Another update.

Lynn and I are currently experiencing an extremely busy season in Truro! A few of the things we're involved in this week are:

• There are the regular Palm Sunday and Easter preparations that any worship pastor must undertake.
  
• Lynn and I are also involved in Cantabile Choir, as we've mentioned. We have a large concert, joined with the First United Church, this Saturday night.
• After Lynn's accompanying "debut" with Contabile (mentioned in a previous post), word quickly spread throughout the town of his accompanying skills. He is now accompanying for many vocal students in the Music Festival, taking place this weak. (I am also observing as many classes as possible since I will possibly be taking over someone's vocal studio in the Fall.)
• Last, but not least, we are trying to meet the last conditions for our house! I am meeting with the house inspector today to go through the house. The end is in sight!

We are so enjoying these various events, and the connections we've been able to make in the community; but we're also adjusting to the high demand of time and energy!

(Personal update - Natasha)
In the midst of all our recent activities, I stubbornly began wrestling again with questions like, "What is my role?" God has been so good to me, and I walk into new ministering opportunities every day; but still my heart grew weary last week and I felt discouraged. I said to the Lord, "I know I am to be content in You, but how long, O Lord! Must I still wait when it feels so strongly like the time is now!!!??"

Within two days I received an email and had a phone call from two loving friends (Ang and Liz). They so encouraged me. My heart was once again grounded in my faith and trust as a child of God.

The next afternoon, within a span of two hours, I was called on to officiate a funeral this Friday, I was asked to preach at our home church May 6th, and asked to preach at a fellow Baptist church in Halifax. I also still have two women's conferences coming up for which I've been invited as worship leader and guest soloist. Also, I recently taught a session in Lynn's worship workshop where I "released" so much of what the Spirit had deposited in my heart. It was rather powerful and broke into a powerful prayer session. One of our church leaders who was there immediately began planning a women's conference at our home church since we have "our own Beth Moore right here" she said :)

I share this because I am overwhelmed by my God. He loves me so much!!! There is no pride in what I do because it is not me who does it! My rest and freedom comes in that I cannot take the credit or the blame for anything I do in His name. Yet, He allows me to walk in the power and strength of His Spirit. He promised me that if I delight myself in Him and rest in His nature, if I "commit my [way] unto the Lord, than He will bring it to pass" (Psalm 37). It is quite something to watch the promises of God unfold before my eyes, things that he had whispered into my heart as a small child...

As his Word says, "Did I not tell you that if you would believe me, than you would see the glory of God!" (John 11:40)

Thanks!

Lynn and I are so excited about our new home (it feels like home already, even though we have a long ways to go before we're actually living there!). Thank you so much all of you who have celebrated with us by posting your encouraging comments. We really hope you get to see the inside, whether in person or by photo. It is soooo awesome :)

Natasha

Expect the Unexpected

The image to your right is the exterior to what we hope will be our home. Yes, it is very soon after so many other things have happened for us. If nothing else, we're being reminded that the Lord's schedule is very different than ours. The story you're about to read should have been expected, considering who the Lord is, who our realtor is, and who we have become.

Natasha and I have been looking for a permanent home here since November. We were blessed with a house-sitting opportunity, but we knew the Lord would have to open some other door relatively soon, since we can only be here through the summer. We've looked in more homes than we can remember, and we've consistently felt that our realtor needs to be involved in the whole process.

Our realtor is not only good at her job, but she is in love with the Lord. She has been praying with us constantly since we met for a smooth transition to the town and this particular ministry. She definitely walks in the Spirit.

Not long ago, Natasha felt strongly that our realtor was going to find our home. One week ago today, she (the realtor) called me at the church to say there was a hot new listing that many of the realtors seemed to love. It's in a nice area of the community and gorgeous inside. There was already a list of people to see the home. After some consultation (i.e. Natasha saying, "We need to see this NOW!"), we went to the house that day. If we ever felt a strong sense of "This is it!" since we were married, it was that afternoon. Less than 36 hours later, our offer was accepted and we began meeting conditions for the purchase of this, the Lord's home.

This was decidedly not my timing. The night we saw the home, before our second look, I spent a lot of time praying. I kept telling the Lord that too much was happening too fast. I kept getting silence. When I finally asked the Lord if He agreed with me, He said, "I am with you. What's too fast for that?" We went back the next morning, and I've never felt that kind of peace.

Now we're praying to the Lord, believing Him that this sense of peace was the revelation of His will for us. We're close to meeting the conditions, after which we will close on the house later this summer. We received a very encouraging e-mail from our realtor, who is now a dear friend and sister in Christ, reminding us that this isn't our property to begin with. This is the Lord's, and He will see to it that He uses it for His glory, His kingdom, and His ministry. While this is an exciting time, we invite you to believe with us in Jesus' name that the next two weeks will progress smoothly and that people will find restoration, healing, encouragement, challenge, peace, etc., in our/the Lord's home. We are in awe of what He is doing around us and how He is revealing more of His character through it all. We are humbled to know Him more through these intensely packed weeks. Thanks for your prayer.

