May 2019 Update

Family trip to Grand Falls, NB, to celebrate Benjamin's (Daddy's) graduation!

Dear Friends and Family,

I am always excited to write a new update to you. God is so good to us.

Nathaniel's two-month-old smile. How quickly he grows!

  

Nathaniel has passed the one and two month marks of life with flying colors, happy smiles, and perfect health (despite the recent 24 hour bug that Benjamin and I both caught) - praise God! He is such a joy to us daily, a true gift, and we are blessed to share our lives with him as God directs us as a family.

Our Passover meal: complete with lamb, matzo and "wine."  

We have celebrated many holidays and achievements since our last update! The first and greatest of these being Resurrection Sunday! This is my personal favorite holiday because of what it signifies and it was fun to start our own traditions of how to celebrate. This year we incorporated the observance of Passover / Last Supper by eating a meal which included lamb, matza (unleavened bread), and grape juice (we just don't like wine! ha!). Benjamin also read about Passover from the Old and New Testaments. It is so beautiful to see the same God in both testaments. God does not change, and His heart has always been to redeem mankind and unite us to Him in relationship. We are grateful that Jesus Christ fulfilled God's institution of Passover and was the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Benjamin's yellow tassels reflect his 4.0 GPA.

 

Celebrated after Easter, on May 11th, was the 2019 NMCC Graduation Ceremony! Benjamin has finished his Associates Degree in Building Construction Technology from Northern Maine Community College. He is now finished with his education in Maine and has received his diploma signifying his capability as a carpenter! We are extremely grateful to God for enabling Benjamin to perform so well in school this year and learn so much, despite a new job and new son. All glory goes to God. Benjamin is now equipped with a skill that we desire will be used to bless many people in our future ministry.

 

Mother's Day brunch cooks (Benjamin and oldest brother Johnathan).

Mother's Day was a lovely first for me. To celebrate, Benjamin gave me a photoshoot with Nathaniel. We also celebrated collectively at my mother-in-law's with a brunch after church.

Please pray for healing for Annette. A recent fall has put her arm in a sling. This is doubly discouraging considering the health she was gaining from working out before the fall.

Older children's Sunday School Class at CBC.

Our final item of praise is teaching our first Sunday school class at church together! Benjamin taught our church's first through fifth graders about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego while I was there with Nathaniel to help. The children all listened and participated very intently and Benjamin enjoyed teaching and playing games with them during class. It was a wonderful experience and we are so happy to begin helping others as a family.

Who knew all those little steps would lead to the finished product?...

Our big PRAYER REQUEST for this post concerns Moody Bible Institute and our prospective move to Chicago this August. We have received communication from Moody that there is no family housing available on campus at this time. This is a huge disappointment to us as we were counting on living on campus so that Megan and Nathaniel could be as involved at Moody as possible while Benjamin takes classes there. We are also nervous about living in Chicago "on our own," as opposed to living on campus, because we have never lived in a city before and know that Chicago has some rough areas. Please pray for us that if the Lord truly wants us to go to Moody, and is not saying "wait," that our enthusiasm to move to Chicago would not be dampened and God would give us peace and excitement as we anticipate our next year there. Many questions remain unanswered as to the feasibility of finishing a degree at Moody, but we believe we do not need all those questions answered to follow God's leading if this is the next step. At this point we are praying for confirmation though; please join us!

Love,

The McEndarfers