A Night of Hope at Chino Valley
View in San Diego - beat the snow back home!
Christmas, San Diego style
It’s been a very crazy couple weeks. Not only is it Christmas, but we had an experience of God’s sovereignty in a new way lately. Without going into all the details (perhaps I will share them in an event sometime!) God moved our family. We had no intention of moving, but He made it very clear to us that he had a new house for us and even sold ours when we weren’t on the market and weren’t asking anyone to buy. So. Now we’re moving, and we are sad to be leaving the only house our kids have known, but also looking forward to what God has for us in a new home. We’re still in Columbus, and actually just around the corner from where we were before.
At the same time, my husband has been out of town and in another weird coincidence, I got booked to do a church just a few miles from where he was on business. This wouldn’t be so unusual if they were local, but these are both in southern California! My husband’s company is actually in the LA area and he just works remotely. I was booked to do a Christmas event for Chino Valley Community Church the same weekend he was on his annual work retreat, so I got to see him and meet a lot of his co-workers that I usually only hear about, which was fun!
I flew into LA a day early and my husband and I had a nice date night. Then on Friday we headed over to Chino Valley to do an outreach event we called “A Night of Hope.” The room was decorated beautifully, and I had such a great time with their staff and the ladies who were there. They also had so many vendors, so women could do some Christmas shopping as well, and it was fun to look at everything that had been brought in. I spoke on God as Emmanuel – that He is with us, that He is our hope, and that He came as the greatest gift ever given to the world at Christmas. We had a really wonderful response, and I am praying for several of the women who talked with me afterward.
Immediately after the event, my husband and I drove down to San Diego where his staff retreat was being held. By the time we got in, it was almost 4 in the morning for my body clock since I was still on East Coast time, and I don’t think I was particularly coherent with the hotel clerk! Just get me in bed, please!! Spent the weekend with so many brilliant techie people (my husband included), and frankly, didn’t understand a lot of the conversation. But hey, I got a free hoodie! And the view out my window was a little nicer than what I would have seen in winter in Ohio. Just saying. It was great to get the extra time with my husband, even though we had to fly home separately since he had to visit another job site in Seattle.
Now we’re trying to plan Christmas while packing an entire house and family of five – we move right after Christmas. We will welcome your prayers! 🙂