Came as a Baby

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above everyone name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus  Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:1-11

As I approach my first Christmas as a mom I have been reflecting on Philippians 2 and what it meant for Jesus to come as a baby. I've read this passage over and over and have even memorized it a time or two, but this year the truths in it have sunk in like no other year. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus-we all know the story. Jesus was born to Mary in a lowly manger because there was no room for him at the inn. Take some time for this to sink in, Jesus came as a baby. When I look at Roman and really think about what it means to be a baby, I can't imagine anyone choosing that. Babies are essentially helpless. They depend on their parents for everything; to move, to eat, for entertainment, and if you are Roman you even need parents to help you sleep;) When I think of the Christmas story I really see the humility Jesus portrayed. Jesus is God, perfect, needing nothing, ruler of the universe BUT He gave all that up (temporarily) and came as a helpless, humble baby. What a lesson in humility we can learn from Jesus. It makes me ask the question do I really give up my comfort, security, possessions, time, etc to put others before myself. Many times I do not. But there is hope according to this passage if we belong to Christ this mind is ours in Christ Jesus. We can have this humility but only through trusting Jesus as our Savior and allowing him to move and work in our lives. Praise God that he is the one who gives us strength to put on humility. "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." Colossians 3:12

Casual Christian?

In my quiet times over this past week and throughout our whole series in Acts that we just finished, I have been continually challenged on this idea of "casual Christianity." More and more I am realizing that this "category" shouldn't be a category at all. I am realizing that there actually isn't such a thing! If I have truly experienced God then I should automatically display an outpouring of God's mercy which He has so graciously given me. I have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead inside me! In Act's we see Paul with a singular focus of preaching Christ crucified with boldness! Oh that I would be bold for the Gospel and imitate Paul as He imitated Christ. There was nothing casual about the Christianity that Paul was displaying throughout Act's and there is nothing casual about all of the Christians that are, as I am typing this, being persecuted all over the world.

Don't settle for how the world has polluted the Christian faith, rather look to the Scriptures and see how it was meant to be lived out and pursue that with reckless abandon. We can't afford to do or be anything else. We don't need to look at Jesus as the top of our priorities, rather we need to see Him as directing and informing every situation and decision! 

Is there evidence in our lives that we have been changed:



YOU ARE LOVED

Turkey & Humble Pie

Last week was Thanksgiving and since they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Scotland we decided to host a Thanksgiving meal with a few of our friends here in Glasgow to show them our appreciation for their friendship and to give them a taste of a real American Thanksgiving. I thought I had everything figured out and it wasn't going to be stressful (making a whole Thanksgiving meal by myself with a baby) haha boy was I wrong. Two days before Thanksgiving our oven decided to stop working and we weren't able to get it fixed until after Thanksgiving. My no pressure Thanksgiving meal just got a whole lot harder. Thursday night we went over to a friends to make the brine for the turkey, bake the pumpkin pie,  and bake some bread. That night I proceeded to spill almost half of the brine on the floor, then realized we had nothing big enough for the turkey to brine in overnight, so I put it in a garbage bag:) Friday afternoon we packed up all the food and Roman and went to a friends to cook the rest of the meal. It didn't help that Roman was sick that day and decided to scream during most of the cooking process.

Needless to say the meal could have been a disaster. I found myself quite frustrated at the fact that I couldn't make this meal on my own. I needed to ask for help (something I'm realizing I don't like to do and need to do more often). Thankfully we have some great friends here who opened up their flat so we could cook, helped us cook, and even ran out last minute to buy us a meat thermometer. I also have a great husband who will rock a screaming baby for hours without getting frustrated.

Before the meal

The meal ended up turning out just fine and we had a great night with friends. This Thanksgiving I am thankful for help; for friends, a husband, and a God who do not give up on me and are willing to pick me up when I fall, give me strength when I'm weak, and sacrifice their own comfort for my good. I am learning to swallow my pride and ask for help when I need it because I can't do it on my own and I'm not meant to walk through this life alone. I am finding this so true especially with Roman. The past 3 weeks we have not gotten more than 2 hours a sleep in a row and last night Roman did not sleep for more than an hour at a time. We are exhausted, but I am thankful to have people who will give us a break if we just ask…so I'm going to work on that.

The finished turkey!

So thankful for this smiley boy!

Encouraging Sunday

Full house for church on Sunday

Sunday's service was encouraging on a few different fronts. Firstly, baby dedications are always a joy to experience. Seeing the mother and the father encourage and instruct their child from Scripture at such a young age is very special. This week in particular was especially cool because of the amount of visitors we had who came for the dedication. I was also blessed to lead worship for everyone as well!  Some were Christians and some were probably not and I was very thankful that the Gospel was clearly communicated and that God's Word does not return void. Please be in prayer that God would move in the city of Glasgow and that He would use us to bring people to His name and to fellowship in the local church to continue their growth in Christ.

