This past weekend I (Amy) went to visit some of our very best friends to celebrate a very special little boy’s birthday! It was definitely good for my soul! Henry Harrell, son of Nancy & Tim Harrell, turned 1. I was able to spend from Thursday to Monday with them. We celebrated the little guy, talked a lot, watched movies, and just had a great time hanging out together! I also got to see Michael & Terese Cox (and baby Coxen!), as well as James & Amy Taylor (and baby Taylor) and it was so wonderful to get updated on their lives, see where they live and just hang out! The weekend was GREAT! The picture above was taken on our last day right before we left to go to the airport!

So, I’ve waited to post on our blog in hopes of inspiration to say something amazing. Inspiration never came. So I’ll use this as time to update our readers on our lives!

While I was away for the weekend, Brandon took advantage of the “no wife” time to FINISH HIS BOOK! YAY!!! Stay tuned for this time next year for the premier! Now he’s busy with lots of freelance work and PhD classes. He’s really enjoying being back in class. We are both enjoying his being back in school, but I think we’re both ready for the time in our marriage when one of us is not in school. 2 and a half years and counting…

I am busy with things starting at church. We have totally revamped our children’s Sunday School and this Sunday will launch Kids Connection–an interactive large group / small group model that will better serve as a means of spiritually forming our children. I’m excited to finally start, but am in the midst of last minute planning! Stay tuned for pictures soon!

In addition to this, this coming Tuesday marks the first day of Parents Day Out at the church. I will work with Annie Kendrick at PDO 2 days a week and am looking forward to spending time with the kids and to learning from Annie! Please pray for this start. Our attendance is less than desired, but we’re hopeful that this is a ministry which God has blessed and we are looking forward to seeing how He works out His plans.

So, what’s new with you?

Amy

The time has come. We’ve made the big transition.

Thursday was my last day of full-time employment at Leadership journal. Since Monday of this week, I’ve been taking a two-week summer class. So I’ve been in class in the mornings and in the office in the afternoons. There’s no future in that sort of insanity. As you might imagine, I am very tired.

My last day at work was surprisingly emotional. Working for CTI has been an extraordinary experience. I couldn’t have asked for better colleagues, and the job gave me opportunities I never thought I’d have. It’s great to know I’ll be able to stay connected as a freelancer.

Even so, I’m really excited about school. Just walking onto campus Monday morning got me excited about the new semester.

So for the next couple of years, my title (and bio for the back of my book!) will be “doctoral candidate in historical theology at TEDS, contributing editor for Leadership journal, and freelance editor and writer.” Should be fun.

Brandon

When we are praying for something that we know from God’s word that He desires for us (such as provision, etc), is there some point at which we pray too much?

Before anyone accuses me of not being a strong “pray-er,” let me give some background. This past Wednesday, in my Bible study we heard an interesting story. A woman was in a prayer meeting where the leader asked them to write on a notecard something they had been in prayer for that they knew God wanted to do. I.e., it had to be a request that scripture affirmed. (So their prayer for a bright red corvette… didn’t necessarily count). The leader instructed the group to hold these cards up as they prayed once again to God, with on catch — this was the last time they could ask God for this particular thing. From this point on, they could only “water it with thanks.”

This task struck me. I am a strong believer in prayer. I think it is one of the most important tasks that Christians have. Petitioning before our God is a privilege and a responsibility. However, at some point I have wondered if my continually asking God for something that I know He desires for me might sometimes demonstrate my own lack of faith that He will provide it.

So, Brandon and I have decided to practice this with 2 requests in particular that we have been regularly bringing before God (one which we have been doing for nearly 2 years). We have in the last few days begun to thank God for the ways He has already met these petitions, and the ways He will meet them in the future.

We’ve already noticed his work in new ways.

Hmm….

Thanks for listening. (Oh, and this is Amy, by the way).

Waiting. It’s an easy word to say, but something that I have always struggled to practice.

And God keeps calling us to wait.

Recently, I have been overcome with the activeness involved in waiting. Since May of 2007 we have anxiously anticipated Brandon’s starting his phd and that day finally comes in August. But what has that waiting entailed? Studying, taking tests, submitting applications, receiving disappointing letters, re-submitting applications, talking to mentors, talking and praying with each other, crying out to God for some sort of direction… and now here we are on the cusp of what we’ve been wanting. And what does it bring? Excitement and a whole lot more waiting!

