it would seem that life has gotten boring...

...if you judge our life by our blog posts :)

Actually, our life is busier than ever...sometimes, I feel like I live at the church...and then, I kind of do being only a small parking lot away from the church at all times (at the parsonage). There is never a shortage of people to see and things to learn...the only thing missing from our life now is a job for me...and a cat :)

You know those times when you look at your life and you are proud of yourself because you know God is...that is how I feel about Jon and myself right now...I feel like these moments are so few in our lives because we get so distracted by our world that we leave little time for God to really communicate with us. I have finally gotten in the routine of morning quiet time again and am reaping wonderful benefits of our church's Tuesday night prayer meetings...and I know Jon is too.

This time to rest and not work has been fruitful for me...God is blessing it...like with sales through my Etsy crochet shop...but I'm not going to lie...I am getting a little anxious about this whole job situation...school loan payments will come due in a couple of months...yikes...but I do have a peace, too...God knew all of this was going to happen...and He still said He would provide just what I needed...so I guess I am more anxious about seeing Him work than providing for myself...

Okay, I guess that is it for this little update...just wanted to make sure you all knew we were alive and doing very well :)

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

join us!

It's been a while...let's just say that the adventures in Wickes aren't quite the same as those in Rwanda (or Philly...thank goodness!). It has been wonderful spending time with our new church family and seeing how God has prepared this place just for us...we couldn't ask for more loving friends!

If you are wondering what kind of preacher Jon is...I've got just the thing to quench your curiosity :) Every week we post the sermon form the last Sunday online. You can see them by CLICKING HERE.

Enjoy!

I am still looking for a job...it's obvious that it will take some time...but I am using my unemployment wisely (I think) and one way I am keeping busy is making my first quilt! Click here to see how that is going!

We hope you are enjoying this season of love...just because the 14th has passed does not mean that the lovin' has to end!

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

hit the ground running

Jon + I have been in Arkansas for two weeks yesterday...and what a two weeks it has been! When we pulled up to the house two Mondays ago, I felt my nerves kicking in....but then I realized the song I was listening to was perfect...Switchfoot's "Where I Belong"...this is the home on Babylon's shores where I belong...it felt like a movie moment...

We are loving our new home and church family! We really feel that God put us exactly where we needed to be...to be appreciated and have a space to call our own...we have really missed having those two things together...and are feeling a bit spoiled!

This weekend, Jon's parents and some extended family + my parents came and spend some time with us. It is so wonderful to be so much closer to family! We had a wonderful time just sitting around and talking, playing games, and shopping for some things for the house.

The church also hosted a housewarming party in our home and loaded us up with lots of goodies. I even got a sewing machine (OH MY GOODNESS, right?) Now, I feel my craft room is complete :) The party was a wonderful time to get to know the beautiful women of our church...wonderful, wonderful.

I am still job hunting...I should hear something about interviews this week (hopefully) and am applying for anything that I feel God could use the skills He provides me to benefit our community. I'm more excited than worried about being employed...it'll come when He wants it to.

God is good...and I believe we are seeing it everyday, just like we did in Philly + Rwanda...this part of our story is off to a wonderful start!

Much Love,
Emily Elizabeth

home sweet home

I suppose if you don't have Facebook, you don't know that we made it back safely...and even before our arrival time on our plane tickets (like that ever happens!) We are very much enjoying being back in the States...Jon has hit the ground running, and I have only gone through mild culture shock (with fast internet, washing machines, trying to figure out my cell phone again...and people being really rude at stores...maybe they were in Rwanda, but I couldn't understand what they were saying...)

We are spending Christmas in Texas and loving time with my family. It has been such a blessing not to need my computer to communicate with them (thus why I have been slacking on blog posting :)) We move into our new home Jan. 2nd. I was worried about not having any furniture (due to our vagabond lifestyle) but God has really already taken care of it all...Friendly Chapel, a Nazarene church in Little Rock, Arkansas, got in several couch donations and are gifting us a HUGE sectional for our living room...my grandparents have given us several pieces, as well as our parents...now all we need is a washer and dryer...He always provides.

We are still trusting that He has the perfect job waiting for me at our new home...we will see about His timing, but being unemployed for the first time in what seems like my entire life could be a major stress...your prayers are always appreciated :)

We hope that you are enjoying this Christmastime with family and friends, and are finding time everyday to honor Christ and meditate on the wonder of the Christmas story. Also, we hope you enjoy looking back on this year of your life and recognize all that our Savior has done to take care of your family and you...and if you think of someone who has really been used by God in your life this year, won't you send them a note thanking God and them?

Merry Christmas,
The Newlin Weds

we're coming home

Tonight at 9 pm (1 pm for all your CST people), we will be boarding our first flight home. We are due to land in the States via New Jersey tomorrow afternoon...so if you would pray that the weather does not interfere with our landing and taking off at 3 pm (EST), that would be awesome!

We are due to land in Houston at 6:00 pm (CST) on Wednesday night, where we will meet my mom, sister, grandparents + aunt for our first meal in the USA...any guesses where we will go???

If I tell you that I have missed salad more than anything...would that give you a clue???

Then it is off to Nacogdoches, where we will spend 2 weeks with family, friends and food :) Then we will go to Arkansas to spend time with the rest of the Newlins until January 2nd...when we will move into our NEW HOME in Arkansas...never a dull moment for The Newlin Weds, for sure :)

See you soon!

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

tomorrow, tomorrow...

day

I cannot believe we begin our journey home tomorrow night...I am not very good at waiting...and I really thought this day would never come...but alas, here it is! Christmas celebrations and wonderful family time are only three plane rides and a night's sleep away...crazy!

I saved the best for last...what we will miss the very most about Rwanda are our new friends...Azizi Life co-workers and other volunteers that we have crossed paths with during our time here. We have had many laughs and joyful moments, as well as shared in despair and homesickness...God truly blessed our 4 months with quality people with beautiful souls to share our time with.

I hope to keep in touch with everyone of them...and thanks to Facebook, I think it will be possible!

Much love,
Emily Elizabeth

dos

 days

We will miss seeing people carry everything from an electric keyboard to a bed frame on their heads. I am reading The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (the fictional story of a missionary family in the Congo in the 1960s? and this quote describes this wonder perfectly...

"The usual bypasser is a woman sauntering slowly down the road with bundles upon bundles balanced on her head. These women are pillars of wonder, defying gravity while wearing the ho-hum aspect of perfect tedium. They can sit, stand, talk, shake a stick at a drunk man, reach around their backs to fetch forth a baby to nurse, all without dropping their piled-high bundles upon bundles. They are like ballet dancers entirely unaware they are on stage. I cannot take my eyes from them."

Although the large, unusual objects are mesmerizing...I think I enjoy seeing a woman carrying her own purse on her head, rather than on her shoulder, the most

I almost didn't post today...we had a fun night that caused me to forget to countdown! Friends, Dutch Blitz, homemade pizza and brownies will do just that.

Much love,

Emily Elizabeth