First I want to begin with many thanks! We know people are praying for us and cheering us on because we have gotten emails, calls, texts, and messages over the past two months as we continue to walk through this time of transition.  Thank you, thank you!  Your encouragement and support, listening ears, and prayers have helped us keep our heads above water as we jump out of the boat!

Quick recap: The former president of Compassion International retired a year and a half ago. The organization was in transition for a long time as they searched for a new president, one they finally hired last summer. Jason was excited and hopeful for the great changes which were sure to take place in this new season and for the future of the ministry. Then, on a Sunday night in January, before an important Monday morning meeting where the first of the changes were to be revealed, Jason said to me, “Well, tomorrow I’ll either get a great new promotion…or I’ll lose my job.” I thought the second part of the statement was ridiculous since he was a pivotal and valuable leader at Compassion with fresh ideas and great work ethic.  He was home the next day by noon, his entire department had been eliminated.  As the disbelief wore off, I learned it was part of a total re-organization.  Last Friday was his last day.  His desire is to find something back at Compassion, but we are open to wherever the Lord leads.

So, here we are. During the last 6 weeks we have dreamed. As a family we have come to some decisions through prayer and patience. We know we don’t want to be a family unit where Jason is doing his thing, I’m doing mine, and each kid is doing theirs. I’ve joked over the last 4 years that my PhD engineering husband is doing my dream job in the non-profit sector, working with women and children in third world countries, traveling and learning stories, while I’m at home doing dishes and laundry. Every time he heads to the airport without us, I have to pray and repent of jealousy, holding onto the idea that maybe one day we’ll get to go, too. I’ve threatened on multiple occasions to donate our entire laundry pile (after two or three weeks accumulation) to the local charity just because it’s clearly ridiculous we have that many clothes, and two, if we had less laundry I’d be doing less of it, my time freed up to travel or write. My mathematician husband always has a rebuttal like, “With less clothes you’ll just be doing laundry more frequently.” Not so if we wear the same thing a few days in a row, buddy, or if you turn your boxers inside out!  Anyway, and when I’m feeling overwhelmed where no margin is in sight, or if I have been eating too many carbs and am bloated and puffy, I just start going through closets and drawers and cupboards and corners and start purging things, stuff, American Dream accumulation, and Ryan and I hop in the car and unload 50 lbs of donations at the local charity and all is well…for a little while.

So, part of the plan is to purge. And I mean purge, baby! We’ll have a huge garage sale in a few weeks for the first round of purging. Meanwhile, we’re going to finish the basement (part of it is done, so the remaining part is just walls and a couple of doors.) Then we’ll stage the house and our deep down prayer is to sell it without even putting it on the market. Stay tuned and if you want it or know of someone who does, let us know. Then, once it’s sold, we’ll sell the rest of the furniture and accessories that go along with it, if not to the buyers, in another moving sale, and then…

…well, and then…

…and then we’ll be freed up to go wherever God says “GO!” and do whatever God says to do. Even it it’s simply to stay here, but build something smaller. The key word being:  Together. As a family. Em has already asked me to homeschool her for 7th and 8th grade.  She wants to run with Bevy Kids and we can do that from anywhere in the world. And Ryan, well, he’s flexible being 3 and all…

So, yeah. Bonus for any helpers: if you’d like to come help me with purging and getting things on Craig’s List, you get first dibs on items. Think: I’d like to keep maybe 1/3 of my closet…you do the math!

There you go. Meanwhile, if you know of a contract or full-time position for my very talented husband, you can find his experience here – www.linkedin.com/in/jasonaarongraves.

8 Responses

  1. Wow girl!! I could see little hints and clues on Facebook that some changes were around the corner…but had no idea! Welcome to stepping out into the crazy unknown! I admire you for your brave and know that even though it won’t always be easy, There will be many God stories through this journey. And I can’t wait to read it through your writing! And I love that your daughter wants to do Bevy for young girls! That is awesome! Will be praying for you guys! Keep me posted! ❤️

    • Thanks for the encouragement, friend! I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but He does, and He’s the One we’re following! I can’t wait to walk alongside Em as she launches Bevy Kids! We need to pass the baton to the next generation now, before it’s too late! xoxox

  2. I’m so excited for you and your family on this new new chapter in your lives. Praying that you continue to feel God’s peace and his amazing joy!

  3. I have been off Facebook the last week and thought i would check in on you (i need to subscribe to your blog!!! I will right now) You told me on instagram but so good to read the whole story. Praying for you and can relate in MANY ways… though I’m going through a different kind of transition right now. Love you and excited to see what God has in store for you. <3

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