Learning to trust God and Know He is GOOD!

The last two weeks have been such a growing experience that Derrick and I both are still learning from. Mid November I was having a really rough week just feeling so overwhelmed with being in Chicago with all the changes and just feeling like I was existing. Derrick would ask me all the time what was wrong and I just would say the usual, "I'm fine" but with my emotions all over my face Derrick kept probing me (thankful for a husband who cares about how I feel but at that moment lets just say I wasn't so thankful;) Finally Derrick sat me down and just helped me sort through all the emotions I was having. After many tears I finally realized I had allowed my heart to harden and become bitter. Bitter towards Chicago, bitter toward Derrick for traveling, questioning church planting, and not enjoying pregnancy. All this bitterness is exhausting and in return it left me with this gross harden heart. I wasn't able to do life well or even enjoy life.

After Derrick and I talked it became so clear to me that I wasn't giving myself any grace. I struggle with having too high of expectations for myself that just aren't realistic. Derrick reminded me that God lavished grace upon us because he loves us not because of anything we have done. GRACE! What a beautiful gift that is so hard to accept sometimes. I was so excited to get rid of that bitter heart! I literally felt lighter! I couldn't wait to share with all of you just what the Lord had done, but it had to wait until after Derrick preached at Parkview Christian Church(a total of 8 services in 2 days).

Derrick preaching at Parkview. 

We had a great time spending the weekend at Parkview. Derrick did a great job teaching us about trusting God through the mountain tops and also the valleys. If you missed it you can listen to it by going to http://www.parkviewchurch.com/orland  and click on Impossible is Nothing Week:1 Derrick Puckett. Little did we know God would be using that very message to minister us that weekend. Before Derrick preached the second service on Sunday I got a call from our landlord saying that someone had broke into our house. Derrick was in another room and after I hung up with our landlord Derrick came in to say he was about to go up and he could see something was wrong because again it was written all over my face. Thankfully I got him to leave by saying something convincing and he went up to preach for the fourth service. After Derrick was done and joined me in the audience I shared the news. We both had those thoughts "if only", "why" along with many different emotions, sad, mad, and fearful. Along with all of these emotions I could hear Derrick's sermon ringing in my ear, "Impossible is only nothing with Jesus Christ" and "in our brokenness God can truly be all." After the service concluded we were meet with a line of people who wanted to talk with us and pray with us. After we spoke with the last person in line we were rushed to the basement of the church with everyone else because there was a tornado in the area. All this time we are trying to keep calm and not let our minds wonder with worry. We shared with some of the church's staff there about what happened and they freed us to miss the third Sunday service. With that we were off to the house. The whole ride home we kept thinking about what they probably took and just how it was just the perfect time for them to break in. We were out of town that weekend, we didn't have the alarm on (first time ever) because a friend was coming to stay at our house, and what a beautiful coincidence that while Derrick was preaching about trusting God in the valleys our home was being trampled through by strangers who helped themselves to our belongings. When we came home we were met with glass on our patio floor and in our bedroom. They broke the glass on our door to our room and came through. We saw all the things that were taken, the most heartbreaking was that they took my laptop, external hard drive and a PlayStation. These three items held all of our girls baby photos and family videos. They were all gone! A week had past and we still were still realizing some things that were stolen. We are still recovering from the break in, but God has definitely been near through this tribulation. We are so thankful for the Body that has been covering us in prayer and encouraging us. Like Derrick said in his sermon when we are going through a storm we have to fix our eyes on Jesus and we won't be consumed by the storm. Through this God has been teaching me more about who He is and all that He has promised so that I can truly trust Him and KNOW HE IS GOOD! Please continue to pray with us as we heal from this event.

Elyana turned 2!!

Birthday girl and sissy at the playground:)

Chicago!

It has been way too long since we have wrote to you! We are so sorry! We will be better at updating our blog with what is going on with us. Thank you for giving us some grace!

Most of you know that we have moved to Chicago to plant a church. We desire to plant a multicultural church that reproduces followers of Jesus Christ in the city of Chicago. Right now we are just getting to know the area and trying to build up our launch team which will eventually start the church. We had our first fellowship time this past Sunday! It was a sweet time of fellowship over some great food! We plan on having another one on December 14.
 

Picture from last nights Pre-Thanksgiving pitch in!

We have been in Chicago for 2 months already! I can't believe how fast it has gone! I think I can finally say I now feel like this is home. It took some time getting used to living in the city from paying to park almost everywhere (even some grocery stores) to having 4 different keys to get into different doors where we live. Its just so different than what I am used to. I found myself saying its not bad its just different and Chicago is our new normal. God has been so good just helping us all adjust to our new normal but we definitely have a way to go. A month ago I don't think I could have said I really liked being here, but to my surprise I really like it now, our home and neighborhood is perfect:) One of the things I really like about Chicago is that we can walk to many different stores and restaurants. We have walked so much here lately that the girls will ask if we are going to walk or drive! The girls really enjoy walking and have adjusted pretty well here too. We were blessed to live right across the street from a park which they enjoy going to.

I am 28 weeks pregnant with #3 and we are leaving the sex of the baby a surprise until the baby comes. This time around has been tougher but the baby and I are doing well. We are earnestly waiting for January 26 to approach to meet baby Puckett!:)

Ramiyah turned 4 in September! Can't believe it! She got a scooter for her birthday which she loves riding on all the time. In her worlds she is still looking for friends, but has met some girls she likes to play with at the gym and at the park across the street from our house.

Elyana is busy as ever. Saying new words everyday. Her new thing right now is counting and jumping. She will be 2 on November 9! Not sure where time has gone, definitely doesn't feel like she should be 2 already!

 Derrick has been busy meeting with different pastors from the surrounding churches which has been a blessing to see what the Lord is doing in Chicago. He has also been traveling a lot going to conferences, meeting with Orchard Group (the organization who is planting us) and also traveling every other week to be apart of the Fellowship Associates church planting program.

Word from Derrick:

The last few months have been great, but also trying at times. Many people told me going into church planting that it would be the hardest thing that we would ever do.  I believed them but didn' know exactly how I would be affected.  My natural tendency with anything that I do is to work hard and just get it done at the highest capacity possible. While this is a great attribute, I have quickly found in ministry as well as church planting it is not always what I should do.  Throughout this process I have learned to make my resting place Jesus.  This is his work that he wants to start in Chicago, not mine or anyone else and that is uplifting..  To know that we have a great God on our side  that wants to do far more exceedingly than we could ever imagine brings me great joy and rest because the weight of performing or doing it by myself is lifted.  We are looking forward to what God is going to do in Chicago. Please pray that leaders would arise in the city that should be part of this new work in the city. Also pray that we stay in a place where we are utterly dependent on God and not ourselves.  I pray that you will join in with us as we watch what God does for years to come in this city.  Also pray for me as I preach and share vision at a few different places over the upcoming weeks. 



The girls at Navy Pier.




The family at Lincoln park zoo for Ramiyah's 4th birthday.