New Year-Ringing in the Promises

This time last year, James and I had moved out of our apartment, put all of our belongings into storage, and were staying at my parents';  almost a week away from embarking on our 6-months in S. Asia. Even as I write it, I can hardly believe it. This year seems to have gone by faster than any other thus far. Yet, so many amazing things have happened in our lives that just twelve months doesn't seems long enough to contain them all. Here's a list of just a few of those things that I look back on and just want to sing and dance about!

1. Arriving safely in S. Asia and then home again after a half-year of life-altering, eye-opening, God-glorifying moments and lessons that now flow through my veins and have recreated (thanks be to God) the person-the Christ follower that I am.

2. Receiving the call while in S. Asia for a new, exciting ministry for our lives in the U.S. This Is Church has been such an amazing ministry. We are so encouraged by what God is doing with this little body of believers and in the individual ministries that are represented every Sunday in our living room.

3. Speaking of living room, OUR HOUSE! We were blessed to so easily find an affordable home with such a ready ministry all around us.

4. James and I celebrated our first anniversary together! And what a beautiful year it has been. Praise God for His model of love that we seek to follow after every day.

5. Receiving news of the new baby that we will get to hold in June! James and I have been looking forward to being a Daddy and Mama since...forever! Every week, I read about how this sweet life is growing inside me, and I get so overwhelmed by God's goodness and love. Yippee!

6. Support. That's all I need to say. We have received faithful support for both of our adventures in ministry, along with prayers, love, and kind words from those around us about what we're doing, excitement about the baby, and just encouragement in our everyday goings on! The community that God has given us is so beyond anything that we deserve, and I am just so, SO thankful to see God work through the people He's put in our lives.


 As I think about those (along with the million others I didn't mention) highlights of 2014, I can't help but see the promises that God has both fulfilled and is going to continue to fulfill for this new year that we are stepping in to:


1. Just as God carried us, protected us, and worked through us in S. Asia, so He will continue to do in each of the who-knows-how-many opportunities He will bring us to in 2015.

2. I look forward to God continuing to work through This Is Church and the people involved. I also am anxious to see the new areas of ministry that He will lead James and I to both together and individually.

3. I'm going to be honest, housing seems to forever be a point of anxiety in my heart. The very bane of my existence (not actually). When it comes to the question, "Where will we live when our baby is born/when our lease is up" (those two seem to always pop up in my mind at the same exact time) there is never really a "peace that passes understanding".  Looking at the past year, though, I see a promise that is inescapable: God will provide. The 4 places in which we've lived this past year are proof of that. So, this is the part where I just have to take a breath, and thank my Provider-God for how He is going to provide a home in 2015. Thank You, Lord.

4. James and I have grown closer in 2014 than I thought possible. If I thought he was my best friend when I married him, he's 17 months MORE of a best friend now. It's like, if two infants thought they were best friends, then they grew up to be five-year-olds who ran, jumped and played in the mud all day, they would say to themselves, "Now we're REALLY best friends." That's how I feel about James. I'm also thankful that those five-year-olds will one day grow up to be 35-year-olds and think to themselves, "Those five-year-old babies had no idea..." I look forward to growing closer and closer to-more and more in love with my husband each year, then looking back at 2014 and saying, "That little baby Ali had no idea." :)

5. This baby is one promise that I look forward to meeting, holding and singing to in 2015!! Right now, I'm even looking forward to having a huge, giant belly full of cuteness as Baby Everett gets bigger and bigger inside of me. Even once Baby's born, I'm thankful for the promise of life, growth and service to Jesus that I will get to have a big part in as a mother to this life.

6. Finally, I thank God for the promise of YOU! The community that He will continue to cultivate in James' and my life is something I look forward to with great joy. The support of this community as our family and ministries grow is not only something that comes from those around us, but first from God, and my heart burst with thankfulness because of that!


So, there are a few highlights of 2014, and promises for the new year that I'm thankful for! Join me in thanking the One who is God of the past, present and future!!

The "Yes" Girl Experiment #2 - Ingrid

 My newest "yes" is probably one of my happiest, and wonderful yeses so far. It has also been one of my longest running "no's"... until yesterday.

It all started when my parents found and nursed back to health two cute little kittens last year. They were so young that my mom had to bottle feed them, and they could barely walk in a straight line. James and I so desperately wanted to keep both of them, but since we were three months away from leaving for S. Asia, it just wasn't going to work out. The kittens were taken to a loving new home, and we were left with only a few fluffy memories.

