Good morning! This week we start classes on Friday. The students will be arriving on Thursday...we're so excited to meet them. We've met a couple here already that will be in our school. Check this out, she grew up in Calumet, MI. We know some of the same people and pastor Onermaa married her parents!
Isaac has been working so hard at King's Mansion with Jeremy. Since he'll be done once our classes start, he's trying to get as much done as possible. I've gone up there with the kids a few days and it's hard work!
The first time I went up there and Jeff toured us the mansion and told us the vision behind it, God gave me a cool revelation while I was working. I remember Jana and Melodie telling me about it (they had worked there before) and they were describing it to me and what it looked like and what it was about. I always picture things in my head, so I had a image of what I thought it was about and how it looked. But while I was cleaning in the basement, I was thinking how different it was than I had thought. So I tried to remember what I had pictured it to be, but once I saw it in reality, I couldn't remember. I stood there for a while racking my brain, but i couldn't remember any of what my imagination had thought before. And while I was standing there God starting down pouring into my spirit that is what His kingdom is like.
People can preach a great sermon telling you about Him and His kingdom, or you can study it for yourself...even memorize great amounts of scripture. You can become a theologian of His word and in your mind you think you know what it's all about.
But once you get a glimpse of it here on earth, all images and imagination are gone. Your spiritual eyes are opened (or slowly opening:)) and you can't even remember what you used to think! At least that's how it's been for me! It's so good! Any time I've glimpsed a reality of who God is and what His kingdom is about....I can't go back to any old way of thinking. Or acting or treating other people. It's a journey of renewing of my mind and veils being torn away!
I want so much to be focused on His kingdom and what He wants of me. My prayer is that I will not be half-hearted about it. He is coming back for a pure and spotless bride...that isn't distracted by food, clothes, money, fame! I need to be a bride that seeks infinite joy and seeks to know my Creator more! I can not be easily pleased! I can not be easily satisfied! I want to be a bride that is a delight to my King! I want to be a part of HIS dream!
It's been a great time so far of pouring into the kids and hanging out with them. Doing school work, discovering all the amazing places on campus and of course, wanting to visit every local beach here!!
It's amazing how peaceful it's been! Even with so many changes. We go to bed quite a bit earlier and we're up usually by 6:30 a.m...and amazingly awake and happy! Just below our room window is the campus dining area, so we usually wake up to laughing, happy students:) I love it...it's a great sounding alarm clock!
The kids have definetely had some 'moments', but those have been and will still be worked out:) Their schedule has been rocked and long days, make emotional and tired kids! But it's all good and they're all super excited to be living in Hawaii!
We love you all!

We made it!

We moved out of our rented house a few weeks ago and into a cabin on Pearson lake at Randy and Julies property in Greer. God has given them a place that feels like a retreat. It is a place of rest and authentic community for the body. Their whole family overwhelmed us with unconditional love and support. We cannot thank them enough with words but will continue to pray that God will bring them all to a place of completeness in Him and continue to pour out His blessings as they do all those around them. Leaving Greenville is going to be hard, our last 2 years here we have witnessed so much growth in genuine love and community and it just keeps getting better. If you are in Greenville and feel a growing dissatisfaction with "life as usual" I would say to be very encouraged, there is a large and growing group of people that are after Gods heart and to live as we were created to. Loving Him and being loved by Him. This is usually experienced by loving others and being loved by them. I would say go after it with everything in you! Our flight was scheduled to leave Atlanta at about 4 p.m. So we were looking at a 3 hour drive followed by a 5 hour flight, A 9 hour layover in Seattle with a 6 hour flight into Kona. As we were coming 2 weeks early nothing had been officially confirmed with YWAM we didn't know if we had a ride from the airport in Kona or a place to stay when we arrived. Everything considered, it looked like a couple tough days ahead, as I'm writing this I can say we serve a good, good Father and He has not failed us yet. Lars and Amy picked us up and gave us a ride to ATL. On the way we picked up Steve Sarkela and had an unexpected guest on our ride to the airport. I love spending time with people that are not conforming but being transformed. We made it to Seattle and instead of 9 hours sleeping in a lobby we were met by Matt & Mindy Jessica, Mick, Tasha, Jett and Lisbeth and spent the night hanging out with family and great friends. It felt like heaven! We landed in Kona and were met at the airport By Jeff Van Veen, he is heading up the work on The Kings Mansion. It is the reason I came early and I plan on working with him on this house for the next few weeks until Our Discipleship training starts. We made it to the base and was met by Jeff Ried. He had our loft ready and set up...nothing wanting!
The immediate atmosphere was welcoming and open! We met so many people right away and we know they're going to be amazing relationships here on campus. The kids are doing school work now and getting ready for a "normal" schedule again. Adara is overwhelmed by the community living and loving it. I think she caught about 10 lizards yesterday and is in the works of studying all about them and building an aquarium for them! Dax and Elijah (Jeff and Bethany's son) were off and running right away and had many "adventures" yesterday. Pace has climbed almost every tree in sight and said Hawaii is his favorite place to be. We're praying for a friend to come along for him! Jory's doing great and I think he's going to have no problem making friends and ruling his part of the campus:)
We'll post pictures soon...but I can tell already there won't be a lot of time to spend on the computer. Once our classes start, it will be a heavy schedule and really focusing on why we're here and what God's plan is for us~
Much love to all, Isaac (with all)

NOT Romantic!

So here we find ourselves...in obedience.
Saturday we packed up our rental and drove off. We have suitcases and are staying with some friends because everything else is gone.
Almost a year ago we agreed with the Lord to this journey and we'll be leaving in less than two weeks.
I'm finding out it's not as romantic as it sounded! It's only been 5 days and the attacks are heavy. I didn't realize how much I liked my own space and comfort zone. About 3 years ago, I liked things just so. I had a schedule, my house was (almost) always organized and everything had it's place. Now, that's all been given up. We're staying with some dear friends and living out of suitcases. I'm finding out that giving up everything has it's own battle. We need your prayers to make it thru this. With this blog page, I am committing to the Lord to be completely open and honest with what we're going thru.
We are surrounded by so many amazing people who are lifting us and helping us thru this crazy time!
We love you all and will try to stay on top of blogging!
(deby)