Home of the Spuds

It’s been 7 weeks now since we’ve been back in the land of the spuds (potatoes - for all you foreigners of Idaho)!  The adjustment has been challenging for our family because of the transformation that took place in our hearts while in Africa.  We miss the simplicity of life there and have become more aware of the many things that battle for our attention back here in the states, but we are fighting to not fall back into the worldly routines of life and focus more on our relationship with the Lord.  God really poured into us while we were in Africa, and we are still processing everything that was imparted and revealed to us.  What we do know is that our eyes were opened to more of His heart and we have fallen more in love with Him!  He continues to show us what it means to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength.  We love going deeper into His heart because His love never runs out.

We know that some day we will travel again, and possibly even move out of the country, but for now God has called us back to our Jerusalem – Idaho!  We are enjoying the season we are in, simply resting in His presence, but we are excited and hungry for what is to come for the Mason Clan.  We have absolutely no "plan B" and are living our lives fully dependent on Him.  I am still staying at home with the kids and Josh is (for the most part) unemployed.  He is coaching 8th grade football for another week and also teaching one student at George Fox University (once a week) until December, but those are just temporary positions.  Some job opportunities have peaked his interest so we are praying into those and asking God to close the door on ones that are not of Him because we do not want to walk through just any door.  In the meantime, we are allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our steps and impact the culture around us however He wants us to.  Josh has gone to the bar on Saturday nights and prayed over the atmosphere – inviting the Lord’s presence to bring breakthrough and healing for those that are turning to alcohol as a means of comfort.  He offered to drive a drunken man home one night, and through prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit the man became sober immediately upon entering the car.  God is awesome and just being in His presence brings healing!  When we are obedient to the things He asks us to do, He will always come through for us because He is faithful!  I want to be a good steward with the gifts/talents God has given me, and He is showing me some creative ways on how I can take the love of Jesus and impact the culture around me.  God has laid a big dream on our hearts and we are in the infant stages of planning and researching and dreaming more with Him, but we are relying on the Lord to guide our steps because we don’t want to get ahead of Him (Proverbs 16:9).  We don’t know when or where this dream will come to fruition, but until then we are simply loving the journey in between!

The kids are back in school and we did decide to put Christian in public school for kindergarten.  My heart was leaning towards homeschooling, and every time I asked Christian what school he wanted to go to he’d say, “I want to go to mommy’s school at home.”  However, while in Africa the Lord gave me a peace about putting Christian in public school, at least for this year, and simultaneously he spoke to Christian’s heart as well because for the first time since we started talking about school he became excited about going to public school.  Every day he comes home full of joy, and his sister, Jade, has been a big help with hanging out with him in the mornings until the bell rings.  He is coming out of his shell and the Lord is giving him a new sense of courage.