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!