Worship was also a great time of lifting high the name of Jesus. Even though most of the people didn't know one of the songs we sang, I was and still am encouraged by the lyrics of the song and praying that people come to a more full understanding of what it means to follow Christ. The song is called "I will follow" and it is off the new Vertical Church Band album! The song talks about following Jesus no matter what are circumstances are. That our circumstances should not dictate our affection for Jesus or our resolve to follow Him on a daily basis. Even if we are in a good season in our life we can tend to derail, thinking that we have everything figured out and in effect putting Jesus in a box.

C.S. Lewis said that if Christianity is true it is of utmost importance. If false, it is of no importance. The one thing we can be sure of, however, is that it can never be of moderate importance.

The question that keeps coming back into my mind as we are going through this series in Acts is, how important is living for and preaching Christ on a daily basis in my life? Maybe you need to answer the same question in your own life. Is Christ only of moderate importance, and how you will know will be found in your priorities!

YOU ARE LOVED!

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

After the week I just had I feel like this needs to be my go to verse for awhile. This past week has definitely been a struggle for me and too often I found myself frustrated instead of looking to God, being thankful, and rejoicing in my circumstances. 

The week started off with a super unhelpful doctor's visit. Roman's 6 week check up. Many of you know from reading previous blogs that we have had quite the ride so far with Roman. Many sleepless nights with a very unsettled baby. I found myself asking the doctor and health visitor several questions, but not getting any answers. 

Then my computer crashed. The hard drive on my 7 month old MAC crashed.

Then we had a wedding on Saturday which Roman decided to scream through so I missed most of it.

That night continued down this path with Roman screaming from 2:30-5:30 in the morning and mom and dad getting about 2 hours of sleep from 6-8am.*Side note Roman has been waking up at 2:30 in the morning most nights screaming in pain. So for our friends in the states if you think about it at 8:30pm your time say a prayer for Roman and for Ben and I to have patience and strength to comfort him.

To top it all off Monday night we got on the wrong train and spent an hour both ways traveling to Kilwinning. Of course we would get on the train that's first stop is 30 minutes away.

Tuesday night I was finally going to be able to go to small group again, but Roman had is vaccinations and was frantic up until the point I had to leave.

So this blog may sound like just a lot of complaining, but what I wanted to highlight was that after this week of unfortunate events, God never once turned his back on me. Yea the week was hard, emotionally difficult more than anything, BUT God did not leave us. After this week we have had an outpouring of support from our Harvest Glasgow family from offers to watch Roman, to meals, and gift certificates for date nights. With all this said-God hears us when we cry out to him and has compassion on us according to his steadfast love. Through all the struggle we can have joy and give thanks because God is refining us to be more like his son. 

 God redeemed each of these situations.Not that he had to to be worthy of my praise, but he did because that's what kind of God he is. A compassionate God who deeply cares for his children even in regards to the small things. 

My computer is still under warranty so is being fixed for free. We had a great reminder that marriage is not about us, but about reflecting Christ's love, got to see my boys all dressed up in kilts, and got some great family pictures. A friend offered to take Roman all day Sunday so Ben and I could spend some time together and catch up on some sleep. We had an extra hour and a half of relaxation on the train while Roman was quiet and content-he loves the movement of the train. And instead of going to small group Roman slept and I got to spend some quality time with a friend reading the Word and encouraging one another. So these situations may not have gone exactly as I had planned, but God blessed me through each of them and I am thankful for these hidden roses amongst the thorns.

7110 Encouragements

Although as of late there have been a slough of challenges thrown our way as a family, (some of which I will probably let Dani tell you next week) God has been so faithful to us in so many ways since we have been here in Scotland.  One of those ways is all the people who have graciously given of their time talents and treasures to help us be here.  One specific way in all of that where I have been extremely blessed and encouraged is to look at our blog statistics and see how many people are actually reading our blogs. Sometimes blogs can feel mundane, you don't know what to write about all the time, and sometimes just don't want to do it. However, knowing that people who have supported us from the beginning who are still praying for, and interested in our journey are tracking with our blog is amazing! It really confirms on all fronts that we are not meant to do this Christian life alone and that all of us should either be involved in the going or the sending!

35 weeks with 7110 page views on our blog. We are so thankful for everyone who has taken their time to show care, concern, and a real interest in what we are doing for the Lord here in Scotland. Always feel free to comment on our blogs and let us know what you think, and if that's not an option we'd love to hear from you via email as well.

daniarant@gmail.com
benarant@gmail.com

*cool side notes*
- Dani and I took Roman to his first basketball game this past week! Starting him early of course.
- I've been invited to practice with the best amateur basketball team in Scotland for a potential spot on the team!

At Romans first basketball game

getting ready for my first practice

YOU ARE LOVED!

