Josh and Keri

So I know you are all sitting on the edge of your seats waiting to hear about whether or not we got the Condo. Well………………………………………………..WE DID!!!!! Yay. We are so excited but now we feel like there is a ton of things we need to get done! We have to pack and get all the paperwork in order, get a home inspection done, and just so much more.

But the good news is that now when you all come to visit we have a place to put you! We have a 2 bedroom and 1 and 1/2 bathroom. As apposed to our now one bedroom 600sq foot apartment. Don’t get me wrong it is still a small place. In both MI and IN this place would be considered an apartment….but not on the good old east coast! here we call them Condos! We will have access to a swimming pool and tenis courts and a rec room. So we are excited about taking this next step in life. Any one want to come help us move? It would only coast a plane ticket, a few meals, and um some furniture (as our spare bedroom does not have a bed yet) he he he just kidding. I will post pictures as soon as we move.

Love

Keri and josh

Today I sat in a confrence room at work, listening not so intently upon my manger’s words about how he is wanting to change the company….when all of a sudden I see a flash across the ceiling go from the far right to the far left side of the room. Again, and again…I don’t understand it is coming about ever thirty seconds. Or to someone like me who seems to see things in rhythm instead of time it was coming every measure. I was facinated at tryint to figure out what this could be. Now conicidently it was also apear just at the top of the windows on that side of the room. And it looked like this white thing that  went for the right to the left. I could not figure out what it was….a bird….well if so it would have to be a seagull but how would it know to go ever for four beats or so? A plane? No, they don’t travel that close together. What could it be. I was so distracted, so enamored, and detirmined to figure out what this could be I literally missed about fifteen minutes of our meeting. With that realization I was very happy I was not in fifth grade again and in dread of being called on by the teacher who can tell you are obviously not listening.

 so after about fifteen minutes or so…I realized it had to be the reflection of the cars on the street below as they passed by. While this did provide a conclusion to my utter confusion, it is not the point of the story.

I realized how distracted I really was in just those fifteen minutes. Right, I can hear you all saying, “yes Keri we know you have ADD.”

But I had to wonder, how often are we distracted in life? and in those moments, what are we missing?

I watched a music video I’ve seen several times before where the Creator and his creation are walking hand in hand…..doing a dance if you will. The creation Marvles at what the creator has to offer and show it. Suddenly, from out of no where the enemy sneaks in and distracts the creation from it’s creator. Slowly but surely they drift apart…..In the end the creator sacrifices itself for the well being of the created and they walk hand in hand off the stage. I know we all know what this represents…but just a quick thought.

A simple distraction takes the created is taken further and further away. Caught up in greed, gluteny, and pride. I wonder how often do I spend my time “distracted?”

what seems to be innocent enough, is just one step away from the Lord’s path in my life….yet WHAT is that shiny thing just two steps away? Well now I have to find out what that is.

So here is the question…..What distraction has the enemy stratecigally placed in your life. Because my friend if you think it just happened….let me assure it did not. Things that take you further from your faith……do not JUST HAPPEN…but are a DISTRACTION.

Ok not really, but we are getting there. we have put in an offer on a 2 bedroom 1 and 1/2 bath condo this week. The sellers did counter us and we countered them once again. We are praying diligently to see if this is the home the Lord has for us. So we shall see. but please keep us in your prayers and we will keep you updated!!!! YAY

There she lay upon the hot moistened sand, in the dreadfully defeated ground. Her cheeks intimately coming to know the smell of evaporating hope, unprotected from the sun’s abusive hands.

 

Anyone passing by would have thought she had passed out from the gapping open wounds; the worst part may have been that she was still acutely aware of what was going on around her. The enemy’s soldiers were currently occupied with carrying out their general’s plan of defeat. Her helmet lay just out of reach over her head as though begging her to try for it. Her weapons and belt which held most of them, had been thrown Lord knows how far from her body. Clothes were ripped and exposed most of her torso, as her right foot held on loosely to the boot it owned. The precious shield she usually shook behind was just to her right, though she was not sure her arms could support the weight of now. Even if her muscles did not burn from the beatings, she was not sure her shield would be enough to get her off the battle field at this point. While her eyes remained closed she could sense her fellow soldiers were either wounded or none existent. Was she to blame for the separation?

 

 

 

 

Now I don’t know what it is like to be on the forefront of a battle field that is for sure. But if I had to imagine my own life as a battle for spiritual warfare at this point….I honestly believe I would be the character above.

 

I surrendered upon my knees this morning and threw myself before the Lord. Over some issues I was having at work. Deep with in the prayer where I was explaining to God my situation and how poorly I was being treated and how miserable I was, I saw a battle field. I watched as a lifeless body just laid there, with some armor spread all around them. Suddenly I remember the Music Camp I spent at my church where we learned this song about the ARMOR of GOD. I thought, “Weird.” I hated that song, and what could that possible have to do with me.

 

It is in those moments, where nothing makes sense and then all of a sudden it is so profound you wonder why you didn’t see it before, That you know it is God putting you face to face with the truth of who you are! He takes the time to figure out how to confuse you enough to get hold of your undivided attention…and just when you think you are going crazy he reveals the meaning behind the situation. Sound unbelievable? It is, but look it up. How many times did the disciples sit/stand before Jesus not only thinking he was crazy, but they might just be as well, before he spelled out the meaning behind each parable?

