; work your way from one end to the next and when you’re done it’s time to start over again. Thank the Lord for iPods! The staff are back at the base now and are prepping for the various church retreats and YWAM classes that are scheduled to begin soon. I’m staying busy giving the occasional Bible study at Calvary Chapel Sequim and helping out with yard work and general maintenance here at the base while Cameron is busy homeschooling the kids and keeping the house as organized as possible. We hope everyone’s Easter week was special and safe. Easter was a real blessing for our family as we headed out to Calvary Chapel Poulsbo for their rock’n Resurrection Service and then continued south to my parents’ home on Bainbridge Island. The kids did all the fun Easter stuff that kids do and had a blast with their grandparents. We finished the evening with a really tasty rice and chicken dinner accompanied by a salad packed with veggies and a sweetly dense pound cake dessert drenched with fresh strawberry and raspberry sauce. We rolled our way home and slept great that night. It’s a good thing my belt had extra holes in it!
You may be wondering, “Aren’t they supposed to be in Townsville by now?” Yes, that is true, the intern-staff program was scheduled to start by April 11. However, time was extended a bit due to a longer than expected amount of time the immigration folks took in approving the YWAM Reef to Outback (RTO)program. It has been approved though, and so we’re all scrambling to get our visa paperwork filled out and submitted. Feel free to keep us in prayer on this since they’re requiring a lot of documentation including FBI background checks, proof of international medical insurance, proof of financial support, etc. It can be quite a headache but with the Lord’s provision and the helpful staff at YWAM RTO, we’re getting through it. Cameron and I keep reminding each other, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” That’s just the bureaucratic stuff though. We also have a great deal of personal belongings that need to be sorted to determine what can be trashed, donated, stored, or sold. I must say, it was a real relief to let go of a lot of these things on our initial move from Forks. Our challenge is that we have to do it again. It’s a little more difficult since what we have now, though is not necessarily needful, is what we really value. Nonetheless, it has to be done and thankfully we’ve had friends and family around to help with the kids while we work on it.
Great News! Peggy Murphy has recently been added to our crew. As some of you know, our dear friend Peggy came up to Forks with us back in 02 to plant Calvary Chapel Forks and was a huge blessing to our family, to the church, and to the whole community. Eventually, she felt led to move back down to San Diego for family reasons. Last December while visiting our friends at Calvary Chapel Point Loma, Cameron prayed in her heart for God’s will with possibly stirring Peggy to commit to come with us as a nanny. While we mingled among the congregation, Cameron had a chance to share her desire with Peggy. She immediately said she was interested and that she had already been praying about it! Currently she has been accepted as a Mission Builder with YWAMRTO and is waiting on her visa.
We also received some hopeful news last week as we have had our home up for sale since last September 09 and you have all been so diligently praying for God’s will in it…Drum roll please…It is in escrow and should be closing at the beginning of May! We’re rejoicing and are excited though a little reserved since last time we were a little premature in our celebration. If it goes the distance, we’ll be able to leave for Australia without having to worry about the house and we should have a little more financial freedom which will help with being qualified for our volunteer visa. We were really concerned for the family who was renting our house since they were just getting settled in. Finding a rental in Forks can be difficult, but it only took a couple of days and we heard that they had found a newer home at a better price. What a relief. God is good.
So it seems we’re on the final lap of our journey here in the U.S. but just about to begin another adventure overseas. Thank you again for all of your support, your prayers, and encouragement. We’ve had some real ups and downs through this whole process but have truly felt God holding our hands and leading us along by your prayers. Each of you is vital to us in our efforts to be fruitful in the ministry in Australia. Our hope and prayer is that though we may be separated by thousands of miles of ocean, we will stay near your hearts and minds and remain in close contact with you. We hope that you will not only continue to support us but grow in your excitement and committed partnership in what God is doing through us and in us.
May the Lord richly bless you this month!
Pastor Jeremy and Family
Answers to Prayer:
Last time we asked for prayer for:
Provision for our trip to Townsville; airfare, missionary health insurance, visa fees, etc. ►God is faithfully continuing to provide as the needs arise, Awesome!
Government acceptance of our visa agreement. ►The YWAM program has been accepted. Now it’s up to us to fill out our paperwork and submit it asap.
God’s will and direction with the house in Forks. It continues to be listed for sale and has been shown multiple times but no leads as of yet. ►It’s in escrow and should be sold by the beginning of May!!!
Homeschooling help in Townsville. ►Still looking into it.
Wisdom and diligence in preparing to move. ►God has provided folks to help and we’re moving right along as quickly as possible.
