Just wanted to put an updated picture of the kids. This is the Easter picture that Rhesa took of them. Not just becasue she is my wife do I say this, but I think Rhesa takes wonderful pictures! Don't you agree?Monday, March 31, 2008
Easter Pictures
Just wanted to put an updated picture of the kids. This is the Easter picture that Rhesa took of them. Not just becasue she is my wife do I say this, but I think Rhesa takes wonderful pictures! Don't you agree?
Robert and Rhesa's Story
Robert & Rhesa’s Story
God is faithful! Robert and Rhesa have reminded each other of this almost daily.
Both Robert & Rhesa remember their parent’s telling of how they had been praying for their future mates even before there were born. Then both of them started praying for their future spouse at a very young age.
Robert was called to be a missionary when he was seven years old as he watched a Billy Graham Crusade and told his mom that he was going to go to Russia. Rhesa was called to missions when she was in 5th grade. She was so shy at the time that when an invitation was given for all to stand that felt God’s calling, she stayed seated and prayed silently, and “God I am standing up on the inside.”
Robert was in elementary school when he felt God telling him that one of the ways he would know the girl he was that she would have never kissed another guy. Rhesa made a commitment to God as a sophomore in high school, to never kiss a guy except her husband.
Robert and Rhesa first remember seeing each other in speech class their freshman year in college in Bethany, Ok. Robert was giving a speech on “How to be a clown”, and Rhesa gave a speech on “How to make guacamole”. Robert didn’t remember the subject of Rhesa’s speech but he did remember and filed away the facts that she had grown up in Guatemala and spoke Spanish.
Robert was a very good friend with Rhesa’s younger brother, Titus, so the two saw each other from time to time at different functions such as musicals and recitals. Robert and Rhesa were the two clowns on campus at Southern Nazarene University, where they were attending, so they were also thrown together at different functions such as immunization clinics that called for clowns.
Robert finally got up the courage to ask Rhesa out their 5th year at SNU. Rhesa recalls Robert getting on one knee to ask her out as she was sitting in the music building lounge. They went out for a couple of months up to the time of graduation when Robert asked to continue corresponding with Rhesa as he went off to seminary in Kansas City. Rhesa turned him down flat, saying she saw no future in their relationship. In reality, she now admits to feeling a soul connection with Robert, but was “sacred to death” at the time.
Robert and Rhesa, on several occasions, stayed updated on each other’s lives through their mutual friend and brother, Titus. Robert confesses that he would have never called Rhesa, for she had already turned him down. Not until Christmas of 2002, when Rhesa was in need of a clown, for her original clowning partner had fallen ill, did they come into contact again, Robert was flying in from K.C. for the holidays to be with his family. He arrived at 6:30 and went clowning at 7:00. Rhesa remembers thinking, “Oh I hope he calls me,” but had prayed as she had many other times, that he would not call, unless she was to learn something, or he was her future husband.
During the first week of January, Robert called and asked if he could start calling. Rhesa said “Sure”. During Robert’s three week trip to Bolivia and Peru, Rhesa left a message on Robert’s cell phone, knowing he was out of town, to ask for forgiveness and wanting to talk when he came back. Robert called the night he returned wondering about the message. They discussed seeing each other again, but were not sure how a long distance relationship would work out.
On one of their first dates, they traveled to Lufkin, Texas to see Titus. A six hour drive turned out to be an eight hour drive because of wrong directions. However, neither of them minded since they had eight hours to talk. The only draw back was that on the trip back Robert was hoarse from talking so much. After this trip was when Rhesa called her best friend Jennifer and said, “He’s the one”. When Jennifer asked how she knew, she said she just knew and, “It’s like faith in Jesus’ saving grace, you know it deep within your soul”. Rhesa also said that she knew he really liked her when he changed his plans and plane ticket to spend one more night in Lufkin so she could hear Titus’ first sermon. Robert said he knew he loved Rhesa from the very first date but had decided to respect her boundaries because of what she had said in their first parting in college about not seeing a future in their relationship. Needless to say, their relationship flourished in a short time.
On February 14th Robert asked Rhesa to be his girlfriend. During the second week of March, Robert asked Rhesa, “So, are you ready?” She said yes and asked, “Are you?” He said yes and continued to talk about other things. Up to this time Robert had been calling Rhesa every night so you can imagine her anxiety when he didn’t call the next night, in light of their previous night’s, short conversation on whether they were ready to get married. Come to find out that was the night he called her father and asked for her hand in marriage and them went out and bought the engagement ring. Robert tells of his surprise in how easy it was to ask Rhesa’s father for their permission and blessing. He was nervous but to his surprise her dad said yes in his first sentence and also said that he had hoped something would come out of their relationship even from the first time he had met him when they were dating in college.
