Onward while looking upward....

So we are moving back to Ontario on June 24. The process of deciding which path to take was not an easy one. We had 4 options (ministry and education) on the table and one was especially heart wrenching to decline. I am wondering if it may be that the Lord is giving us a not yet, instead of a no. The Lord knows and we will leave it with Him.

Ken has signed a contract at Providence Reformed Collegiate in Komoka. It is a community that Ken taught in for 8 years (1999-2007). It feels like going home in a way. Our hearts have always had such a soft spot for them. After we moved on from that school, I had trouble reading the newsletter that came in our church mailbox for a while because it made me ache a little. We loved them and are excited to go back.

Ken will continue to preach. That chapter is not closed, it just looks different than we had imagined 4 years ago. It took some time, but we are very much at peace. We are exactly where the Lord wants us right now. We will follow Him and where He places us we will serve with all of our hearts. He is faithful and sovereign and we trust Him down to the bottom of our beings. I am so thankful that we can have that comfort. We don't need to worry or fret, we just need to keep walking in faith.

We are still house hunting. It's HARD to find a house that will fit 8 people. We have a house way out in the country that is HUGE, but a little far from everything. There is one in London we are considering as well as a possible one in St Thomas. We will see. (: We need to decide very soon.  I have this orderly thing going on in my brain. I am having trouble packing because I can't picture where we are going and what boxes will go in what room. Doesn't that sound nuts? It's a reality that I can't shake! lol  Ken is preaching 3 out of the 4 next Sundays in Ontario, so if  we can decide which house this weekend, I can go to the house and clean and get things ready a few of the weekends that we are in Ontario. That is kind of handy.

Ken graduated this month and we were beyond thrilled that it worked for almost all of Ken's family and my parents to come.  It was a treat to have them all in our world at the same time. Graduating was bitter sweet. It's exciting to be done and for Ken to have finished well and we are excited to see what the Lord has in store for us, but it means we need to close a chapter and it's hard not to want to hold on.

Ken's class. Dr Murray and Bill Vandoodewaard are the profs missing from this picture. There were more graduates, but they had already moved! (: 

Ken loved the seminary. The professors, the students and the environment were far more amazing than we could have ever imagined. It has been such a privilege and I recommend Puritan a hundred times over. Puritan has confirmed and strengthened Ken's love for Reformed theology and it has increased his desire to preach Christ ten times over. He has been changed by special friendships with his brothers in Christ and through the mentoring of a two incredibly special men. I always think of Puritan as a picture of what heaven will look like. All of these men and their families come from all the corners of the earth with one goal in mind - "Preach one Christ, by Christ to the praise of Christ. To God alone be the glory" (William Perkins). It's like a patch work quilt of believers. Ken is going to miss being part of the it - The learning, the after class discussions, the fellowship and camaraderie, the Monday night soccer... It's the closing of a very special time for our family.

Ken got this picture from student counsel with all the names of the students in the seminary this year. So special. 

Last night Tessa was baptized in Grand Rapids by Dr Murray. It was very special. I cried a lot coming up to Sunday thinking of  the meaning of baptism and how special it is. I am thankful I cried all of my tears out before, it could have been a messy! (:  The older I get, the more beautiful it is. His grace amazes me.

Just for your viewing pleasure! (::