That was when we started dreaming about kittens! So far, it might be hard for you to understand why this made it to my "yes girl" posts. It doesn't sound like I had a reason to say "no".  Yes, I love kittens. Just thinking about cuddling with a little ball of fluff gives me the warm fuzzies. What I don't love is hair everywhere, people not wanting to come over because they're allergic to cats, and finding a good hiding spot in our home for a litter box. My family had a cat growing up, and he lived for 19 years. The very idea of being tied up with something that's not my husband or spawn for that long gives me sweaty palms. Even human babies aren't expected to live under your roof for that long!

I tossed around the idea of wrapping a cat in a box last week for James' birthday, but decided that the process of choosing one with him would be better. The next thought was to give him a coupon that said "Okay, I give up, let's get a cat," but I couldn't bring myself to make the first move. So, I resolved that the next time James said those words, I would say yes.

That happened two days ago as James scrolled down the cute, fuzzy pictures on Craigslist. I swallowed hard, and said the word. My mind immediately went into defense mode, flooding with all the reasons not to get a cat, but thankfully, it was too late. I had already said "yes," and there was no going back.

The little cutie fell asleep in James' lap on the way home.

Yesterday, we drove to Loveland to retrieve our prize. When we contacted the woman who had posted the add, she told us that the kitten we were interested in was the most cuddly in the bunch, and that she was the only one that purred. That sealed the deal for me. Those are the two best attributes any cat could have. So, purr and cuddle she did, all the way home! 

Ingrid has been purring, cuddling, pouncing and playing ever since! Watching her play with her toys and snuggle up to James' head while in bed made me wonder why I didn't say "yes" earlier! It's been less than 24 hours, and we've had so much fun with her already!

 Ingrid practically skips everywhere. This morning, she made three hops on her hind legs as she tried to pounce on James' feet. It made me laugh out loud!  She is also the only cat I have ever known who falls asleep/ is comfortable on her back. I was holding her on her back in my cupped hands (yes, she's THAT small) as we walked through the pet store, and she slept like that for a good ten minutes. It was adorable. Suffice it to say, Ingrid is the cutest animal that has ever walked on the earth, and we love her! I'm so happy that she is one of my "yes"es, and I can't wait to snuggle with her for the next 19 years(...)!

Welcome home, Ingrid.

The "Yes" Girl Experiment-Number One

I was one day in, and was already being faced with a difficult "yes". I'd been saying "no" to dying my hair just about every time James and I would go to the grocery store; when James would begin looking at hair dyes. He made it obvious almost as soon as we were married that he fancies golden brown hair. Not that he thinks my dark hair is ugly, or that he wants me to change my appearance in order to like me more, but golden brown is just a color that he's always thought was pretty. I, being the dark-haired goddess that I am (I hope you know that's a joke) have always taken pride in my dark tresses, and have a hard time thinking about parting with them. So, it wasn't a surprise when dread instantly filled my heart the minute I noticed James walking to the hair dye isle while we were at the grocery store two days ago. He was the one who was surprised, however, at the first word I uttered when he asked me for the seemingly millionth time if I wanted to dye my hair: "yes". It felt good to see his happily surprised face when he heard my answer. It felt good to be a "yes" girl. But at the same time, I regretted the word.

remember when this happened??

Remember my new motto? "Have fun at the 'yes'". It might be worded better to say, "Choose joy at the  'yes'". As it turns out, this motto is a LOT easier said than done. I could think of a million reasons NOT to dye my hair. I liked it dark. I'd already dyed it red (a dark, subtle red, remember). It was just growing back to it's natural state after the pixie cut!! But, as promised, I began counting the reasons to say "yes", and soon my anxious, half -"yes", became (after a good long time of reasoning with myself, mind you) an excited, %100 "yes!" After all, why shouldn't I try to please my husband? I know that he likes golden brown hair, and I also know that, for both selfless and selfish reasons I want to be as lovely as I possibly can be in his eyes. So why not put two and two together and do the darn thing?!? Well, that's exactly what I did. We bought the box of dye, and went home. After finishing James' cake (did I mention that that was on his birthday?), we went to the bathroom and doused my hair with the stuff.

As it turns out, golden brown is not that different from dark brown. Especially if your hair is so dark that it renders the dye basically useless. And also when you only use half of the bottle. User's error, I guess.

So it seems that all that fretting was for nothing. But I'll have you know that we WILL be trying the dye again in hope of a better, more golden result. I was really disappointed to see my natural hair color (albeit with a tinge of golden shine  if you really look at it) after it was all over. I wanted my "yes" to actually be a "yes"! But soon we'll try it again, and with some luck (and a better look at the instructions), my hair will be golden brown in no time!

