Gonzaga Basketball Player Steven Gray in Zambia

ESPN today released this video of Gonzaga star Steven Gray visiting Zambia. The students featured in the video did not go in any relationship with Family Legacy, but we love to see Zambia in the media!

Standing in Awe

Scientists know that light travels at the speed of 5.87 trillion miles a year.  They also know that the galaxy of which our solar system is a part is about 100,000 light-years in diameter – about 587 trillion miles.  It is one of about a million such galaxies in the optical range of our most powerful telescopes.  It has been estimated that in our galaxy there are more than 200 billion stars.  The sun is one of them, a modest star burning at about 6,000 degrees centigrade on the surface and traveling in an orbit at 135 miles per second, which means it will take about 250 million years to complete a revolution around the galaxy.

Scientists know these things and are awed by them.  And they say, “If there is a personal God, as the Christians say, who spoke this universe into being, then there is a certain respect and reverence and wonder and dread that would have to come through when we talk about him and worship him.”

We who believe the Bible know this even better than the scientists because we have heard something even more amazing:

“To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him?” says the Holy One.  Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these [stars]?  He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.

Isaiah 40:25-26

Let the Nations be Glad, by John Piper     page 19

We're Having a Baby!!

2010 was definitely a year of blessing for Amanda and I! In the last year we've been on a mission trip to Africa, been called to full time ministry, been called to a new church plant in Coppell, and now called to be parents! We serve such a good God who allows us to play a part in His story of redemption.

We are so blessed.

Now comes the trust part. When we were praying through whether or not to make the jump to the ministry we had to reevaluate our plans to start a family. We had decided back in January 2010 that we were ready for kids, but that we would wait until after our mission trip. Upon returning, we were even more resolute to begin after all the brokenness we had experienced with the kids we ministered to. We knew we had a chance to raise children how God intended.

Our call to the ministry brought kids into question because we were losing one income until support reached a level where we felt "comfortable" having a child. We discussed whether to begin preventing again, and we settled on the fact that the Lord is in control of everything. He had put it in our hearts to start our family, and His plans all work together for our good and His glory.

Not having kids yet did help our decision to join Family Legacy. I distinctly remember saying on multiple occasions "this would probably be a different discussion if we had kids right now". So we jumped and trusted the Lord.

Little did we realize that when we accepted the job we were already pregnant! The Lord is so good for giving us just enough information to be obedient. Knowing we were pregnant would have undoubtedly introduced fear, worry, doubt, and selfishness into our thought process. Praise Him for knowing us so well!

Amanda's due date is August 10, 2011, meaning I will obviously not be in Africa all summer. I will be there from May 21st through July 7th, so prayers for both of us will be coveted!

Lastly, while we are completely confident in the Lord's timing, we still are a long way from where we need to be on monthly support. Please prayerfully consider supporting us with a monthly commitment. ANY amount helps!! Most of all, thank you to everyone who reads our blog and is praying for us!