 

I realized in that small moment, that I was right where Satan has strategically place me on this battle field called earth. My armor was spread all about me just out of reach, and surely his demons could not have enough power to throw them away? No, I had slowly over the course of this battle, taken off my armor. Some how thinking I no longer needed it. I was in a new environment and I needed to fit, I might stick out if I wore it all the time. I would pick it back up if I needed it.

 

There lay my belt of truth along side my sword of the spirit just out of reach. My helmet of salvation was disillusioned by the self saving attitude I placed in my head. My vest of righteousness became a shade of grayness, and my prayers became none existent.

 

As I began to read the scripture that contains the truth of which pieces of armor are priceless. I thought perhaps it if I walked out my door that afternoon with the helmet or the sword I would be Good!!! Apparently I was more blind then I thought.

 

I read about how important the full armor was in order to concur anything. I set forth upon my march towards the meeting I was about to have with my managers about how “Wronged” I was. And I prayed. I prayed for the entire drive to work. Half way through the drive, I realized something…I was only trying to pray. For the first time in my life I felt as though I fully understood the meaning of having two sides of your brain. The Left side, was praying and trying to convince God I was a good person and listening to praise and worship cd I had in my car. The Right side of my brain was in the process of “Enacting” how my meeting would play out with the managers. I was planning what I would say, then how they would respond and then what I would say next.  I know what you are thinking and yes, I am multi talented.

 

I stopped…mainly because I was at a red light. But I stopped, I turned off my music and I began to pray out loud for the devil and God to hear both. I said, “God, I have to surrender to you. These ‘discussions’ never end up the way I envision them going on my head.” I began to pray heavily asking God to help me surrender to him this issue…this
Battle if you will. At that moment I was again Transported back in time to my early years of faith. I was suddenly standing in my old church looking at the big screen during praise and worship. I remembered this song about how “The Battle Belongs to the Lord” Now I could not say for certain how long it had been since I had sang….let along heard this song. Suddenly my mouth opened and I sang in the right melody, “The battle belongs to the Lord.” And I didn’t stop there I continued, “When the enemy presses and darkness surrounds, the battle belongs to the Lord, and we Sing glooooory, Hoooonor, Power and Strength to the Lord” Which is basically the whole song. I was literally stunned that I would remember this song. But I sang this song almost my entire ride into work…..If I began to start thinking about my upcoming meeting, I would stop and sing. Over and over again, I said the battle belongs to the Lord.

 

I would be lying if I said I went in to my meeting and everything went perfectly. It was hard, emotional, frustrating, etc. But I made it through. And if you read Ephesians 6, it does not say “you wear this armor and you will never lose.” But it does say, “you will stand firm and you will stand strong.”

 

Before today I felt weak, helpless, and tired of life. But now I’m beginning to pick up my armor, put it on slowly piece by piece and for the first time in a long time I am STANDING FIRM.

 

This is my story….what is yours.

A few months ago…I thought that life could not get any harder. I can’t say I was right or that I was wrong. But the truth is that we would not have made it through with out those God has strategically place in our life to help us along the hard rocky path.

During times of doubt and utter misery we turned to family, friends, teachers, and prayer wariors for help. Some offered words of wisdom, others offered a loving ear, some offered plans or their personal stories. We had a lot of help and some times I can easly over look the fact that so many people helped carry us through. Out here it is easy to think we are on our own and that we have to fight the battles alone. we forget while not in close proximity that there are people out there who love us and truly truly care about our quality of life. 

Josh got word today that he recieved a grant we have been waiting for that will provide funding for us for the next year and allow him to continue to follow his dreams and pursue research in the area that interests him the most. I am still waiting to see the results of some new medicine that I’m trying. We are continueing to question are believes and what we have been told to blindly think and follow all our lifes. We are meeting new people and trying to understand their believes and their struggles as well.

 We could not have made it this far with out many of you.

To Josh Mother Judy Campbell…because of you we know the power of prayer and the strength of a woman. We know the love of a mother and the desire to see her children be all they can be.

to Josh’s father Rick Campbell…we have leaned on you many of times from learning to fix things around the house, to getting the dent out of our brand new car that was only two weeks old (if you don’t know the story do not ask!) Along with finacial descions.

To Josh’s sister, we have learned the art of decorating and how furniture works to accent a room and should not overwhelm it.

To My Mother Lin Jarratt…we have learned to embrace life. We’ve learned the beauty of health and happiness. We have learned to scrap by on pennies and to cherish the little things. Like  birthday presents that do not involve any pennies to a simple slow dance.

To my sister…Kelly, we’ve learned the importance of always working towards being a better person. We’ve learned to always put family first and to be the bigger person….even when it hurts.

To all our Aunt’s and Uncle’s….we have learned that we always have people to turn to when we can not find our way. We’ve learned that you are not just old people he heh e but people who have lived life and have so much wisdom and experience to share with us.

To our friends…we’ve learned to have fun, to laugh even when the flood waters seem so high you could drown if you open your mouth. We’ve learned what loyalty is and that we always have people to confide in.

To God….we are still learning from you. And while your parables and proverbs are often hard to follow and internalize we continue to have faith. We see your beauty in this wonderful country that you have given us and the love of those you have placed in our life.