The Good News and the Bad News: For ALL we will be Thankful and Trust God

Dennis arrived in to the States on Saturday and is now in Dallas, TX, Praise God!! But with this excitement of him being here also comes a little disapointment we weren't expecting. Here's what Dennis wrote on his blog on Saturday:

"I got to America safe and sound and even though I have not been able to see Allison we have talked on the phone a lot. She comes to Texas next Sunday – a week from today!

When I got to America I was praying and hoping that the immigration guys would stamp my I – 94 card for a year or so but to my great disappointment and thanksgiving at the same time they stamped it only for 2 months. So that gives me enough time here in the States to get married but not much time to settle into marriage here.

We are going to try to extend my stay here after we get married and if it does not work out we will have to come to Kenya earlier than planned. This is going to affect our support raising plan tremendously so just pray:

*That we will be very flexible and trust the Lord that He is in control of all that is going on - The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps – proverbs 16:9.

*Pray that this situation will work as magnet to draw us closer to each other, to God and to all our friends who have and are still standing with us right now...God is good all the time!!!!"

I have to admit when I got Dennis' phone call on Saturday I was so thrilled that he made it to Texas, but at the same time my worry and disappointment about this immigration and Visa stuff wanted to take over. My flesh wanted to say, "this just isn't fair", "I"m so tired of this roller coaster ride immigration has been the last 7 months.". It is true, it hasn't worked out exactly the way Dennis and I have wanted it to or how we would have planned it, but as Dennis and I talked on the phone we have chosen to say, God has been in our relationship since the beginning, He's not going to give up on us now. He brought us together and He's been the one in charge of our relationship. He has been faithful thus far and He will continue to be faithful. I'm so thankful for a fiance who can say, GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME, and can trust and help lead me in trusting that God is in control and He has a purpose and a plan. It may not be the way we would have planned it, but while we may have a plan we have to trust God to direct our steps!! And we need to be THANKFUL!!

At church this morning, Kent preached on Romans 8:16-25 and talked about how we are to respond to God in the midst of trials and suffering. Are we looking at our sufferings, frustrations, and circumstances so much that we aren't focused on the "glory that is to be revealed to us", as Scripture tell us? "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." And I had to ask myself, Allison, are you responding with JOY in the midst of your disappointment and trials?

In the midst of whats going on, this morning was very emotional for me as I had to confess to the Lord my anxiety and my tendency to focus on the negative, and not to be rejoicing in all circumstances. My goodness Allison, LOOK, can't you see, God has answered our prayers. Dennis made it safely to the States and at least they gave him 2 months!!

I have to admit, in both body and soul, I have been very weary and exhausted as of late, and haven't even had the strength to know what to pray at times but I am thankful for God's promises and His spirit who "helps us in our weaknesses; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Rom. 26-28.

GOD IS WORKING!! And He's working for our GOOD! Though our human eyes may not see or understand we must have hope, and faith and trust that God knows BEST!

This morning at TCC we sang a song that really blessed and encouraged my heart. Here are the words.

Day by Day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He who’s heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best-
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Ev’ry day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in ev’ry tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, Oh Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

(Carolina Sandell Berg/Andrew Skoog/Oscar Ahnfelt)

I/We need God's grace to help us to choose to have faith!! So please pray this for us!! That with the "Good" News and the "Bad" News, For ALL we will be Thankful and Trust God! We will be talking with an immigration lawyer this week. Pray we will be guided in the right direction on what to do next.

DENNIS is on his way!!

I have GREAT news and an URGENT prayer request for you!

First the great news: DENNIS IS COMING TO AMERICA SOONER THAN WE EXPECTED! Yep, he will be leaving Kenya on Friday and flying to America and is suppose to arrive in Dallas, Texas, THIS Saturday the 19th. YEAH!! So excited. He’ll then stay in Texas for a couple of weeks and join me in N.C. June 5th.

And now the prayer request: Please pray for safe travel all the way to Dallas. And PLEASE pray that when he arrives in America that he will get through immigration and go through the VISA process without any problems!!!

I will be so thankful to hear his voice on the other end of the phone when he arrives in Dallas! So near and yet still so far :)

I will be flying down May 27-June 2 to see him. Then on June 5th Dennis will come and join me in North Carolina!! YEAH!!

Thanks so much for all of your encouragement and prayers!!
Look forward to seeing all of you at our wedding on July 7th!!

Latest on Dennis' Dad

Here's what Dennis wrote to his friends and family this past week after going to visit his Dad in Busia:

"I am excited to inform you that I was with my Dad a few days ago and it was a big relief to see him and seeing his health has improved a lot. He can now move about (though at very slow pace) and talk (but with a little difficulty). Please keep praying that the Lord will not only heal his physical life but his spiritual as well. My efforts to try and share the hope that I have in Christ with him landed on deaf ears for he did not want to listen – He is very angry and bitter at God right now. Pray that the Lord will work in his heart in ways that only He can."

FUN TIMES with Shelby and Carter

Last month I went to Charlotte to watch my sisters kids while her and her husband went on a mini anniversary vacation. I always have lots of fun with my niece and nephew and here's just a little evidence of that. Shelby decided she wanted to play with her makeup and wanted to put it on my face too. Well as you can tell that pretty makeup turned us into clowns!!

And here's Shelby and Carter just lounging in the sand box

Invitation Party

A couple Friday nights ago 8 girls graciously gave up there Friday night to come and help me make my wedding invitations. It was an assembly line of seperating, hole punching, brad-ing, stuffing, sealing, and writing!! We had fun and we got them all done. And my invitations are in the mail.

I am so thankful for these girls and for their help and for the many friends the Lord has blessed me with!! Thank you Nicole, Kristin,Kimberly, Jenna, Mandy, Christa, Rachel, and Alicia!!

Road Trip

Last month, us African queens, Kimberly, April and I decided to take a little weekend road trip to Panama City Beach...and boy was it a long road trip!! We had great fun. On the way down there we stopped at South of the Border (ha!) to take some pictures, then beautiful Savanna, Georgia for lunch on the water, then along the way we got a little side tracked at the Outlet shops near Jacksonville! By the time we reached our condo it was almost midnight. We spent the weekend hoping we'd be able to lay out on the beautiful beach in the white sand but the great WINDS blew us away!! Oh but we tried! And every inch of our bodies and belongings were covered in sand. So much fun! We did a lot of shopping and eating thats for sure! And we celebrated April's birthday with food and ice cream. Here's some fun pictures: