trivets of grace

According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, a trivet is "a three legged stand" or "a usually metal stand with short feet for use under a hot dish."  But you probably knew that already, right?  But here's what you may not know: several years ago God gave me a picture of broken china...the formal stuff ladies only take down once or twice a year on special occasions...and this china was hammered down into pieces that no longer were pristine.  Then, the picture was of the broken pieces being plastered together into a hot-plate, or trivet, if you will.  This trivet, made up of the fine china, was now a serviceable tool that could be used at every meal...365 days a year.  And so, God's indication to me was that our lives (the Buntings) have been broken down from fine china to a serviceable trivet or "hot-pad" that will be used every day, anywhere...for His glory.  One further detail to note is that the trivet is Three-legged, indicating the presence of God working there through us...similar to the picture in Eccl. 4:12 "A three-fold cord is not quickly broken."

Well, many times in the last few years I have recalled this picture the Lord gave me and smiled, even in the midst of pain, remembering what He has done and is doing in us.  But this morning as I was reflecting (Boy, I do THAT a lot!) it struck me again that much of my personal ministry here in Nassau has been manual labor...simply preparing, serving, and cleaning up food.  At church, in my home, in others' homes, and out at camp...food and all that goes along with it has been the #1 thing I've been busy doing here!  This is unique to this place, though we have served in two other churches vocationally as a pastoral family, and in three other churches as lay-people.  My desire in ministry would be to counsel, disciple, and facilitate ladies' groups, and for the most part this is how God has used me in the past, but that is not how the Lord has used me here.  At times, it has felt like a misuse of my time and gifts.  At times I have likely complained.  But this morning I am thanking God that He has used me nonetheless...just differently than before.  There is nothing dishonorable about preparing and serving food, in fact Jesus himself gave us the example of "serving" the Last Supper to His disciples as an indication of laying His life down for them.  Should I seek to rise higher than He?

We Buntings are simply trivets of God's grace.  Usable in whatever form God asks of us, we desire to respond humbly.  Be encouraged this morning that whatever service God asks of you, there is nothing "too small" when it is done in the name of Jesus. 

 ^"And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”  Matt. 10:42

The Gospel Speaks, The Gospel Acts

We have been running, running since the Crossway team arrived two days ago!  Let me give a shout out of thanks to the Seeleys once again for loaning me their car to get the girls and me back and forth to camp each day for meal prep.  Otherwise, we would not be seeing much of our dear Lancaster folk!  So far, the Crossway team, divided up into two groups, has been able to multiply their ministry.  One group has been working out at the All Saints Camp (a residence for men, women, and even families dealing with the reality of AIDS and other debilitating diseases) and the other group helping to roof our church building.  Then, last night and tonight, the team has joined up with some from our church to reach out to people at Goodman's Bay...a park/beach where many locals can be found.  Last night was packed with many gospel-driven conversations, invitations to stop by our free hot dog and drink table, and invitations to visit our church. 

I (Kristin) teamed up with my good friend here, Faye Bascom.  We encountered a young couple working out at some exercise bars.  I have to say I appreciated their honesty.  When asked "are you Christians?" by Faye they replied "no."  They also said they attended no church.  Now this may not strike you as strange if you live in America, but I can assure you this is not the norm for Bahamians.  Here, similar to the "Bible belt" of the southern United States back just a few years ago, most people would say they are "Christian" and that they do attend church.  So this couple, in a sense, was being humble with us.  They listened attentively as I explained our plight as humans...the bad news: all of us have sinned and are on a hell-bound race.  The good news: God has provided a way to cover our sin, forgive us, and give us eternal life.  Though there was no prayer for conversion, these two young people were attentive and seemed to be thinking as we talked. 

Our next conversation was much more pointed.  We met Celeste sitting on a bench texting someone.   She was very nice, and though she herself could quote the gospel to me verbatim (remember, children here are taught religious instruction from Kindergarten through 12th grade!), she had no personal relationship with God.  By the end of our time together, she admitted that she was on the other side of the cavern, away from God.  She wasn't ready to "cross" by giving her total life to Jesus.  But she was very engaging, she listened, and she asked for prayer for family members.    It was a wonderful time.  A wonderful reminder that in the gospel work some plant, some water, but God gives the increase.