Recently I’ve been attending a Bible Study on the fruits of the spirit. When we were covering the fruits of Patience and Peace the themes of waiting came up. You see, God often doesn’t give us exactly what our hearts desire at exactly the moment we desire them. We can pray, pound our fists, serve others and have a million people praying for us, and it just may not be the right time. In God’s perfect will He allows us to wait. In these moments of waiting we sometimes see God most clearly and sometimes feel incredibly distant from him, but they are all within His good and perfect will.

In several years I’ve had a love and hate relationship with the phrase “God’s will.” You see, in college I heard so many people (including myself) speak of God’s will as it was this puzzle that you had to figure out at the risk of totally missing it and messing up your life for good. “Who does God’s will say I should marry? Where does God’s will say I should go to school?” In answer to a death, “It was God’s will to take your young sister now.” All of this began to seem very odd to me. I don’t believe God’s will is this puzzle we have to find, and I don’t know that at all times of our life it is terribly specific. Several mentors of mine challenged me to begin thinking beyond “What if I miss God’s will” to “How can I serve God where I am.” If we are serving God where we are, if we are working for the good of the Kingdom, might that be His will?

So Brandon and I are continuing to wait. Several of our heart’s desires seem a bit too personal for a public blog, but we continue to wait for God’s fulfillment. We trust that His timing is perfection. But that doesn’t make the pangs of waiting any less intense.

Oh, and the picture at the top is from a trip we took to Portland last May, I just found it appropriate to the topic of waiting!

Just some thoughts!

Oh, that we may reflect the goodness of the Father, the character of Christ and the fruits of the Holy Spirit in these moments of unfulfilled desires, painful reminders, frustrating set backs, surprising joys and unforgettable opportunities. Yes, may we reflect the trinity in how we handle waiting.

Amy

 This is the third year I’ve tried to grow vegetables in containers on our deck. The first years, the whole project was a lost cause. We didn’t get enough sunlight on our back porch to ripen the fruit. Even if there had been, there was a gang of fearless–and apparently veggie-loving–squirrels in the neighborhood. About the time the plants grew to a respectable size, the squirrels dug up the roots. That’s a problem I could have solved back home in Arkansas; not sure how to do it in the Chicago suburbs.

In any case, this year seems more promising. Above is a picture of my first tomatoes of the season. I think they’re of the roma variety (someone gave me the plant, and she wasn’t sure of the type).

This banana pepper plant suddenly burst out in blossoms early last week. If they all mature, we should be up to our ears in peppers.

I have a bell pepper plant growing, too, but it’s a little less productive.

I don’t know if it has to do with the amount of sunlight we receive on the balcony–only about six hours a day–but I had expected mature veggies before now. At this rate, it might be October before we have anything in the crisper. But it’s been fun.

We have a new blog. Yes, that’s right. We finally tired of the “ObrienPathway” blog because  of many things, but mainly because Brandon has thought it sounded like a cult from the beginning. 

So, we have repented and our cult is no longer in existence. 

And here we are. Our life is seeming really hectic as of late. For those that haven’t heard, Brandon has a contract to write his first book. YAY! This means that all he thinks about is the book… and me occasionally! But as for the rest of you, you might be low on his list! 🙂

And if that wasn’t enough, Brandon will be starting his Phd in August at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) in Historical Theology. We’re both excited! 

Oh, and Brandon also has his first successful garden… tomatoes, bell peppers and some undetermined type of hot pepper. Our balcony looks AWESOME! (He’ll post pictures for those interested!)

Me, well I’ve been working since January to launch a Parents Day Out (PDO) program that will start September 8. What is PDO you may ask? It’s a Christ-centered preschool program for children from 6 months through those who have not yet entered kindergarten! We operate Tues, Wed, Thurs from 9:00-2:00 every week. Sounds fun, huh? Check out our website: www.ipcpdo.com. 

And I continue to work at the church, nurturing children and adults alike as Minister of Christian Education. I love my job, and it has continually grown me. Recently I have felt totally incapable at getting everything done, but have fond that God often works most evidently when I am reaching my physical, mental, and emotional limitations.  

Exciting things are on the horizon but not without stress. We have most definitely been blessed by God’s provision, but we admittedly often wish that provision came on a regular monthly schedule that we could anticipate and plan for. 

So, this is life.

Oh, and we’re singing some Jars of Clay at church tomorrow… rock on!

Till next time (which will be soon and will probably be on the topic of “Waiting” )

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!