Never Once

This has become my life theme song as of late.  HE has never let us walk alone... NEVER ONCE.

Tonight the whole family got to Skype with  AU.  It was great to finally meet them and have a personal connection, instead of only messages through Chris.  :)  But Still moving forward with them.

In the states, Chris has been recently corresponding with a Chinese Church in TX about a pastorate of an English Congregation.

Thats it for now... short and sweet and God is good.

Kim

So this is what peace feels like.

Update:
Not much has changed as far as Australia or Chris's job search.  City on a Hill is still working out the details of Chris's visa application and paperwork... moving forward; and he is still submitting resumes here and there around this country. :)  

But this is what God is doing in me...

God seems to move when you least expect it.  So. I have a friend who sends a daily verse out via text message.  So I don't always read them on that day, so one morning I was just going through and reading and deleting them.  But, when I got to two specific verses, God stirred in my soul about Australia. 
Those verse were...

Psalm 22:5
"They cried to You and were set free; they trusted in You and were not disgraced."

Psalm 31:24
"Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord."

I wasn't praying, I wasn't having trouble... just simply reading and the Lord put a peace in my heart and a readiness to go to Australia, if that's where he sends us.  Up to this point I kept waiting for him to close that door and say, "Just Kidding"  And, like I heard in the sermon on Sunday .... "In every situation Christ is saying "Follow Me!"  It's not just a once and your done thing... The life of faith is All about the faithfulness of God!!"  

As alone, scared and worried I have been about this Australia possibility, I now feel and realize that I am not alone.    I'm reminded through Luke 22:32 & Romans 8:27 ... That Jesus prays for me.  FOR ME! 

Well that being said I will end with a few lines from a song... 

I know Who goes before me
I know Who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a Friend of mine
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
Chris Tomlin - Whom Shall I Fear (God Of Angel Armies) Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

until next time....
Love,
Kim 

Meanwhile...

Unemployment update and What God's doing in me...

Australia.  They sent Chris an email basically outlining what they tentatively could offer him in pay and benefits.  We spent a week or so researching health insurance, international moving cost, etc.  Then he basically replied with..."Looks great, what's the next step?" Waiting on a response.

Meanwhile in Michigan:  Chris received a questionnaire from a church in Michigan who wants to get to know more about it.  Questionnaire sent.  Waiting on a response.

Just this week he received another questionnaire from a church in Illinois (i think that's where its from).  He hasn't had time to fill that one out yet, since he's preparing to speak at a church retreat this coming weekend.

Meanwhile, in my heart there is a struggle.  Still.  Still struggling to trust God.  Change is hard and I have been a ball of nerves lately.  But God is amazing.  He always finds ways to encourage me and lift my eyes to Him.  Its like He takes my face in His hands and lifts my eye to Him.

This morning I was listening to the Daily Audio Bible.  Brian's commentary on the reading in Ezra today what for me to hear.  He talked about how sometimes God asks us to do something that may not always be easy.  We can't back out or quit something, or think its not from God just because things get hard.  If He calls us to do something, we need to trust and obey...even if its hard.

Also, the other day I read Kris Camealy's blog post What Carries You Through The Unknown
and her word spoke to me too...

"We simply follow the One who is greater, the One who leads us blindly, yet willingly, (if we are faithful) into the vast unknown.

We live the free-fall of life, not knowing where or when we will land, but trusting that it is good, because He is good."

"For now I take from this dream the idea that no matter what, in the scariest of potential circumstances, I need only to trust. Minutes and days are not to be frittered away, choking on the fears and worries that steal joy.

Life is meant to be lived with arms raised, hands open, wings of faith spread wide with anticipation for whatever may come. 

I keep counting my gifts, because in doing so, my focus shifts from the wings that have been sheered off, to the joy of knowing, the relief of trusting, that whatever happens, His outstretched arms will always catch me."

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Not sure where we will end up, But, trying to learn to trust HIM!  Its a moment by moment thing.  

