Have a blessed Christmas!!

Hey everyone just wanted to say have a great and blessed time with each other over Christmas. We're going to be spending time with family and friends, really looking forward totime off and just chats with many people. We've had a leaders meeting with the Grace leaders last thursday evening and had a brill time of just openess and honesty for all of us.

We then drove to Wexford to hang out with Alex's mum and aunt and some friends. Really had a good a time with them and we just drove from Wexford today to head back to family in Cork. So just a nice time of relaxing and family stuff. May God bring His peace to your home this Christmas, lots of love Alex and Linda.

Update

Well we got a phone call today to say that the contracts have been provisionally signed pending a few enquries. But the solicitor says there should be no problems. So God willing all will work out, but we're quite excited about the fact that the contracts have been finally signed. Thanks for remembering us and continuing to pray for us we'll keep you posted. Also still waiting to see if our offer will be accepted by the people for the house in Cork.

Correction

We found out that it is actually the buyer and not the solicitor that is causing all the hassle. He is being really strange about things and is holding everything up for no real concrete reason. We've even heard that he is questioning the "garage conversion" that we don't even have. So please pray that they stop messing around and sort the deal out. We hope to hear from them tomorrow.

Still waiting ......

Just to update you on the house situation. Still waiting on news back about our contracts we don't know what the hold up is really about as the buyers want to push through the deal asap as well but the solicitor seems to be holding it up. It's just all really strange. Also we have put our final offer in for the house in Cork and the owners are getting back to us on Monday or Tuesday after he has done his figures. So it's all very much still up in the air. So please keep praying. We'll let you know as soon as anything happens.

Back in Dublin

Hey there, were back in the BIg smoke and the traffic really sucks. 7km tail backs wont miss that for sure. I oficially hate the M50. Today we put in a real/final offer on the house in Cork and are waiting on their thoughts. So please pray with us as we are waiting on the Lord for clear direction.

Also there may be a problem with a planning issue on our house which could become a problem. It is a bit hard to swallow as we didn't see it coming and it is a silly issue. So please pray that the sale will go through here and that this issue will not materialise into something big.

We have started boxing the house and it is a bigger job than we first realised, at least we have time.

Today was very hard as we said goodbye to our great friends the Steiners who are heading back to the States and we won't see them for a long time. We were very close and had an emotional time at the Airport this morning.

Thanks for keeping an eye on us, and for praying for us as we continue to follow the Lord's will for our lives.

Praise His name for a great time of fellowship and ministry over the last week in Cork

House is gone

Ok the house in Glanmire is gone and we were gutted. Really sad it went but we're going to put an offer in on one tomorrow, so please pray that if this is the one that it will work out. The agent we are dealing with is really odd and quite rude at times, so it's going to be fun trying to bargain prices with him. So we really need prayer for confidence and courage with him and that if this house isn't the one then we will know quickly rather than having it dragged out. We need to find somewhere to live sooner rather than later. This house by the way was the one out of the two we had narrowed it down to, so it's our last choice we have at the moment. After this it's back to the drawing board.

In Cork again

Hey sorry we haven't updated since the last one but a lot has happened since then. Alex got sicker and ended up in hospital all day monday but thank goodness and of course thank God that prayers are being answered and Alex has gotten so much better. He feel to the floor monday with pain and when we took him in they gave him blood tests, x-rays and other tests to see if it was galstones and try to figure out what was causing all the pain. In the end stocked with plenty of painkillers and a referal to the the physio we were off home again. Was so good that he didn't have to stay overnight. It was great to have him back home. Turns out that while they were convinced he had gal stones after a few hours they then determined that he just had severe backpain brougth on by back spasms. I don't know but it sure didn't just look like back pain but we're really grateful it's now not as serious.

On a brighter note we traveled down to Cork on wed and viewed a house. Not convinced it's the one but there was one that we had fallen in love with back in Sept but when we called back about it we were told it was sale agreed and no longer available. But yesterday we drove by it and saw it was still for sale but was being sold by two agents so we called the other one and they said it was still open for offers but was almost at sale agreed. We couldn't believe the other agent shafted us. So we are awaiting the couple to come back to the agents so we can find out if we still have a chance to make an offer. So apart from all that waffling the bottom line is PLEASE pray that if this is the house that we will get it, even though it seems slim now. But God is in control and we know that but would be nice if we knew we had somewhere to move into in January. Would just take so much stress off us.

Ministy wise we just came back from a training time with the youth leaders at Grace. We had a great evening with them and talked about the importance of building relationships with the teens as well as with each other and of course God. It was really encouraging to see them all back tonight and as eager as ever. We are also trying to arrange a missions trip with them all next June to Kenya so praying and looking at that. So ya we were quite excited about tonight and after the last two weeks as hard as they were it was so nice to be with the leaders again tonight. Funny also that we heard that some of our leaders down here have also been having a battering and someone has been having a field day in trying to twart their ministry. So would appreciate prayer for protection in all we're doing down here at the moment.

Schedule for Cork ~
Thursday night ~ Trainging youth leaders at Grace
Friday night ~ Christmas party for the youth at Grace
Saturday night ~ Leaders get together with the Pastor from Grace
Sunday night ~ Carol service at Grace followed by our first "college age group" for anyone from Cork. (1st one so pray all goes well, we have no idea who's going to come)
Monday ~ Back to the big smoke

Deposit is paid.

Well we got a phone call from the agents today to say the deposit is in. So we're just awaiting the survey which will be early next week and then we'll get the contracts. So it's getting closer and closer to the full sale of the house. In another matter, Alex is not well this week. He was up till 4am this morning throwing up and doubled over in pain. He has been sick since tues morning so we went to the doctors today and he had his bloods taken. So we're awaiting results but the doctor thinks it might be gall stones. So please do pray for him as he's in a lot of pain.

We just agreed with our buyer!!

Ok we've sale agreed....it's all mad. we're so excited and so grateful to God for being so faithful and again blowing our minds. He's gone ahead again and against the market trend and sells our house in a month after going on the market, when all the professionals said it would take at least 3mths to sell. Now we just need to wait for contracts but the buyer is putting the deposit down tomorrow. I can't believe it's all happening. It's exciting but strange all at the same time. Xo

More news....

Oh my goodness this is all happening so fast. We got the first offer yesterday at 12.45 the second offer today at 1pm. And at 4pm we got the final offer from the same guy. God is brilliant now we just really need to pray and seek him over this weekend about whether we accept or not. Please pray for us that we get a peace about the whole thing. It is still a good bit under the asking price but an answer to prayer all the same. Thank you Lord!!

Another day, another offer!!

Praise God within 24hrs we have another offer. We're getting there. Our God will supply all our needs!!! Keep praying.

The ball has started to roll.....

Well we have had an answer to prayer. That guy we asked you to pray about well he has come back today with an offer. Now he has given a cheeky offer but that starts the ball rolling. Praise God we were only praying this afternoon about it and 20mins later we get a call from our agents saying an offer has been put in. She said herself it was a crazy offer and that he was really under cutting us but it was a start. So please keep those prayers up. We just want a fair price but it's so cool as God answered our prayers today so He has again reminded that He has us in his hands and everything is in control.

House update

The viewer that we had who came for a second viewing has said that he MAY (please Lord!!) come back with an offer this week, so do pray. Also we had a couple that came to view it last saturday and have said that they might come back for a second viewing and they have a mortgage approved already. So keep praying people. Thanks for being in this with us. Xo

More news

This is Adeline one of the teens from Grace youth group and this is one the games we had. How many pegs can you get on a face!! Top score was 60 on one of the lads but our camera died. check out some pics on our flickr box over on the side.


Hey everyone lots happening. Please keep praying as apparently one viewer who has seen our house twice now is rumoured to be making an offer next week!!! This is not completely guaranteed but looks hopeful. Thanks for all your prayer but please keep them up.

Since the last time we blogged lots has happened. Through negotiations with a church here in Cork they are going to help us to support us finiacially to help us run our college group and train some leaders. Alex will be a guest speaker once a month which is an exciting new direction for him. I have been meeting with the college student girls and will be meeting them again tomorrow at UCC.

Things are going really well at Grace and we are shopping for bean bags, pillows, cushions, hot chocolates and a cows tongue etc as we look to study James 3 with the teens on Sunday morning.

We've been down here now for 2 1/2wks and it's been GREAT! Although there is a little part of us that is looking forward to getting back to our own place in Dublin and catching up with friends. Alex said he's looking forward to sleeping in a real bed as 2 1/2wks on an air matress in the attic has it's limit :) Thanks for all your support and encouragement keep letting us know how your all doing. Leave a comment or email us to tell us how you are.