Yes Girl - An Experiment

 My husband often talks with me about how glad he is that we are a "yes" couple.  He says that it conveys our love for the people we have in our lives, and our determination to be intentional with those relationships. I like the sound of that too. More than that, I know how wonderful it feels to be said "yes" to. We love having people over, and when we extend an invitation and it's accepted, we feel loved ourselves.

However, I sometimes laugh to myself when James makes his remark about our being a "yes" couple. I am NOT a "yes" person. When I am invited to do something last-minute, or even far in advance, my reaction is almost always a big, resounding no. Even when James asks me to cut his hair (which happens about every 3 weeks),  I immediately respond with my gut reaction: "NO!!!"

I received some advice from a wise woman the week before my wedding. The "Moms" in my life were sharing what they'd learned over their years of marriage, and this particular lady said, "Be a 'yes' girl". At the time, I didn't know how many aspects of life this piece of advice would speak into. I now know that being a 'yes' girl isn't just about saying the word, it's also about living it out.

This past weekend I've found myself being quite "no"ish. In one particular instance, I found myself wondering why James (who was wanting us to say "yes" to something) cared so much about agreeing to this outing. The big, pointing finger in my mind was then turned around. Why did I care so much about NOT going? Thankfully, I was able to squeak out a "yes", and though it was an unhappy, and begrudging "yes" at the time, we had a wonderful time when we finally found ourselves with the people who had invited us. That got me thinking. Why do I feel the need to say "no" to so many things? Not just invitations, but the little, everyday things that James mentions to me.

Sure, I've said "yes" to a few, really big decisions. "Yes" to South Asia, "yes" to This Is Church, but do I say "yes" to those little things that are scattered throughout our day? Jesus tells me in His word that if I am faithful in even the little things, that I will be faithful with bigger things. (Lk 16:10) Not vice versa.

So, how do you become faithful at things that you are really, REALLY bad at? Practice. So, for the rest of this month, I am going to practice being a "yes" girl. Not just to outings, or invitations, but to everything. 

I'm going to be honest, this is going to be soooo hard! Practice for becoming a "yes" girl means shutting up the voice inside that screams the reasons why certain things are a bad idea. It also means that whatever I think is best is going to take a back seat for a while. In essence, I will be laying myself down. Huh, it doesn't sound that crazy when I word it like that, does it? After all, I'm pretty sure that "laying myself down" was a part of the vows that I made before God, my husband, and many of you at my wedding day. Not to mention that it's encouraged in the Bible.

This is how I expect my "yes" to feel!

As it turns out, "yes" isn't only a word. It's also an attitude. If I say that I want to be a "yes" girl, then I can't shuffle my feet and pout whenever I agree to something I don't actually want to do; that could be harder on the both of us than if I had said "no" in the first place. The real "yes" happens when I take a step back, examine the reasons why I want to say no, and, in humility, choose joy in my "yes".

So, here I go, off to start my journey of becoming a "yes" girl. Before I start, I want to make 3 things clear to you... and myself.

1. Obviously, I'm not going to be in a cage. Laying myself down for my husband doesn't mean forgetting my needs, but understanding that my "wants" are negotiable. I'm going to be able to "state my case" if there's something I feel adamant about, but in most cases, I think I will find that when I really take a look at my own reasoning, I will see things that are generally shallow, selfish and unhelpful.

2. I'm NOT doing this so that my husband will see me laying myself down, and think, "Wow, I should really do what she wants this time".  If I've learned anything in my marriage, it's that these unspoken expectations are poison to a relationship. Also, if I'm only doing this experiment so that I'll get more of what I want, that's the opposite effect that needs to happen. This is about laying myself down, not sneakily building myself up.

3. This is not going to be sad. I'm not coming into this decision with tears and "woe is me"'s. There is joy in choosing "yes".  I'm an odd person in that, when I arrive at any event, I have a great time whether I originally wanted to go or not. So why not start having fun right away? Have fun at the "yes": that's my new motto.

I'll be journalling as I conduct this experiment, and will post updates when I reach any extraordinary discoveries. I expect to find a deep joy in being a "yes" girl. I also expect to be the owner of a cat before this is all over. I'll let you know how it all turns out!

May Jesus be glorified by this experiment both in my "yes" and in my marriage. In reality, it will be His beautiful and perfect "yes" that will be coming out of my sinful, dirty mouth. Be lifted high, Savior.

Amen!

Same Journey-New Adventure

It was the night of our farewell party that I received an amazing encouragement from a friend. We were saying goodbye to many dear friends the week before we began our journey to S. Asia. This friend said that, while James and I were being prayed over, God had given her a picture for our future. The picture was of a fox looking intently into the distance, its ears perked with anticipation. The interpretation of this beautiful picture was simple: If we would intentionally seek God's will for our future, if we would perk our ears intently and wait for His call, He would be faithful to show us His plans for our future. 

