Encouragement and Blessings

As I think over the years of how Tauni and I have been blessed and encouraged through certain people, parents are at the top of the list. Both my parents and Tauni's mom have been used by God to help us both in good times and bad.

They have provided over so many things over the years, not just the past 16 months of "walking on water", but I would say since we were born. But, since we have been married, had kids, and started doing ministry in different places as well as all the moving we have done, our parents were right there beside us.

They helped us get started by planning and paying for a wedding. Always being there to help with moving, packing, unpacking and making the place livable. They have provided many meals, groceries, diapers and clothes.

They have supported us with prayer and encouragement beyond anything we could ever write or talk about. Their words of wisdom, understanding, and also letting us make our own decisions have been a guide for us. We always know that we can turn to them for anything.

As I think of our last couple of years of ministry, I think that our journey has been just as hard on them, as it has been on us. They have to watch and suffer through aches and pains that we go through, and they do not have the ability to make our decisions, they have to sit back and watch. I think that no control is harder than being in the situation and having control over what happens. I think of the times that I have felt like I was waiting to see what God was going to do next, and I did not have control over what happened. That is frustrating.

They have supported us with the ever needed listening ears, and praying hands and knees. What else could a child ask for in a parent?

Thank you mom, dad, and mom for your support for us, financially and spiritually.

And that is just a small tribute to our biggest supporters.
Scott

Playdate and food

Tauni had a friend of ours call her a few weeks ago and ask if Tauni and the kids wanted to join her for the day of getting together with her and her son. Tauni was very excited to spend some time with them. They went to a place to play on swing sets and outdoor equipment for the morning and had a blast. Then they went to a place called Whole Foods where she bought them lunch, and then went on to buy groceries and send home with us.

It was such a blessing just for the time together, and the blessing of food was just piled on.

God is amazing as he continues to provide.

Scott

dinner and gas, what a combo

A few weeks back, we had some friends come into town and we got to get together to hang out a little. Me and my friend went and played a little football and caught up with the ladies and kids later. On the way to meet with his wife and kids, he asked me to pull over into a gas station and he filled my tank with gas. We got to the restaurant and they paid for dinner, and we got to have dessert. What a treat. God is good.

sacrifice and support

I went to preach at a church in Northeast Ohio a little over a month ago. The pastor was going off to spend time in another country doing missions work and wanted me to come and preach at his church for him. I told him that I would and he told me that his church didn't pay much for preachers coming in, but would make sure that I got a particular amount. That was all fine with me.

I went that morning and preached, and after the service I was handed a check from someone in the church, and then again from someone else in the church. When I got out to my car, I opened the checks to find that the pastor had reached into his own pocket and gave the amount that was needed to span the difference between what the church pays and what he said. That was absolutely amazing to me.

I then went to spend time with some friends of mine, which had invited me over for Tacos, man do I love food, and for the afternoon to talk and watch football. Oh, and play a little Lego Batman with the kids. I went to hang out with my buddy at his church during Youth Group. As I was leaving, the wife filled a couple of bags with meat from some slaughtered pigs, chickens and cow. I was overwhelmed. Then, they gave me some gift certificates to use.

This was a particularly rough time financially for me. I had prayed and pleaded with God the night before about his promises and my needs. I had talked to another buddy of mine on the way up for the weekend and he had encouraged me beyond imagination.

God used these pastors, and my friend, to show His provision. The funny thing was, with the amount from the church and my friends, it added up to the exact amount that I needed. God is good, and he continues to show it.

Falling behind

I have been falling behind on what God has been doing in my life and how he has been providing for me as of late.

I came home a couple of Mondays ago to find 3 boxes on our doorstep. 2 brown boxes a Nintendo Wii box. The first question that hit my mind was, "Who sent these to us?"

I looked for a return address so we would know who to thank, and it was from like Amazon or someplace like that. I then turned my eyes to the address. The numbers were right, but the street name was not. It was left on our doorstep by mistake by UPS.

As I look back on this event, there is something that just shows that God has been doing things in my life on such a consistent basis that I didn't even question the fact that they might be on the wrong doorstep.

God has been good to my family and me. We are not rich, but blessed. We have great friends and family around that continue to show God's love to us.