Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder...

As the saying goes. After nine days of being without my beloved and six more to go, I think I can honestly agree with that saying! With Dustin in Honduras, with very little communication possible (except for the occasional e-mail), my heart feels like it will explode for him. We have a saying we tell often tell each other. It goes, "I love you more today than I did yesterday." Well, my dear Dustin..."I love you more today than I did yesterday!" Ready for you to come home, but praying for God to do incredible work in you and the missions team while you're away. 


A couple of insights the Lord is teaching me while we are apart. First, I am overflowing with thankfulness for the Christ-centered, sacrificial marriage I am blessed to be in. There is nothing much sweeter on this earth (besides our Savior) than a Godly, vulnerable, trusting, intimate, best friend, marriage. It is a way that we can show the Gospel. how God loves his children...through the sacrificial love and faithfulness of a forever covenant (i.e., Jesus' love for his bride, the Church). Dustin and I get to emulate such love through our marriage. With divorce and cultural marriage "woes" ruining this Gospel proclamation, I am so thankful the Lord has called Dustin and I to the task of fighting for marriages that magnify His love and good news. Secondly, I realize in these times apart (which seldom happen 'cause we love to do things together) just how much Dustin and I are one-flesh. The Lord has woven us together and when he is not with me I truly feel as if part of me is missing. This man--who when he proposed handed me a rose and said, "This rose is a symbol of my heart. I have one heart to give...I give it to you"--has truly stolen, forever, my heart. It is his and his is mine. And finally, a not-so-sentimental insight...I have an insomnia problem when Dustin is not sleeping beside me. Sorry Ike, Daphne, and Baxter (our dogs and cat)...you just aren't as snuggly. 


Hurry home my love...I am ready to have my heart back (and I'm ready to sleep again! haha). Please join me in praying for Dustin and the Rowland Springs Church team in Honduras. I did find out that my little bro, Daniel, recorded Dustin's first preaching gig! Oh, I can't wait to hear my hubby...I mean my Preacher Man. 


So...it is late, again. I will now try to read until I can't keep my eyes open. Please, Lord...a good night's sleep. 

Gone Fish'n

Dustin and I spent a super fun Friday date day together before embarking on our 15 days of separation for teacher training and missions (read the previous blog if you are confused). Friday morning we woke up early to see if the fishes were biting! Borrowing our friends' boat, we headed out on the beautiful lake to dangle the bait...















Mr. Fisherman throws the bait...

 To catch an teeny, tiny BASS

Then Mrs. Fisherman throws in her line to catch a giant, massive BASS

And then another giant bass is caught by ME! (Dustin was helping me put bait on the entire time...so unfair advantage with my line in the water longer!)

Here are all our fishes!!!

Our vessel...

Dustin doing the dirty job...cause I just think it is gross to chop off their heads and scrape off their scales! Ewwww (But, Dustin looks like he is having fun). On a side note, it was about 105 degrees that day! We were so hot and burnt!

After getting cleaned up...which took a while. We drove about 30 minutes to the Drive-in Movie Theater! How fun!! We saw Spider Man and Men in Black 3. Such a great time. When we got there we realized we should have brought cards since we had about two hours before the movie started (had to get a good parking space). 

So, we went to the nearest gas station looking for a pack of cards. We bought cards but in order to spend at least $5, which was the minimum to use your Debit card...we bought a LOT of candy! So, after parking the truck, we played corn hole...Dustin won (but only by a few points...it was neck and neck!). And then we played a new card game that we were taught by our friends. And THEN we ate so much candy we gave ourselves tummy aches!

What a GREAT night we had! I am so thankful our dates just keep getting better and better...after almost 10 years of dating!

Fifteen Days!!! Day ONE

Here I sit in my hotel room...all alone. I feel like singing "All by myself...don't wanna be...all by myself...no no no."After three glorious weeks of Dusty poo (that's my affectionate name for him, well that, or sugar lips) and me hanging out together the time of fun must be put on a 15 DAY hold! Yuk! 

This is my "NOOoooo, don't leave me all alone" face!

Getting this amazing teaching job came with it the requirement to go to Charlotte for a week of AP English training/workshop. The week is this week, Sunday through Friday. Fortunately, I get home Friday because that is the day Dustin leaves for his 10 day Honduras mission trip. Unfortunately, his plane takes off before I walk in the door of home sweet home, into his arms! 


So, I will be all by myself this week in a hotel until Friday and then I come home to...two puppy dogs and a kitty cat. Yes, they're snuggly but I would rather my hunky man. We are hopeful that when he returns home on July 22nd, we will be going to Hilton Head soon after for Miss Ellie's arrival (my sister's second baby girl to be born soon). 