Today, realizing I would not be able to do the evangelism night due to one of our girls being ill, I began asking the Lord to keep my heart soft toward sharing the gospel.  Then it hit me: the gospel doesn't just speak, it acts.  There were two Haitian gentlemen, hired by our landlord, out working in our yard.  They have been working the last few days.  I have taken them water each day, but today, I felt impressed to do all I could.  I made them lunch...just some sandwiches and popcorn, cookies and lemonade, and motioned for them to sit up on our porch out of the sun.  They speak almost no English, so communicating was hard.  Then I had the idea to give them a shirt someone gave Keith recently that was a tad big.  Then I began thinking of all the clothing I could find that we were either wanting to give away or just don't need.  I motioned to one man's wedding ring and said "Wife?"  "Clothing?"  He smiled and nodded.  I said, "I'll be back!"  I filled a box and a bag with shoes and clothing for women and children, then found all of Keith's shirts he no longer needs.  The men seemed a little at a loss for what to say or do, but I noticed they bundled up the box tightly, so that the people transporting them would not see inside.  One thing many people don't realize is the hatred that exists here for Haitians.  Many of them are illegal aliens and many Bahamians resent them residing here, trying to make a better life for themselves and their children.  Well, legal or illegal, they are in need.  I have never been able to enter the portals of a "Haitian settlement" here, where the poorest of the poor dwell.  They live in wooded areas out on the south side of the island.  Making shelter with pallets, cardboard, tin, plywood, and whatever else they can find, these people are desperate...yet still prefer life here to back in Haiti.  I wept as I packed up the clothes, realizing God had given me the desire of my heart: just to touch the poor in the name of Jesus.  And I never even left my yard.  God brought them right to my doorstep.

Tonight, whatever your prayer in the way of "living a more gospel-centered life," remember God delights in that prayer.  He is working.  He will bring fruit in its perfect season.  And you may never even leave your own yard.

It's Official!

Drumroll, please.....We are thrilled to announce the new home of the Bunting Nest...Crestview, Florida!  We received word this past week that we are being joyfully welcomed into the staff and membership of Crossway Community Church in Crestview! www.crosswayfl.org

In my previous post, I alluded to our "friends" at some unspecified locale that we might be linking arms with in pastoral ministry.  Well today the mystery is over.  Jim and Tammy Brown were our care group leaders and friends during our year at the Pastor's College.  We cannot say enough about how they enriched our time there.  You can find my entry about Tammy Brown on a blog post from 2 years ago here:
http://buntingnest.blogspot.com/2012/04/befriended-by-browns.html
  

I may not have survived my year at the PC without Tammy's companionship and likewise, some of our girls may not have survived without her children for friends.  To think of the two families being reunited in location and mission is very exciting.

We covet your prayers in this time of transition and re-entry into American life.  I know we've only been gone two years, but for my girls that is a chunk of their most significant years to date.  These have been the years of the most growing up; with marked changes in their looks, maturity level and relationships.

Pray for Crossway Community Church in Crestview.  This church has been through many ups and downs over the years and we see how God has enabled the dear members there to hold tight to Christ through it all.  We are honored that God would send us there, to be part of the next era in this church's life.

Six weeks from today we set sail (or board a plane) for our next step into Florida life.  Lots of packing, planning, and saying good-byes here in these next weeks.  Bittersweet, yet we know the hope of what God is calling us to.  Stay tuned for a post on the home we hope to purchase in Crestview.  Our offer is being made today, and we pray God grants us favor with the bank that owns it. 

so much

Can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since Doug and Brenda Plank were here! 

What a blessing they were to our church!  We pray they felt relaxed on some level, amidst all the meetings we had during their time in Nassau.  They arrived on a Wednesday evening and things didn't slow down for them until the following Monday.  Thursday was spent together as couples...we showed them our island as best we could. 

