What I do.

Hey everybody,

I just wanted to show you an example of the stuff I'm doing at work.

The girl is the cover the piece, (it's folded), it opens up to the sky with the boy and then the top half with the mail panel would be the back of the piece.

So yup, that's me...

An Answer to Prayer, for now at least...

Thank you all so much for your prayers, God is indeed good and gracious. Sheri, my boss, has offered me my job back. She actually sent me a 3-page text at 1:30 in the morning on Saturday, which I did not receive till Sunday, but that I will transpose for you here:

"Daniel... i will explain it to you tomorrow... but you still have your job you are not going to be laid off... just thank God because of marlene('s) [my boss's boss and sister] faith in God and my faith in him we know everything will be ok... we will make it!!! We are just going to put it in his hands... and i know will do ok... God always works in mysterious ways... so have a great weekend... Sheri"

Apparently, this all stemmed from a brief conversation I had with Marlene earlier last week. It was, in fact, my first real conversation with her, wherein she apologized for having to let me go and told me as soon as it picked back up she would be calling me. I mentioned in the conversation how I had full faith that God will get a me a job and take care of the whole situation. Anyway, something must've struck her funny because she and Sheri stayed up late Saturday night discussing the business and myself, and they decided to take a chance and keep me on in faith that the business will do well.

So it is an answer to prayers, at least for now... :) Thank you all so very much for your prayers, I know it was the only way this could've happened. I am still making $12 an hour, 40 hours a week, which is way better than any other job I was looking at switching to. So, I shall stay the course, feel free to say I should do otherwise, I am open to discussion.

Thanks again,

Daniel

Dad & I had a great time in Chicago (see Rob & Brad at Navy Pier), and then in Jacksonville. It is always so great to be able to see you kids. In fact, it's our favorite part of any trip we take.

I'm still working my 3 jobs, but they all add up to about 2-4 days a week. I have time for another one but we'll see what comes up...

Next Sunday we will be beginning construction at Eastgate, literally taking down the ceiling. I'm excited about that, though I know it will be a lot of work too. Yesterday at the end of the Sunday meeting, Rob made a general kind of altar call for salvation or re-dedication ...where he asked people to come up to the front of the room (which he never does) for prayer, and my mom went up. Afterward, I went to her and we hugged, but she didn't' seem to want to talk about it. I'm not sure what was going on, but we're going over to their house today, and maybe she'll feel like talking. Chuckie is starting to volunteer in the media room, managing the camera feeds, which he LOVES. He admitted that he gets kind of "tired" of the singing, but being at the computer enabled him to be right in his element.

Dad did a wedding last Saturday out in the countryside near Vernon, in a church building that was built around 1867. It is listed on the historical registry, and it was quite beautiful. All of the wood was original, and because of the natural oils in it, peoples hand and footprints were left on pieces of the wood used for the ceiling. You could even see a few bear prints. There was no a/c, just windows open and a wonderful breeze blowing through. Afterward, the reception food was outside on a big table like the one at Papa's old church. In the cemetery next to the building, there were graves for young men that fought in the civil war. I posted a picture of the wedding on FB.

I'm looking forward to seeing you girls and Matt in a few weeks, and really looking forward to the big move for M & J. It's still a big unknown, but I know that God has something great in store-

Mom

movies

Moments of time in Chicago:

Do you guys like the new design? Is it TOO girly??

Feel free to change it!

are you guys allowed to? How do I make it so you're allowed to?

Angel

This is my life now at the clinic. This angel of a lady who passes out cookies for her job (part of the company's advertising is giving free cookies to local businesses) brings us cartons of cookies weekly for FREE!!! They are made at Sam's and are always chewy and fresh tasting. There is an assortment of snickerdoodle, chocolate chunk, macademia nut, and M&M... it's all so good.

The problem is, I keep skipping meals to eat 7-10 cookies a day, really throwing off my whole "diet thing". Just give it time and I'll be blue and fuzzy and will only answer to "Cookie Monster" as my name. (Maybe THEN Carl will love me)

I had a good visit to Panama City. I thought only going for one night would feel too short and I'd be sad to leave so soon, but I felt like so much was done and had lots of bonding that I didn't feel sour at all leaving on Sunday. For the first time I'm really, genuinely excited about moving to Panama City. God is crazy like that.

Also, last night before bed I felt such peace. It was awesome! I just feel like before I was in such a slump and right now is the complete bounce back from that. Anyway, so last night, for the first time, Matt decided to help me work on the budget and balance our account. He hated it, but knew that it was a good idea to be more involved in that area (yay)! So when we finished balancing our account, paying our bills, etc. We realized that RIGHT NOW our goal for a moving budget is already reached, everything in our account is in the green and we have the exact amount of money we need to do everything we want for our 1 year anniversary (one day of buying junk food, one day of disney world, and one day of seeing 3 movies). I love budgets and I love it even more when they work. (Obviously God helped us with that too)

So I think that's it. We are studying Roman's in our small group and that's really fun...however I don't know what we're gonna do when Jess isn't there tomorrow night because she's the one who comes with all the background info for us to debate about.

Love you guys!!!

-Janelle

p.s. i couldn't get the spacing right

The changes that change us

Hello family,

Well, no big developments have happened in my life, (ie new job, marriage, etc.) But, life is surprisingly good. The other day I was flipping through my quiet time journal and I came across an entry from before I moved to Jacksonville. In fact, at that time the QT journal was just a journal. In this entry I was writing about the mistakes I had made the night before and the hangover I was currently struggling with. Reading back on the life I had compared to the life I live now was shocking. The changes in my life have been so slow and natural that I didn't really even notice them. But now, after reading that entry I feel excited. There really is a God and he is really working in my life and shaping me! It's so terribly exciting!

As many of you know I have been feeling frustrated at my job lately. But, again, while I was reading through old entries in that journal I read one from when I first moved to Jacksonville. In this entry I was scared because I had moved without a job and I was having trouble finding one. But, I wrote that I knew God would provide the right one. He did provide that job and it really is not so bad. (I make way more money than I should.) I don't know how long the paper I'm working for will last, but while it's here I'm going to be thankful that God provided it for me.

Also, Janelle and I have decided to get baptized. I wont speak for her, but I will explain why I'm doing it. I was baptized when I was 7 and I don't remember it at all. (Well, I remember there was an echo at the lake - that's right, we still lived in Indiana when I was baptized.) My life has changed so much and I feel like I've made a real turn around. I've finally dedicated my life, (not just my Sunday mornings) to God and I want everyone to know it. So, the plan is for mom and dad to come to Jacksonville on the weekend of June 25 where Dad will baptize us with all our friends as witnesses on Saturday, June 26th. I wont lie, I'm super excited!

If you think of it, please be praying for my neighbor and friend, Meghan Crafts. She and her husband are going through some rough times and it looks like her husband is pretty set on getting a divorce. Last night she was revealing to me how scared she was because she had nowhere for her and her son, (1-yr-old) to go. I felt like God wanted me to offer her my place. As you know, April moved back to Panama City and I'm in need of a roommate. Her lease is up at the end of July so she might come and live at my current place for a month. My lease is up at the end of August, then she and I will try to find an affordable 3BR place for us. I'm honestly hoping that it doesn't come to this and the two of them, (her husband's name is David Crafts) work things out. So, please keep the situation in your prayers. If we do move in together it will be a big adjustment for me, but I know that God will see us through it and reveal his love to her in amazing ways.

I love you guys and am always thinking of you!

Jessica