::this week::

praising:  some additional provision for our ministry, including a used/ new to us laptop that will arrive this month... and all of this, coming from people we've never met... such a cool God thing!

praying:  for a reasonably priced/ good condition car that will meet our needs... that we can pay cash for.  for additional provision for Bastion, as we haven't quite raised what we need to live off of yet.  for friends.

reading:  John, Joel, Isaiah, 1 Kings, 1000 Gifts

thankful for:  some really great wiser/ older/ more spiritually mature people who invest in us.  we had a great time on the Northshore last weekend with two families who do so.  I was blown away by some admonishment/ truth the ladies shared with me.  we have always been blessed with really great mentors in our lives.

cooking:  Chinese Char Siu, Chinese green beans, corn pudding, maque choux, dirty rice, zuppa toscana, cilantro pesto pasta, BBQ chicken and buffalo chicken pizza, green smoothies, steak, sesame kale

creating:  Christmas presents

doing:  hosting community group.  a walk date with a friend.  having a sweet couple over for dinner.  hopefully some sort of car shopping as our rental car is gone as of Monday.

inspired by:  Isiah 38... the Lord told Hezekiah that his life was over, Hezekiah cried out to the Lord, and the Lord added 15 years to His life.  prayer matters.  it changes outcomes.  it's powerful.  am I crying out to the Lord for all I should be?  for the pains, hurt, oppression of those around me?  for my family?  my church?  for this city?  the country?  the world?

pondering:  John.  particularly John 11:4  But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”  and the numerous other "so that's" in the book of John.  Lazarus died SO THAT God would receive glory.  most of the other "so that's" in this book are along the lines of "so that" they would believe, have faith, have hope, have joy, remember.  something seemingly "bad" happened, so that the good would come from it.  but the original thing wasn't even bad... lazarus may have died, but then he was raised.  pondering what my "so that's" are, and seeking to change my perspective on them.  being challenged by what is being revealed to me, by my selfishness, lack of perspective, lack of the big picture.