Making Progress

Thanks to so many of you who have given us some of the items we requested.  We have been amazed to receive a baby backpack, suitcases & duffle bags, laundry bags, mattress pads, a queen size air mattress and lots of blankets and linens!!!  I am excited because I think I'll actually be able to keep my little guy & girls warm during the cold, rainy months!  At this point, the only thing we still need is large duffle bags.  Wow!!!  We feel very blessed. 

Last night Mark & I spent time packing linens in vaccuum sealed bags and then into suitcases which will hopefully be sent in June with a team going from Nashville.   We also packed the bulk of our homeschool curriculum.  We're making progress. 

We still would love to sell our house, so if you know anyone interested, send them our way (www.heartofwestknoxville.com).  Feel free to forward that website to any of your e-mail or facebook contacts.  Someone may know someone :-).   

Financial support is coming along.  Thank you very much to those of you who have supported us in this way.  We now have a way for you to have a donation withdrawn automatically from your checking account.  If you're interested in setting that up (especially for those of you donating monthly), just let us know & we'll give you the information necessary for that (mwmckinney@gmail.com).   

At this point, we're still aiming to leave late July.  Eliza turns 3 on July 26th, so we've told her perhaps she'll get to ride on an airplane for her 3rd birthday.  She thinks that's pretty cool, but wants to make sure she still gets her cake!!  We'll have to make that happen...even if it's in the Atlanta aiport!

Battling Fear

He [Jesus] said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”  Mark 5:34

Reading the passage in Mark where Jesus heals the woman who was bleeding for 12 years, I always had a hard time identifying with her…or finding my place in that story.  I tended to always identify most with the disciples who thought Jesus was being a little touchy (ha, ha) & sensitive to ask, “Who touched me?”  I haven’t battled a lifelong illness, so I struggled to identify with the woman.  All of that changed about 2 days ago.

I have had a struggle with fear for most of my life.  Since I’ve had children, those struggles have increased exponentially.  In talking with other women, I think I am pretty normal, so I’ve never given much thought to asking God to remove the struggle.  I’ve certainly prayed for freedom from fear at times when I’m feeling afraid; but for the most part, living in my little bubble in West Knoxville, I am able to keep those fears at bay with my own abilities and rational thinking.  However, with this move to Guatemala, the fears are coming out of the woodwork.  Sometimes it is hard to discern between concerns placed on my heart by the Holy Spirit to be something we consider before moving there, and fear that is not of the Lord.

Do I feel confident that we’re supposed to move to Guatemala?  Yes.  Do I feel confident that the Lord is leading Mark & me as a team and in unity?  Yes.  Does Mark share my struggle with the fears and doubts about the details of life in Guatemala?  No.  If he did, we would be a total wreck around here. 

However, in reading Mark 5:21-34, it was the first time I thought…I am the woman!!!!  My bleeding is the fear that has controlled decisions I have made all of my life…often leading me to make decisions because they feel safe and not scary.  Jesus commands the woman to go in peace.  I’m not sure I have ever truly experienced peace.  I’m not sure I ever thought it was really possible this side of heaven.  But Jesus commands her to go in peace & be freed from her suffering.  Giving her that command gives me hope that peace and freedom from fear are possible.  The word in Mark 5:34 is also “freed”—past tense.  She is already free; all she has to do is live out of that freedom!!!!!  WOW!!!

So, that’s a bit of where I am in my journey:  learning how to live out the freedom that has already been proclaimed over me.  Live a life in peace, freed from suffering from fear. 

Battling Doubt

Battles are raging in our house….especially in my heart& soul. I have been studying the book of Mark lately using Jim Branch’s devotional, Reflections. A few days ago I was reading the passage about Jesus sleeping in the boat while the storm was raging. The disciples doubted whether or not Jesus was going to take care of them. I can identify with that. Jim asked the question, “Where do you feel like there are storms raging in your life right now?” I had to laugh. Life feels pretty stormy all around…I could easily picture myself on that ship with the disciples. Since we made the commitment to move to Guatemala, we have had one sickness after another, been trying to sell our house & had an unusually high amount of laundry due to stomach bugs and wet beds. Typically, these things would just be chalked up to life with four kids in my mind…which is true. But it has also served to fuel the doubts already raging in my head: what am I going to do in Guatemala with sick kids? How am I going to get sheets clean & dry during the rainy season (when no laundry dries) and we are going through multiple sets of sheets in a matter of days? Little things, really, but those doubts (seas) are raging all around. So, it was sweet to read Mark 4:35-41 & remember that Jesus is present. He’s in the boat with me. Thank you, Jim, for these words of truth: “Even when we feel like we are about to go down, about to drown, about to be swamped, He indeed can rebuke the wind and the waves. He indeed can utter the words, “Quiet! Be still!” And he indeed can make the wind die down and the sea become completely calm.”

 

New ways you can help

Be sure you check all the tabs across the top of our blog.  We have posted some new items we are needing to gather or ways you may be able to help us out.  Thanks so much!!  Also, if you're in the Knoxville area, we would love to gather with you either this Tuesday morning or evening (May 8th).  See our support letter for more details (under the "support us" tab).

We have passports!!!

We took the kids to apply for passports a few weeks ago.  A brief 1 1/2 hours later, the applications were on their way.  I must say, I think Katherine's passport picture is one of the cutest pictures I've ever seen. 

Well, those passports arrived today.  So, assuming we raise our support, we're one step closer to our move to Guatemela!!!