A phrase....

God keeps bringing this phrase back to me.... think i will need to paint it on something....

"a STORY to the TESTIMONY of HIS GLORY...."

Upside down with a GOOD GOD...

I am assuming that you have an idea of the changes going on with MUCH ministries... and how that is effecting mine & Junior's life....

but if not... its a lot.

God has finally told beaver & Kathy it is TIME... they will be moving to Haiti full time this August. Therefore they have made the decision to close down the stateside focuses...The Market Place businesses have closed and the Much Love Community (local ministry) has ended as well.

The main focus will be on the Trade School and Community of Jubilee in Gonaives, Haiti. Junior & I will no doubt stay connected as we believe in what MUCH is about and we are no doubt like family, we have walked through life together, been extremely blessed and will continue to invest in what Kathy & Beaver are doing...

By the grace of God Beaver and Kathy have already sold their home! They have also decided there will be no stateside office to MUCH as of right now, so our world is a little turned upside down as that means we need to find a new place to live and i need to find a new job, also junior starts school august and we are not sure that he will be able to keep his current job...so we don't know what is ahead, but we also know that we have a God who takes care of the birds, and WILL take care of us... a Father in heaven that is RICH and that has plans to prosper us with a HOPE & a FUTURE...

we believe that one day we will live and work in Haiti together, but God has not called Junior and i there yet... we will go for 5 weeks in July & August to celebrate our 1 year anniversary and see his family...it has been 3 years since Junior has been home. It also is the first time I will be back since the earthquake. we really feel like God is going to bring a lot of clarity and it will be a sweet sweet time in Haiti together. we do not want to miss the opportunity to be present by all the distractions of the unknown that is ahead of us stateside...so we want to focus on Haiti and say YES to the adventure and YES to walking it out in FAITH!

Thank you for the ways you have supported me in ministry, friendship and life! I am greatly blessed by each of you! Junior and I do not know much right now, but know that God is on the move and we believe that His plans our great...and so we wait upon the Lord...trust in HIM and welcome the adventure that is here now!

keep us in your prayers...

pray into this, thanks SB!

click HERE.... and read this post my dear friend sarah posted...not because she is my friend, not because it is something we should be aware of, but because we need to pray into....

thanks for sharing sarah!

it always amazes me the people God has put in my life...

the kindred spirits...

the beauty...

thanks sarah beth for the ways you expand my life...such truth and grace...a real gift from my FATHER in heaven is what you are to me.

thank you for your friendship.

Hafiz (The Gift)

Even

After

All this time

The sun never says to the earth,

"You owe

me."

Look

What happens

With a love like that,

It lights the

Whole Sky

the sweet moments...

Junior was so sweet today...he didn't work...so he did dishes, laundry and now he is making dinner.... i love how we share the daily tasks of life...

but my favorite part today was when he sang this song, while i was making us some salsa...

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength

For each new day

He will make a way

He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness

He'll lead me

And rivers in the desert will I see

Heaven and earth will fade

But His Word will still remain

He will do something new today

Junior knew what a roller coaster of emotions i have been on today and how exhausted i am because of it all. i think he knew how much i needed to hear it. i think its the biggest smile i had all day, hearing him sang this song by Don Moen. What a good man God gave me....

in a funk...

So if you have read the previous post about the marketplace closing you might get why i am in a funk... click here read about it closing.

it's really draining all these different emotions raging throughout my spirit...going from, depressed, excited, full of visions for the possibilities ahead to confused, frustrated and a bit mad....

really feeling a lack of direction in all of it....as we believe God has plans for it and people have expressed interest in keeping it open...it seems everyday there is a new idea or plan for this place....and all my emotions are making me extremely exhausted.

i know Gods got this.... for He declares in Jer 29:11 the plans he has for me, not to harm but to prosper and give hope... He declares His goodness....working all things together for good to those that love Him... and OH how i LOVE Him!!!!

so i know good things are in store...but in being drained by all the emotions i often want to run away... specifically to Kansas City, where my family and closest of friends are...my home...my first home....don't get me wrong i love Georgia, i love Haiti, and i LOVE LOVE LOVE where ever i am and junior is there, but the idea of being in Kansas City makes me feel so safe and secure....but going there would not be going there out of obedience to God so I know its probably not the right idea...

as of right now the plan is for me to stay on MUCH staff as a missionary of course...doing things stateside somewhere in Georgia...

there will still be lots to do:

• communicating with all the donors that will still partner with much ministries
• fundraising and marketing the things that we will be doing (trade school, possible intern program and marketable products from Haiti)
• sending emails and updates on what's happening in the ministry
• keeping the website up to date (thanks to my webmaster- Jon)
• even moving forward with marketable Haiti good- delivery and relations with buyers/sellers of these products

however i will most likely need to start raising support to continue being a missionary for MUCH...not sure what this will look like, but we are pretty sure they will not be able to pay.

