In quietness and trust is your strength

This is what the Sovereign Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me
    and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and trust is your strength.
Isaiah 30:15

I am feeling squeezed. The constant pressure to have a plan, a strategy for getting my family packed up and out of the house we have lived in for 8 very busy years is buzzing around my head like an angry mosquito. I am doing my best to keep relinquishing the burden, to keep my eyes on Jesus as the waves seem to soar ever higher but I admit that mosquito of worry has landed quite a few bites. And they ITCH!! Just like those angry red bites all over my legs, if I ignore them and continue to apply balm (aloe vera, essential oils, benadryl, ANYTHING and everything that will provide some relief), they will fade and stop distracting me from my very full daily life. It takes all of my prayers, grace, patience and then pushing past into all of God's infinite resources to get through the day. 

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:34. Why is this so incredibly hard?  

Is this an uncomfortable place to be? YES!! Am I deepening and growing? Absolutely! Our plans for the future remain shrouded in uncertainty. I don't even know where we will live in 3 weeks when we have to be out of the house. And do we keep our stuff in storage or get rid of everything down to a suitcase of clothes each and some favorite books and toys? I find myself thinking of earthquake survivors in Nepal and war refugees in the Middle East. They didn't have a choice but to violently prioritize life over stuff, family over comfort. So I ponder wild plans like buying a camper and living minimally, going on a long roadtrip around the country visiting relatives. It's like having all of my comfort zones and outward support removed so that God can make more space for just Him. Finding my comfort and hope in Him alone, not my own actions or plans. Maybe it helps that this feels so monumentally beyond my control.  I am forced to trust in a God who does crazy things like send bread from heaven, part waters, knock down kings and cities, and generally comes through for His people when they place their trust in Him. All of it. In Him ALONE. 

"So the Lord must wait for you to come to him
    so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God.
    Blessed are those who wait for his help."
Isaiah 30:18

In faith I am packing (not quickly enough!!). In faith I am trusting that God will meet our family's every need because He already knows them (even better than I do). In faith I am believing that bills will be paid and we will not be swallowed whole. In faith I am holding tightly to His hand while He gets rid of all the extras and excess so we can be rooted only in Him and free to serve wherever He leads. 

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

We still think that God is moving us towards Ireland and we do see pieces falling into place, a little more every day. And so I must wait and be quiet before Him so I can hear his voice. 

"Your own ears will hear him.
    Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
    whether to the right or to the left." 
Isaiah 30:21

Clinging desperately to Him,
Nicole

We're going!

Well it's official! We are in full "prepare to go to Ireland mode"!

So we are filling out applications, applying for passports, figuring out what to get rid of and what to take and looking into a mountain of logistics. 

Jon will be applying to University of Cork for a Masters program. He met with the department while he was there and they essentially said "You are in. Please apply to make it official." This bumps up our timeline to trying to get there and settle in by September. Wow!
The advantage of the Masters is being able to apply for a student visa, the potential for working into the system for staying long term and being able to facilitate a campus ministry for the church.

We will be trying to find a house that is readily accessible so that we can have an open house policy for students and whoever else.

We will also be involved with the young adults, the young marrieds, the children's ministry and the Ireland School of Ministry.

So please pray:
- The logistics of moving are daunting in any situation but they are magnified when it means going overseas. Please pray for all those details.

- For all the paperwork, from passports to visas and applications to go smoothly.

- For the right fit for a house and school for the boys.

- and finally for all the finances to come together! We are hoping that we will have a very large team of prayer partners and supporters who will commit to everything from $10 a month to $1000 a month.

We are still working on getting an online portal for giving online and might soon launch an indiegogo campaign but meanwhile you can mail checks to :
A.C.T. Intl
PO Box 1649
Brentwood, TN 37024

Add a note in the envelope that says “Contribution for Fund 1011 FlourishArtsIreland/Gillin”


We are excited for this journey to gain momentum and to share the adventure with you. Please personal message me with your regular mail address and email if you are interested in the weekly and monthly updates.

Thanks for walking and praying alongside us!

A New Adventure Begins!

Ireland!

We usually think of beautiful green rolling hills, sheep grazing in pastures and quaint villages. That picture is still part of Ireland’s reality today. However, recovery from an economic collapse, long held memories and scars of political suppression as well as religious rifts are superimposed over that idyllic setting. Unemployment, alcoholism and homelessness are growing realities despite the people’s hardy spirit and perseverance. In a modern day setting, the most deeply felt need is for HOPE.

The Springs Church has a sister church in Cork City that is growing and thriving in the face of a growing desire for a redeeming reality. The people of Ireland are responding to beauty, to joy and to a real tangible relationship with a Savior, not just the programs and rituals of the church traditions that still surround them.

Since Jon and I have long held the dream to move to Europe, it seems that at long last we have an opportunity to go. We are not yet sure of all of the details and logistics but we do know that we will be initially going to help Cork Church continue to thrive, in whatever capacity is needed. Eventually we believe that God will clarify how our particular personalities and gifts fit into the bigger picture but for now we know that we need to just pick up and GO!

So we are spreading the word and asking our friends to pray and to consider investing in bringing hope to Ireland. We are believing that God has planted the seeds for this dream and will also bring about the harvest.

“¹⁶ You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], He may give it to you.” (John 15:16 AMP)

Most importantly, we ask for your prayers because Europe, though beautiful and rich in spiritual heritage, is a difficult place to be counter-cultural these days.

Prayer needs:

-          A miraculous funding in order to move a family of 5 (and a dog!) overseas.

-          For God to place us exactly where He wants us in terms of housing, schools and community.

-          For favor within Cork Church and their ministries to the city.

