It's Really Happening.....We're not in fantasy land anymore Toto

I know this is a long posting, but I wanted to share with you the adventure from this past weekend with CrossRoads and Help Build Hope.

This past weekend our home church, Chester Christian Church, participated in Help Build Hope for the 2nd year. HBH is one of the ministries of CrossRoads Missions were I will be working in Louisville. I was overcome by so many emotions that it has taken me this long before I could write about it.

Friday I met our Associate Pastor and Brian Gioe, from HBH, for lunch and after lunch we went back to the church and prepared to pre-cut all the lumber for the house. We had 3 different saws cutting and wood and it only took us about 2 hours to pre-cut the wood and label and sort the different sizes. 

Brian (Gioe) had asked me to come help him Saturday morning so we met for Breakfast were only champions eat, Waffle House. We got our game plan on and headed back to the church to set up the buckets with hammers, squares, nails and tape measures. We put out 20 stations, in anticipation of about 100-125 people coming to build. After some inspiration about being the Salt of life and the Spice of God, people got their blueprints and lumber started flying off the stacks. It was so cool! I walked around making sure that the OSB was square on the exterior walls and if people had any questions I would answer them. All the work from this point on was done by hammer and nail. There are no power tools (other than the router to cut out the windows and doors), just hammer and nails. It is such an awesome noise to hear, listening to the hammers echoing in the parking lot. Looking around and seeing people of all ages working together, mom's and dad's with their kids, all working together to meet the needs of someone in the community. The youngest hammerer I saw was 3 years old. Not the most powerful nail driver but sure was the most persistent! There were other carpenters there who volunteered to come out and over see the different groups and make sure that everything was happening the way it was supposed to.

As the walls came together they were brought to an area of the parking lot that was marked out for the exterior walls. They were placed in the general vicinity of where they would be erected. After about 2 1/2 hours, the walls were completed and we began erecting the walls to the house in the parking lot. It was so cool to see the work that had been done come together like a giant puzzle or lego's set. The house was up and we were pulling out of the parking lot by 2pm. 

Sunday morning rolls around and I met Brian and Arthur(an elder at our church) again at the place for champions, Waffle House and we just talked about Saturday and how amazing it went. We also chatted about what I will be doing in the Inner City as well as what is being done in Maytown, KY. 

We went to church and just before the offering time Aaron introduced Terry, from the Powhatan Habitat got Humanity. He came up and talked briefly about seeing the house being built on Saturday and how it touched him. He then introduced the mother and daughter that will be receiving the house. To be able to put faces with the house that was built was amazing. The mother had grown up in an unstable home, was in 18 different schools by the time she was in 10th grade. This home was helping her break a cycle and allowing her to provide stability for her daughter. Emotions overwhelmed me and the rest of the congregation as well. I was then brought up and presented with a check from the church as a 'seed gift' and CrossRoads is where I will be heading and being sent out from Chester Christian Church as a missionary. I left for a little bit during the service and came back when everyone was outside writing blessings, prayers and scriptures on the house in the parking lot. That is when it hit me! I will be doing this....like it is no longer an idea or goal. I will get to do this, as my job, as my ministry. I will get to meet the needs of people and lead groups week in and week out. This is REALLY happening!

It was amazing because I had invited one of the construction guys who I had met and worked with Friday and Saturday to church since I regularly did not see him. Well he came to 2nd service! After, 9 baptism's....yes 9, we took down the house and loaded it onto a flat bed truck, wall by wall. Brian and I took it up to the Powathan Habitat and met some guys who unloaded it. I drove the truck back to the rental place and came home to finally sit and shut down. 

Later that evening, I received an email from a supporter letting me know that they were going to support my ministry. With the amount committed by the donor and the check from church it put me right at having raised 20% of what I need to raise for my salary. In less than 12 hours, 20%! Only God! I lost it! Tears of joy, unbelief, and trust streamed down my face. This is really happening! We are moving to Louisville, we are trusting God to provide for us...and He will...and He has...and He will continue to.

It is amazing that I have been introduced to Jesus in a way that challenges me in EVERY area of my life. I am being challenged...and I am trusting!

Moving....Ain't no Thing....Yet

Yep, we are moving! Hard to believe when we started this blog it was just a dream. Now it's coming through!

Anne starts working for the Alzheimer's Assocation April 1st and will head to Louisville March 31st. Don't want to be late for her first day!  While she is working hard, Brian will be backing up the rest of the Snivley's treasures and taking care of our little zoo (a.k.a. the Pork Chop, Pancake, and the latest addition Zeus). Anne will fly back one-way to Richmond on April 9th, load up the car with dogs, cat, and treasures and the drive begins! Brian is being a trooper and loading the moving van April 8th. He gets the honor of driving a big U-haul type truck 8 hours and through the mountains.  We have a feeling this moving adventure will be just that, an adventure! Be on the lookout for that update.

Once we arrive with the help of family and friends we will unload April 10th and work on getting settled into our new house. That's right we have entered the grown up world and have bought a cute 3 bedroom 2 bath house. So, when you come visit you will have a place to stay.

Last week was a great week for Brian's fundraising. Amazing because we were really struggling and getting discouraged. Brian has been asking and making contacts. Well, a few of them came through just last week! He is about 30% to his goal. Amzaing how we can see God's hand in all of this.

We will continue to trust HIM and see where HE takes us!

Thank you for your love and support!