(FYI, the house has a front and back deck, a great yard, lots of landscaping, three bedrooms, one and half bathrooms, a laundry room, utility room, sauna (used for storage by the current inhabitants), storage, family/small groups room in walk-out basement with propane woodstove, living room with propane fireplace, dining room, big kitchen, breakfast nook, mudroom, more storage than I expected in a relatively old home, a shed, a fence around the back yard, a double-wide driveway, and a location just on the edge of town to satisfy my desire to be near civilization and Natasha's desire to be in the country. Yes, it's quite perfect.)

The Wind.

A few weeks ago I had a prophetic dream.

We lived in a white house in Truro (though the area is not particularly significant). There were people upstairs in a "den-like" room watching TV and laughing together. I recognized some but not all.

Lynn and I went to a store. It was an athletic store and one of my close cousins was there. We were in a large, open, white room with rows of sneakers on the walls. There seemed to be an adjacent room with something else going on. The clerk was working behind the desk when suddenly a huge wind storm swept into the town bringing destruction. Lynn and I stood holding each other in the midst of crazy wind. I was frightened but we were quiet and at peace. (I just now realized that none of the sneakers moved from their places on the wall. We were abiding in the refuge and protection of God.) The clerk was now standing in the middle of the room facing the door. She was amazed, even mesmerized by the sight. The wind swept in through the door and carried the clerk away. Lynn and I moved into a back closet as the noise got louder and the wind stronger. We held tightly to one another. I did not see what happened to my cousin; but I knew she was fulfilling the important role God had for her. It just led her in a different direction.
(Signifying a vast move of the Holy Spirit)

The wind subsided and debris lied everywhere. Houses and buildings were destroyed. The friends watching TV in our home had disappeared.

Suddenly, a lot of time had passed. The dream shifted to an area I do not know with people I did not know. It focused on two particular women living in a home, one younger and one elderly. They wore long, dark robes that covered their bodies and their heads. This signified hard work, grief, and trial.
(This signifies persecution)

The younger woman seemed to work hard outside of the home; but the elderly woman seemed particularly hidden. She was set apart as though she had her own hidden "wing" in their home. (The home was large, but desolate, colorless, and run down). One day, the younger woman came in to the elderly woman's "wing" and saw a young man (young adult age). He was sitting at a school desk and grinning from ear to ear. He was full of color and life; he was glowing! The younger woman was shocked because she had not realized that he was there. The dream ends focused on the young man as though one cannot keep his eyes off of him. He is so radiant in God!

Who is this man? Is he another deliverer for the people of God to be raised up after persecution? or Is he somehow the Christ, coming again to deliver His people for all eternity?


Today I came across another prophecy concerning this "wind storm" over the Maritimes (and beyond). There have been many. It's by Larry Randolph from Dec 6/06:

Larry Randolph was speaking in the Oshawa just a few weeks back and shared the following:

He had a vision of Jesus standing off the east coast of Canada in the Atlantic Ocean. Jesus bent over and blew a great wind, the wind of the Holy Spirit. It created a huge wave that headed to the east of Canada, & from there it went down along the eastern seaboard of North America.

Living Vicarious.

Drake Emmerson (with Mom - my sister, Melissa Emmerson)
*born Christmas Eve 2006
*soon to be three months old















Destiny (~1 yr & 10 months) and Drake (~3 months)

We love our niece and nephew!!!

Overwhelmed!

Well, Lynn and I have had quite a week.

I'm not even sure I can count all the exciting or devastating things that have happened in the last week or so, but they have all led up to a physical and emotional breakdown for me today :). I wish I could learn to catch these dives into the pit of exhaustion before they come; I have yet to master it. Thankfully, though, by the grace of God and the encouragement of my husband, I am much quicker at recovering and getting back to my normal self.

We will have an update soon that explains some of the week's events.


Those who go down to the see in ships, who do business on great waters, they sea the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end...

Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven.

Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the company of the elders.

Psalm 107: 23-32

(Natasha)

Our new car!

Before...















...and after!

Update.

Lynn and I have been experiencing the joys of a busy life in ministry! Here a few key points of interest:

1a. The fourth pastor has officially joined the IBC staff. Kaj Binderup is retiring from the ministry to Truro to be near kids and grandkids. So, as all good retiring ministers do, he has joined the IBC staff as part-time visitation/seniors pastor. We are just getting to know him, but are quickly becoming infatuated :).

1b. His wife Joan is my new favorite person on the whole earth! She's blunt, spunky, hysterical, and cute :). She and I will be ministering together in May at the women's retreat for our Baptist Association (sort of like a district). I will be leading worship and teaching on worship, while Joan is the guest speaker. I greatly look forward to this ministry opportunity!

2. Lynn conquered his first major event at IBC a couple of weeks ago. It was our 117th Anniversary service!! :) The whole day was filled with music from our choir and guest choirs, mostly from the black-Canadian churches in our area. It was awesome. A little crazy, too; but awesome :).

3. Non-ministry related - by tomorrow evening, Lynn and I will be driving a brand new Corolla! We are very thankful to our dear old car who has done so well these past three years and protected us from any serious danger... But there is a season for everything and the season of our '95, teal, Grand Prix has come to an end. God has come through once again. Isn't it the craziest thing to go from a 12 year old car to an brand new one!? Praise the Lord!

4. A quote from last week:
Lynn: "You are the most patient wife on the face of the earth."
Natasha: "Was that sarcasm?"
Lynn: "No, just blatant lying."

Have wonderful day dear friends!
Natasha