Linda & Alex Xo

Update from the South

Well time is passing by quickly and we are now here over a week. So much has happened, we have great times getting to know the leaders and teens at Grace more and are looking forward to a fun night tomorrow night as we take the evening for the youth group there. We are having a Winter Olympics evening so it will involved frozen t-shirts, bowling with frozen chickens, water guns and night lights, which victims oh I mean volunteers will hold over their head and lots of games involving ice. Oh fun fun fun. It's been a great week for catching up with friends and tomorrow I (Linda) am heading to UCC to meet with 7 college students (all girls) to talk and dream about what we can do together as a group to encourage, grow and journey together. As we mentioned before there is such a hunger down here and I have been meeting up with a few college students individually but now this is the first time where they have gotten a group together from various churches and backgrounds that I'll meet and talk about how I can help them etc. So excited and of course a little nervous as I want to really share God with them more and help disciple so they can reach out to many around them. So please pray that God gives me the words tomorrow as I meet with these girls because without him at the centre of this it is empty.

In house news we found out today that another house in our estate has just gone up for sale. We were gutted when we heard this as this house is gorgeous and is so modern and has everything. So much more than ours. So after a lot of panic and Oh we are doomed!!! We realized that we are so human and like everyone in the Bible when at the first sign of opposition or hard ship we run, run, run. Thank goodness for reflection times and a word from God reminding us to have faith ;) Also a few things have come up and a little battle is looming so please pray for us at this time that we will remain focused and not take things as a personal attack. We don't want to put it on a blog but God knows the story. Drop an email if you want our prayer requests as we really need to send one soon anyway.

So here we are again realizing that he has it under control and we just can't see the bigger picture right now. So what we can see is what a blessing it is to be here sharing in the lives of so many from different churches and having the privilage of being part of their journey with God for this time. We have been really encouraged by particular people that we are trying to train and have really been blown away by their trust, love and faith in us (little do they know hehehe). Seriously though it's times like this when things are hard that you have to collect your golden nuggets and make those markers to remind you of ALL that God is doing. As he sure is working.

Starting to settle in.

We really enjoyed this week and are beginning to settle here in Cork. We had a good leaders meeting at Grace on thurs eve and we looked at their Spiritual gifts with them. Everyone involved seemed to enjoy the night and were made aware of the gifts that God has given them, something that will help Linda and i to taylor roles appropriate to their giftings for each of them.

We taught on Sunday morning and it went very well, we looked at faith and deeds in James 2 and the teens really engaged in the discussion and opened up to the challenge and application in an exciting way.

We also went bowling and for food with the leaders on sunday night and had a great laugh with them. Also got some watersking done on sat and saw Munster play on sat night which was great.We just need the house to sell so we can make our move permanent, so please keep praying as we feel it might be close now. We will keep you up to date as time goes bye, but for now take care and God bless.

Off to Cork again

Well we're heading to Cork tonight (wed 31st Oct). We'll be down there for two weeks and will be meeting with the leaders from Grace and starting our training with them and also will be meeting with some college students and some church leaders. We are looking forward to catching up with everyone again and to seeing where God continues to lead us.

More House News

Another buyer viewed the house today and afterwards told the estate agent that she liked the home and has the money to buy. She also viewed 2 other properties which fitted her needs and she wants to go away and make up her mind as to which one she wants. Please continue to pray that if this is the person to buy our house that things might move into place to make this a reality. God has been so faithful to us, providing a blessing of a 2 day conference called the Global Leaders Summit which has nourished us and blown our minds in terms of inspiration and ideas. THANKS FOR ALL THE PRAYERS AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU WE CAN REALLY FEEL IT.

Pray, pray, pray

We have just found out that people who came to view last sat are going to do their figures and get back about a 2nd viewing. The only problem is that they are looking at other properties. Please pray that this might be the buyer or that the buyer would come soon.

Just one of those weeks

Do you ever feel at times that someone is sticking pins in you. It's just been one of those weeks where it seems like everything is going wrong. We got back from Cork on Wednesday evening and the plan was to relax, re-focus and just spend some peaceful time reading and spending time with God. Right well that was the plan but instead since we've come back it's just been one stressful thing after another and no peacful times whatsoever. It just feels like a couple of digs keep coming every so often during each day we've been back. Please pray that we will just be able to have that time as we feel it's crucial for our work in Cork. We have a lot to plan and direct but we need God's insight and wisdon on a few decisions so we need that time out. On the good side we had another viewing this morning (sat) so that makes it 13different parties in 2wks that have viewed our property. We just need that one buyer, God has been so faithful in getting the people in. Let's see what happenes...................