A Father's Voice

The past couple weeks I, Andy, have felt like God has been teaching me to slow down and listen to Him. This lesson came to me quickly one afternoon at work while I was reading these two blog posts (Part 1 and Part 2) by Kevin DeYoung during some of my free time. These posts convicted me of the time I spend seeking "knowledge" and "purpose" from the internet. I can so easily waste away a slow afternoon on the internet - jumping from blogs to news to sports to anything - filling my life with noise. The last paragraph of Part 2 was what quickly grabbed my attention and placed the conviction from my head to my heart.

He says,

What if we prefer endless noise to the deafening sound of silence? What if we do not care to hear God’s still, small voice? 

God's still small voice. That's what caught my attention. I was in 1 Kings just that past Tuesday and my reading had covered chapter 19. This is when God summons Elijah to a mountain to ask him something. Verses 11-13 tell of how there was a strong wind, and then an earthquake, and then a fire...but God was not in any of those. Instead it says that the Lord was in the sound of a low whisper; or as the King James Version puts it, "a still small voice."

I believe the Lord brought this passage of scripture to me twice that week to waken me to the truth that it's  not the noise that will comfort me, it's not the knowledge at my fingertips that will plan my life, but rather His voice, Himself who will speak to me. And sometimes that voice is still...sometimes it is small.

So I wrote a song. It relates my earthly father - whom I miss dearly and whose character I admire immensely - to my heavenly Father - whom calls me to slow down, listen, and seek Him. 

Here are the lyrics. Click on the title to listen to the song.

 A Father's Voice

Father wasn't in the field

Father wasn't in the shop

Father wasn't on the streets

Father, he was in our home.

Reading, praying,

quoting to me.

Laughing, crying,

serving family.

Still small voice You cry

Still small voice You pry

Still small voice You try

to speak to me.

Father wasn't in the wind

Father wasn't in the quake

Father wasn't in the fire

Father, he was in the still.

Calling, yearning

for me to slow.

Open, waiting

for me to seek.

Still small voice You cry

Still small voice You pry

Still small voice you try

to speak to me.

Our New Home!

Well, here is a video tour of our new home. We feel so blessed to be living here, and here's why:

Catch up...

Kellie and I have been reading through Romans lately. We started last week and have been slowly making our way through it. Yesterday we sat down with some tea and read chapter three together. For me, there is something about reading a book like Romans out loud with someone else...it just seems to make more sense. I like to talk out my thoughts and ask questions and hear what others have to say. In fact, that is how Jon Morris and I started to become close friends.

Here's Jon!

He and I studied Romans our freshman year at Arizona, and absolutely loved it. It was like a light went on in my head of all the truths I had grown up knowing...it was when the truths became reality and I truly understood what I believed. Anyway, Kellie and I have been going through Romans and loving it. Yesterday was a good time because as we went through chapter three we re-learned some truths: mainly that in our faith (our belief that God justifies us freely) we desire to obey the law (do good deeds) rather than ignore it and do whatever we please (Romans 3:31). It's truths like this that, once I understand them, I desire to search more into the gospel to understand what my life as a Christian is all about. Romans is a great book to do this in and we are both so excited to be reading it.

We've also been enjoying our church. Last weekend we were invited over for a dinner party at a church member's house. It was a great time to socialize and get to know others. It truly is a blessing to know people here in Jackson...especially brothers and sisters in Christ. Today was great also...we met a young couple at church and hit it off with them right away. Kellie actually works (or will be working) with the wife, and they invited us over for dinner tonight! We are pretty pumped :)

Here are a few other things going on in our lives:

 We decided to splurge one night and get Tollhouse cookies. Kellie was SO excited!!

 In excitement for The Hobbit movie that comes out next year, I am reading the Lord of the Rings. I just started the Fellowship of the Ring! I've never actually read them...unless you count my Dad reading them to me and Greg growing up (while I fell asleep most of the time).

We'll be out of town this weekend heading back to California because... My bro get's married to his fine Bride this Sunday! Man, I'm so excited!

Birthday and such

So this is what I woke to yesterday morning! Andy got me beautiful hydrangeas for my 23rd birthday. He also told me to keep Saturday morning free because he has a surprise for me :) I'll have to let you know later what it is!

While Andy was at work, I spent the morning at VBS, and then decided to treat myself in the afternoon. I went to the Jackson Junior League Bargain Boutique (don't you love the name) which is a clothing consignment shop. LOVE this place! I bought:

3 shorts

6 shirts

1 cardigan

1 dress

All for $40!

And almost everything there is name brand, like Ann Taylor, J. Crew, Banana Republic, Gap, and of course target. And I don't really care about labels, but for $4 dollars for a skirt or shorts I'll take it.

And then after that I went to Cups, a coffee shop, and got a caramel white mocha called a Blondie. It was delicious!