Granted we have been SUPER blessed and i have no doubt God will take care of this!

but not only is the market place going to be gone, but they will sell their property with their home, maybe rent it out...not really sure, but junior & i have been blessed to live their on the property in a SWEET cottage so we might have to find a new place to live...but all of it is up in the air...

the unknown, the transition, the in between... it is a hard place to be...

i do believe it is often where we learn and grow the most...but it is draining to be on a roller coaster ride... i have even felt a bit sick to my stomach at times...

but its a process and i pray that i am walking in grace...and the moments that i lack the grace to give, my Father in heaven has grace for me...and for that i am forever thankful... PRAISE THE LORD!

so there you have my heart and my funk... somehow it works together... and GOD will make it for the good... He's just that COOL!

Lots of changes ahead

Many things are about to change around here.... please keep us in your prayers....MUCH is about to restructure and change is so many ways, but has Kathy says..."God has a twinkle in her eyes"

here is a letter she has written to share with everyone that have walked this journey and been a part of it... i share it with you because you have walked with us as well.

Dear Friends,

We have been approaching this day for many years.

Over eight years ago we encountered the nation of Haiti and our hearts were taken captive by the Love of God for this place.

At that time we asked if we could sell everything we have and move. We thought we were ready. God clearly spoke to us and said, not now....in seven years. Seven years seemed like an eternity at that time ... but being a little bit seasoned in faith...we knew obedience even when we don't understand, is always smart!

What we did not know at that time was that GOd had much to do to prepare us , much to teach us, and many ways planned to s t r e t c h our faith. He has run a very good school! We are at a place now to believe Him for MUCh bigger things than ever before!

MUCH ministries was started to house this living community of comrades on this journey together: The Marketplace in Wayneville has been our base.

We began the Marketplace with a two-fold directive:

· Continue to support missions and raise awareness of the needs in Haiti

· and Use the Marketplace as a way to reach the community of Brantley County , and help those in need right here at home

What a B E A U T I F U L journey is has been. We wouldn't trade a single day !

Love has been painted all over the building, into every piece of plumbing, dry wall, air vent and concrete floor. We invested all that we are and have reaped a great reward..we have seen the King of glory walk through the doors and love the broken, hold the mourning, feed the hungry, supply the needs of the needy, listen to the lonely , teach the teachable, dance , sing , paint and strategize for nations! We have entertained some angels for certain and some angels have entertained us !

Now is the day. It is time for MUCH ministries to become a Haiti focused mission. It is time for Beaver and Kathy ( and Rebecca of course ! ) to make our home in Haiti. (the boys will join us at times as well! ) MUCH already has three missionaries serving in Gonaives, with more to follow this fall. And one, Casey Nichols, headed to Africa this summer. We will continue to operate as MUCH ministries with Natasha Jovin remaining here to run operations and continue to minister locally.

What this means for the Marketplace in Waynesville is that it is time for it to change hands. We feel like God has a new plan for this space that has been so carefully crafted in His presence. The actual building and land (2 acres) is up for sale...(our landlord has had it for sale pretty much the entire time we have been leasing from him ) but he has recently dropped the price significantly. So we are thinking GOd has something in the works to get the next right thing into this space.

We , along with our Board, our friends, our staff count it a privilege to have occupied this space and planted ( literally) so very many seeds here. So many good seeds have been planted INTO us as well.

Our plans as of right now are to take the month of May to wind down the Marketplace. We will remain open usual business hours through May 15^th and then we will post our OPEN hours as it becomes clear what they need to be.

June – August we will be gearing up to make our move to Haiti.

Thank you for the role you have played in our lives …friends! We will greatly appreciate your prayers as we walk out this next step in the journey. May GOd richly bless you !!!

Grace and Peace!

Beaver and Kathy Brooks