Prayer Requests:
Choosing the right Missionary Insurance plan
Finishing and submitting visa paperwork
Sorting through the rest of our belongings
Continued provision for insurance, airfare, and monthly support
God’s direction for us in being used exactly where He wants us when we arrive and get to work
It’s with little regret that I turn my attention from the quiet coldness of winter and to the growing activity of spring. The tulips are out, daffodils are bright like the constant sunshine that they’re bathed in (sorry Forks residents), and the grass is growing like mad. In fact, it’s hard to keep up with all the mowing here at the base (about 9 acres, I’m told). It’s like painting the Golden Gate Bridge; work your way from one end to the next and when you’re done it’s time to start over again. Thank the Lord for iPods! The staff are back at the base now and are prepping for the various church retreats and YWAM classes that are scheduled to begin soon. I’m staying busy giving the occasional Bible study at Calvary Chapel Sequim and helping out with yard work and general maintenance here at the base while Cameron is busy homeschooling the kids and keeping the house as organized as possible. We hope everyone’s Easter week was special and safe. Easter was a real blessing for our family as we headed out to Calvary Chapel Poulsbo for their rock’n Resurrection Service and then continued south to my parents’ home on Bainbridge Island. The kids did all the fun Easter stuff that kids do and had a blast with their grandparents. We finished the evening with a really tasty rice and chicken dinner accompanied by a salad packed with veggies and a sweetly dense pound cake dessert drenched with fresh strawberry and raspberry sauce. We rolled our way home and slept great that night. It’s a good thing my belt had extra holes in it!
You may be wondering, “Aren’t they supposed to be in Townsville by now?” Yes, that is true, the intern-staff program was scheduled to start by April 11. However, time was extended a bit due to a longer than expected amount of time the immigration folks took in approving the YWAM Reef to Outback (RTO)program. It has been approved though, and so we’re all scrambling to get our visa paperwork filled out and submitted. Feel free to keep us in prayer on this since they’re requiring a lot of documentation including FBI background checks, proof of international medical insurance, proof of financial support, etc. It can be quite a headache but with the Lord’s provision and the helpful staff at YWAM RTO, we’re getting through it. Cameron and I keep reminding each other, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” That’s just the bureaucratic stuff though. We also have a great deal of personal belongings that need to be sorted to determine what can be trashed, donated, stored, or sold. I must say, it was a real relief to let go of a lot of these things on our initial move from Forks. Our challenge is that we have to do it again. It’s a little more difficult since what we have now, though is not necessarily needful, is what we really value. Nonetheless, it has to be done and thankfully we’ve had friends and family around to help with the kids while we work on it.
Great News! Peggy Murphy has recently been added to our crew. As some of you know, our dear friend Peggy came up to Forks with us back in 02 to plant Calvary Chapel Forks and was a huge blessing to our family, to the church, and to the whole community. Eventually, she felt led to move back down to San Diego for family reasons. Last December while visiting our friends at Calvary Chapel Point Loma, Cameron prayed in her heart for God’s will with possibly stirring Peggy to commit to come with us as a nanny. While we mingled among the congregation, Cameron had a chance to share her desire with Peggy. She immediately said she was interested and that she had already been praying about it! Currently she has been accepted as a Mission Builder with YWAMRTO and is waiting on her visa.
We also received some hopeful news last week as we have had our home up for sale since last September 09 and you have all been so diligently praying for God’s will in it…Drum roll please…It is in escrow and should be closing at the beginning of May! We’re rejoicing and are excited though a little reserved since last time we were a little premature in our celebration. If it goes the distance, we’ll be able to leave for Australia without having to worry about the house and we should have a little more financial freedom which will help with being qualified for our volunteer visa. We were really concerned for the family who was renting our house since they were just getting settled in. Finding a rental in Forks can be difficult, but it only took a couple of days and we heard that they had found a newer home at a better price. What a relief. God is good.
So it seems we’re on the final lap of our journey here in the U.S. but just about to begin another adventure overseas. Thank you again for all of your support, your prayers, and encouragement. We’ve had some real ups and downs through this whole process but have truly felt God holding our hands and leading us along by your prayers. Each of you is vital to us in our efforts to be fruitful in the ministry in Australia. Our hope and prayer is that though we may be separated by thousands of miles of ocean, we will stay near your hearts and minds and remain in close contact with you. We hope that you will not only continue to support us but grow in your excitement and committed partnership in what God is doing through us and in us.
May the Lord richly bless you this month!
Pastor Jeremy and Family
Answers to Prayer:
Last time we asked for prayer for:
Provision for our trip to Townsville; airfare, missionary health insurance, visa fees, etc. ►God is faithfully continuing to provide as the needs arise, Awesome!
Government acceptance of our visa agreement. ►The YWAM program has been accepted. Now it’s up to us to fill out our paperwork and submit it asap.
God’s will and direction with the house in Forks. It continues to be listed for sale and has been shown multiple times but no leads as of yet. ►It’s in escrow and should be sold by the beginning of May!!!
Homeschooling help in Townsville. ►Still looking into it.
Wisdom and diligence in preparing to move. ►God has provided folks to help and we’re moving right along as quickly as possible.
Prayer Requests:
Choosing the right Missionary Insurance plan
Finishing and submitting visa paperwork
Sorting through the rest of our belongings
Continued provision for insurance, airfare, and monthly support
God’s direction for us in being used exactly where He wants us when we arrive and get to work
