Again I feel the seasons changing in my heart and life! I have been fairly silent this past summer and I can not pinpoint the reason honestly yet I can list the things that have added to my silence and also caused deep reflection. But hopefully through this long post it will all make sense!
My heart aches with how much I love my almost one year old baby boy David Jeremiah! He is an overwhelming source of JOY and of gratitude to God! He is walking now and changing every day! I can’t express what being a mom has done inside my heart. Which of course will explain the randomness of this post. When its been this long you just get the jumbled mess no matter how hard you try to focus! And I stayed up watching the Royals last night so I’m a bit tired. Did I also mention that my husband Stephen is an amazing man? I have to tell you we had an awesome first year of marriage and we are still going strong!! EVEN with a baby! It is possible!! Be encouraged!
Okay so here is the real point of my writing. I miss being a “missionary” or in ministry and here I will tell you why. When you are putting yourself out there so you can do missions you have people consciously praying for you, fighting for you! You are also writing newsletters and posting updates about your work as well as ways you need prayer. Its not that you can’t share prayer requests with people when you are no longer termed as a missionary but its not as conscious! During my time at the house of prayer I went home and invited people to join my partnership team and I specifically asked people to sign up to pray for me even if they weren’t able to partner financially. The response was overwhelming and my life absolutely changed after that season. I had people specifically praying for God to give me a husband and well you probably know the rest of that season! I am not a very shy person and I love sharing my story but this past year I haven’t felt as covered in prayer. I have honestly felt like our family has been under attack and that I need to boldly ask again for prayer. I really never left “ministry.” I continued to lead prayer sets at the house of prayer during my pregnancy as a sub and just recently I have been leading weekly back our beloved Hope City mission and prayer room. Stephen helps six months of the year with ministry here that ministers to people with sexual/relational brokenness. So our family is still keeping our foot (or toe somedays) in ministry.
Sharing this is only a reflection. I promise its not a pity party or a complaint against people for not praying for me. Its really a big fat DUH for me and a verbal process for me to realize that WOW I should let people know that this past year has been a long list of trials in our life and I would love to see this next year be the opposite! Okay here is the list: emergency c-section in Nov, i broke my ankle in March (with a 4 month old to care for), I totaled our mini-van (with only liability insurance, our mistake) in May, and our home was burglarized in August. Whew! I am sure others have harder things happening and can look at my life and think wow she is blessed and I AM!!!! I promise I know it! I am so thankful! But after we were burglarized I was tired. I didn’t feel violated or unable to sleep in my house, I felt tired of the trials. I felt like I needed someone else to hold my arms up for a minute. Did I also mention we had a baby and I have been happily sleep deprived for over a year (I am including pregnancy insomnia!).
I promise I am not complaining! I am declaring a revelation! I need you to pray for our family! There is so much power in sharing our circumstances and letting people know our needs. If you have stood with me before to see breakthrough then please find yourself invited to do that again! Thank you in advance! Please let me know if you have any verses or encouragements for us! We would love to hear from you! I also understand that we are guaranteed trials and we are to rejoice in them and I have! My marriage has been marked by Stephen and I pulling together and loving each other no matter what our circumstances! He is such a man of peace! I have never feared or been in want! We look forward to what God will do in our lives and how He has marked us in this season! But still feel free to pray for us!!
Two other things… whew this is a long one! First thing, I have completed my CD from 2013 and am still planning on releasing it! I decided not to release it that year for personal reasons but am excited to release it soon! All of you that funded that CD I have not forgotten and am excited to share it with you soon. Please pray for this as well!
Last thing, Nov 19th, 2015 is David Jeremiah’s first birthday! Wow what an awesome year!! As I said he is awesome and I can’t wait to see him continue to grow. He loves reading lots of books every day (seriously could read for over an hour, well Mommy reads!), he is walking everywhere, and sometimes running, drags my kitchen towels out of the drawer and all over the house, and eats big people food, and loves loves his daddy! Cant wait for many of you to meet him! You will fall in love instantly with his awesome smile and sweet heart!
Okay so that is my update, my need, and heart on a stick!
All my love,
Michelle