You have to understand, at that point the only thing we knew was that God had called us to serve in S. Asia for six months. When people asked us what our plans were after those six months, our answer was usually something like, "uhh... I don't know... find something else to do, I guess." As believers, we knew that whatever we did would include sharing the gospel with those around us, but we had little to no idea about how that was going to look. And then, through my friend, God gave us a beautiful promise.  We just needed to focus intently on His purpose, and He would show us and lead us according to His plan for our lives. 

What a relief! To know that the God who orchestrated our journey to S. Asia would STILL be leading and using us even after those six months was over!

So, perk we did, and the vision that God has given us for our new ministry is more beautiful than we ever could have imagined!

Long before James knew we would travel to S. Asia, long before he met me, God had planted in him a love for His word, a talent for teaching it to others, and a zeal to see Christ worshipped as King in purity and in truth. That love, talent and zeal that God has so beautifully cultivated is what has brought us to this point of starting a church!

This Is Church will be a church that focuses on growing the inner heart of a church instead of growing outwardly. Rather than trying to rack up the numbers of attendance, the passion of This Is Church is to cultivate maturity in each of its members so that they can lead their everyday lives as if it's their personal ministry-which it is. Everyday, we meet hurting, lonely people, and the people at This Is Church will be fully equipped to minister to those people. Not just to give them a smile, or to encourage them on the surface level, but to share the truth of the Gospel with them, that they might have new life in Jesus Christ. As our members live their lives as their personal ministries, sharing the gospel with those around them, it is inevitable that This Is Church will grow. Not just grow, though. This Is Church will become a body of believers that affects the entire world because of its dedication to sharing the gospel and living for Jesus in a way that has often been forgotten and passed off as radical. For more information about This Is Church, you can visit our website (yes, we have a website!): www.this-is-church.com.

As always, thank you for your prayers and support. It means so much to us that we have such a loving family of supporters that are with us on this journey! 

Looking forward to filling you in on what's to come,
The Everetts

Now What?-The Return

Things are a little different here in America. I am daily reminded of the past six months by things I see around me, but the similarities are small. The stray dogs of S. Asia have turned into pets behind every chain-linked fence. The beggars in the traffic circle have become men and women with cardboard signs. Here in America, the rich are even more rich; the poor are a little less poor. Yet, two things remain: God is still King and people will be lost unless they hear about Him. James and I firmly believe that, just like the day we arrived in S. Asia, we are here for the purpose of sharing with those people. I would go as far as to say that that is the reason we're alive. 

That purpose is what James and I will be pursuing for the next season of our lives. What really resonated with me while living in S. Asia was how easy it would be to do what I was doing there back in my home town. I remember catching myself thinking, "If only I were back in Greeley. Then I could actually communicate my heart- God's heart- to people." Of course, that was early on in our time when I had had barely any language training under my belt(and trust me, God did plenty of wonderful things even with the language barrier!), but it made me realize how much I had taken my heart language for granted in America. I will not make that mistake again. I bear in my heart the most important message human ears will ever hear, and I will not forget what a gift it is to live in a town where people speak the same language as me. James and I have come back with the purpose of doing the same thing we've been doing for the past six months-except in America. 

This realization has brought us almost to the same exact point in which we were standing the few weeks leading up to our departure to S. Asia. We're not sure where we will live, where our funds will come from, or even what our day-to-day lives will look like. My Israelite's heart wants to panic. I know I just saw God part the waters of the Red Sea, but part of me just wants to turn to the idol of self-reliance and comfort as I wait here at the bottom of this mountain. It amazes me how many times those silly people turned and complained against the God who had JUST provided them with something amazing. No wonder the psalms are filled with the word "remember". "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old," says Psalm 77:11. When I read my past posts like the one from April, I am reminded of the deeds and wonders of old. I am reminded of God's provision of a place (two, actually) to live, of the exact amount of funds needed to live overseas, and of the clear purpose in our day-to-day lives which we were shown. Remembering those things brings me to a state of humility in front of the God who I am crying out to for manna...then water...then quail. It also brings me into deeper state of praise. I can praise Him for what He's done, and also what He will do because He is worthy of that as well. 