We left after breakfast and returned at dinner time.  The next day Doug had an extended lunch meeting with Keith, Cedric, and David, our group of elders.  Then it was back home, a quick dinner, and back to church to prepare for that night's Praise and Prayer service.

Friday Night's Prayer and Praise Service

Sunday Meeting.  Doug talking with Logan Seeley, one of our guitarists

 Our folks were blessed as Doug shared some of their beloved songs: "Only Jesus" and "Now Why This Fear and Unbelief."  After a late arrival home that night, it was off to sleep and up early for a worship workshop from 9am-1pm.  Then a short lunch break, and back for a worship leader's training time, where Doug and Keith sought to help a few lay leaders who will likely need to step in as worship leaders after Keith is gone. Arriving home around dinner time again, we shared a meal and then made a trip to "B's," our local ice cream shop.  We were able to introduce the Planks to Mr. B. who owns the shop and always gives us special treatment!  We invited Mr. B. to church the next day to hear Doug preach, which he thanked us for but said was unlikely.  Then Sunday was a whirlwind of the Sunday meeting, lunch at the Mosses with our leadership team, a stop-off at Starbucks on the way home, and a 7pm get-together with Tanya Lester, the sister in law of Alan Lester from Living Hope Church, Praetoria, South Africa.  What a blessing our time with Tanya was!  She is a dear, gentle woman, who we've enjoyed getting to know.  We know Doug and Brenda were blessed to meet her.  Then it was off to sleep and up for Monday morning.  FINALLY Doug and Brenda had a bit of a chance to relax while we tended to our normal routine.  Hopefully their last two days here were a bit more low-key than the first 5!  It was a rich time though, and we're so grateful.

A quarter of a year has passed already since Christmas!  Hard to fathom, but true.  And perhaps these 90 days have been some of our busiest.  Or maybe not.  But what is hard to believe is that in almost exactly the same amount of time...90 days or so, we will be MOVING BACK TO THE USA!!

Yes, there is excitement in those words.  We are eager to return.  Eager to commit to all God will call us to there.  And we will share as the plan unfolds further.  Currently, we wait and await.  Wait for the unknown and await the exciting things we do know are coming.  And there is A LOT to be excited about!

First of all, FRANCIS CHAN will be on the island next Friday and Saturday, April 4-5.  He will preach two evenings at a local school auditorium, sponsored by our church and St. Andrew's Kirk here in Nassau.  I may have mentioned Allie MacPhail on this blog before.  She is a friend of mine and the pastor's wife at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church here in Nassau.  You can find her blog here www.undeniablyhuman.blogspot.com Bryn and Allie are Canadian, and arrived here much as we did...to take up ministry cross-culturally as a pastoral family.  However, Bryn is the senior pastor at his church and does not, as of yet, have any other full-time men serving with him.  They arrived in 2011, I believe, and plan to stay indefinitely. 

One pretty cool fact about the Francis Chan event is that Keith will be leading worship for the event!  Very Exciting.  Members of our church worship team here will assist him as well, including me.  We are really looking forward to this event and praying God will save and stir many hearts.

A second exciting upcoming event is the Crossway Church Mission Team's arrival in May!  We are so full of excitement for this!  I have heard from a few team members that they are on the list to come and I am so glad to hear it is not an "all-male" group!  Not that I don't appreciate the men, but it is a little more fun knowing some ladies are on the list.  Please feel free to email us with questions or concerns about what to pack, etc.  We hope to make the most of your time here!

So those are the happy things we "await."  And as to the things we simply wait for, well, you can probably imagine.  A job for Keith.  A place to go.  A home in that place.  A church.  Furniture.  Friends.  But God knows all our needs better than we do. 

 

according to the Spirit

Last Saturday night, I (Kristin) awoke from a nightmare.  In the wake of the fearful dream, I sat motionless on our bed, asking God for help and assurance.  You see, in the dream, I was dying.  But beyond that, in the dream, I was crying out "Jesus, Jesus!"  but could not get my voice above a whisper.  In the nightmare, I could not feel the presence of God or see anything like a "light" or any of the things I was looking to see or feel.  It was dark, empty, and scary.  I began to doubt God's ability to save me from the grave...then I awoke.