Smiles

This little cutie has not only stolen my heart, but also all my time,  energy, and sleep this week. So instead of writing a blog you can enjoy this beauty!!

So Much More

When I think back through the years I have been a Christian and all the years spent going to church, I'm always struck by how mundane church use to feel. How I would either just go because my parents did, or go because it was the "right" thing to do. I definitely spent a lot of my life going through the motions as it were. And the thing about it was, I only had myself to blame. I never really took seriously, or really thought about the implications of the Gospel and what the local church really meant and stood for.

I think throughout my time at University God was chiseling away at my heart and showing me that in Him there was so much more! Through some God ordained friends I really started to see that how I was living was selfish and prideful. I grew a lot while I was at University, but still really didn't have a real clue about what church was suppose to look like.

After Dani and I had been married a while and living in La Crosse, God started to stir in both our hearts. He was giving us the same message, which was really cool! He was telling us that there was more, so much more that He had in store for us. We didn't have a clue what that meant, but we knew something had to change!

Then God connected us with Steve Deedrick who was planting a church in my hometown, Rochester. At first we were hesitant about everything, but once we sat down and heard the vision for Harvest Bible Chapel, Rochester, we knew this was God's doing and God's door! We took a step of faith and walked through that door, and let me tell you, it was one of the best decisions we ever made as a married couple. God began a work in my heart, giving me a passion for the local church and the lost in the city of Rochester. God was revealing Himself in new, fresh ways and I was growing more than ever before in my walk with the Lord.

"This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes." Psalm 118:23

God has continued to grow us up in the faith and we are now half way across the world serving at another Harvest Bible Chapel in Glasgow, Scotland. I never thought I would be in the place that I am in life right now.  It is absolutely crazy to see God at work in my life and in the lives of those around me.

This blog not only serves as a reflection, but also a challenge. First off, God loves you. He knows you better than you even know yourself.  In his grace and mercy He sent His son to pay the penalty for our sins! He has made a way for us to be part His family again, and anyone has the opportunity to accept this gift. Today could be your day!

Second challenge. Do you care as much about the local church as God does?  Are you devoting yourself to serving the Lord in the local church? Are you making disciples? I guarantee you that you will grow more than ever before if you devote yourself to making disciples in every area of your life, but specifically through the God ordained local church.

YOU ARE LOVED!

A video of encouragement

Great Expectations

Before having Roman I had a lot of expectations of what being a parent would be like. I read books and blogs and articles on how to get baby on a routine and how often to feed babies. I knew having a new born would be hard and there would be sleepless nights and my time would no longer be my own. With all of this knowledge I thought things would be much easier than they actually are.

The first week home from the hospital really was quite a blur. I honestly can't remember much about it other than being so filled with joy that our baby was finally here. With that joy you basically do whatever you need to do to take care of your baby even if it means staying up all night. I think God sustains you as well, and gives you strength you didn't know you could ever have.

However after a month in I'm realizing how difficult life can be with a baby. With the bombardment of information I feel overwhelmed because my baby doesn't fit the mold. My baby doesn't take 3-5 naps a day (I'm lucky if he will take one good nap). My baby cries, a lot (which may be an understatement). I can't handle listening to my peanut cry and cry it out just isn't going to work at our house. I don't have family I can call to come over and relieve me for a few hours, and my baby won't take a bottle which makes it even harder for me to get a break.


For example yesterday Roman woke up at 6:30 ate, cried, and then finally went down for a nap. He woke up around 9 ate and fussed some more. He cried the whole morning and wouldn't fall asleep until the afternoon where he slept on and off for no more than 30 minutes. This cry wasn't just your average cry. It was the blood curdling, lip quivering, red faced, head dripping with sweat cry that breaks my heart. The rest of the day followed suit and ended with an evening crying session lasting basically from 5-9 with breaks to feed in between. At that point I think I cried as much as he did. I cried out of frustration, not frustrated with him, but myself for not being able to settle my child. I cried out of sorrow that my baby was in pain. I cried out of exhaustion. But I also cried out to God, asking him why he had given me more than I could handle.

Roman at his finest.

He didn't answer at least not how I wanted. Roman continued to cry. But I realized God didn't give me more than I could handle, he gave me what it took for me to hand it over to God and let him carry my burden. Our God is a gracious God who loves us, wants what's best for us, and comforts us in our pain.   God also knew I needed a break so today Roman has been an angel, sleeping in his bed during his naps, eating well, and even allowing me to go for a walk with a friend.

With all that said, I don't love Roman anymore today than I did yesterday. A mother's love isn't dependent on the behavior of her child. I believe God is the same way. He doesn't love me more on my good days than on my bad ones. He loves me just the same and gives me grace in the moments when I need it most. I'm so thankful for a loving father whose love never changes, never fails, and never leaves me for a moment.

