Anticipation Deepens...

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!
That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. [Romans 8:15-21, The Message]

Do you remember the day, the place, the time, the nerves, the excitement, the butterflies in your stomach, the anticipation when the training wheels came off your bike? Over the last couple of weeks, Carter has been asking me to take off his training wheels, and letting me know that he was "ready to ride!" But, I just was not sure...I mean this is the same "Bubba" that fell going up the steps of a slide this spring, resulting in 14 stitches above his left eye. Then he turned around a month later, fell off a chair onto our kitchen floor, resulting in yet another 6 stitches under his chin! And being more than a half hour away from the nearest ER...I just wasn't sure I was ready for another "stitches" run! "But where is your faith, daddy?"

So Monday evening - the training wheels came off! It was a rough start! He fell a couple of times right from the beginning, but man was Bubba ever determined! I noticed that he was struggling every time he went to put his feet up onto the pedals...so I took him over to a long gradual grade in the driveway here at the farm, and taught him that the first step was to just coast, and not worry about pedaling! I encouraged him that if he could make it down the drive without touching his feet to the ground that he was then ready for the next step. He must have made 30 trips down this 50ft stretch of driveway - coasting with his feet hanging off to the side, touching them down whenever he lost his balance! And then it happened...he made it down the drive without touching his feet! He was so pumped and I was Totally Stoked!
And of course - with a huge smile on his face - Carter looks up at me and asks, "What's the next step, dad! Am I ready?" So the two of us stayed out until dark, desperately trying to get his feet up on the pedals - one at a time - but it just wasn't clicking!
Tuesday morning, I was down in the basement working on some things for BGEA when Kel yelled down - "Doug, get up here! You are missing it!" So I ran up the steps, came out through the garage to the driveway, and to my absolute astonishment - there was Bubba riding in circles over and over again! Earlier in that morning, Carter went into the garage - where we had left his bike, helmet, knee and elbow pads the night before - suited up and somehow, when mommy turned her back for a split second to help Jordyn - he learned to ride all on his own! It was amazing! He even taught himself how to stand up and ride and by the end of the night he was bobbing and weaving all over the place without crashing! It was truly awesome! If you were to see him ride - you truly would think he had been riding for years! I mean...I could hardly even keep up with him when he asked me to get my bike out and ride later that evening! Man - we are so proud of him!

And so the anticipation deepens...because many times in life, we beg for Him to take off our training wheels...He says "no"...so we go to the garage, grab the wrench, and take them off our self - resulting in a ER run and serious consequences to our disobedience! And then there are times when we don't even realize that God has already taken off the training wheels, and is longing for us to ride on Faith! And no matter where we are...our focus must be on Him...and we must wait on His perfect timing! For strength will rise when we wait upon Lord! Because - "God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead." [vs. 21] He knows the road ahead, behind and around us - seeing things we will never see, and knowing things we will never know - this side of Heaven! Do we trust Him? Do we trust His timing and stand firm on the Promise of "what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him! [vs. 17-19]

Move/House Update:
Are you ready for this? Check this out...Wednesday night we received a phone call from Karen about the house in Gibsonia. She was calling to see if Kelly and I were available to come by this evening, meet her and take a look it - rather than Sunday afternoon. She shared with me that everything was okay, but that many people have shared interest in the home, and that she really wanted us to have the first shot at renting the house! How awesome is that ya'll! Talk about a blessing from Heaven! She feels her house would be the perfect home for our family and we are so to see "what's next" in His story with our move! I can't even to begin expressing thoughts in words about how hopeful, excited, stoked and even a little nervous we are to meet her tonight at 6:00pm...and meanwhile, the Joyful Anticipation Deepens!

I can't wait to share with you all how God continues His story today - but remember, it is His story! And I ask that you join us in prayer all day - in preparation for tonight! Pray for Clarity, Wisdom, Unity and an overwhelming Spirit of Discernment to be upon us this evening as we meet with Karen and pursue God's Will! Pray for God's glory to be revealed - as this is just another opportunity for Him to reveal His Power, Majesty, Provision and Grace in our lives! Pray that God opens our eyes, ears and hearts so that we may come to know His Son more...and that no matter what happens...that we stand on the Promise that He is with us every step of the way! Love you all - and thank you so much for continuing to reinforce the foundation of prayer you all have laid with us...and for continuing to stand in the gap!

All Eyes on Jesus...