We’ve made it back safe in Paris…to land in a whirlwind of life. We hit the ground running. We landed on Wednesday morning and got home around noon. Slept a short bit and had our first birthing class that night. Had a staff meeting Thursday. Sanctuary Friday. Apartment hunted on Saturday. Prayer walk and movie night today…and the hits keep on rolling next week with more apartment searching.
Despite this…it’s really good to be back. Tonight we had over some friends to watch a movie and it was so good to be back together. It’s back to life as usual and the fall is already starting.
I want to quickly sum up our trip to the States in this post and also talk about the next month of our lives. Most people who would be reading this would know that we went back because Jen is pregnant and we wanted to create some ‘pregnancy experiences’ with our friends and family in the States. That was really fun…and it was really fun to see how much she had grown over just a month. We also went back because we needed to do some fundraising. This was the hard part that kept us really busy. If you are praying for this please keep it up…The place where our strategies end and where we need to be is a place only God can bridge…But we did have a many miracles and clear signs that God is taking care of us. All is all it was a good trip and there isn’t much we’d do differently…we only wish that we had the ability to expand time…let me know if you figure that one out.
Our apartment saga has taken a new twist. Our landlord, Denis, was giving a tour of our place on Thursday and he asked us, ‘What do I need to do to keep you here?’ I told him that our rent would need to be substantially less than it was…and he said that he would ask the owner if she would consider lowering our rent 250€! This makes things more tricky…and gives two options with very different results. The option to stay would save us money immediately and in the long run, but it would keep us in a place that we don’t really feel is ‘us’. The option to move would cost us money (which we don’t have much of a supply of at the moment), but would most likely put us in a neighborhood that is more us, and would put us closer to a few friends from Vintage. On top of that it would be an opportunity for Vintage to expand our staff presence into the north of the city…which I would like to do. The choice between good and best is the hardest to make and I wish that God would make the ‘right’ things to do more clear sometimes. I am glad that either way He’s glad we’re seeking….
We’re looking forward to being back in the rhythm of life…our community, discussion groups, parties, prayer walks, meeting homeless people…I am so thankful for what we are doing…it often ends up being as great a blessing for us as we hope to be for others…I’m tired and going to bed now…still fighting jet-lag…later
“Seek and you will find” what ‘new’ apartment means, I guess. Does ‘new’ just mean different, and does different just mean less expensive? Yeah, of course, the owner may well consent to lower the rent, which liberates more money for you, but you would only spend a lot of that in travelling to where you want to be – a neighborhood that’s more “us”, as you put it – and in a sense nothing else changes. (OK, everything changes when your family grows, but you know what I mean). On the other hand, what changes when you change neighborhood and get closer to people geographically? For me, everything! For you, the rhythm of life things that tick away meaningful time for you – “our community, discussion groups, parties, prayer walks, meeting homeless people” – develops a more interesting beat. (Mambo??) So, for what it’s worth, my take on your dilemma is “when you gotta go, you gotta go”. Soyez sage, mes enfants!
I like what Nick had to say, but despite the dilemma of choosing between good and best, you are still seeking Him first and He will reveal that wisdom to you as you need to know it and act upon it. I will be praying for that also with you. I’m glad to see you are back in the saddle and getting acclimated again to your ministry. Keep in touch Justin!