Even though life with a fussy or (colicky) baby is difficult I wouldn't change it for the world. I love being the one to comfort, love, protect, and care for Roman. This past month has been filled with joy and a love for a son that I couldn't even imagine.

Happy one month little stud!

Roman turned one month on Tuesday!

YOU ARE LOVED!

Plan, Provision, Place

I am reminded this week of God's plan. The Gospel must never get old, forgotten, or taken for granted. God sent His son to die MY death! I am also reminded this week of God's provision. Through my doubt and impatience, God has always given what was needed according to His will.  A beautiful and healthy baby boy, recovery for Dani, and the strength to continue joys and struggles of raising a child! God is good!

However, more than anything else this week I am reminded of God's place in my life. I am reminded of this because of my failure at times to practically live in such a way that puts Him on the throne of my life. The challenges of this new normal for me have definitely brought out my inadequacies in this area. At times over the past 3 weeks I have been reminded of the passage in Romans where Paul talks about doing what he doesn't want to do, even though he wants to do good.

"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is the sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, bit is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." Romans 7:15-20

My deepest desire and passion is to know God and make His name known, and it can be so frustrating when I sway from what I know I love and want. My family is so important to me, but as I have said before they are only important to me because of the intrinsic value that God has given them, and also the love He has given me for them! God alone needs to be my deepest desire and passion, and all else will flow from that reality!

YOU ARE LOVED

*bonus family pic

4 Years and a Baby

Well it hasn't been quite four years since we got married, but my mom who is visiting graciously offered to watch Roman so we could go out to celebrate our 4 year wedding anniversary which is on October 24th. Every year on our anniversary we like to look back over the year and talk about our favorite memories together. Well this year was a no brainer...Roman is definitely our year 4 highlight.

As we reminisced over the past year we kept coming back to the fact that we have been so blessed this year. Last October is when we officially decided on coming to Glasgow and we started fundraising in November. Much of this past year has included raising support to come to Scotland and actually living in Scotland. We kept talking about Harvest Rochester and all the support we have received from so many people. So many from that church have blessed us in incredible ways and we cannot wait to get back to those people to see them again and thank them. One highlight in particular was our big fundraising dinner we had about a month before we left. That night in particular we felt so blessed, loved, and supported. The best part of the evening was when one of the elders from our church came up to the front and called others to come up, put hands on us, and pray for us. It was such a special and powerful moment.

I am so blessed with Ben and Roman. The past four years have been years I don't deserve spent with a man that I don't deserve. Ben has been such a gracious, forgiving, loving, and supportive husband. I couldn't ask for a better man to be married to and I am so thankful for his leadership, friendship, and love. Roman is also a gift that I do not deserve and I love that baby more everyday. I am so thankful God has given that wee boy to us to love.

I've been thinking a lot about parents this past week especially with having my mom here. She has been such a blessing to us and has served us so selflessly this past week or so. I hope that one day I can serve Roman and any other children we have with that same love and selflessness. I have also been thinking about my love for Roman and how I would do anything to keep him from harm and do what is best for him, realizing that he may not like everything I do, but in the long run it is for his own good. God is the same way. He loves us more than we could ever imagine. He wants what is best for us, even if that means we must suffer first. He knows what is best and was even willing to sacrifice his son for our life. Being a mom, I can't even imagine what it would be like to have my only son go through that much pain and suffering and death. We truly are blessed to have a heavenly father who loves us beyond measure and desires to give us good gifts that we don't deserve.

When I look back over the next 4, 8, 16, or how ever many years of marriage and motherhood God grants me I pray I will always see the blessings God showers on me.

You are loved!

Husband and Fathers Perspective

You always hear that the experience of having your first child is unlike any other, and with all of the different emotions associated, that it is really hard to describe or explain any of it! Well I will definitely concur that it was unlike anything I have ever experienced and I am going to try to do my best to give you all my perspective of the incredible miracle of the birth of our baby boy Roman Finley Arant.

I think in the back of both of our minds there was always a little bit of nervousness associated with being in a new country and the level of healthcare we would receive specifically surrounding the birthing process. I would say of the two of us that I tend to be a little more positive and optimistic about unknown situations, so I definitely took it upon myself to be just that, positive!

Romans due date quickly came and was gone, and we were left with an induction date that seemed like an eternity away.  Since we slowed down with a lot of other responsibilities the days seemed to drag on longer than normal as we, probably to a fault, wished he would just come already! I attempted as best as I could during that time to be an encourager to Dani, remembering that God is sovereign and knew exactly the date of Romans arrival even though we didn't.

