Part 5: Looking Forward
Hi guys! This is the last in a series of five posts! If you haven’t read the others yet, please do! You can find them here:
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Coming back to Ireland felt, in a small way, like arriving for the first time all over again. My head was full of thoughts of family and dear friends, of everything we’d done together over the last month and a half, of yummy food and warm sunshine. We landed with lots of suitcases, backpacks, and travel tiredness.
It was the week leading up to Easter when we returned, which meant getting over jet-lag and diving back into preparing for church (Branden would have it no other way!). It meant too, going back to school, getting back into routine, and getting to catch up with people.
It’s a strange feeling to return home after going somewhere else you consider home, and it honestly took me a couple weeks to get my footing back, to feel the normalcy of life on this side of the world again. I’m thankful for so much – for people who both give you time to rest and also bring biscuits over so your kids can play together and you can chat over tea. I’m thankful for a church full of people who missed us (and who we’d truly missed!), people who hoped we had a great trip, but were happy to have us home. I’m grateful for ministry, and that our trip only affirmed that we should be here, right now, doing this work. And I’m maybe most thankful for our little crew of four, that we are processing together, that we have each other, and that the Lord is with us.
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Going into the new year, Branden and I were praying for vision. What did the Lord have for us? What did He have for our church and our community? What is He calling our family to in 2018?
Well, apparently number one on the list was moving into a new house! I mentioned before that at the beginning of December, our landlord stopped by and told us he’d sold the house we were living in. In a way, this came as a big shock to us, since he’d not said anything before then, but Branden and I had also actually been praying and thinking about possibly moving already. Not in a real, “let’s look at listings” kind of way. More like a hypothetical, “if we ever” way. There were things we felt like the Lord was calling us to, to be closer to the city and the people of our church, to have a place that could be used more for ministry. They seemed like just ideas, things to pray about, until the day our landlord stopped by. Then moving wasn’t a novel idea anymore, but a necessity, and an urgent one at that!
Finding a house, especially with the things we were praying for, right after Christmas but with time to unpack before our trip seemed like an impossibility. The housing market in Cork is ridiculous right now, and our budget and being closer to the city were not a match! But the Lord completely went before us, provided far beyond what we could imagine, and took care of all the little (and big) logistical things that were needed!
As Branden and I prayed for the new year, we both got this impression that the Lord was calling us to do more with reaching out to the community. Irish people are very relationship oriented (which is amazing!). It’s been really refreshing being here. There’s a slower pace of life (something we’re still getting used to!) It doesn’t always seem “efficient” to let conversations linger or to stop for a cup of tea and a chat, but maybe it’s the most efficient for building relationships!
I was encouraged this morning, reading in the book of John. I’m in chapter 19, where it says that Jesus was crucified between two others, criminals. It specifically says that his cross was the one between each of theirs. One commentator talked about how this was the life of Christ – he was born, lived and died among us. God, holy and righteous, came down. He set aside protocol and place, and even took on our sin. Association was his way because He knew, the door to our hearts was opened only through proximity.
And this is what He calls us to, following Him in all things. For us as a family, right now living in a different culture, and for all who would follow Him – to be WITH people. We are praying about what it means to be intentional in that, with our community, to the kids and families around us. I believe part of that is to use this house! We want to open it’s doors, to use its rooms and land for being with people. We have some things in mind for the summer, when the sun shines more and the days are longer! Please be praying with us as we seek to obey the Lord and live in intentional proximity.
Speaking of prayer, here are a few other needs we have right now:
- The boys and I as we finish up the school year (only 5 weeks to go!!)
- Making this house into a home, welcoming and warm (I’m beginning to put pictures up haha!)
- Branden and I as we seek the Lord about what outreach looks like this year
- Summer events & how God wants to use the house
- A missions team that plans to come in July/August (woot! woot!)
- Our church, Calvary Cork, and all that the Lord is calling us to as we shine the light of Christ in our city!
Thank you so much for reading these posts and for praying with us over these needs! As you pray, if you feel led to support the ministry here financially, please click on the “Support Us” button at the top of this page and follow the links to give online. You can also give via check made out to “Small World Big God” (the name of our non-profit) and mail to PO Box 305, Deer Trail, CO 80105. All donations are tax-deductible.
We appreciate you all so much! It’s incredible knowing that we are not alone – that God is with us, and so are you! Thank you for being a part of what God is doing here in Ireland. May you be greatly blessed as you follow Jesus!
Xoxo,
Ernie