One week later on March 21st, 2003, when Rhesa was visiting Robert in Kansas City, Robert asked Rhesa to be his wife. Rhesa had no idea he was going to propose. He had arranged fro Rhesa to stay with the Duey family, from his church, but she had not met them yet; so he also arranged for them to be at the restaurant that night. They sat across from the couple and videoed them. The family also caught on tape their stop at a fountain in one of the town squares. There at the fountain Robert and Rhesa took pictures and even got a couple to take their picture together. This couple, who were just sitting leisurely on the park bench enjoying the fountain, also turned out to be some of his friends she had not met yet. Well, that is where he asked her to marry him and, obviously, she said yes. Since then, they have been growing more and more in love, reminding each other of God’s faithfulness as He has provided for them time after time. Great is His faithfulness!
God is faithful! Robert and Rhesa have reminded each other of this almost daily.
Both Robert & Rhesa remember their parent’s telling of how they had been praying for their future mates even before there were born. Then both of them started praying for their future spouse at a very young age.
Robert was called to be a missionary when he was seven years old as he watched a Billy Graham Crusade and told his mom that he was going to go to Russia. Rhesa was called to missions when she was in 5th grade. She was so shy at the time that when an invitation was given for all to stand that felt God’s calling, she stayed seated and prayed silently, and “God I am standing up on the inside.”
Robert was in elementary school when he felt God telling him that one of the ways he would know the girl he was that she would have never kissed another guy. Rhesa made a commitment to God as a sophomore in high school, to never kiss a guy except her husband.
Robert and Rhesa first remember seeing each other in speech class their freshman year in college in Bethany, Ok. Robert was giving a speech on “How to be a clown”, and Rhesa gave a speech on “How to make guacamole”. Robert didn’t remember the subject of Rhesa’s speech but he did remember and filed away the facts that she had grown up in Guatemala and spoke Spanish.
Robert was a very good friend with Rhesa’s younger brother, Titus, so the two saw each other from time to time at different functions such as musicals and recitals. Robert and Rhesa were the two clowns on campus at Southern Nazarene University, where they were attending, so they were also thrown together at different functions such as immunization clinics that called for clowns.
Robert finally got up the courage to ask Rhesa out their 5th year at SNU. Rhesa recalls Robert getting on one knee to ask her out as she was sitting in the music building lounge. They went out for a couple of months up to the time of graduation when Robert asked to continue corresponding with Rhesa as he went off to seminary in Kansas City. Rhesa turned him down flat, saying she saw no future in their relationship. In reality, she now admits to feeling a soul connection with Robert, but was “sacred to death” at the time.
Robert and Rhesa, on several occasions, stayed updated on each other’s lives through their mutual friend and brother, Titus. Robert confesses that he would have never called Rhesa, for she had already turned him down. Not until Christmas of 2002, when Rhesa was in need of a clown, for her original clowning partner had fallen ill, did they come into contact again, Robert was flying in from K.C. for the holidays to be with his family. He arrived at 6:30 and went clowning at 7:00. Rhesa remembers thinking, “Oh I hope he calls me,” but had prayed as she had many other times, that he would not call, unless she was to learn something, or he was her future husband.
During the first week of January, Robert called and asked if he could start calling. Rhesa said “Sure”. During Robert’s three week trip to Bolivia and Peru, Rhesa left a message on Robert’s cell phone, knowing he was out of town, to ask for forgiveness and wanting to talk when he came back. Robert called the night he returned wondering about the message. They discussed seeing each other again, but were not sure how a long distance relationship would work out.
On one of their first dates, they traveled to Lufkin, Texas to see Titus. A six hour drive turned out to be an eight hour drive because of wrong directions. However, neither of them minded since they had eight hours to talk. The only draw back was that on the trip back Robert was hoarse from talking so much. After this trip was when Rhesa called her best friend Jennifer and said, “He’s the one”. When Jennifer asked how she knew, she said she just knew and, “It’s like faith in Jesus’ saving grace, you know it deep within your soul”. Rhesa also said that she knew he really liked her when he changed his plans and plane ticket to spend one more night in Lufkin so she could hear Titus’ first sermon. Robert said he knew he loved Rhesa from the very first date but had decided to respect her boundaries because of what she had said in their first parting in college about not seeing a future in their relationship. Needless to say, their relationship flourished in a short time.