With a little bit of discouragement, we finally reached the date of our induction with no signs that Roman was going to make an appearance. So we went to the hospital, got all checked in and then just sat and waited, and waited, and waited a little more. Finally Dani was given her first dose of the induction pill, and then you'll never guess what happened next. Yep, we waited, and waited again!  We played some games had some chats, shot the breeze, you know...all that good stuff.  Until visiting hours came to and end and I had to leave. It was a rather weird sensation knowing I had to leave, wanting to stay, but knowing sleep would be good.  So I got picked up and went home.  I was super antsy when I got home and I wasn't able to sleep for the longest time.  Finally I laid down and tried to fall asleep around 1:30am, and shortly after Dani called me and said, I'm in a lot of pain you should come in.  At that point I thought to myself, well...she's been saying that she's been in a lot of pain for the last 3 months, is this any different? Great husband, I know. At any rate, I of course agreed to come back in so I called some friends from church who graciously picked me up and brought me back into the hospital.

Not long after I arrived the contractions were in full swing. I really could have missed the whole thing, so God was definitely gracious to me. From this point on, of all the emotions I was feeling, I think the overwhelming one for the majority of the process was seeing Dani in that much pain, making that much noise.  That was tough!

3 hours into the contractions the pushing began.  The whole thing was just incredible.  Dani was absolutely amazing and she just blew my mind. I didn't think at any point I would cry, and if there was going to be one point, it would be when Roman was born and I got to hold him.  However, that wasn't the case. There was a moment in between Dani's pushing where she said "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13) Roman appeared after the NEXT push! Tears.

The next events happened so quickly that it was hard to even comprehend what was going on.  Roman was born, placed on mommy's chest, I cut the umbilical chord, and then the midwife realized how much blood Dani was actually losing.  about 10 nurses and doctors came in sort of in a frantic.  Meanwhile, they handed me the baby and I just watched. I didn't know what was going on and I had a brand new, bloody baby in my arms!  Finally one of the midwives came over and gave me an idea of what was going on and took the baby to get him all checked out and cleaned up.

Dani went into surgery as Roman and I waited patiently in the recovery room.  After a few hours of waiting they finally came in, explained everything that had happened and what kind of surgery Dani had needed.  We then proceeded to go to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) where we stayed for the next few days so that Dani could fully recover.

Through those few days God taught me a lot about what it means to be a husband and a father. He also taught me that I need to fully put my trust in him especially when I have no control over a situation, this being one of those situations.  I learned more about what it means to be selfless, caring, compassionate, and more about how to role up my sleeves even when I am tired.  Dani is completely worth it and Roman is completely worth it because God himself gives them worth and value. A new life is such a miracle and I am so blessed to have the privilege of saying that I am a father and husband!

Welcome to the World Roman Finley

Roman Finley Arant
8lbs 13 ounces
Born 5:22am 22 September, 2013

Our little man has finally arrived and boy was he worth the wait. Although we were really hoping he would come in his own time, I did have to go in to get induced on Saturday. Saturday afternoon we went into the hospital at about 2pm. We went up to the labor ward and waited for a couple hours before we were told or given anything. At about 4pm I was given my first dose of medicine to start the induction process although it didn't do much. At 8pm Ben had to leave and I still had no signs of labor. The midwife came in at 10pm to give me my second dose than told me to get some sleep because contractions would start soon. It was a weird and scary thought knowing the pain was coming but exciting knowing our boy was coming soon. At midnight my contractions started and things progressed quite quickly from that time on. Ben was allowed to come back at 2am and stay the rest of the night. Roman made his arrival at 5:22am on Sunday the 22nd. We say he has two birthdays the 22nd in Scotland and the 21st in America! I'm sure he will love having two birthdays growing up.

Right after Roman was born I only got to hold him for about 30 seconds. The midwives soon realized that I was loosing too much blood. About 10 doctors came rushing in gave Ben the baby and whisked me away to the theater (operating room). I had to have an emergency surgery because my uterus wouldn't contract and I lost about 3 liters of blood which is about half my supply. There was no time even to fear or be aware of what was going on for that matter because everything happened so quickly. Daddy got lots of one-on-one time while I was away in surgery. It took all of Sunday and most of Monday for me to recover from the blood loss, I had to have a transfusion and was under heavy anesthetics. Sunday was difficult because I wasn't even able to hold Roman for the first day and was on complete bed rest. However we had great care during our stay in the hospital. I was in the high dependency ward and had a midwife looking after me the entire time with doctors popping in constantly. The midwives took great care feeding, changing, and comforting Roman during this time, since Ben could only be there during visiting hours. Although the doctors kept telling me we had a very traumatic experience, all I could think of was how thankful I was to have a healthy baby, a super supportive husband, and great doctors and midwives who acted quickly to take care of me.

Saturday night I was reflecting on Isaiah 55 and God's ways being higher than our ways. I had so many ideas and plans for how I wanted the delivery to happen, but God knows best and he is sovereign. Even though we had a "traumatic" experience I wouldn't change one second of it, because it is what God planned and we have such a beautiful boy as a result of God's perfect plan. Roman is definitely our precious gift from God and I pray we will remember that throughout all the sleepless nights!

