Valentine's Day in Bouillon, BE

We have finally celebrated a holiday in Belgium! This is us with the team for a night out on Valentine's Day. What a treasured memory it is. The kids made a video while we were away so we know they had fun too.

God has been so generous to supply us with new friends, reunite us with old friends and provide new relationships everyday. Rob and I have been busy with meet ups through Internations. You basically meet up for coffee, lunch dates, dinners and even late night gatherings. The best part is meeting people from all over the world. I am so enjoying getting to know and learn something new everyday.

Our new life is not without challenges, life in Brussels is one piece of paperwork after another. I have been to the commune house (think town center) twice this week to bring paperwork to register to live in our commune. This marked my fourth trip. The police will be by soon to make sure we live at our address, if I miss their visit I will make a trip to them. The good thing is people have been kind and patient, using their "limited" english which is infinitely better than my french. 

I know God is behind every smile, every open door and even the re directions. It is great to see how He works all things together usually in a way I didn't expect. :) I am thankful for His guidance and humbled by the opportunity to share His love with those around us in this amazing city.

Please pray with me for the hearts of Brussels to be open and obedient. Thanks and happy weekend from Belgium!

This morning we had the honor of visiting the LifePoint Stewarts Creek campus to be commissioned there. What a blessing to visit this campus and be prayed over and sent out. I am amazed at the ways God continues to encourage and guide us. In his message about Fear of Rejection, Kris Dolberry reminded us of the people rejected by society but accepted by Jesus, Zacchaeus(my favorite little short man) was found in a tree. Another story that God continues to bring to me is the story of feeding the 5,000. As Kris prayed over us he asked God to use our fish and loaves. A small detail to anyone else but a huge reminder to me of God's faithfulness and provision. His love is amazing, it never fails and it never gives up!

"Pray that I will be given the message to speak and that I may FEARLESSLY explain the mystery about the good news" Ephesians 6:19 cev

"There is NO FEAR in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment and whoever fears has not been perfected in love" 1 John 4:18

Love is my word for the year. Simple yes but just look at these verses and see the challenge of it.

1 John 4:8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

and the kicker...
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends...

What a year it will be as I remember and challenge myself to live in that kind of love!
Happy New Year!
Love, Cynthi

We Are Belgium Bound!

Rob received word this morning from the Belgian Consulate that his professional card has been approved! We are officially going to Brussels! God is faithful, His timing is perfect and we are celebrating today for this huge step in our journey to follow Him. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and financial support. We would not be going with out the encouragement and love of our team! Join us in praying for His glory and His name to be made famous in all the earth.

Much Love!

the Laws

Yesterday Rob, Ross and I had the opportunity to be a part of Elevate Jr, a LifePoint Kids event for Kindergarten through 2nd graders. It is such an amazing day, filled with fun, God's word taught in a simple and practical way, music, a balloon man, face paint lady and tons of candy!
The virtue was Responsibility, I was the silly/hippie host and Rob did a terrific job telling three different Bible stories.
 I LOVE kids and it was a happy day to be with them and see their heartfelt worship. Showing you can be trusted with what is expected of you is a big concept but they really got the idea of making a wise choice and treating others the way they want to be treated. It was a blessing to be a part of and I am thankful for the staff and volunteers and their tireless efforts to make it run as smoothly as it did.

Longing for the day we are having an Elevate event in Brussels, BE!

Last Sunday we joined Bryan and Cassi Wolski as they led the worship and service at Meridian Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Greenfield,TN. What an amazing time of heart felt and humble worship it was. The music was amazing and the scripture was encouraging and motivating. Our God is so good! The passage was from Acts 17:22"So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, "To the unknown god." What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,# 25nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us"

Rob was able to share our story of calling and our journey, not just to Brussels, but to following God with everything we have. I have a great appreciation for the ways God continues to bring people into our lives to guide, encourage and convict us. What a blessing to serve The Creator and Savior in such a way!

Special thanks to the Wolskis and Meridian CP Church for an experience we will treasure for a long time!

To All the Doubters...

That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
                                                           -1 Corinthians 2:5 (esv)

There are no doubt some very wise men and women on this planet, even in my own life. While I am impressed by their knowledge and even a little envious, I know that the wisest man is no match for the power of God. I have seen firsthand this power in my own life. It is the power that took two selfish, kids and over a period of 18 years raised them into faithful, generous and selfless followers of Him.

Don't get me wrong we are not perfect, never will be. But following His plan and seeking His will have led to a peace in the midst of many questions, many how will this ever work moments. He has remained faithful, even patient with our whining and impatience.

I choose to believe in Him, in His power to work all things out for good and for His glory. What a blessing it is to know that my life can reflect God's love and unending compassion to the people He created, all of them.

So in a matter of months as we pack up and head off to another continent, know that we are not doing it on a whim or out of self serving intentions. We are living out our worship of a God who knows no boundaries and is solely deserving of all we can give. 

To those who have doubted, thank you for the motivation you have provided. I pray your faith will be increased by the work He is doing. 

Now Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
                                             -Hebrews 11:1