On February 14th Robert asked Rhesa to be his girlfriend. During the second week of March, Robert asked Rhesa, “So, are you ready?” She said yes and asked, “Are you?” He said yes and continued to talk about other things. Up to this time Robert had been calling Rhesa every night so you can imagine her anxiety when he didn’t call the next night, in light of their previous night’s, short conversation on whether they were ready to get married. Come to find out that was the night he called her father and asked for her hand in marriage and them went out and bought the engagement ring. Robert tells of his surprise in how easy it was to ask Rhesa’s father for their permission and blessing. He was nervous but to his surprise her dad said yes in his first sentence and also said that he had hoped something would come out of their relationship even from the first time he had met him when they were dating in college.
One week later on March 21st, 2003, when Rhesa was visiting Robert in Kansas City, Robert asked Rhesa to be his wife. Rhesa had no idea he was going to propose. He had arranged fro Rhesa to stay with the Duey family, from his church, but she had not met them yet; so he also arranged for them to be at the restaurant that night. They sat across from the couple and videoed them. The family also caught on tape their stop at a fountain in one of the town squares. There at the fountain Robert and Rhesa took pictures and even got a couple to take their picture together. This couple, who were just sitting leisurely on the park bench enjoying the fountain, also turned out to be some of his friends she had not met yet. Well, that is where he asked her to marry him and, obviously, she said yes. Since then, they have been growing more and more in love, reminding each other of God’s faithfulness as He has provided for them time after time. Great is His faithfulness!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Love Language
So many things happening so fast, but through it all the one thing that I can say with great assurance is that God is GOOD! So you know by now we are going to the Russia area as volunteers, serving at a school as an administrator and a nurse. Looking back and how everything has gone, I can't do anything but marvel at how God's hand has been in every step and in every detail, even the smallest. Rhesa and I got a call from our HQ the day after we turned our applications in, November 29th, our aniversary. What a special anniversary gift to us from God! Then we get an official letter of invitation from the school where we will be serving, on Feb. 14th, Valentine's Day, and the day I asked Rhesa to be my girlfriend right before I proposed to her. Two very special days in our lives made even more significant and special by the Lord, showing us how much He loves us.
Here are more examples of how God is working in our lives, and in the words of our dear friend Rhonda, these are our "but God" moments. Moments when all seemed impossible, but God stepped in.
1. Last weekend we had a garage sale to sell off most of our belongings and we sold almost everything. We made enough to pay off all of Mikayla's large medical bills. GOD IS GOOD!
2. In November, actually, right after the first time we turned in our applications, and they never got to HQ, Mikayla, our youngest daughter, fell off of our bed and had a depressed skull fracture which required corrective surgery. Well, we had to take out a loan for the amount that we supposedly owed, which was $6000. Well I called, and it turned out our insurance was going to pay more that we thought. Well, Monday of this week, I get a phone call from our insurance saying that they had already made a payment to the hospital, and that payment was not correct. They sent an additional payment, leaving our bill at $1000 something, that of which $945 has already been paid, leaving our balance at $101. GOD IS GOOD!!!
3. The Doctor who performed Mikayla's crainiotomy, was paid, and we were left with a balance of $600. Monday, we got a new invoice with a new amount of $200. GOD IS GOOD!
4. In December, after three consecutive ear infections and three seperate antibiotics, our doctor suggested Mikayla get tubes put in he ears. We did, and then we got a bill from the facility for $1000. I called, and they had made a mistake, all we owe is about $150. GOD IS GOOD!
5. Finally, this one seems so small and insignificant, but God is still working! We were going to have to move into an apartment in Russia. We were not extremely excited over this fact, but were willing to do what it took to immerse ourselves in the culture and the people. Well Monday night, I get a phone call from the director of the school where I will be working, and among other things, he told me about a family who is leaving Russia for a year, and who have their own home. They are looking for someone to live in their home for a year. Again this is tiny and so insignificant, but for us it is such a huge blessing. Even just the possibility of having a house where we have enough room for the kids to play and feel semi- normal while they are adjusting to life in Russia, is HUGE. GOD IS GOOD!!!
I know I have rambled on, but I just had to share with you all how God, even now, is working. All we can do is be obedient, stand back and watch Him work.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)