Cuddling with Daddy

Finally home!

Chilling out to Shane and Shane with my basketball. Just like mommy & daddy

Ready to head home!

The Art of Induction

Wow, it's been a crazy last week or so. It feels like the last week went really fast, but also really slow.  We are now officially 9 days over due for Baby Arant, and the anticipation is getting harder and harder. We are trying to stay busy and positive even though there hasn't been much signs of the wee one coming any time soon. However, as you may know, our induction date is set for Saturday afternoon, so either way he's not far off! I think one of the difficult things is that Dani throughout this whole pregnancy refused to take any type of medication as that is not her style, and to finish it off by induction seems rather depressing. Although, no matter what, the result of the natural birth or the induction birth will be our sweet baby boy and for that we are truly blessed and grateful.

We have been so blessed by all the support here in Scotland.  It seems like we have more baby stuff than we know what to do with or even have room for in our flat! That's probably a good problem to have though!  Everyone has been so thoughtful and shown their concern through prayer, car rides, and just connecting with us regularly to see how the process is going! We are grateful for our Harvest Glasgow family!  We are also grateful for our family back home. For the support all the way across the ocean. We praise God for so many wonderful, generous, and caring people that He has placed in our lives!

We ask that you would not stop praying for us and connecting with encouragements. You have helped us continue the fight of life and with this new addition coming we will need all the prayers and encouragement we can get!

YOU ARE LOVED!

*If you haven't had a chance to see some of the ways Dani and I have been working on trying to induce labor then you are in for a treat! Here are a couple videos for your enjoyment!

What I learned from Laura

Last Wednesday my friend Laura arrived for a wee visit. Laura was serving in Uganda for the past year and stopped in Glasgow on her way back home to the States. Laura and I have been friends since middle school. We met at camp, went to the same college, and she was in our wedding. I felt slightly bad as I was not able to show her much of Scotland, being 40 weeks pregnant is not the best time to travel the country. However we did go for a walk downtown, walk around Pollock Park to see the Highland Cattle, and she was able to come to church with us on Sunday.

It was such a blessing having Laura here. Not only did she clean, do dishes, and cook us meals, it was so nice to be able to chat not over skype and encourage one another. Lately I have been pretty lonely and missing friends back home so it was perfect timing for Laura to be here and spend time with me as I rested and prepared for baby. (Not that Ben isn't great at those things, but it sure is nice to have a friend around). She was really hoping to meet baby Arant while she was here, but this little man is not moving. He is now officially late and this momma is getting pretty impatient. I have an induction date set for the 21st, but am hoping and praying that he decides to come before then.

Laura and I in the city centre.

During this time I have been reflecting on how God's provision is always so timely. All through our marriage God has provided right when we needed it. I remember when we first got married we didn't have much money at all, I was in school, and Ben was working at the Radisson. We had an envelope in our cupboard that we put his tip money in and used it for groceries. Every time we ran out of food, Ben would come home with a big tip. One time an old lady gave him a 100 dollar bill, just as we were needing groceries. God provided more than enough money for us to come to Glasgow and he continues to provide for us while we are here. A couple months ago we were contemplating buying a blender to make smoothies with, but didn't really want to spend the money. The next day a friend of ours called and said she had a blender she was about to get rid of and wanted to know if we wanted it. Such a cool reminder that God cares and provides for us even with the little things. Laura's visit was such a good reminder of this provision as I was struggling and needing a friend and God provided one at the perfect time. I know this baby will arrive at the perfect time because God has his life planned out and His plan is perfect.

First Scottish Wedding

With all the anticipation of Baby Arant's due date only 5 days away, we had the chance to get away for the afternoon and experience our first Scottish wedding! The wedding was about a 30 minute drive from Glasgow at a beautiful location called Mar Hall. On a side note, the national Scottish football (soccer) team was staying in the same place as the wedding. Some people were star struck, but we had no idea who anyone was.  I just tried to think of it as if I was in the same place that the entire Green Bay Packer team was staying, and then it made more sense!

The wedding itself was very beautiful. The ceremony was different than a stereotypical American wedding in just a few ways.  The vows and kiss were right in the beginning, the bride and groom sat down for the message, there was only a best man and no groomsmen and 3 bridesmaids, there was no maid of honor speech, part of the ceremony was the signing of the register, oh and a plethora of kilts!

Sorry we are a day late on the blog, here are some pictures to make up for it!

View from Mar Hall

Enjoying the beautiful wedding day!

Reminded that I married UP!

Mar was one of the seven kingdoms in ancient Scotland and 'The Earl of Mar' is the oldest title in Britain. This rich heritage is further enhanced by the belief that both Mary Queen of Scots and Robert the Bruce visited the Mar Estate.

