Many are asking what we're doing next. First of all, you should all know that we are expecting our first baby September 29th! Yep, that's right! We are going to be parents. Finding out we were pregnant didn't change anything, but it definately was a big day when we found out! Actually, there is a great story to the whole idea of being ready to have children.
Ben and I both decided to wait until we had been married for about 5 years before trying for children. When a speaker came to London, Don Price, our hearts changed. He was speaking on the Father heart of God and when he prayed for us later that day, he began praying about us and our future children and being pregnant and how much of a blessing children are. It made me (Tara) think. So I ha a chat with Ben and nervously told him that I felt ready to have children. I was afraid he would not be on the same page as me. To my surprise, Ben said that he was ready too. God changed both of our hearts on the matter within the same day! Very cool.
As our time in the discipleship training school continued, there were four separate speakers on four separate occasions that didn't know us or our present situation but began to pray that "Joy is coming. Joy is coming". We thought, "Ok, God. That's awesome! You're going to bring joy into our marriage. We don't have a problem with that!". The 3rd time someone prayed that over us, our 2 friends were standing in the back of the room and each of them had a vision of a little girl behind us...named joy. It was a lot to take in.
About 1 1/2 months later we find out we are expecting. Expecting JOY! When we told our outreach leader she prayed for us. And guess what she prayed? That JOY was coming! Oh its so amazing. Ben and I have decided that whether its a boy or girl, the name will have a meaning of Joy. We have some girl names picked out, but no boy ones yet. ;)
We told our families and they were ecstatic. I was about 10 weeks when we had to fly to the US from London. I was nervous, because they say to avoid flying in the first trimester, but I trusted God and when made it to NYC safe and sound! After a day in NYC, we took a train to Virginia where our Aunt and Uncle picked us up.
We are staying with Ben's parents until June. His Dad is having both of his knees replaced (one has already been replaced and he is doing really well!). We were able to visit with my (Tara's) family in Hendersonville for 2 weeks. Since my Mom is an OB/GYN Nurse, she asked her boss, a doctor, to do a quick ultrasound for me since I hadn't seen the baby yet. He agreed and I am so glad he did! So at 12 weeks, we FINALLY got to see our baby and the heartbeat. I'll add a photo here but all you can see is the baby's head. On facebook I have uploaded a video of the ultrasound and our baby moves around a lot!
During our stay in Hendersonville, we met with our old employers and had fun time with friends and family. I (Tara) kept feeling the tug in my heart to come back to Hendersonville for awhile but I wasn't sure if it was the pregnancy hormones or just God speaking to me.
Our original plan was to go to Harpenden, England in June as staff. We would be there for a minimum of two years. Actually, we have already sent in our application and everything. We just continued to pray for God to give us a definite yes or no about moving back near London. But God didn't give us a definite yes or no. He told us to just make our own decision and He will be with us and for us either way.
Which leads us to our decision...to live in Hendersonville, TN for awhile. My (Tara's) parents are going to finish up the garage into a cute little apartment for us. Our previous jobs are available for us. (Well, maybe not the cleaning for Tara unless she can talk her boss into it that its totally safe for her to be cleaning). The honest truth is that we want to try and really hit our student loans hard and get those off our backs. Tara and Ben both have a desire to become health advisors or nutritionists as well. Maybe there's some schooling in the near future. Eventually, it would be ideal to have our home base somewhere (Hendersonville? Nashville?), be free of student loan debt, and be financially able to pack up and go do short term outreaches in the summer. Africa for 3 months? India? Now that we have connections with YWAM (Youth with a Mission) and several other missionaries, the possibilities are endless.
In the end, our heart is to "refine soil" no matter where we are. To minister to people. To hear and seek God and encourage others to do so. To be missionaries no matter where we are. After a long talk with a married couple of ours, they thanked us and told us how therapeutic our conversation was to their marriage. They simply needed some encouragement and affirmation that they're not the only ones being attacked by the enemy as a couple. I was reminded at that moment how God works in and through everything and everywhere.
So that's where we are now. Moving, yet again, to Hendersonville TN in June (when those annoying Cicadas will be here!) and having our first baby in September. We really don't have anything to worry about. We know that JOY IS COMING!