The human nature in us wants to be ashamed of talking to people about our future here in Greeley. "Well, we're not sure where we're going to live, or where our income will come from, but we know what God wants us to do and we're going to do it." That's not exactly what people will be expecting to hear when they ask us what we're "up to" these days. Nevertheless, after all that we've seen and experienced of God's goodness and faithfulness, how can we say anything else? Regardless of what Satan wants us to believe, it's not what others think of us that matters. God has given us a clear calling for our Everett day life (even more details to come later), and has asked us to follow Him in blind obedience.Will we forget His past goodness and turn to those idols of self-reliance and comfort? No, thanks. Lord, that we would be faithful only to You each and every day for the rest of our lives. Amen

7-Ready...kind of

There are seven days left until James and I get on a plane and fly back to America. Things here are coming to a close, and it seems absolutely impossible! If you read my last blog you'll already know this, but my feelings about leaving are like a big 'ol pot of hot chili...mixed. Hmm that doesn't seem like the right simile to use... maybe, "like a salad bowl of home-grown greens...mixed." Unfortunately, I'm craving chili right now, so we're going to stick with that one. 

In the last blog, I spent a lot of time talking about what and who I am going to miss here. It's all still true. But, with the end in sight, I can't help but feel small little excitements bubbling up in my heart. Here's a list (in no particular order...) of things that I'm all-too-excited to experience in the first week or so of our homecoming. 

Addie and Noah

#1. Family time. These little sweeties will be visiting my parents when we get home, and I can. not. wait to see them! I love being their aunt and can't wait to hear their giggles and funny jokes again. They've also loved James from the minute they met him 2 years ago, and it's one of my greatest joys watching the three of them play together! I've also been informed that, aside from the four Kosieks coming for a visit, we can also expect to see my second sister, Anna around that time as well! It'll be a sister reunion! I'm just pretty excited about seeing people in general. Friends, family... I'm excited!

James took this beautiful photo on the most
bitter-cold day of the season last winter.
Isn't it sweet?

                                                        #2. WEDDING TIME!!! Brandon and Kate got engaged shortly before we left for S. Asia, and attending their wedding (James will be a groomsman!) will be one of the first things we get to do state-side! They have both been two of James' dear friends for years, and I'm so bless*d to claim them as friends now, too! They have spread the love of Chr*st so well in their own individual lives, and I can't wait to see how they shine even more as a married couple!  


#3. Min*stry. ( I know earlier told you that I was listing these in no particular order, but this one is definitely what I'm looking forward to most!) The last verse of Açts 12 talks about a time when Paul and Barnabas' min*stry in a certain city came to a close. Two verses later, the H0ly Sp*rit was calling them out again to a new city. That's how James and I see our time here. Yes, we are leaving, but our min*stry is not over. Because we're followers of Jesµs, we know that wherever we go, there will always be an opportunity-a call, even-to spread His great name. For a little bit, that min*stry will consist of Lµke8:39-ing: we just want to return and declare how much G0d has done for us! I had a dear friend tell me at our send-off party back in January that she felt like G0d was telling us that He would give us a vision of min*stry for when we got back. And what a vision it is! I don't want to go into too many details yet-that's a whole other post- but rest assured, G0d is fulfilling the words He gave us through our friend almost 6 months ago! Pra*se the L0rd!

So, those are just a few things I am excited about. A few honorable mentions would be, of course, eating Lucky Charms cereal, and having Zuppa Toscana soup from Olive Garden. I don't even need to mention the breadsticks. But I would give up a lifetime's worth of breadsticks (and more) if it meant I got to see a country changed because of the name of Jesµs. Those small pleasures are nothing in comparison to the need for a Sav*or that spans across the globe. That's what makes it so hard to leave. That's what will make re-adjusting to America so difficult. I have been changed by this country. Not only by seeing the need, but also by seeing G0d's mighty hand at work. It's a good change. When I think about it, I almost don't want to "re-adjust" to life in America at all. I want this change, this desire and zeal for G0d's kingdom to always be at the front of my mind and on the tip of my tongue. 

Please pr*y this over me. That, as we go back to a world of smart phones, giant grocery stores, and more food choices than I could decide between, that I would remember all that I've learned here about what it really means to follow Jesµs. That I would be forever changed and never grow numb or comfortable for as long as I live.

Never stop pr*ying for the people we've met here. Those who have heard and will continue to encounter Truth even after we're gone. Never stop pr*ying for this country and its people. Ask the L0rd of the harvest to send workers, for they are oh so few. G0d's kingdom come, G0d's will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Am∑n.

One more small request: James is feeling a little bit horrible today. Please pr*y that the L0rd would heal him before our long flight next monday. It's hard enough to sit for so long-I couldn't imagine having to make the trip while being sick. Thanks :) (In the future, I'm going to be able to look back at these posts and see how G0d has answered all of these pr*yers. Pra*se Him in advance for His mighty works!)