Quarantine Life, Married Life: Redeeming the Time

For Rick, Jacob, Zachary and I, "Quarantine Life" doesn't look too different from "Married Life." We already spend a significant amount of time at home, make our own meals and seek opportunities to serve God and others in and outside the home. Granted, Rick staying home from work for 3 months (with pay) was one of the BIGGEST BLESSINGS ever!!! He and I had not spent so much time together since our 2-week honeymoon, 5 years ago. And last month we had the honor of recording our testimonies on a marriage podcast, and it's been such a blessing to hear it is encouraging others (listen by clicking here). We are grateful God continues stretching, growing and using us. We are being practical, praying for wisdom, remaining cautious and are making the most of the opportunities/technology available. Most importantly, the Lord continues opening doors and drawing hurting people to be pointed back to Christ. I am so grateful to Redeem this Time for God, by Rick's side! 

Rick and I have continued meeting with our mission's Pastor once a month but will now be meeting once a week/every other week, to keep preparing. Recently he asked us, hypothetically speaking, what would we do, if Cornerstone did not affirm our [subjective] calling and thought it best we stayed... that was a tough question, but we trust God's direction. We are still pressing on - as we await for the Lord to confirm a call to missions, through our local church body - building roots/relationships/serving, since we've only been there since the end of December and then the closure in March. Most recently, the question over Rick's training/preparation has come up i.e. seminary or a formal ministry training course. So that's an area to continue praying through.

February 13, I began working with UCR through a temp agency, and have been working from home since shut down and will be doing so until at least January 4. I am doing administrative work. One perk is the liberty to regularly meet with each team member, and I continue praying for opportunities, building bridges and throwing out seed when appropriate :) 

Also since shut down, I continued attending our Tuesday night women's bible study via zoom, which, to my surprise, I really enjoyed it (I am a people and hands on person, so zoom, online & closures were a big challenge at first, but God is sooo good and gracious!). We've been on break since May and will pick back up in September. The depth and style is very different from what I am used to, but it challenged me in great ways.

Also, I was prompted to engage a few of my sisters in Christ to fast & pray on Wednesdays for a 1/2 day via zoom @ noon. And in an effort to try and build stronger relationships with ladies from Cornerstone and to fellowship once study ended, I started up a weekly book club going through the Hearts of Fire by Voice of the Martyrs, right after prayer meeting from 12:30-1. If you have not read it, I HIGHLY recommend it! I was not sure what to expect. I'd never led a book club before, but God is so faithful, his word has power and there is such mutual encouragement and refining!

I also started reading the Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield which is awesome! Although I have put this book on the shelf because I started reading a different book, the Gospel Primer, because I will be going through a 1 on 1 discipleship training program. The timing is great, too, because my Wednesday book club is finishing up...only the Lord :)

Fridays we attend Caregroup (a small group of members from our church who discuss the last service's passage & go through questions & pray) and Rick sometimes leads. Every third Saturday, we continue to host a prayer meeting (original goal: October 2019 - September 2020). At least 1 person has joined, since starting - to God be the glory. 

For the boys, on Wednesdays at the start of shut-down, Rick and I decided we'd do bible study, to take the place of their youth one. It has turned into a patio men's bible study that Rick and Jacob alternate leading, and different men have come through the weeks. Jacob, our oldest son, graduated from Norco High in June (that is another blog post :), and he will be starting college in the fall at CBU (in person - God-willing). Another praise report, he has been offered a job on campus. Lastly has decided to live with us, during college! And Zachary, our younger son, has been very helpful around the house with cooking, chores and home projects but also keeps us on our knees - he is questioning/flat out claiming unbelief. Please keep him in your prayers.

Church service when only on live-stream, one neighbor came from time to time, but the praise report is that she attended our church in person with us 3 times! Service is now being offered on Saturday evenings outside, to be in compliance with legal sanctions and to compensate for the heat - it's been different, but such a blessing!