This will be short. I'm ready to go to bed but wanted to record some of my thoughts before I forget them. This has been a huge transition for us all. Mixed emotions for sure. I've had so many highs and a handful of lows. Some of the highs have been the excitement of entering the city itself. Going through the Lincoln tunnel and then coming out into the city. Realizing this is our home. It was surreal. Also, the love we have felt from the people here. We have had a meals deliver every night, expect for Father's Day. We've had people also just bring grocery by.We also were given a card with annual passes to the Central Park Zoo, Bronx Zoo and the NY Aquarium. Such a treat! I also love walking everywhere holding hands. The many conversations we get to have doing that is such a treat. Also, experiencing Central Park, the Natural History Museum, Dylan's Candy Shop, and seeing the Stature of Liberty from the Ikea in Brooklyn have been pretty amazing. Everywhere you go you see something or someone interesting. Another highlight was the service yesterday at church. We were shown much love. So many people told us that they have been waiting so long for us to come and they are so encouraged and excited for us to be there. My kids loved the children's ministry. We meet in a school and for the first time in their lives they have had a change to go outside and play for part of church. So, it was awesome to hear that they loved it. Kensley on the other hand not so much, but I'll get to that in a minute. I also loved the worship at TGC. I felt like I was close to worshipping in heaven. The holy spirit was definitely felt. The message was very timely as well. Jon was out of town so there was a guest speaker. He shared about fully surrendering our lives to whatever and where ever the Lord would call us to go. That he is fully pleased with us when we are willing to do that. He was called to live in Peru. His testimony and life are unlike any other. And even though he knows that he is suppose to be in Peru it doesn't mean he hasn't gone through loneliness and some depression along the way.
After the service I become overwhelmed a bit. So many new faces and I didn't know anyone. I felt like, am I really going to be able to know these people like I did with my Doxa family. Am I going to be able to love them and they love me back. The church is larger than Doxa, in a way was cool but in other way I missed the intimate feeling you get when you know most of the people. When I asked Kensley what she thought of the service she said she wished it was smaller. Collin and Grace loved it. In the last afternoon I became emotional. It just hit me, realizing what I had to give up to be obedient to this call of following Jesus. Maybe it doesn't seem like I had to give up much, heck, I get to live in NYC, but I did. I gave up my mom, dad, my dog, my house, my yard, my kids friends, my friends, my church, the list goes on. So, I cried, and cried, and Derek comforted me. He said you've got me and the kids and you know he is right. Cindy, if you are reading this, I admire you much more than you realize now. I can't really fathom leaving the states with no human being, only the Lord as your friend. I will pray for you much more now realizing the loneliness of being away from everything familiar. Anyway, as I conclude, I have to say the biggest low was going through the pit with Kensley. She has struggled quite a bit as you can imagine being a teenager. But God has been so good. I am seeing the bond starting to form with us and our family unit like it should. Right now we only have each other. We are each others support system. And, I think it is such a healthy, refocusing kind of new way that needed to happen. Collin prayed tonight, God thank you for this amazing day. It was so wonderful. I got to go to the skate shop with my dad, we got a chance to learn more about long boards, etc.. (they didn't even buy anything) the girls got to go to the candy shop, and Grace and I got along really well. And then to ask Collin how he likes it here, he would tell you he loves it and you can't do all this stuff anywhere else. Oh, and Grace and Collin who are like oil and water are sleeping on the top bunk in his loft together! They are becoming sweet friends. So, as I close, I appreciate all of you that have been praying for us. God is doing something in our family and I am completely surrendered to obeying and following him here in the big apple. I miss my friends and the people I daily get to interact with but am relying on Jesus right now to be my friend. In time, I will make friends and so will the kids. Goodnight!
