How we got here

It all began a couple of years ago on a Saturday morning drive...Well, it really all began 10 years ago when two people had decided to give up on their marriage and faced hurting, not only each other more, but four children also...two still in diapers. That couple was us. We had a mess. Drugs & alcohol had finally won. At least that's what it seemed. Then we somehow found the courage to walk into a small, newly established church called Living Hope. That's where Tom heard about God's incredible, forgiving love for him...and I finally surrendered to Jesus after knowing the truth for several years but letting my pride & stubbornness keep me bound. The Bible is true. 2 Cor. 5:17 says "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation...old things have passed away, all things become NEW"!! Life has not been the same since! We have not looked back...only to tell of what great things God has done for us! These last ten years have been amazing! It has not all been easy...there has been great cost along the way for trying to live for Christ. The growing process has hurt at times...but He is faithful and His grace is sufficient! He is worth it! I believe the Lord will have us share some of that growing process with you throughout this blogging process. We don't mind sharing our failures and shortcomings because that just gives us opportunity to glorify Him! There is a small scripture in the beginning of 1 Corinthians that is pretty easily passed over but grabbed my attention one day. 1 Cor. 1:6  says "even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you..." I got out my Greek word study book and  when I got done studying those words, here's what I came up with...'You are proof of the Grace of God'!! Wow! The testimony of Christ, ultimately His death, burial & resurrection, is confirmed in us when we place our faith in Him and what He did for us on the Cross! I am living, breathing, walking, talking proof of God's grace which was poured out for me on the Cross...because the old Robin is dead & buried and the new Robin is alive to God in Christ Jesus! And I am sitting here at a desk in a little church in the West Texas desert because of that fact! 

Ok, so back to how we got here...a couple of years ago the Lord began to test our obedience in small ways, all the while doing a work in our hearts to prepare us for the big step. He spoke to Tom, while he was hauling corn from Watseka to Lafayette, Indiana and told him to go to a little town called Oxford. I was going through some medical issues at the time so we didn't go right away but a  few months later we finally went for a drive to that town, not knowing what we were doing.  Long story short, we met a lady and her 2 children at a church and developed a relationship with them. A beautiful family! She had a large tent that she was interested in selling. Her &  her husband used to hold tent revival meetings throughout the South. Living Hope bought the tent & then a trailer to haul it in. Incidently, our church set up that tent next to her church in Oxford this last summer and held a meeting. Shortly after buying the tent, a group of us from Living Hope loaded up in 2 vehicles & pulled that trailer down to Mexico & set it up in a little village. We held a couple of meetings under it there. This was our first mission trip together as a family as we all went. Tom & I were learning through all of this to keep our hearts open to whatever the Lord might want to do in whatever situation, no matter what it looked like to us initially. We also met Pepe and his beautiful wife, Maria on that trip! A mariachi singer who now sings for Jesus. Fast forward a few months which brings us to 2011. This last year has been a full one! The tent was set up for meetings in a few different locations in the Watseka area. Meetings out at Watchekee trailer park will always be special to me  because I have met some people who are very dear to me! I thank God for the many people He has brought into my life & my heart. Through these new friends I was beginning to sense a special work in my heart being done. My heart was changing almost without me even realizing it! Only the Holy Spirit can do that! Pepe, who lives in Texas, came up & we held meetings in the park in Onarga. Tom also flew out & ministered with Pepe in Texas & Mexico. It was during Pepe's stay with us last summer that we learned about a small church in Texas who had no pastor and were looking for someone to come & lead them. It stirred our hearts. We looked at ourselves and said "How in the world would WE be able to do that?". A group of us loaded up that tent again & held meetings in Waco, Tx this past fall also. That's where the Lord really began to speak to us about His provision for us as we step out by faith.  Tom went to India again and his faith was built so much by seeing God work miracles in the people. Jesus is the same yesterday, today & forever!
We knew we had a decision to make upon his return from India. We either settle back into life & work or we decide to trust Him and answer His call. So, with the bank account pretty much empty but an excitement in our hearts to serve Him...here we are!  There was such a work in our hearts & lives throughout all of this that I can't share it all now. I will share it at some point because it will hopefully encourage and/or challenge someone to surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit in their own heart...for what purpose you might ask? To fulfill the great commission...Jesus did not go to the Cross so that we could live for ourselves...go to church once, or maybe twice a week because it's just what we do...get fat on the Word and wait on blessings...does that sound harsh? It might, but when the Cross did it's work in us and the Gospel came alive in our hearts, we were done with living for ourselves...living to please the world. This is an ongoing process. There are so many believers who are serving the Lord in conditions that I can't even imagine.  I know that He will require even more of us than we have already given up through our clenched fists. But He is worthy!! He is good!! He is not willing that anyone should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). That's why we're here... 
We are stepping out by faith and trusting Him as best we can. We are leading a small church called the Believers in Christ Church. We have since learned that there are 3 churches in this small town and no pastor living here! Only one of the churches has a pastor who travels 40 miles on Sundays but is not available for the people the rest of the time. There is a need for a preacher of the Gospel here!! It will take time for us to establish a relationship with the people of the town. We have been told that most people have quit going to church here. Lack of a pastor or preacher of the Word has been blamed. We have been warmly welcomed by everyone we've met so far. We are settling in and love it here. 
We have been very BLESSED to have a family in Living Hope Church who have lovingly supported us and who pray for us daily. We cannot thank you all enough!!  You are a big part of our being here! 
And thanks to the internet, you can join us on our adventure!