And we're back!

So it has been a long while since our last post. So much has been going on it has been hard to get the time to sit down to write an update - and the unfortunate thing is, the more days that go past the more there is to update you all on! 

It has already been just over a month since we returned from our wonderful summer in Canada. It was very hard to leave that wonderful church - the people were just an amazing encouragement to us in the short time we were blessed to spend with them. It's a big deal for people to welcome strangers into their lives and homes, but they did! And it was an amazing example to us and we only hope that we can repay the favour in the future! We told lots of people to come visit us in NZ - so are anticipating there being an influx of Canadians flying into NZ in the coming years! ;)

Josh was able to preach every week, and found it to be a really valuable experience. Both in gaining some confidence, and also in learning more about what he needs to learn more about! It was also a valuable experience for me to be a part of another new congregation, built new relationships and learn from others (there was a lot to be learnt and plenty of people to learn from in Abbotsford who were excellent examples) so that was a massive blessing. 

Another blessing from our trip to BC was the opportunity we had to catch up with 4 friends from New Zealand!!!! It was just amazing. I spent time with my friend Charlotte, we caught up for the weekend with our buddy Hugo, and I also was very blessed to have a coffee and lovely afternoon with two (or technically at the time 3 ;)) lovely ladies - Sharon, Nicola & technically, gorgeous wee Caitlin - I just didn't get to meet her face to face. ;) It was very very special to see friends from home. :)

Our trip back was busy but very enjoyable. Each day we drove on average 8 hours, and it took us 5 days to get back to Chicago. Just an incredible trip - something that we never imagined that we would get to do, and something that even a lot of Americans don't get to do. This country is HUGE! We came down from Canada into Washington state, popped in for the day in Seattle, then drove across the top of Idaho, into Montana, then down into Wyoming and through Yellowstone National Park. Again, this park is massive, and to really appreciate it I could see that you would need to spend at least 3 days traveling around it - however we didn't have that luxury, so did the best we could with one day, which was still amazing. We got to see wild bison, and even a grizzly bear! 

After our trip through Wyoming we were on the home stretch, heading through Nebraska, Iowa and then finally back in Illinois. 

Wyoming

Providentially the trip was incredibly smooth, and we enjoyed each other's company to boot. ;) 

Once home it was a great blessing for Josh to have two weeks off before school started up again, his first proper 'holiday' since January. So it was a great time to catch up with some local friends and get prepped for the new school year. 

We had the seminary retreat day where we were able to meet a lot of the new students which was really nice. Josh has now been back at his studies for the past two weeks, and it's full steam ahead. 

We are also facing winter again now. Just this past week, on Wednesday 10th, I was out in the evening wearing shorts and a singlet - the temperature being about 27 degrees. The very next morning we woke up, and it had dropped to 12 degrees, warming up to about 16 during the day! Talk about extremes! So since then, we have been in sweaters, jeans and pulling out the jackets. Autumn is definitely here. There is also talk of another very cold winter like we experienced last year - the words 'polar vortex' are being thrown around again - so we shall see. At least we know what to expect a little bit now! 

I have been able to spend some lovely time with some of the other seminary families, and get to know some of the new ones which has been great. All the other activities are starting up again - with the Bible study, Sem-Wives meetings and I have been starting nannying again. 

The other week I got to go and watch a softball game where two of the girls who I taught art to last year were playing in opposing teams! It was very fun to be able to watch them play and support them. 

Leah batting & Emma as catcher!

We also were blessed to be taken out for the day to the Chicago Air Show by some generous friends from church. It was a very fun day spent lakeside, with beautiful weather and some pretty amazing stunts performed by the pilots. 

The beach before it got even busier, and Chicago city in the distance.

Parachuters (I guess that's what you call them in plural...)

They also took us into the city and we visited Bloomingdales

Trying to blend in with the wall art

Josh has a new job for the seminary this year (last year he opened up each day), this time managing the book store three afternoons a week, so we are very thankful for this opportunity that the school provides to earn some extra money. This year Josh also will have opportunity to preach at various churches around the area (and potentially further afield) and is booked in two weeks time to preach in Iowa where we will be for the weekend. 

We have both learnt so much over the past year. It has been amazing to see how much Josh is loving his studies, and just soaking in every opportunity to learn from very gifted professors and fellow students. It is very intensive study, and yet knowing the depth of meaning that the study of God's Word brings with it makes the opportunity a very real privilege, and not a burden. Josh works really hard, but also has set aside Friday afternoons where we can go for a walk and spend some quality time together, and we have also kept up going to the gym together as well. This has really helped his energy levels, and coming in to the winter will be even more valuable. 

I have been keeping up my quilting - with lots of my friends having babies at the moment I have a lovely excuse to keep sewing! Also will be involved in the Bible study this year and have continued on as a Crossroad Bible Institute Instructor (a very good prison ministry). I've also been trying to read more and build up a better reference library (although I won't be able to compete with Josh!) so if anyone has any book recommendations let me know! I was able to read a very good one over the summer called 'Partners in Ministry' by Christine Hoover. Found it to be very encouraging even if you aren't a ministry wife!

Well that is where we are at for now - we really very much appreciate all your prayers and support. Without the support of you God's people we wouldn't be here. It's an immense blessing and very humbling. 

