April 2nd...Waving not Drowning

I am on a small detour again...this last few weeks has been a wild water ride rather than a rollercoaster.!! The situation with Chris work is like a bad movie script or an episode from a soap opera......we feel as if we are being buffeted from all directions on a daily basis.I had a picture yesterday when IJ and BJ came round to give us hugs and pray for us..."it is of Chris and I having been thrown overboard from a ship...we have our life jackets on and we know 100% we wont drown...BUT...the wake of the ship is throwing us all over the place....." so if you see us....we are definitely WAVING NOT DROWNING....and if you think of us ..please pray that a lifeboat comes along soon and takes us to solid ground...!!!

In between all that we had to re-think a decision we had made about our trip to Willow Creek for the Leadership Conference...because of financial reasons we had decided that ONLY Chris would go.....and altho I was disappointed we felt at peace.....then along comes Simon...who said he REALLY wanted us BOTH to be there as it would be a life changing time for us...He challenged us to pray and believe that God would provide the finances for us to go.....He encouraged us to share with friends and ask for their prayer and support .....He mentioned the "pride " word and said we needed to drop our pride and ask....

Those of you who know our financial situation will also know we find it hard to keep on sharing and keep on being vulnerable and I guess pride is an issue....but God is still working on our characters and we are truly grateful for friends who do love and support and encourage us....despite all our flaws.

Simon has taken a lead in church in being "authentic" and living lives together and being open and vulnerable with each other so we can be a community that will let people"come as they are".....and I know that at times it is a struggle to keep on being authentic.

For me...I am incredibly thankful for friends who surround us .I know for sure that given my natural inclination I would have run for cover months ago if it werent for your love and acceptance and the growing knowledge that you actually do love and care for me..

Its strange that writing this blog has been such a vital part of this journey...I think I said at the start that "writing is my best chance of happiness" and whilst I have been bobbing up and down in the water I still have known peace and happiness.I have had Caroline H as my mentor and I cant begin to explain how that is keeping me afloat....I have had friends and LGroup praying for me and know that both Chris and I would surely have drowned if not for all the help and support that has been shown to us.

We are still in the water..the work situation is not yet resolved but we are "waving" the trip to Willow Creek is a definite but not yet fully financed...but we are "waving"...anyone got a spare lifeboat..??