Immediately, I began praying, asking God to help restore my confidence in Him and all the truths I know about Him from reading His word.  And He answered.  He gave Isaiah 43 to hold on to.

43 But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
    he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
    Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
⁴ Because you are precious in my eyes,
    and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
    peoples in exchange for your life.
⁵ Fear not, for I am with you;

I knew in the moments I sat there in the dark, praying, that God wanted me to share this the next morning at church.  During the church prayer time before the meeting, I took the prayer need listed to "Pray that the Spirit will be at work this morning, helping us to employ the gifts that have been given us..."   I knew in my heart that I would go to the prophecy microphone to share.

God arranged it, no doubt.  The flow of the songs we were singing led right to the word I wanted to share :

What heart could hold
The weight of your love?
And know the heights
Of Your great worth?
What eyes could look on
Your glorious face
Shining like the sun?

Your name alone
Has power to raise us
Your light will shine
When all else fades
Our eyes will look on
Your glorious face
Shining like the sun

Who is like You, God?

 

You are holy, holy, holy
God most high and God most worthy
You are holy, holy, holy
Jesus You are
Jesus You are

(Read more: Matt Redman - Holy Lyrics | MetroLyric)

As I shared, I knew God wanted to speak to those with nightmares, both of the night and the day.  Lives that felt like nightmares due to oppression, sinful choices, or other circumstances along with those who battle nighttime dreams of great fear.   And the Holy Spirit was at work.

Four ladies came forward at the end of the service, two of whom struggle with nightmares (including ones of their own death, like mine) and one of whom feels that she's living a nightmare due to the oppressive circumstances in her life.  Only one of the women is a regular attender at our church.  Many women gathered around these dear ladies, engaging in prayer on their behalf.  One lady came to me and shared my word was directly for her.  She is not a regular attender.  In fact, though her husband is highly involved at our church, she attends another church.  But for "some reason" she was at Kingdom Life last Sunday. 

It has been many months since we've seen the Lord move through his people like this.  The fact that the previous week had been our Corporate Consecration Week of Prayer and Fasting is no coincidence, I am sure.  But can't every week be like this?  Where the Spirit is moving in and among us, using our spiritual gifts to touch the lives of His people?  I pray so.  Lord, let it be so.

Let me encourage you this week to be praying for the Spirit to move in your respective churches.  God wants to use his flock to reach those inside and outside the fold.  Don't let your pride, fear, or any other sinful response cause you to stay silent or inactive when you feel God prompting you to go.  Even if your church is not one where gifts like prophecy or words of knowledge are held up as "for today," God expects his people to be speaking words of encouragement, hope, and gospel-truth "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father."  (Eph. 5:19-20)

thankful theorem

Today was one of those days...the kind where one sees mostly good things for which to be thankful.   A perfect day, not too hot, very low humidity, blue skies.  We lit candles, put some premature Christmas music on, and felt a little skip in our step.  This came at a very opportune time, I assure you.  In my flesh, there is much I could point to as discouraging right now, but God has been working in my heart, quite unexplainably.  Or maybe not so unexplainably?  Lately I've felt the call to pray more and more, unceasingly.  Living overseas has many more challenges than I ever imagined.  Is it possible that we are under specific enemy attack by seeking to promote the gospel in this place?  We think it's quite likely.   And quite honestly, we have grown pretty weary of comments about us living in paradise.  Sinfully, I often bristle at such comments and wish for a moment that the "paradise" experience of having a tarantula run up their leg or a cockroach run across their neck in bed would happen to the person making said comments.  I assure you that if you were to live here for about a month, your ideas of "paradise" would be shattered.  Perhaps that sounds corrective, but surely we should all realize that any tourist spot we've been to has two sides: reality and fantasy.  The fantasy side is what sells.  The beauty, the charm, the fun, the entertainment.  But once that wears off, reality is all that's left. 

