God is on the move in Maine (and so are we)

We're a couple weeks late with the monthly update, but since it's still September, we're counting this as a success!    It has been a crazy six weeks filled with travel and visitors from out of state, as well as increased work and ministry commitments.   We have learned and grown in many ways, and we are so thankful that the Holy Spirit is present in every moment of every day! 

Let's get straight to the updates.   Last month, one of our primary prayer points was regarding where we are supposed to live after October 30 (when our current lease expires).   We love our current apartment, but because we had received such a smoking deal when we moved in we were a little shocked by the actual market value price.  We received notice of updated terms if we wanted to renew our lease and it was significantly higher than what we had been paying.   We attempted some negotiations and were able to get the price down some, but it was still $200/month more than our current rate.   Our first response was "we're outta here", because on paper we just couldn't afford it.  But, we knew better than to react out of frustration and fear so we committed it to prayer.

One of the primary lessons that we've been learning since God first called us to leave everything in Texas and move to Maine is to lean in to His nature as our Provider.   We don't know if you'll believe us, but this whole "trust me" lesson is hard!    But we can say with surety that God has never let us down and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He's not going to start now!  We've heard it said that God often works behind the scenes, even when we can't see what's happening, so it should have been no surprise that He had something up His sleeve! 

When we first arrived in Maine, we spent a couple of weeks driving around the area, looking for a place to live, and we found a duplex with a "For Rent" sign in Gorham (a suburb about 12 miles west of Portland).  When we called, the unit had just been rented out, so we shrugged it off and continued our search.   A few months later Paul's boss drives him by some of his rental properties, and sure enough it was the same duplex!   His boss told Paul that if we had rented from him, he wouldn't have hired Paul (don't you love God's timing?).   Around the same time we were getting notice of our new lease terms, Paul's boss started talking about problems he had with his current tenants, and told Paul that we could live there if we were interested.   

At first, we didn't really consider it an option, because Gorham wasn't in the direction of where we thought we were supposed to go.   But how many of you know that our thoughts aren't always God's thoughts?   After looking at the property, and looking around at other options, and after a lot of prayer (yours included), we know that this is where God is leading us.  It's a great deal, not too far from the city, and a good size place for us.   So, we will be moving there at the end of October.   Now the fun of packing begins!

While it's not always easy, breezy and beautiful, we love this adventure we're living!   We are so grateful for your continued prayer support.  You mean more to us than you can ever imagine.  Your encouraging words, your prayers, and your love sustain us in the battles.   Thank you for standing with us!

Points for Prayer:
As it is in the natural, I sense there is a change of seasons going on for both Paul and I, so please pray for clarity and direction regarding what's next.  Also, please continue to pray for God's provision for that which He is calling us to.

Paul - Marketing has begun for the Home Inspection business, and there has been some positive response.  Please continue praying for favor in business and for marketing strategies, and that there will be an increase in appointments even through the winter season.  Paul has also been keeping very busy with the band he engineers for, which has been a blessing as new tires are needed on his truck!

Christi -  The ankle is still healing and I am more ambulatory (Thank you JESUS!!!!).  Since returning from California, I've been busy helping with the worship team at church as well as reconnecting with a couple of small groups that I've been a part of.   I am also starting to pack and get ready for the upcoming move.   Please pray for clarity regarding what this next season holds for me, as I continue to work on my book and look into other opportunities.