**Mustard Seed Distributed**

I have been spending a lot of time in nyc for work the last month or two, and I have enjoyed being here, enjoyed the work we're doing, and enjoyed making new friends. I have also missed my friends and family in MI. Today, as I drove to the airport once again to board a plane, it was a bit different. This is the first time I have boarded a plane to nyc knowing the date the kkft will move. A new revelation that has come to fruition for our family, and such an incredible place that God has picked out for us to live. So much excitement in showing the video to the girls, in spending time talking things over with my superstar, making plans for this summer. Usually by this time of year, we have a pretty good grasp of what our summer will look like. That all played out this weekend as superstar and I developed an outline for the move. This is where we will be heading on June 15th-an area of Brooklyn called Windsor Terrace. This will be our new neighborhood. Our new home. Our new place to p...

Seriously-I have a signed copy of the lease. Windsor Terrace is where the kkft will land in Brooklyn. No broker fee, no rejection waiting period, 3br/2ba with terrace AND outdoor space. Five minute walk to subway, 10 to the good school for the girls, 10 to prospect park. God completely overwhelms me with his gift of an incredible apartment. More this week, as I will actually have internet access. :)

Well, if you follow along at home kiddies, you know the history of the kkft trying to find a home here in the big apple. (By the way NO ONE calls it that) I am really trying to focus my energy on listening to God, because He clearly keeps telling me to do just that: LISTEN. I think I am. I think I am. But I'm not hearing anything. Why? Because I live in a society of self-gratifiers that want immediate gratification in all that we do. Everything. Now. No money down. No interest for the rest of your life. Easy terms. You deserve it. You've worked hard. But following Jesus is another thing altogether. Today in my quiet time I felt like God was telling me 'not yet', and I'm ok with that. I realize it is my brain that wants to check it off the list to move on to the next. Crunch time seems to be here in my mind, but I beat my body into submission so that I might earn the prize. See you on the other side of the tunnel.

Sometimes, God speaks to us in ways we least expect it. Superstar pointed out to me that the bible study is tonight at the jankee home, and I just so happen to be in the big apple. It didn't enter my mind until she said that, and I was so happy to attend. Great to see people and get into the word. Confession time-I fasted on a lot of Wednesdays in an effort to understand what God wanted us to do with our home. He sold it. And I stopped fasting. I don't toot the horn, but guess what the topic was at the study tonight? Luke 5. Not a ton on fasting, but that is what we talked about. I felt like God was saying-don't you get it? You dropped the fasting thing on where you were living, how am I to show you where to live? Also take a look at Ezra 8: 21-23: 21 There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king ...

So I continue to enjoy running as a hobby/pastime/excercise routine/whatever you want to call it. I often spend the time listening to music, but when it gets hard, I look to Jesus. I try to apply this to my life as well. So yesterday, while I'm running, it is getting difficult to keep going, and I'm looking at the 2/3 of a mile I have left to run and I'm thinking "I can't do this today". And then instead of looking up at how far I have to go, I look down at the road I'm running on. And I feel like Jesus nudged me to keep looking at the short term. It's good to look down the road a ways and know where you are going, but you need to see each step while you are running the race. This is pretty hard for me, since I am more of the visionary type of person that sees way out and runs toward the long term goal. So He continues to teach me to be patient in each moment of each day. On that note, I have really enjoyed the large amount of time I have spen...

Well, you may or may not know now. We lost the 3rd apartment. Apparently the developer sold the building before signing the leases. I was distraught the day I heard, but my superstar lifted me up with encouragement and got me past the stupidity of an apartment, and worry in such frivolous things. We now reside in the basement of my parents, and I love them dearly for welcoming us with open arms....and I pray we can not bother them for a couple of months. Superstar had her girls weekend, and won her 5k race! She rocks. We do not have internet access at our new residence, and I realize now just how much I do online. It really appears to be important to me to have access. I hope I'm not overzealous. Today, we stopped at Woodside to say goodbye to our home. Superstar shed a few tears, and I didn't. Peace from God I think in walking away from a dream I had as a young man in building my own house in the woods. Thank you, Jesus for taking that from me. We are officially (as ...

