We're on our way home

Finally on the way back to LA. It's been really good to be back home in Illinois the last couple weeks. We've had a chance to see a lot of friends and family. Probably more than we had planned. We're flying out of Milwaukee tomorrow AM and will be back in New Orleans in the afternoon. 

We have a lot of catching up to do with our jobs there. The high school youth group from Lakeland will be coming down in just a few weeks. Amy and I are really excited to see them all again and have the privilege of working with them when they get there. 

Please be praying for our trip back. Amy got pretty sick last time we flew. We are asking you all to join with us as we prayerfully consider what further impact the passing of my step-dad will have on our term in LA. Please pray for wisdom and clarity over the next few days as we meet with some people in New Orleans. Thanks again to all who offered words of encouragement and prayers to and for us during the past few weeks and please continue both. We love hearing from you. 

So here we are... wherever that is.

First off... thanks to everyone who has left notes, comments, emails, voicemails, prayed for us and gave us words of condolence and comfort in this time. All were tremendously appreciated. Please continue to pray for my mom and Amy & I, as well as all of Bill's 8 living children, their spouses, and 20 grandchildren, as we grieve the loss of this wonderful man. 

Well, it's been a bit of a whirlwind since last Friday night. We just arrived back to Chicago from Tulsa, OK where we had a funeral service and burial for my step-dad, Bill. We had a wonderful service in the Chicago area. Most of Bill's kids made it to that. That was Monday night. Tuesday night, we flew to Tulsa for a Wednesday night/Thursday morning service. We had a great time at both, getting to see some friends and family and honoring Bill's life on earth and his new birth into eternity! It's funny how death can bring people together and offer a tremendous amount of healing. It's also hard to not see God in all of this. From our presence in Chicago for my mom during this time, to some of the things we're all learning from interacting with one another, God's fingerprints can be seen are all over. 

The interview for the job I applied for a couple of weeks ago was this morning. I feel that it went pretty well. I should hear something in the a couple of weeks. Continue to pray for this opportunity as we plan our transition back to IL, whenever that may be. 

My mom flies back to Chicago tomorrow night, so pray for a safe, uneventful flight for her. (Unlike ours this morning, Amy's still not feeling well.) Pray for a restful time for Amy and I this weekend and coming week. We are extending our stay here in the Chicago area at least another week, so we look forward to catching up with as many people as we can. Hope to hear from you soon. 

Phil  

Urgent Prayer Request

My step-dad, Bill, passed away last night. We have already seen God working in this situation. The fact we're home this week has been one of the many mercies we've seen from God through this. Please pray for my mom (Noreen), Amy and I, Bill's children and several grandchildren. Pray for strength, peace, and guidance these next several days.
Lastly, Bill loved the Lord with all his heart and we know he's with our Savior this morning. We're thankful for that and grateful for the time we've had to know a wonderful, loving, caring, man.

Just about there

We're catching our flight back to the Chicago area tomorrow AM. Be praying for our trip; for a relaxing time with friends and family, and re-juvination of our bodies, minds, and spirits.

I'll try to update the blog while we're home, so check back every so often. Hope to see many of you soon!

Phil

Prayers for the 7th Ward (Rock of Ages area)

I wanted to post a quick prayer request for the area around Rock of Ages, where I and several volunteers have been and will be for the next few weeks.
There have been at least 2 separate issues that I know about and have seen in the last week. On Thursday, another staff member and I were at the church delivering some supplies. Suddenly there was a storm of NOPD in the area, blocking off streets, etc. We found out later that some was shot and they were looking for him. They quarantined a school that was in session near by.
The other incident was today. Just blocks from the church at a gas station, a man was shot in the back of the head. They don't have any suspects in this shooting.
The scary part about both of these incidents is that they happened in the middle of the day, in heavily populated areas.
Please pray for this area. For safety for the people of the community, the volunteers and the staff that work in the neighborhood. Also pray for justice for the men or women responsible for these crimes, but more so that God would be seen and glorified through these tragedies.
Thanks for all your support!!

Phil