 

And that is when the work of being thankful for the hard realities begins.  Here are some of the realities for which I have really just begun to learn to be thankful:

• no family to support us, but a church family that truly cares
• friends who still don't know us well, but are trying to understand us, just as we are trying to understand them 
• scary experiences (snakes, tarantulas, criminal activity) that cause me to run to God for peace and protection
• financial difficulties which cause me to press into God further, trusting Him to provide for bills we cannot pay
• crazy hot weather that reminds me this world is truly the closest I'll ever get to hell, since my hope is in Christ.

Recently we have seen God provide for us in amazing ways.  It's often the little things that "wow" us the most, because we know nobody could have known our need in a certain area but our Heavenly Father.  So when he prompts another child of His to give to us in a specific way, we are amazed!  Just a few days ago, we were praying that God would financially help Kristin's parents to secure plane tickets for her and the girls to visit over the upcoming holidays.  Within a few hours, a friend, somewhat "out of the blue" communicated that they felt led to help us in a particular way that day.  We knew immediately that God was using them to help offset the cost of the plane tickets.  That day also happened to be Kristin's dad's birthday.  How fun it was to Skype with her parents that day and let them know how God had supplied financial resources to help with the plane tickets!

 

Another moment of provision recently occurred when Keith was in Florida visiting family before and after the Sovereign Grace Pastor's Conference.  One family member happily passed on to us not only a laptop computer they no longer needed, but also an ipad!  Keith was so excited to show these surprises to the girls when he arrived home.  A few years ago when we first saw how an ipad worked and the opportunities for assisting in church music it could provide, we prayed that God would someday make it possible for us to acquire one.  Now God has generously supplied us with one, free of charge!! 

 

Another blessing by God through his people came recently when our guest Elisa Pawson came bearing gifts her family had sent.  Chocolate chips, nuts, and coffee are high-ticket items here, due to the rates of duty imposed on them, so when Elisa unpacked her bag and handed us these gifts, we were so grateful!  God cares for us in the most specific ways.

 

So my thankful theorem is this, usually in the midst of the hardest of times, there is a threshold we will cross. We will either give thanks in the midst of hardship and hold on to hope, or begin to complain, tired of the suffering.   So many times, I fail to express thanks to God in these difficult times and just after I "give up" on ever seeing and end to the difficulty, God supplies an answer or a provision.  I then wish I had held out in faith, believing God without doubting in that last moment.  I shared this recently with our Care Group here, and my faithful friend Keva said, "that's because you have to come to the end of yourself before you're ready to receive what God has for you."  Hmm.  Maybe she's right?  But perhaps there's a way to come to the end of myself without losing patience?  Without doubting?  Without giving up on God?  Still working on this "thankful theorem."  Consider these verses from the Hebrews "Hall of Fame" passage:

¹³ All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. ¹⁴ People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

AMEN

welcome

I'm not sure we ever realized the number of visitors we'd be receiving here in Nassau when we transplanted ourselves!  A few of these globe-trotters did not stay in our home while visiting, but we had them over for visits, overnights, or meals during their stay on the island.  Here's a list of all the visitors we've hosted in the 17 months we've been here:

• July 2012: Tom  and Cindy Ryan (Gaithersburg, MD)
• August 2012: Paul and Jackie Bunting and Jesse Ramsdell (Keith's parents and nephew from Florida)
• Sept. 2012: Aron and Ellie Osborne (Orlando, FL)
• Feb. 2013: Alyssa Waite (Terre Hill, PA)
• Feb. 2013: The Privitera Family (Lancaster, PA)
• March 2013: Chris Jessee (Orlando, FL)
• April 2013: Anthony and Yvette Rood (Frederick, MD)
• June 2013: Kim, Nathan, Philip and Jack Fernandez (Keith's sister and Family Warner-Robbins, GA)
• June 2013: Neal Cypher (Kristin's brother, Atlanta, GA)
• June 2013: Kevin and Becca Deming (Holly Springs, NC)
• August 2013: Gracie Brown (Niceville, FL)
• August 2013: Chris and Stephanie Jessee (Orlando, FL)
• Nov. 2013: Elisa Pawson (Lancaster, PA)
• Nov. 2013: Next Week: Randy, Tina, and Phoebe Wenger (Lititz, PA)
• Nov. 2013: Week of Thanksgiving: Kevin and Diana Bunting and Matthew Ramsdell (Keith's brother, sis-in-law, and nephew from Orlando)

