Friday, July 1, 2011

3 year visas!

We spent April and May in the States to renew our visas.  This means we have already been here in Northern Ireland for 2 years!  Amazing, how time has simply flown by.

We had allowed 2 months due to the UK website stating the average time to process a visa is 4 weeks, so we thought we'd allow even more time.  Well, we applied on a Tuesday and that Thursday received emails stating that our visas had been approved and were in the mail - we were so relieved and shocked at the speed.  The Lord knew we needed extra time to spend with our family and friends.

We had a wonderful trip, spent a lot of time with our families in Washington State and California. 


Thank you all so much for praying for our trip. 


Rick, sister Sherry, aunt Joani and Cousin Wendy 

Rick and his mom

Jason, Cindy, Kristen, Dave, Jim, Sherry & Rick


Cindy's brother, Dave and her  dad

niece Katie, nephew Dave, brother Dave, Cindy, niece Jen, Dad and sister Linda

Cindy's parents enjoying lunch at the park
Our son, Daniel and us
As well as were able to spend time with many friends.


Rick and long time friend, Bill


In Cafe at Calvary Chapel Murrieta Conf Center/ Bible College
Us and The Lee's, Daniel, Teri & Ray
  
Jan & Frances
Lunch with friends at Refuge's Couples Retreat
Our dear friend, Jan from Northern Ireland came for 2 weeks while we were in California...she had a total blast!
Ray, Mike, Larry and Rick - an evening at Dave & Busters

Paul and Laura blessed us with a trip to the Queen Mary
Shepherd's Heart Care Team BBQ - We thank the Lord for these guys everyday!!
Great time with dear friends
Sharing at CC Norco

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Fear and loathing in Ballymena

         It seems that one of the most fearsome things that can be faced in the UK – or Ireland and even the rest of Western Europe for that matter, Rick has just encountered. It is the practical driving test. In order to complete the requirements for a full UK driving license, one has to pass three tests: a written, a computerized hazard perception test and the third and final is the dreaded behind the wheel, or practical, driving test. The driving test is spoken of with wide-eyed, hushed terms: what the tortuous rite of passage is for a young jungle native – this is the UK’s equivalent. It is designed to be a genuine test of a new driver’s mastery of his vehicle and the road. It is taken very, very seriously. The testers are extremely picky, and the slightest mistake results in automatic failure. Virtually no one passes on their first go – including me!
Yes, I am included in the long list of practical driving test failures. I took the test in the middle of this month (February) and even after taking driving lessons the tension from the pressure must have gotten to me. Yikes, for the first time, my car’s wheels brushed the curb during a parallel park – an automatic failure. I was quietly confident going into it, especially as it was occurring during a week when I had received a bunch of good news from fall-out of the accident in January. But now we have to pay the expense of another test which, by the way, is set for Tuesday the 8th of March. I need your prayers; fervent, sincere and serious ones for success on that day. May God have mercy on my soul.
It makes me think of how thankful I am for passing God’s test for entering into everlasting life. Too often, we think that He has a standard that has been set just as impossibly high as the practical driving test. We feel that we must behave in absolute perfection – our wheels mustn’t dare brush the curb either. We may think that “God is our co-pilot,” holding a heavenly clipboard to mark each and every mistake as He critically scrutinizes our every move. But the reality is He is gracious and understands the total impossibility of us being “good enough” to earn our salvation. “For by grace you have been saved by faith…not a result of works,” Ephesians 2:8,9 says.  The Lord Himself passed the test for us by dying in our place for our sins on the cross: “for the death he died, he died to sin,” Romans 6:10 says. It goes on to say “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” (8:31-33) Thank you God for having mercy on my soul!

Friday, January 21, 2011

God's Protection


I had to preface what I told Cindy during a call to her in the first week of January with the words, “I’m perfectly fine, but…” The night before, while on my way to a prison for ministry, I was involved in an accident that should have been horrific. A young lady lost traction on a steep, icy lane that intersected the busy major road I was on and flew into our road impacting a car in the opposite lane and then spun into me striking dead center on the driver’s side door.
Amazingly, we all got right out of our cars with no obvious injuries. I told each of the others the truth – we weren’t lucky, we were blessed. The Lord was watching out for us. The Psalms say a lot about God’s protection of those who entrust themselves to Him. In Psalm 41 it says, “In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; the LORD protects him and keeps him alive…”
Although the damage to our car did not seem to be horrible at the time, the insurance company wrote it off as a total loss due to the age of the car. Thankfully, it was released to us with a reduced pay off so we can have it repaired on our own. The car is sitting in our driveway, but we are unable to drive it at this time. Although this may be a major inconvenience, we are at least learning the local transit system and have seen the faithfulness of our many good friends here when we have needed rides.
Though there is an unseen enemy at work opposing the call we have to be here, we are reassured by God’s word which says, “[The Son] is before all things and in him all things are held together” Col 1:17. So we appreciate your prayers for a timely resolution of our vehicle and driving situation. Pray also that the Lord will continue to use us to bring His love to those He has planned to cross our paths.