dealing

man it's been a tough week! we were blind sided by three different sets of circumstances in the last seven days that sent us reeling.

last monday we received an email informing us that havvn was closing its doors. we have been with this company since the very beginning and, with no prior notice that anything was wrong, we were completely taken aback by the news. having been on the products for more than four years we have seen marked results both in our own health and in the health and lives of those close to us. having put so much time and effort into this company and working with people who have such high standards regarding health we are left completely disappointed that things we have come to rely on are no longer at our disposal. we have also had to watch as people close to us, who financially relied on this company, try to decipher what comes next. it has really shown me that there are no guarantees in life.

toward mid week it was brought to our attention that both keith and doug had resigned from the pastoral staff at bridgepoint. the first few days i was in utter shock. that is news that i never in a million years thought i would ever hear. having ministered closely with keith and chrisanna for seven years i know their hearts and i know that this was an agonizing decision to make. sitting in the meeting last night i wept for the legacy that is ending, for the absence that will be so hard to fill and for the friends that we have come to love over the years. psalm 30:5 says ...weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. though it's hard to say goodbye, god has a special plan for them and i look forward to watching them write the next chapter in their lives.

and lastly, though not as great as the other hiccups in our week, our car died last night. on the way to my parent's yesterday afternoon the lights on the dash seemed dim. i told rob he should brighten them thinking that they had somehow been turned down. he tried and the radio went off. that can't be good. my parents only live about five miles from us and by the time we made the ten minute drive to their house we had no radio, heat, speedometer or anything else. we were running a little late so took my parents car and decided to worry about the car after church. we got back and rob jumped it but within two minutes it had stopped running. we jumped it again and hurried to try and drive it home but even make it out of their subdivision before we lost everything including headlights. rob's dad helped him tow it home and they think it's the alternator. please please please let it be the alternator.

in the last week things have surprised us and hit us hard but they have not surprised our god. he knew these things were coming and, though we may not know where we go from here, he certainly does. i take comfort in knowing that he guides us and does what's best for us even if it hurts sometimes. a song that we sang a couple weeks ago at church keeps coming to mind so i will leave you with its precious words.

never once

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful