Patience!

Gods Heart!

Well this part of the journey is coming to an end and I know that this was so much a part of this and God orchestrated it to the very detail even the extended time I was here. Tara is flying out here in 14 days and we are going to ride back together through some of the most breath taking country you will ever see. We were going to go sight seeing which we will do but that is not the main purpose of this time together. As Tara stated we will be visiting existing community kitchens along the way and we are working a day at the one in Denver. We will get alot of time to talk about the plans and were we go from here. As she stated we have a location offered to us and we are very excited about that.
As we have gone through this the vision has been evolving and has been getting deep in our hearts. I have been studying and realize that God talks more about helping the poor then almost anything else. Tara and I realize that this is Gods purpose and we cant wait to see it come to life. We know that the unknown is scary but we do know that we want to serve Him no matter what. We are just taking one day at a time and one step at a time it feels awesome when He is leading us not us trying to lead Him.
I know some of you dont really understand this whole thing and I dont think I can do it justice to put my ideas down here. I would love to meet with any of you when I get back and share this with you. I can just say it is not a soup kitchen targeting the homeless. It is a restuarant that helps others learn skills to be used in life,Teach people to cook healthy and that you can do it on a limited budger find Hope, eat healthier, community out reach and putting feet to our faith and so much more. We invision Ransom bringing in teams to do home repair clean up and back yard bible clubs. I could go on and on but again we are taking one step at a time We need people that have a heart for these things and come along side us and see what God can do through us and in us.
Please pray for our trip home that we will see what all God wants to do with us. Pray how God would have you be part of this the most important thing you can do is pray. Scripture is filled with gracious ways for relieving poverty and none of them involve the government. I dont usually get to political but I do think the church (which is you and I not a building) have sat back and turned a deaf ear to the crys of the oppressed the hunger and the fatherless for too long and have forced or allowed the government to do what Gods people should be doing and that is loving others more then ourselves. God tells us in his word that if we shut our ears and eyes to the oppressed, hunger, fatherless that He will shut His ears to us. I dont want Him to shut His ears to me what about You. It is time for us to not just sing about love and grace on Sunday but put feet to our love and show others that we do what we profess to believe. Others see christians as just those that point fingers and tell everyone what they are against. I want others to know what we are for. Open your ears the needs are all around us.

Thanks again for all your support and prayers continue to pray and ask God to keep us humble and walking in His will

I wont shut my ears!!!

Matt

You Must Be Crazy!

As you all know Matt has had a lot of time to read and study while he is in Washington and he wants me to read everything he does. Well that's not going to happen, but I did start reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. This guy speaks my language! We both highly recommend this book! Matt and I have made a decision to live by faith. We want to get out of the boat and walk on water, no matter how crazy or impossible it seems to anyone else. We are sure of our calling and excited about the things God is doing in our lives. Finally, our preparation time is coming to an end! In 19 days, I am flying to Seattle to bring Matt home! Thanks to our wonderful friends and parents who have agreed to take care of the girls while I am gone! We are both really excited to have this time together just us! We are also very excited that we will be able to see about 5 different restaurants that are similar to our concept. We will actually be working at the SAME cafe in Denver, CO on Wednesday, September 8th! We also were very encouraged this week... we have a great location! We'll tell you more about that later. We are planning on being open for business sometime in October! It's amazing to see how God is putting things together and we are so humbled to be able to be a part of it. God is changing our hearts. This time last year if Matt had told me he was going to give up the kind of job he has now, making a comfortable living for us, I probably would have said, You must be CRAZY! But I know today, he'd be crazy not to. Please continue to pray for us all! The girls start school this week! And start praying about what part God wants you to have in this ministry. We love you all!

Finish Strong

Things are going good. Got to go home this past weekend it was a much needed break before we start 6-7 12 hr days a week through the end of the project. The project is winding down and things are coming together nicely. I didn't tell Tara or the girls I was coming home so it was very exciting to see there reactions. I was able to be there to witness Abbey getting baptized she was so excited and had a smile from ear to ear. I know God has some great plans for her and I see a change in her and she so wants to please Him.
I've been reading alot still and studying Gods word and learning to do things that please Him not others. I really feel God showing me Life is to short to just go through the motions and go about your day with business as usual I feel Him directing us towards a life of service to Him and those in need. My passion for those in need grows each day and I'm becoming more sure that the next step in this journey is to serve Him and His heart which all through His word is those in need. Tara and I are just seeking His will and are open to whatever He has for us. I really want to lead us down the path that most honors Him. We don't know all the details but we know He probably won't show us everything at once or we probably would be overwhelmed.
We need you all to pray for a few things. If His will is Ransom Cafe to be started that a location will be verified we do have this location in mind but want to be sure it is part of the plan. Pray that We can raise the funding as well as the monthly support we will need but most of all prayer warriors to pray with us. Pray that we will know the sacrifices we will need to make and make sure this all will be for His glory not ours. Pray for details involved in launching this ministry and that He will raise up others that will catch His vision for this. Most important pray that we will not get ahead of Him and let Him work out the details. I also know that some people even those close to us won't understand this calling but we pray they will have an open mind and just trust that God will work out all the concerns We don't know all that will be required and we are scared at times but I guess that's why they call it faith.
We know this Gods word is full of promises that we can stand on and we also know that if this is His will we have two choices ignore the call and go on as usual or say here we are use us however you see fit. I just can't help but believe saying no would be horrible. Some might call all this crazy but Tara and I feel it would be more crazy not to follow Gods leading we have seen what that does to many times Thank you to all for ur support our goal right now is to just finish this part of our journey strong! Keep praying and know Tara and I are seeking Him like never before so I know He will be faithful .

What's next?

Sorry I Havent posted in a while. Things are going good things at work are getting really busy. The project is winding down it it always gets crazy. We should be done by labor day I'm hoping to get home in august for Mary Paiges first day of school and also I hope to get the chance to baptize Abbey praise God for her decision to commit to Him.
God has been teaching me alot about His spirit. I've read alot of books and have been able to study alot and seek His will for us after this. We need a that will to pray for our next step in this journey. God is up to something and we just want to do what his will is for us.
I'm ready to do whatever He has for us and to lead our family down the path that is best for us. Thank you to all who have been lifting us up and I just ask u continue

Learning to Love More

Sorry I have not written in some time it has been crazy busy here. I have been really just reading alot and trying to make sense of this all and have had some days of throwing a pity party. I did get to go home two weeks ago that was great Tara and i spent the night in New Orleans and it was good just to spend time together. We did have some tough times both of us when we are upset about a situation take it out on each other. It was really hard to know I didnt get to stay and I really wanted too. We did have fun with the girls and with friends. I was able to see the girls dance recital and they did so great and looked like little princesses. It just wasnt long enough. It looks like I will be here till sometime in August tara and I said I would probably not come back again until this job is over but I dont know if I can make it that long I would love for her to come out her for a weekend. We have talked about Tara trying to come out when the job is finished and drive back with me that would be awesome I would love for her to see this country.
I have been reading alot of books I am now reading Crazy love and it is great I learned that we should not even call following God a sacrifice because He paid the sacrifice for us and it is a benifit to follow Him. Also following Him may look crazy to others but there is something wrong if our life doesnt look crazy to non believers. I know this I want to please Him but its so hard because I usually want to please myself first. Its all about loving Him with our whole heart. I would do anything for Tara even give my life and I would give up anything to make her happy and show my love. If my love for a person is so great why cant my love be more for the one who created that person I dont know but I am trying to figure it out and trying to learn how to love God more.
Tara and I were able to talk alot about Ransom Cafe (Ransom Ministries) and what our next steps should be. We feel we are going to have to raise some funds to do this and also we are going to need to raise Monthly support(At first I had a problem with this but the more I read in the bible it is biblical to put the need out there and allow others to be part of it so I am getting over it) but most importantly we are going to have to raise up prayer warriors to pray through this and for us to make sure we follow Gods plan and what He wants us to do. Please pray with us that God will open doors that need to be opened, close the ones that dont and raise up people who want to be a part of this. We do feel that the calling God has given us is strong but at the same time we are scared and just want to know the whole picture. But sometimes Faith is doing what God wants even when we dont see the whole picture. I am learning that life is too short to just worry about ourselves but God calls us to love others more then ourselves and that is how I want to live and I want my children to live that way. I know I am a long way from that but I am pressing on.
We do know that some of you will not understand this calling and I understand that I dont understand it most of the time but I will ask you to pray and seek before making any decisions to its crazyness. We love you all and respect your input and we know you want what is best for us but we also know God loves us and He wants what is best for us also. He created us so He must have some idea of what will make our lives happy and fullfilled.
Loving Him
Matt

He was Walking How far!!

Well I have had a interesting weekend. Friday was my birthday and I had an alright time thanks to all you that facebooked me. I worked all day and then went out to eat it was nice. Then Saturday I got up early and headed to Yakima. Tara's Cousin Chris and his wife Mary are missionaries on an Indian Reservation called White swan. It was awesome to hang out with Chris and pick his brain about ministry and the ups and downs of stepping out in faith. We drove around and he should me some homes they had roofed and painted and cleaned up. He told me stories that just broke my heart and then we saw Steve walking down the road with three large bags. Chris said lets give him a ride to his house. We stopped and he jumped in the back of the truck Chris said he would be more comfortable in the back since he didnt know me well. We drove and drove and drove through dirt and gravel roads until we finally reached his home. WOW I said he was walking this far!!Steve said he had walked to town to do laundry. I thought to myself man he must of left very early this morning in order to get there. Chris said last summer they had dug him a new hole for his outhouse he doesnt have running water and he doesnt talk to other people much. We left him and he walked to his home. We then went back into town and then went back to the house. There Mary and the lady interns were prepping food for the coming week. They had 50 youth coming in for the week to do some work and do bible clubs. I helped them mostly I just watched in awe at the organization and the joy that Mary seemed to have for her work. I made them some bbq sauce and just kind of soaked it all in. We then played some volleyball and then I headed home. The whole ride home was a time for me to reflect on my experience. I could not get Steve out of my mind I listened to some cd's that Chris gave me. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt God wants his people to care for the poor and needy and I know that the calling on me is to do that. God himself set the example of this For us to follow He said what you do for the least of these you do for me. They are all around us at work, school, church , the store, our neighbor even family members I hope everyone has a great week I know I will heading home Thursday
Serving Him
Matt