Years of God Leading and Preparing a Way

Fall of 2003 my brother Brian and Kellie left for Scotland to start a Church, Re:Hope. God was calling them, but it was so hard to let them go. God has been using them in such an amazing way over the years. In December of 2004 we went to visit them. We were there for the first gathering in their church building. We thought about joining their team, but at the time God wasn't calling us there.


In March 2007, I went there for my 25th Birthday. I got super cheap tickets and met up with Erin Hanson. My love for the Church and for Scotland continued to grow.


In April of 2008, Dan and I went again. We found out we were pregnant with Hazel the morning we flew out. We had such a wonderful time. Dan got to helped demolish the stage in the old Church building to expose the tile floor and stain glass windows. Our hearts grew for Scotland and for Re:Hope . When we came home, Dan tried applying for jobs over there. He heard back from one, but they were too small a company to hirer internationally: (paying for visas, and flying us out, etc.). We didn't feel called to try and raise support and head over as missionaries, mostly because half of the people we would have asked for financial support from, were already giving to Brian and Kellie, and if anything, we wanted them to give more to them, not give to us instead.


We went again in May of 2009, this time bringing Hazel. By the end of this trip, our hearts ached for Scotland and the Church there. Although we didn't get to see first hand all the times and ways God was moving through Re:Hope, we kept up with it and heard about it through Brian and Kellie. We've been praying for and with the Church for years now, and it's so amazing to see all that God has done there.


Last September, the company Automattic, creator of WordPress, contacted Dan about a WordPress Phone App he had made for Google phones. He looked into the company and found out they were a work from home business in which there were employees all over the world. We instantly got excited about the idea of Dan working from home, and the idea of home being Scotland...Dan applied for some open positions and time came and went. Then in December, they asked Dan if he'd be interested in some contract work for building a website. Well, he accepted, built the website, and a few weeks ago talked with them about a possible job. After a few phone calls, they offered him the job last Wednesday! He's given his resignation notice at T-Mobile and starts for Automattic February 16th.

God has made a way for us to go to Scotland, the company doesn't mind if we go, basically we can go anywhere that has Internet! So now the journey begins. We are planning on selling our place or possibly renting it out and heading to Scotland on a year visa. The earliest we'd leave at this point is August, we have some summer plans and we have to deal with our Condo before we can go. If God wants us there longer, we'll work on a longer visa. We don't see this as a permanent move, but more like a year or possibly two. We are so excite to live in Scotland. We are so excited to be with Brian and Kellie. We are so excited to work with Re:Hope and be involved in it's ministry.


This year will be big, full of trusting in God, and praying for his leading and guiding. We are so very excited for this opportunity and can't wait to see how God brings it all about.

*the last two pictures were taken from Brian's blog of the new church building