Sushi, Ant Bites & Gold Dollars - v2.0

I started this post earlier, but realized that I had WAY too much info. in it and if we even hope that our friends will read it, I better condense it big time. SO, without further adieu, I give you the bullet-point version of this past weekend:

• Olivia stayed w/Mimi & Papa and we missed her greatly.
• We ate sushi. It was sooo good.
• Garage sale people live by different rules than the rest of humanity. 
• We got bit by a BUNCH of ants!!
• People will buy completely random things, like the lid to a pot, without the pot. 
• Like a watch, minus the band, that we found in the mud. Yes, I am serious. 
• My husband knows how to tarp like a PRO. No joke.
• The day after a heavy rain is humid like no other. 
• It is hard to part with all your "stuff", especially for 50 cents.
• We have amazing friends & family.
• One man paid for his entire purchase with gold dollars. Then I tried to give them back to people as quarters on more than one occasion. 
• Pregnant women + heat + humidity + garage sale + exhaustion = recipe for tears. (Not too many.)
• God has blessed us with two "church families" and both of them are wonderful in their own way.
• There is still a mountain of stuff that we hope to take with us to CR. I have a feeling that the purging is not complete. (This is a good thing, even if it is painful.)

In all seriousness - our garage sale was a great success. We were so blessed by family, friends & even strangers who came by and gave generously. There were so many people who gave above and beyond the "value" of the stuff they bought. I love to see how God is working through His people - and how He provides for us in the most unexpected ways. 

The challenge for the next few weeks is to stay focused, wait on the Lord and trust in His timing and provision for our family. It is a humbling experience to have people willingly sacrifice their time & money to help our family "go". We have never experienced this first-hand. God is so good!!! We are excited about the months ahead for our family, and for our ministry partners. We look forward to seeing God work in ways that BLOW OUR MINDS and YOURS! He is capable of so much more than we can imagine. 

A few prayer requests: 

• Please continue to pray for Olivia.
• Please continue to pray that people would support us as God leads. All our hope is in HIM. 
• Pray that we would be a light to those around us, regardless of our geographical location. 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3

Support Team Update - June 2010

THANK YOU!

For those of you who have given towards our two goals, we want to say a huge THANKS! It has been amazing to see how God is at work. We have been overwhelmed by your generosity and support.

PROJECTED MOVE DATE
We are still hoping to relocate by July 31, 2010. This is fully dependent on God's provision. There are a few unanswered questions about our move, but the biggest determining factor will be whether or not we have the financial support to be able to go.

HOW MUCH IS STILL NEEDED?
As of today (6.7.10) we still need about $2500 in monthly financial partners, and we need a one-time amount of $15,000 to cover our moving expenses. You can read more about what the moving budget covers on our website (http://yesthosehicks.blogspot.com). Would you pray about helping us reach these goals? We cannot go until both goals have been met. Rest assured that any amount you send in now (including monthly support) will be used for our family. Your monthly support is needed now, because Jeremy will need to quit his job early in July, so that he can set up housing in Costa Rica for our family, prior to our move date. Please contact us if you want more information, or have any questions that would help you make a more informed decision about your support of our ministry. To give online, go to www.68ministries.org and click on "Donations" in the top menu. Be sure to include our family's name on the PayPal screen, so that they will know how to direct your support. If you would prefer to mail a check, you can send it to:

6:8 Ministries
c/o Linda Swain
RE: Hicks Family
9 Genesee Street
Scottsville, NY 14546

 

GARAGE SALE THIS WEEKEND
We have already sold over half of our belongings, but there is still a LOT of stuff we need to sell. So, we have decided to have a garage sale! Please come by and see if there's anything you need or want. Send your friends & family by as well. All proceeds from the sale will go towards our moving budget goal.

 

Dates: Friday, June 11th and Saturday, June 12th
Time: 8am - 2pm
Location: 12616 Pulaski Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218
Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=12616+Pulaski+Road,+Jacksonville,+FL+32218&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=12616+Pulaski+Rd,+Jacksonville,+Duval,+Florida+32218&gl=us&ei=m24NTN6EA4P_8Ab3rZHtBQ&ved=0CBYQ8gEwAA&z=16
Phone: 904.514.0783

 

Q&A TIME
We are currently planning a time for a "Q&A Night" with our family. This will be an evening where we are available at a central location for our friends & family to stop by, ask questions, see pictures and find out more about what we are going to be doing in Costa Rica. We will be sending out another email soon with details about this.

PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES

• Praise God!! We finally sold our house, after a lengthy (1 1/2 year) short-sale process.
• We have moved into a temporary housing situation until we leave for Costa Rica. Please pray for Olivia as she struggles to adjust to all these changes.
• Please pray for the financial support that is still needed.
• Praise God! We have potential buyers for both of our vehicles.
• Heather's pregnancy is progressing along - and baby Ava is due on August 28th. Only God knows if she'll be born in Jacksonville or Costa Rica! Please pray for Heather's health, and the baby's, as she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes again.
• Please pray for all of the new 6:8 staff that are relocating to Costa Rica with their families this month.

Thank you for taking time to read this post. And thank you for praying, giving and supporting us in ways that mean so much to our family. We are blessed to have you as a part of our support team! You all play a vital part in this journey of obedience & faith.

 

http://www.68ministries.org/
http://yesthosehicks.blogspot.com/