So, for your enjoyment here are today's highlights:

• Slept for two hours last night because of so much strange hotel noise (really this morning from 4:00-6:00am)
• Got lost for 30 minutes on my way to class...yes, I walked in 30 minutes late
• Yawned at least 55 times in class
• Probably failed the AP Writing portion of the exam because I was too tired to put sentences together (good news is it wasn't really graded...just for fun)
• Got lost for 30 minutes coming home...ya, I know you would think I learned the first time!
• Ate free boneless chicken wings for dinner at the hotel while watching "The Prince and Me"...really a pretty good movie
• Planned to go to the pool but it is going to thunderstorm
• And now going to get buff in the gym because I just can't read or write anymore today!

So, pray I sleep better tonight...not used to being "All by myself..." (Sorry, I won't' start singing again).

Here's to day number one!

I am AMAZED!

Bottom line: I am in amazement at my God! This is my SONG this morning...

Psalm 118:13-16  

¹³ I was pushed back and about to fall,

    but the Lord helped me.
¹⁴ The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has become my salvation.

¹⁵ Shouts of joy and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
¹⁶     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”

God has Heard and Answered Our Prayers

On June 12th before we were let go from Converting Hearts, I prayed in my prayer journal for the Lord to help us because we were burdened and exhausted with the way our crazy life schedules were ruling our weeks! I wrote in my journal, "Lord, you know the desires of my heart...(I am exhausted) so my dream for us for the next five years or so (while finishing school) would be for me to work from home writing and managing (organizing) our home. I would write for magazines, finish my book, speak and teach, and counsel at the church. Dustin would work from home also as a furniture maker. We would do family and marriage counseling together. Lord, I love Converting Hearts, but I don't only want to focus on addictions. Help us to listen to you and trust you as we take some "next steps" with our future plans. Lord, please bless our marriage with many years and much service for your Kingdom. Please give us clear direction!"

Now, today on July 2nd...just a few weeks after that plea for help from the Lord to make changes for us and relieve burdens, He has amazed us with His provision!!

1. He took us out of our burdensome (but wonderful) job positions
2. He gave us a month to enjoy incredible time together and with "neglected" friends!
3. He is sending Dustin on a mission trip to Honduras (stress-free) to preach his first sermon!
4. He is allowing Dustin to begin a longtime passion to start a furniture making and handyman business (that wherever the Lord sends us for ministry could help financially)
5. He has delivered a PERFECT job to me*
6. He has shown Himself once again so REAL and Loving...He always provides and does what is best (though at times hard) for His children. 
7. Now because of our current financial situation, Dustin could qualify for a scholarship that pays his entire school tuition this next year!

*Why My New Job is Perfect...this is pretty GOD cool!

I will begin on August 7th as a teacher at Grace Christian School. Many of you know that I used to be a teacher in Charleston for 8th-12th grade for English, Bible, and Drama. I loved, loved it! Many of you also know that I am finishing a book called, The Beautification Process. It is written to young women, high school to 20 somethings, to prepare them for true intimacy and devotion with their Savior King! Dustin said to me the other day that he absolutely would want for me to find a teaching job if possible...first, because he says the Lord blessed me with that ability and I thrive in that role, and secondly, because I have become clouded with my book/passions and need to refocus by being around high schoolers. My desire is to be a preventative counselor too, not just counsel people already broken by sin and marriages/families falling apart (however that is awesome to be a part of too). I would love to share with them the message of flourishing in Christ BEFORE they run to worldly "pleasures." So, the Lord has given me a new job that perfectly fits the direction Dustin and I are heading in...preventive/equipping counseling and seeing God raise up Godly marriages and families. He also answered by previous prayer for both Dustin and my jobs...He is now a handyman/furniture maker and I am teaching, writing, and counseling!!! Also, Dustin is spending the next year in an internship under one of our pastor's at our church (he gets credit for school too). The awesome thing is that our church is very aware of our desire to do more in family/marriage preventive & crisis counseling so that is most likely going to be Dustin's internship project...bringing our passion alive at our church!

I am about to jump out of my skin I am so excited to be used as a leader, teacher, mentor in these 8th-11th graders lives I get to teach. And that the school will give me the honor of being the school's counselor too...I will get to have a front row seat to the Lord transforming young people's lives for His glory! I am amazed!

Let alone, I don't start until the 7th of August so I can use the next month to help market/organize Dustin's new business, take care of home managing/organizing, write in my book, and spend some time with my family in Hilton Head when our second niece is born (I'm praying a week early since her due date is August 5th). God has provided for us through this trial in more ways then I could ever have imagined. And that He has shown us His steps clearly has been so exciting. We are on the most incredible adventure and I can't wait to see what comes in the days ahead.

A Look into the Future...

Every year on our anniversary (Dec. 30th) Dustin and I have a year end recap, talking about our greatest failures/accomplishments, trials/gifts (both are blessings), and what we hope for in the year ahead. We also give the passing year a theme and come up with one for the next year. Last year (2011) was the Year of Suffering. We dubbed 2012 the Year of Anticipation. We had a feeling God was going to do some mighty work...though we had no idea He had all this in His plans! WOW!

I stand Amazed!