Time goes on..

Things have been slowly progressing over the last couple of weeks. R has prayed for many things and one by one they have come to fruition. Firstly, a young man from our church was willing to go up to Alaska and help R get the boat ready. His name is Caleb and that was a huge answer to prayer. Also R had been praying for some kind of vehicle or transportation to be able to go into town and buy things that would be hard to carry the couple miles it is back to the dock. The next day his neighbor graciously let him borrow this truck and has basically let him borrow it whenever he needs ever since. WOW! God you Rock! There have also been many stories of needing parts that have come up for sale at low prices and people who have stepped in to help. It seems like no matter what is going on that there is a plan with parts and people waiting in the wings to dive in to help. AND today the last piece of our financing was approved with the funds should becoming available sometime in the next week! Just in time for the last few big projects that need to get done.
R still continues to have fears and anxiety about all the unknowns that lay before him. He is also looking at making the 1000 mile trip to Kodiak without any expert help. Just him and Caleb. This is also very daunting.

Praise & Pray:
-Praise God for sending R someone to help him who was able to come immediately!
- Praise God for a borrowed truck!
- Praise God for sunny weather which allowed R to finish re-coating and sealing the top deck!
- For peace for R as he lists and plans the next few week out.
- For safety and smoothness of this big trip coming up.
- For parts and people continuing to work out smoothly.
- For opportunity for R to speak about Truth and Christ and the God who sustains him.
- For deeper faith and intimacy with God during the trials of boat world.
- For deep spiritual connection in our marriage and family

Owning...

Tomorrow is the day of titles being signed and huge checks being written. As long as it all goes according to plan the boat will be ours. The weight of what we have done will finally be square. We could not do this alone. Not only do we have God carrying us but the huge support of close friends and family. Now we have a little 6 weeks to get all that needs to be done...done. R is a little freaked out as the one though whom all the work will basically get done. Also scary to risking so much money and so much of it not ours on a venture such as this. Through it all God speaks firmly to my heart in the peace that I have that this is our journey...this is our path. Whatever obstacle comes I look for the beauty of how God will work it out. The flower unfolding to its glory. "Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen. What is seen is temporary what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corn 4: end of the chapter. I do feel the enemy seeking to steal our joy, attempting to distract us with relational complications. But only for a moment do I become unhinged. Only for a moment do I lose sight. Prayer anchors me back to the peace and truth.

Please pray:
-for calm as R writes a big check and feels the weight of the work that lays before him.
-for financial ease as the last few thousands glide smoothly into place.
-for good relationship with everyone who is involved in this venture
-for protection against the enemy's attempts to destroy

Thanks.
D

Tomorrow...

Will be the day the boat comes out of the water. It will also be the day R negotiates with the owner on price. We will be offering him 15k less than his asking price. We feel reasonably sure that he will accept this offer based on a few different factors but we really don't know. R is feeling a bit nervous for this conversation.
Different boat parts have been bought and are now being shipped to Wrangell. R is trying to make friends who can help him learn the different skills he will need to be a boat owner (specifically a wooden boat owner). This is socially complicated at times. Also a survey has been ordered but the surveyor (only one in town) is not being very cooperative. On one hand a survey is important for obtaining insurance but this surveyor does not have a very good reputation and charges about 30% more than all other surveyors. R has decided not to press the matter either way and allow what happens to happen. So far R doesn't have a commitment from anyone to go with him on the trip up the coast to Kodiak.
The equipment shopping is overall going better than expected, with R finding almost everything we need, in new condition, for less than what he expected.

Please Pray:
- for clarity and confidence for R as he discusses price with the owner.
- for willing hearts to assist R in gathering the knowledge he needs for this project
-for wisdom in participating in life with these connections 
- for God's will on whether the boat gets a survey or not
- for commitment from someone to travel with R on his trip up the coast. it would be very unwise for him to go alone.
- for R as he works out how to incorporate Jesus into his boat-speak.
- for God's continued blessing on R finding good prices for all that he needs.
- for a tangible family connectedness as we attempt to stay inter-dependent.

Thanks.
D

The beginning...

D:
At this point, R is still in Wrangell, AK waiting to see the bottom of the boat which looks like it will happen on the weekend. We have talked a lot about what this boat will need equipment-wise to fish and we have complied a list so he can start shopping tomorrow. R is experiencing some anxiety and fear about how this will all come together and what making this purchase might mean for us in the future. I am experiencing him as humbled and attentive to the Lord's voice. We have discussed many times that this is the God's story and whether we succeed or fail it is in His hands and we will turn and give Him praise. This is a huge step towards speaking about and practicing a God-centered life vs the self-centered life we are accustom to. It is especially hard for R to not take the success or failure of this venture solely on himself.

Please Pray:
- for wisdom as R makes purchases and begins to formulate the plans for getting the boat ready to fish.
- for calm as R thinks about how buying this boat will effect us and those around us
- for confidence in this being God's story and not our own
- for comfort to all 4 of our hearts as we spend this time apart