Much love to you all,

Nicole and Family

Birthdays: celebrating life as it flies by

When did time start moving so quickly? and yet my days are long. And full. Like camp when days started early and ended late, bursting with activities and friendship and tears and laughter. Each individual day stretches out to infinity before me but weeks, months, years zoom past.

We just had a flurry of birthdays in our household. Trying to celebrate is kind of like reaching out to catch a speeding train as it moves out of the station. You are jerked off your feet and swept away, clinging to find balance. As mom, the responsibility lands firmly in my hands to coordinate, assemble, plan, invite, and all this on top of the usual spin cycle of laundry, dishes, gym time, play time, bath time, stories, breaking up fights, kissing injuries, nursing baby, feeding boys, school, work, and oh-was-that-due-today ?

The now-3-year-old was excited about his dirt cake and demolishing a pirate pinata with friends. Preparing food for adults and children was a challenge fairly successfully met and left me tired but pleased. Close on the heels of that was a fairly last minute birthday dinner for my husband and sister-in-law. The challenge there was avoiding trigger foods like dairy, gluten and red meat. So pesto chicken, green beans with bacon, and potatoes au gratin with goat cheese followed by GF peach berry crisp. Phew. The hope again is that the people we are celebrating are pleased with the effort to celebrate them. Were the parties perfect? by no means but this is when we hope effort counts. (I still need to get a card and write something significant and meaningful btw.)

"I came so that you may have life and have it to the full." (Jn 10:10) Life is certainly full. And chaotic, messier than we would hope and still beautiful. Beautiful in the life-giving, life-affirming sense, not in the Victoria's Secret Angels body, Martha Stewart picture perfect decor sense. "Greater love has no man than this,than that he lays down his life for his friends." (or for her family). Jesus came to give us an abundant life and we need His abundant grace to handle it the same way he did: laying down our lives for those we love. Is anything more important or beautiful or worthy?

Wrestling in Costco

I MUST go to Costco. "Mom, why do we have to go to the store? It's BOOORRRINNNGG!" says the eldest from the back. I stop to get gas and in the 2 minutes I am out of the car, Brother Wars edition #7349 erupts in the back to the soundtrack of shrieking mad baby. The wall of sound and accusations attack me as I get back in the car and attempt to even decipher "who dunnit". Scrambled spaghetti of kicking, little-brother-annoying-repetition, hitting-him-because-he's-annoying, it's-your-fault noise. Sigh.

I briefly consider flying home and placing them in separate bedrooms while I have a cup of tea. Hmmmm...nope. I'm already here. And we NEED groceries. So, we will do this and we will survive. I hope. "No fighting. No running away from mommy. Are we clear?" "Yes mommy!"  We'll see.

1 minute and "Mom look can we get some candy?" Blast! Why do they put the gigantic bowl of candy at eye level right within the front entrance in order to entice to a new credit card? No! "Mom can we have some if we are good while we are here?" The negotiator. "Can we have some jelly beans?" Actually, yes because we are still trying to convince D that the toilet is better than his pants or his bed. "OOOOH! Samples! Mom can we have some?" And so on. "Can I get this? Can we get some of that? Mom, we NEED this!" C is in his well-trained-western-world-consumer mode. Lord, how will we ever teach balance and sharing with those who are less fortunate and loving the intangible treasures of family, health, hope, peace? I am feeling the stretch between the two poles myself as I make myself walk by the urge to stock up on everything.

"OOOHHH!! Potato chips! Mom can we get those?" So now the inner litany of trying to balance a healthy diet and yet some "fun" foods starts up. I have 3 boys. I KNOW my grocery bill is only going to grow and grow and I want them to avoid the pitfalls of filling up on empty calories and mistaking bright packaging for a valid food source. No potato chips! Doritos samples at the end of the aisle. Bright orange powder to add to the traces of Nutella still on D's face and hands. Perfect. Brownie samples in the next aisle. I could use some chocolate too. And coffee and biscotti in the next. Yogurt, chicken, shrimp etc.

We turn the corner and run into my chiropractor with her two well behaved little girls. Her eldest and my eldest eye each other realizing the potential for a playmate. D decides this is a prime time to turn on his athletic acrobatic skills and tumble around me, the cart, run down to the end of the aisle and back. Her youngest daughter just watches in fascination. Sigh. I try to contain the whirlwind and finally give up and start initiating races down to the end of the aisles that I am in.

Almost done! Coming out of the fresh fruit section we are ambushed by the amazing little wooden-playhouse-of-every-child's-dreams. "MOM!!MOM!!Look! Look!" And now I have to wait while they explore and talk to me through the window. On the plus side, they are happy and excited. Then we move across the aisle to climb all over the display couch. Shoes off!! Another five mins of toe tapping.

Finally we are in line to check out. Baby is quiet and sleepy. Big boys decide to have a full on wrestling match. On the cold concrete floor. In front of everyone. To the point where they both start getting flushed cheeks and a little sweaty. Laughing and having fun though. And thankfully no one decide to open up their skulls on the ground today. Wow. I need to lay down. But that will have to wait until after making dinner and bedtime.

Bottom line: We managed to get through Costco with most of the things we needed. The boys played and ran and wrestled. No one got hurt. And they were not parked in front of the TV for at least 2 hours. I'd say that was a win.

PS: After checking out, the boys went into the men's bathroom by themselves ( while I stood anxiously outside and kept a running conversation with them while scrutinizing all the men who came in and out of there. It would be easier if I was the same gender but they object to going into the ladies room with me now.) and went potty and washed their hands. (C is 6 1/2 and D is 3) They are always surprising me. Love them.