They do have beautiful sunsets in Autumn in Illinois

If you are praying for us, we would very much appreciate your prayers specifically in regards to the following:

• That the Lord will continue to equip us for (in His providence) a future in ministry - in Josh's ability to preach God's Word faithfully and truthfully, and for my willingness to support him in doing so. 
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• Tying in to the above request - that we will remember Who we are doing this for, and why - for God's glory. That we will never lose sight of that. 
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• Thanksgiving for all God's provision for us - that God has moved so many people to be so willingly generous of their time, money, wisdom and all the support we receive. And this from many people, from many parts of the world. Some who have known us our whole lives, and others who have only known us for a short time! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
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• That the Lord will also give us contentment (for all the seminary families) - it is no small sacrifice to leave all our families, friends and the comfort of home - and travel a long distance to seek to follow God's call for our lives. There are students at the seminary from Egypt, South Korea, the Netherlands, England, Canada, the other side of the United States - and of course we Kiwis - and it is hard not to feel home-sick at times. Please pray that we will be content. Especially for the wives who may struggle with loneliness and with the fact that they may not see their husbands so much during term time. That God will provide us all with peace. And that we will be able to be a support and 'family' to each other while we are here. 

Thank you so much again for all your prayers and support!

Much love,

Josh & Hannah

Finally, an update!

Allo everyone,

Sorry that it has been such a while since our last update - the reason being that we moved into our apartment just over a week ago, and haven't had internet! So Lord willing, we will be getting that hooked up this coming Wednesday. 

In the meantime, we have been SUPER blessed - with being able to move into our own place, get set up with a lot of generously donated (and very nice I might add) furniture and items for everyday living, and also continuing to enjoy church life and getting to know people better!

Josh has still been busy with intensive Greek. He had another big exam last week, and did well - so that is a huge blessing, his hard work is paying off. This is his last week of the course, and he has the final exam this coming Friday. 

Our fellow Kiwi's, Albert, Hanneke and their girls, are coming back tomorrow - so we are really looking forward to hanging out with them in 'real life'! Haha - up to this point we have been in communication with them via email, Skype and phone - so it will be cool to meet them. :)

I have been keeping occupied with going for walks around our new neighbourhood, bike rides, and spending time with church and seminary friends which has been really nice. Also been investing time in some cooking and baking - I made some strawberry jam last week which was lots of fun, and it even came out tasting yum. :) 

A local home-schooling group has asked me if I would be willing to take the children for some art classes, so I am also going to be busy coming up with some lesson plans for that over the next couple of weeks. Josh will have a couple of days off to recuperate from Greek, before starting a short course in Hebrew. Then I think he has a week off before the Fall semester begins. :) He is still enjoying study, although has been pretty tired just lately in particular. 

Another couple who have moved here to study at seminary too, called in on us over the weekend and very kindly brought us some house warming gifts! They gave Josh the mug pictured below - they already have him figured out. He does love his coffee. :D

Hopefully we will have our internet set up on Wednesday, and then I can be a bit more regular with our updates. In the meantime, hope you are all well. Your prayers would be appreciated for Josh as he preps for his final exam on Friday. Also he has been feeling a bit under the weather for the past couple of days, so prayer for his health would be amazing too. Thank you so much! 

And then there was one...

One more night left in NZ! Crazy but true. We have been finishing off the last minute packing, and saying goodbye to friends and family (that's the hardest part), and sorting out last minute details - like International licenses, the sourcing of NZ flags as per special request of the Couperus family :D (only $6 at the Look Sharp store in Albany - woot!), meeting up with Grandma for a coffee and saying goodbye :'( and juggling our luggage so that our bags aren't overweight! 

Our brains are a little teensy bit mushy at the moment, and 20 or so hours in transit probably won't help that too much - but we are very willing and ready to go, and looking forward to discovering what God has planned for us! :)

Very excited about meeting everyone over in the States as well, we have heard so much about the welcoming nature of Americans, and having met a few of the faculty from MARS already we look forward to seeing them again soon! Plus it is exciting to anticipate meeting others who are passionate about the ministry and getting to learn alongside them, as well as join a new church family. Exciting times ahead!

We had an amazing church lunch yesterday (North Shore always does fantastic church lunches :D), and were so encouraged and thankful for the support of our home congregation. We will miss everyone very much. We are so thankful for our deacons who have taken very good care of us (particularly David Bilton), and for the ministry and guidance that we have received from John Rogers over the years - what an amazing example he and Sheryl are for us. As well as the rest of the Session who have been very encouraging especially to Josh as he has worked alongside them over the past year or so. 

Having such a church family supporting us is amazing - not to mention all the other congregations throughout NZ who have been doing the same from a distance! 

Earlier this year I was challenged to think about something in particular that I wanted to work on in regards to my spiritual walk - and I thought that I really would love to learn more about humility. And God really has been teaching us in a positive way about humility. That we can trust in Him, and that He will provide through our church family is very humbling in the best kind of way. What an incredible way to learn it! (And I'm sure there will be more lessons over the rest of our lives).

Anyway, I (that is, Hannah) am going to pull out my stars and stripes outfit and enjoy this adventure in the USA (hopefully they like it through customs).

Next time we write - we will probably be Stateside!