Oh and in the meantime I was asked to help as a teachers aid at the preschool Levi attends.  

We shall see!!

Kim

Lessons from Little ones.

 

This verse was Levi's VBS memory verse this week.  Little did I know the LORD would use him to minister to me.
As we continue to wait to see if the Lord is going to send us to Australia, this morning I confessed to my family that I was scared. Levi's little ears tuned into Chris and I discussing this.  God brought to his mind his memory verse and he was able to apply it to my situation.  He even realized that it didn't mean you would never be scared; stating that he still gets scared at night, but that God would be there with you.
So this convicted me and encouraged me to memorize
Hebrews 13:5-6

5 Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. 6 Therefore, we may boldly say:

The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

Eastern Horizon or Western Limits!

Psalm 139:9-10

9."If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, 10. even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me." 

I've held on to vs 10 as my life verse remembering that where ever I am, or whatever situation I may find myself in He will be right there holding my hand.  How often I forget that and let worry take over.  

Australia (City on a Hill) is still the only job offer on the table and they let Chris know this week that he is their #1 choice for the job.  They are in the process of discussing salary and benefits details.  The next steps will be for Chris to go to the Au. Embassy to find out more about what our Visas require for our medical coverage down there.  Then they will fly Chris out there for a week to get to know him face to face. 

To be honest, part of me would feel relieved if we found out we were going to Au. Its a big deal to move your family to another country.  There are so many unknowns.   Chris and I have talked a lot about this and maybe we are so apprehensive because its such a huge leap of faith.  But isn't that exactly what God wants from His children, to walk in faith trusting HIM to take care of our every need.  

Continue to pray for us as we take the next steps in this journey to the Eastern Horizon or Western Limits!

In the meantime, the boys and I were able to take a long vacation to visit family incase we do move somewhere where its not as easy to visit.  

We headed up to Ky to visit family and friends there.  oh how nice it was to see them all.  Why did I wait so long. <3

My Uncle, Aunt and cousins!! 

Then it was off to Florida to spend some time with my parents and family and friends down there.  It was so nice to get away for a while.  

Here we are, minus Lucas :(, in St. Augustine getting ready to take Levi on a pirate ship.  

Until next time...

Love, 

Kim and the Boucher Famiy

Missed Calls

Missed calls.  They can leave wondering.   Australia seemed like the only open door.  Out of all the resumes Chris has sent out, they were the only one reaching out.  Until today....?  Maybe...?

Chris missed a call from the Missouri area code today. This is probably the seminary in Kansas City that he applied for at the same time as City on a Hill (Australia).  They haven't attempted a call back...yet.  

I asked Chris "What if it is the seminary calling..."  He said..."I'd be confused"  

:)  We shall see... Prayerfully waiting .... and waiting....Praising Him in the hallway. 

Ebenezer

• Here I Raise My Ebenezer, Hither By Thy Help I come  

1 Samuel 7:12

Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,explaining, “The Lord has helped us to this point.”

This was the verse shared in church yesterday.  I was reminded of when Chris graduated from seminary and we gave our family a members a framed stone with the word Ebenezer on it along with this verse.  It was a symbol of our gratitude for allowing God to use them to help us through that stage of life.

As I look back, I can see God's hand helping and leading us all along the way.  So through the sermon yesterday I was encouraged and reminded once again of His unfailing faithfulness and love for me.

Update:  Chris got another correspondence with City on a Hill yesterday.  Sounds like they will have a more definitive answer for us in the next week or so.  At which point they will make Chris possible offer.  If he accepts that offer, they will fly him down there to spend a week with him, getting to know him in person, at which point, if they want to continue to move forward would make him a more firm offer.

I think in the back of my mind I have been waiting for this to all fall through and continue his job search in the states.  But the reality that Au is a very real possibility is really starting to sink in.

Thank you all for your faithful prayers and encouragement.  They are so appreciated and coveted.
Keep them coming.  

Stay tuned.