Ticket-holding visitors so far for 2014

• Feb. 2014: Addison, Dana, Alyssa, Zane, and Mikaya Waite (Terre Hill, PA)
• Feb. 2014: Doug and Brenda Plank (Millersville, PA)

Hospitality has become something we long to do better.  Currently, the home we rent is fairly well laid out for hosting visitors.  Starting early spring, we will begin looking for a new home to rent.  Our current landlords want to move back into this home. While trying to keep costs as low as possible, we still want to be able to offer beds to sleep in and bathrooms to use for our many guests.  A pool is a nice bonus, but not a necessity.  And along with our house-guests, we also show weekly hospitality through care group, youth group events, meals with church families and friends, and friends outside the church.   Will you pray along with us that God will provide something in budget that will bless those who come to visit? 

Just as God, through Christ, welcomes those both near and far into his kingdom, we want to reflect his character in the way we welcome others.  This is a work in the making, I assure you.  As you pray for us to find another rental home here, pray also that God will continue to equip us with skill and open hearts to receive all the dear ones He brings our way.

backtrack post

I was waiting to post about our youth group pool party night here at our home on Sept. 28th because my friend Mindy took pictures for me I wanted to include.  Now that her post is up on her own blog, I'm borrowing the shots she got of our fun evening.  Counter Culture is the name for our Youth Ministry at Kingdom Life, and this year has gotten off to an exceptional start.  We thank God for Clarence and Demetria Rolle who serve our teens week in and week out in this way.  They serve tirelessly in this role.  Not everyone chose to swim that night, but it seemed like a great night for fellowship.  Keith led a discussion called "What's on your ipod?" and it really opened up many lines of thought and discussion for how these young people are interacting with culture through the venue of music.  Many teens had good insight into what they classify as "bad" music, "amoral" music and "helpful" music.  We were blessed to see God at work in the hearts of this next generation, and we pray He continues to grow them spiritually as they enter adulthood.  As with many churches, the 20-something crowd often seem to leave church altogether after either graduating high school or college.  We pray that this new group of teens will not fall to that cycle, but will with God's help, be builders of the church in the years to come.

 

Logan led us in a short worship time

Our small, but great group of teens listening to Keith

Logan, Joshua, Zach, Schneider, and Clarence (our fearless leader!)

a growing community

Keisha, Kristin, Keva, Jen, Karen, Aniah, Mindy, Demetria

We're so thankful for the ways God is knitting us in at Kingdom Life Church. And we're seeing God bring a beautiful combination of people to make our "home away from home" family. Two weekends ago we were invited to a birthday party for our new friend, Jen Rogers, who moved here in June from Denver, CO. (We were atonished when we found out Jen was a member of the Denver Sovereign Grace Church!!) She happily began attending Kingdom Life from the very first Sunday she was on the island. As a single lady in her mid-life, Jen is an excellent example of pursuing others rather than waiting to be pursued. She realized that celebrating her birthday could be a lonely time here if she didn't take advantage of the new friends and church family God was placing in her life. When she sent out the invitation to come for cake and fellowship, I was thrilled to see her reaching out to her new church family! And what resulted that Saturday afternoon was much more than a little birthday celebration. We laughed, we explored the native fruit trees at the camp where she lives, we talked of God's provision...we made some great memories. All because Jen reached out. Hope you enjoy the photo fruits of that day!