Mar Hall was designed in the 19^th century by Sir Robert Smirke who had previously worked on the British Museum in London.  Smirke was commissioned by Major General Robert Walter Stuart, the 11th Lord Blantyre, whose family had purchased the grounds and estate some one hundred years previously.

It was Smirke's wish that the building resemble the manorial, domestic gothic styles seen during the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First. A quarry on the estate provided the stone whilst the oak used throughout was specifically imported from Canada. Construction was not completed until 1845, fifteen years after Lord Blantyre's death with the final bill coming to over £50,000.

The house fell into disrepair over the remainder of the 20^th century and it was only in 2004, following a £15million restoration, that it returned to its former glory.

 

Thanks for your continued prayers and support

YOU ARE LOVED!

Time to slow down

The past few weeks here in Glasgow have been a bit of a blur for me. Usually when things gets really busy that is when time flies and everything blurs together. However that is not the case here. Up until the first week of August life was pretty hectic. It was a busy season of ministry, but that season has been coming to an end (for me at least) and I find myself slowing down in all areas of life.

You could look at this two ways. The old me (well to be honest part of me is still like this) hates this! If you know anything about me, you will know that I hate to be bored and I love to keep busy. Sitting around watching movies all day or being stuck inside is not my ideal kind of day. I would much rather be working hard, being outside, being active, anything other than sitting around the house all day. I think at times I have become quite legalistic in terms of time and making the most of it, and I think God is trying to break me of that.

The past few weeks I have not had as much work to do as normal and likewise have not had much energy either. I guess being 38 weeks pregnant it is time to start slowing down. At first I had a really difficult time just laying low with not much on the agenda, in fact somedays I still do. Somedays I just want to go for a jog, or even a walk that doesn't leave me sore and out of breath. Just yesterday we walked to the hospital (about a mile and a half ) and walked home. The walk home was quite painful, but the hardest part of it all was that in my head I kept thinking this shouldn't be difficult, I ran a marathon last year, why can I not walk for 3 miles. And on Sunday I came down with a cold, which normally wouldn't slow me down, but this time it really knocked me out and left me on the couch all day.

I guess what I'm trying to say with all this is that slowing down is not a bad thing. I woke up this morning (quite late I might add) feeling as if God was saying to me, it is ok, slow down, don't feel guilty, rest is good. So many times in my life I become so legalistic that I end up feeling guilty for not being able to live up to the crazy standards I give myself. This is just one of the areas I do this in. This week I think God is really trying to change my heart, to help me realize I am being ridiculous and putting laws on my life that he didn't intend. The great thing is we have a loving God who not only shows us our sin, but offers forgiveness and peace when we repent. And that is what I feel. I feel as if I can leave this old way of life, the one of feeling guilty for not living up to crazy standards and have peace and freedom and REST in God. I can take time to relax without feeling lazy and sinful, knowing that God himself rested and expects us to do the same. I will continue to grow in this area and pray that I will learn to glorify God even in my rest. Plus in 2 weeks (or whenever baby decides to come) that might be the end of my rest for awhile;)

My resting chair, where Ben "makes" me rest:)

You are loved!

Full Term!

The reality of being a father for such a long time seemed so far away. Obvious signs of a growing bump have helped slightly in the realization that the time is coming, but everything has sort of seemed to sneak up on me rather quickly. As of yesterday Dani is officially full term! We are 3 weeks out from our due date! Sometimes I have thoughts like, "is this real life right now?" or "hurry up and take your time!"

All in all we are so excited to meet our baby boy. God has been so faithful to us through this whole process of trusting Him in having a baby in a different country and away from family. There has definitely been times where it has been hard(and I'm sure there will be more), but He has surrounded us with not only His love, but the love of our church family here in Glasgow, Scotland as well! God is so good!

pregnant glow!

baby buuump!

Ready for our wee hospital visit!

Baby clothes washed and separated!

BONUS: For those of you who missed the "Workout advice for expectant dads video" on facebook, here's your chance to see it! :)

                                     

YOU ARE LOVED!

A Rip Roarin' Root Tootin' Good Time with Jesus

Our SonWest Roundup Holiday Club finished up on Friday and was a great time. We didn't quite have the 40 kids we were praying for, but I think God gave us the exact right number of children for what we could handle and so the leaders and teachers could really invest in the kid's lives. It was great to see so many kids show up who don't normally attend church. It is exciting to know that each of these kids heard the gospel this week in a way that was relevant to their young lives. I don't know of any decisions that were made for Christ, but we pray that this week laid a foundation that will be built on in the years to come. On Saturday we had a family fun day which included a rodeo bull, face painting, water guns, a tea and coffee room, and a bouncy castle. Many kids came back with their families and had a great chance to meet some people from the church and get connected. On Sunday most of these families came back for church, which was a huge answer to prayer because we know that each of those families have now heard the gospel clearly. Now we are praying that they too would make decisions for Christ.