When Andy got home, and after opening presents, he took me to an amazing steak and seafood place called Bonefish. SO good!! And as our waitress reminded us, Mississippi is the Hospitality State so she gave us free dessert since it was our first time there! I wish I would have took a pic of that, it was a huge fudgey chocolate brownie with ice cream.

Stuffed and happy we walked around the Renaissance (an out door mall) together enjoying the almost cool weather.

So thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes.

...

And...I have a prayer request: I have an interview/informal meeting with the Headmistress of Christ Covenant School on Monday and 10am for a teachers aide position. I met her through VBS and Andy's boss's wife (who really was networking all week on my behalf!), and they recently had this position open up.

Church

One thing that I never figured would be a difficulty post college was finding a church. I grew up going to church each Sunday, knew all my friends and family through church, and even liked church; liked growing, serving, socializing. I married a woman who also grew up going to church, and therefore never thought it would be a difficulty to find one for us. But over the past year of marriage, leaving our college ministry, and many long talks with Kellie, my Dad, siblings and friends, I've realized that finding a church, and even liking church is hard.

Kellie and I had some conflicting ideas when it came to picking a church in Tucson, and therefore decided to spend a week studying what the church is about: why go to church, what to do at church, etc. We read parts of Acts and other New Testament passages as well as listened to sermons by pastor's John Piper and Mark Driscoll. This study was great and rejuvenated us to pursue a church in Tucson. But with a job on the horizon and the high possibility of moving, we never fully invested ourselves.

Now that we are here in Jackson, it seems only logical to plunge in and invest ourselves in a local church. There are two here that we have tried and love for different reasons, but one more so than the other. That one is called Redeemer Presbyterian. We love their theology and our goals in life seem to match up perfectly with theirs.

(here's Redeemer. we love their gospel choir!)

Now, I am one who wants to jump in, meet anyone and everyone, get involved in everything, and become a part of the family here at Redeemer. I mean, that is what we're supposed to do right? This is our future family, our future friends, our future community... we must go, go, go! Well, apparently, the Lord seems to be weaving a different story. Community groups and most Bible studies at Redeemer don't start up until the school year at the end of August. There is an inquirers class, but that too begins later, in September.

Initially, I was bummed to hear such news. Bummed that it would most likely take time to really get to know people at this church. But after talking with Kel today, I've thought that maybe this is good for me. Maybe finding a church isn't so much about doing it fast and hurried, but being patient and committing each step to our Lord. Maybe He is teaching me to not look out just for Andy but to now consider how we, Andy and Kellie, as a family, meet people, get involved and join a church. This is hard for me, definitely new for me, but I think a very good thing for me.

It's pouring right now! And thundering every 10 seconds :)

Thought you'd like a taste of Redeemer's choir   :)

Plum Jelly and Chi-Chi's Salsa

Hey ya'll... Andy here. What a crazy two weeks it's been here in Jackson. It's not as different as I thought it'd be but there definitely are some things we're adjusting to. Like the humidity, for one. I mowed our grass yesterday (I bought a $30 pusher-mower off craigslist) and when I came back inside Kellie said she could see the sweat dropping off my face :) We can do heat...but humidity adds a whole new level. Another adjustment we're liking getting used to is everyone's friendliness. Both our next-door neighbors welcomed us with gifts and cards...and one of my co-workers gave Kellie and I some home-made plum jelly and cream cheese pound cake (I'm loving the food out here by the way).

But anyway, yesterday Kellie and I went on an adventure. And by adventure I mean a long, tiring, sweaty walk to our nearest grocery store. I was feeling antsy and wanted to get outside for a while so I convinced Kel to go on a walk with the goal of getting some ingredients for our awesome dinner. Here's how it went:

Here's my sweets ready for a good walk!

Enjoying a nice breeze and bringing our own bag. We are being quite sustainable yea? :)

Kellie's so excited to be walking on a super busy road ;)

Our final destination!

The tortillas (a poor selection compared to Tucson)

My kind of salsa :)

Just a glimpse of how nice most of the homes are around here

And... the delicious meal... which took a little too long to get. I think we'll drive next time.

Welcome to Mississippi

So we made it! It was a long two days. Thankfully, my parents helped us move and we are very grateful. We were able to fit all we own into our car and my dad's truck. Thank you, also, to everyone who has been praying for us. We've been here a week and still can't believe we are in Mississippi.

So let me show you around our house, which we love despite the lack of furniture:

first day

side

back yard (We have grass!)

Love our kitchen!

dining room- Andy's boss graciously lent us their camping table to use

Living room- we are in desperate need of a couch

master bedroom (thank you Nana for our entertainment center :))

One of two baths

guest room/office/storage

So that is it. We're settling in and trying to get to know Jackson a little better. A few things we've been praying for and would love your prayers as well are: that we would trust the Lord to provide financially, a job for me (Kellie), a couch, dresser, and dining table.