From left to right: Logan and Tim Seeley, Keith, Clarence and Demetria Rolle, Adalbert and Karen Ingraham, Kristin, Keva, Back row of picnic table: Kara, Mindy Seeley, Kendall, Aniah Ingraham, Andre Rolle.  Front row of picnic table: Jen Rogers, Alexandria Rolle, Keaton

Left to right: Mindy, Jen, Faye, Karen, Demetria

walking in the beautiful wetlands area

We stopped to look at the horses and donkeys at the Learning Center

welcome back, or not....

We have made it safely back to Nassau!  And it is no small thing.  Thank you to all who have prayed, provided, and partnered with us in the last 16 days.  Our trip back to the U.S. was a whirlwind of visiting with friends and family, hours and hours of driving (which we don't need to do again for a long, long time!), and shopping for things to bring back to Nassau.  We were feeling pretty eager to get home yesterday, sleep in our own beds and just relax after all the activity of traveling, but alas; that was not what our Heavenly Father had in store for us!

After boarding the plane at 12:30 and sitting grounded for over an hour, we realized we would not be leaving the U.S. when planned.  The plane had mechanical issues.  We were thankful the pilot never tried to leave the ground.  Eventually the flight was rescheduled for 4 pm. The flight was smooth and safe and we were able to land, go through immigration and customs without any incidents.  This is no small thing, I assure you!  Every time I have traveled back to Nassau in the last 12 months, there have always been issues at the airport, usually at immigration.  God was answering our prayers for a smooth re-entry, and we are so grateful.

 We arrived back at our house around 6:45 last night, having been taxied by Cedric back to his home, where we had left our car (and a receiving a wonderful dinner to take home with us from Alexine!) All of us are a little under the weather with colds, and we were anticipating a few hours of relaxing, after the long travel day, little sleep the previous night or two, and a general need for down-time.  Keith was eagerly hoping for a dip in the pool to cool off before going to bed. Once home and walking up to the front door, he noticed a  yellow sticker on the door, announcing that our power had been shut off that day due to an unpaid balance.  Ahem....the power company here doesn't give warnings or make deals with you, they just shut off the power a few hours before nightfall...and boom...you're in the dark.  Since we are renting, all our utilities are paid through our landlords.  If we don't receive the bill from them...well...you see what happens.

 We also quickly saw that the pool was filled with algae and debris.  It was a lovely greenish color.  OK, not so lovely.  We were confused as to why this would happen, since we had a pool service man taking care of things while we were away.  Apparently, he did not come over the last 16 days.  So the pool is in dire need of chemicals and cleaning, and won't be up for use any time soon. 

We made a few calls and realized we would need a place to stay for the night...so back we went to the Mosses!  What would we do without them?  They gladly put us up for the night and here I am in their guest room, typing this blog post this morning.

As we reflect back on our trip home yesterday and all the details that surrounded it, we see a few things.

1: God is faithful and our lives are filled with obvious blessings.  He took care of us.  He sustained us through all the driving, flights, and changes we could not have planned for.  He provided a smooth entry through immigration and customs, easier than ever before.  Cedric was right on time to pick us up and drive us to our vehicle.  Alexine had a lovely blessing of a warm dinner prepared for us to take home.  We can celebrate the kindness of friends, once again.

2: God is faithful when life is full of unplanned disappointments.  We cannot ever assume things will go as we've planned or that we'll find comfort when we think we need it most.  God speaks through the difficulties, however small and insignificant they be.  A rescheduled flight, a power-less home, overgrown yard, algae-filled pool and having to ask for help yet again, may not be the comfort we were seeking, but they are what God gave, alongside all the positive aspects of yesterday.  Blessings in disguise, I am sure. 

This morning we were able to take some time and pray, asking God to help us have clear sight as we return to life in Nassau, embrace the busy weeks ahead, and get our home back in order.  It was a grace-filled morning after a series of unplanned moments yesterday.  It can be our tendency, as fleshly people, to only speak of the negativities in life.  And of course, in the fallen world, there are many.  But it takes grace to speak of the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  And that is what we want to communicate.  GRACE.  God's riches at Christ's expense.  Always.  In every trial.  In every unseen event.  GRACE.  We live in it, are redeemed by it, and stand because of it.