So after arriving home Friday night, we finished packing things up. My bestest friends -jimmer, mg, cdubs, hammy, panks, pickle head, my battered sis, and the neighbor's truck- all packed things from Woodside, and moved them into my mother and father's house. I can't even explain to you the gratitude for the assistance, for the grace of my parents, and for the insurmountable work that my wife did before, during, and after the move. By sunday morning, you would never even know that we had been there less than 12 hours. Superstar unpacked and established the nest in the basement at the 'rents. Unbelievable. As I cleaned the house that was almost completely empty, I prayed for God to continue to use that home for His purposes. That is what I prayed so many times before the house was built, while we were building it, and as we lived there for the last 61/2 years. It is the only house that Livvy has known. (PS-we also celebrated her 7th bday and mother's day on S...

After much work in the city over the last two weeks, I am on my way "home" tonight to Woodside. I am on my way there to finish packing things so that tomorrow we can move things to my parents and live until the kkft makes the official move. We put two applications in on two different apartments over the last few weeks. Neither panned out for us. Both were attractive. Both would have sufficed for our family, at least I thought so at the time. But they didn't work. I would be remiss if I told you I was completely happy and at peace each moment of the process. I never felt like I was in a bad place, but you get excited about something, you think maybe this is something that God wants for you, and then you find out it wasn't to be. I do not know the reasons those two apartments didn't work out, and perhaps I never will. I do know that after working in the city for the last two weeks straight that we are meant to be there. I am certain that God has made that...

I have always enjoyed The Late Show with David Letterman. As I walked about this great city Saturday, I walked up Broadway and noticed the sign in front of the Ed Sullivan theatre. It said: "Come in for Free Tickets". So I goes in. Fill out the form, and you will be entered into the lottery. The lottery period goes from May 4-21. I say that I could come any of those dates. They tape usually at 2:30, but on Mondays, they do a later taping at 5:30. So, honestly, the only day that I KNOW that I could do it was today. Sunday after attending the service in arabic in brb, I get a call telling me I won tickets to the late taping for today. Are you kidding me? Nope. Now if you read the words of briggsy, you may have seen his review . However, I think he's whack. This is not a comedy club that you bought tickets for, this is a television show that is taped live in front of a studio audience. Not some cut-rate two bit half cocked show. The Late Show. When pastor and...

Saturday, I met our potential new landlords. It was nice, I think it went well, and they are a very nice couple. I have not heard anything yet, and you would think that it would be driving me crazy, but it's not even bothering me. That could only be explained by feeling like God has spared me the worry or concern. But walking through the city yesterday afternoon, I experienced something disturbing. As I walked around, I really just enjoyed seeing different things, people, and places that I have not been to yet along with places I have seen. But I was walking, listening to my Ipod, and I noticed a group of men standing on a corner reading their bibles. I was instantly interested in what they were doing, so I took out my earbuds, and stopped to see what they were reading, or what they were discussing. I honestly didn't notice that it was a group of african americans until after. But as I stood there, one member of the group asked me what the ____ I thought I was doing. A...

Well, I am not counting the eggs just yet. But I have an appointment tomorrow (I think) to meet the potential new landlords. Funny thing is, it is on the same street of the apartment we didn't get a couple weeks ago, and it is one that we wanted to look at while the star and I were here home shopping. So at 12:00 noon, I may be meeting with them to see if they 'approve' us, or should I say 'approve of us'? Life is completely different here. In so many ways, it is hard to explain it to someone that has not really spent a work week here, or something like that. Today, I was at a seminar that was about 10 miles from my hotel. (PS-Hilton=Good) It took me two train changes and a bus ride to get there in an hour and 20 minutes. Which was good time. So interesting to me to see new parts of this city unfold before my very eyes. It is also striking to me the similarity between the D and the GP, and the haves and the have nots here. Much more to come. See you on t...