Hope

I am alone this afternoon and evening...Josh has been invited to go to a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game with 3 other guys and so he just left...this is the 1st time since we've moved that he has had the opportunity to hang out with guys just for fun...and I hope he really has a blast tonight, and perhaps will become friends with them so that this is not just a one time event. He desperately needs guy friendships up here.

This week has been pretty uneventful; I am recleaning the house after having Josh's family here this weekend. We had a great time and it was fun to be with them...it always seems to take me a lot longer to clean up after an event compared to before having people over...perhaps the adrenaline just doesn't kick in as much.

Our ladies Bible study happens this evening...we are going to delve into the topic of HOPE. I am interested to see what the Bible has to say about it and how this study unfolds the concept. HOPE has been the word of the year for me...or at least these last 7 months. Although we are doing better up here; some days and weeks, the depression & hopelessness settle around us and it is hard to glimpse God's glory and plan in the midst of it.

We have been writing letters and praying that God will call at least one other person to live up here and serve with us for the summer or a year...a bit of a long-term mission project...It has been really hard to try and "figure out" how to minister & refocus a church & do all of the small unseen yet necessary tasks for "running" a church legally, much less smoothly, in our first year...IWU prepared us well; but there are some things that you only learn on the job, and this has been the hardest thing we have ever done in our lives. We'd appreciate your prayers in that direction...that someone would call us and come.

We are digging deeper into the remodeling project estimates & ideas. Josh has spoken with several people about quotes on jobs that need doing at the church...this could be a HUGE process...and the funny thing is, once we have all the estimates & ideas of what the necessary projects are (& there are a lot), we'll have to shave the list down to the 1 or 2 immediately necessary things that we can afford. We are getting to know the carpet, paint, electric & carpentry people quite well. They have been super friendly & their wisdom is invaluable. We hope to make the church feel homey & have sort of a coffeehouse feel to it, all with a modern-timeless-twist...if you know of anyone in the market for pews, send them our way!