Ben had the second longest ride on the rodeo bull of 50 seconds!

I am so glad we had the opportunity to serve the Lord through this Holiday Club and to work with so many great volunteers from the church. It was so awesome to watch God work through kid's lives and it gives me so much joy to be able to teach young children about the love God has for each and everyone one of them. It definitely makes me miss my teaching days at Schaeffer and Coulee Christian, but am so excited that I will get to start teaching these important truths to our son in just a few short weeks. This week for me holds catching up on lots of rest (I'm exhausted from last week), washing baby clothes, finishing the nursery, and packing our hospital bag. Baby Arant is due in less than four weeks and next Tuesday I am officially full term. Continue to pray for us as we prepare to nurture this life God is blessing us with and strive to seek after Him in all we do!

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11

You are loved!

SonWest Roundup

Hey y'all! Getting in the spirit for our Holiday Club (VBS) here is Glasgow, Scotland that we are starting this week! Be praying for us this week as we reach out to the community around our church!

Harvest kids excited for a trip out west!

Gettin' in my cowboy zone y'all!

PRAYER POINTS:

1. Pray for 40 kids to come!

2. Pray for volunteers to have a meaningful impact on the kids lives.

3. Pray for Dani to have energy to get through the week.

4. Prayer for our church to grow through this opportunity.

5. Pray for entire families to come to Christ through this Holiday Club (VBS)


YOU ARE LOVED!

Never Once

This past Sunday I had one of those moments in church where God speaks so clearly to you through a worship song. Its as if you feel that song was chosen just for you because it was the exact message you needed to hear at the exact moment.

This Sunday it was God reminding me of his faithfulness to me through the song by Matt Redman "Never Once." The chorus goes like this

Never once did we ever walk alone, never once did you leave us on our own

You are faithful God, you are faithful

Although I wasn't feeling particularly anxious at that exact moment; I did come off of a week where stress and anxiety were slowly creeping in. Planning the Holiday Club and wondering how the decorations are going to get done and whether or not we will get any kids to come, or what happens if too many kids show up. And then there is labor. With only 6 weeks left until my due date and going through a labor class, worry started to creep in once again. Fears of going through labor and the pain and then the fact of having to raise a child and not knowing what to do with a new born started to cloud my mind. 

Quickly the words of that song reminded me that going through labor and taking care of a baby may be physical demanding and even emotionally challenging; it is not something I will ever have to do alone. God will not leave me on my own, God is faithful and he will be there the entire time. The truth in those words calmed my fears and gave me excitement for what God has in store. I just pray that all through my parenting I will remember that I'm not alone and that God is my strength. Instead of going to the hospital in anxiety I pray that I will go in calm, relaxed, and confident, because God is at my side. 

Every step we are breathing in your grace, Evermore we'll be breathing out your praise

You are faithful God, you are faithful

Each day we have is a gift of grace from God. I pray that I will have that attitude so that with every breath I can breathe out God's Praise! He is faithful!

"He who calls you is faithful, he will surely do it." I Thessalonians 5:24

Carrying The Heavy Load

Men are called to such a high standard in the Scriptures, especially when it comes to marriage. I think that I often times forget the gravity of the responsibility I have as a man, and as a married man. I think we can all too easily get sucked into our world of comfort and our lives can quickly turn to autopilot. How quickly do we often forget our responsibility to carry the heavy load in marriage?

I strive to be the man that God wants me to be by doing my best to serve, love, and lead Dani, but I often fail and fall short. I often disappoint and sometimes feel as if I my life should be the manual of what NOT to do. Then I get into this mentality of "just try harder" which in practicality looks like washing the dishes, making the bed, or potentially picking up my clothes off the floor. All good things! However, I can often fake myself into thinking I am "carrying the load" by fulfilling some tasks and not attending to the person of Dani. (Sometimes I treat God the same way...) Also to add into the mixing bowl are my motives for doing what I do.

You begin to realize your inadequacies very quickly in marriage, which I think can lead you in one of two directions. Fake adequacy, or practice dependence. There is one who is perfect at carrying the heavy load.  In fact He carried the heaviest load that there has ever been. Our Sin! If Jesus Christ can carry that load, then the gift of the Holy Spirit and my reliance on Him can equip me for anything!  A pregnant wife, a new baby, a new country, or maybe even the physical load of a million pounds of groceries...He is enough!

Weeks worth of groceries...CHECK

Truth be told, this sanctification process is hard. But when I look in the Bible I don't see comfortable.  I see taking risks for God's glory to make His name known. I see men stepping up, carrying the heavy load, all while relying on God's strength and power. My desire is to go where God leads, do what God wants, and be who God wants me to be. I want to carry the heavy load in His strength!

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

YOU ARE LOVED!