July update

In the fall of 2011, before Brad was accepted into Bethlehem College and Seminary, a friend told me something that struck me.  She said, "I think seminary is going to change you more than Brad." She knew that Brad would love the rich study of God's Word and the amazing classes and living life with these wonderful small group of men.

And she also knew me.

I like planning.  I like schedules.  I like making goals.  I like being organized.  And oh, I LOVE my 6-12 month plan.

I was, after all, a teacher for 6 years and LOVED the unit planning and curriculum design side of teaching.

But in seminary...my plans and schedules and agendas went out the window. There were times I had no idea how things would get done, how bills would be paid, when the next time I would get around to washing everyone's bed sheets, or what in the world I was going to make for dinner.

There were many times that a dear friend would say to me, "just do the next thing."

That was all I could do.

Because of that, I have had a greater dependency on God to be sufficient for each day. I have had to let go of my pretty organizer and have learned to live one day at a time.  And that lesson has come in very handy this last month!

Now, we find ourselves in July and the future is still unsure.  And we find ourselves living one day at a time.

There is much more unknown then there is known, but I will share with you what we DO know!

One of the churches we interviewed with last month has chosen Brad as their candidate, and Brad and I will be driving to meet with the elders tomorrow morning to ask further questions before we decide whether or not to accept their invitation to candidate.  Then on Saturday our whole family will attend an outreach event at a different church during their town's community days.  We will be spending some time getting to know this congregation and the community and will be attending their worship service on Sunday morning.  Later this month, this same church has asked Brad to meet again with their elders on July 30 and preach on July 31.

While we continue to get to know these churches, their pastors and leadership better, we will continue to get our house ready to get on the market and will enjoy every day we get to have with dear friends and neighbors here in Brooklyn Center.

When people ask us what's next for us, I have become content with responding, "we don't know, but God knows and that's all I need to know."

Please continue to pray for God to give us wisdom, to make clear our path, and to calm our hearts when the road ahead still seems unknown.

Update on the Aust family--post seminary (well...almost!)

A little over 3 weeks ago, Brad graduated from Bethlehem Seminary.  I could write an entire book about the excitement and relief and deep sadness and grief that we have experienced this last month as we have reflected upon our 4 years in Minneapolis.  We have said "see you later....NOT good bye" to SO MANY dear seminary families as God has gradually been moving them on to different parts of the country where I know they will use what they have learned to serve God and His people well.  

But that story will be for another time.

Many of you have been wondering what the next step is for Brad and me and our family.  Here's the most recent update....which could change at any moment!

Brad is finishing his last 2 credit class on church growth and renewal this week (June 6-10).  It's a 1 week intensive class...with over 1500 pages of reading.

And just when we had this delightful 3 week break from the rigor of studying...

Once he finishes his work for this class later this month, he will be OFFICIALLY done!  Praise Jesus!

In the meantime, we have been continuing to work on final house projects on our foreclosed home (the purple bathroom is no more...much to Sammy's dismay) and are also in the thick of job searching.

Searching for a pastoral position is unlike any other job search.  It's not like looking for a teaching position or applying for a job at Starbucks...it takes months or years for a congregation to find a new pastor.  The process is long for both the churches and the pastors and both spend hours considering the unique giftedness of each candidate and the unique make-up of each church. I think often of it like a marriage...a vow and commitment not to be taken without much time and prayer.  We don't want to just serve a church for a few years...Brad and I are in this for the long haul.  It is a decision that we (and each church that considers us) are not taking lightly.

I could go on about the many details and facets of this search process, but this topic, too, must be put on hold for another time.

I feel that God has been very gracious to us these last 3 weeks.  In the days leading up to graduation, we were at various stages of the "applicant" process with several churches, but Brad hadn't had any interviews set up yet.

And I....well, I was a mess of emotions.  I was grateful (for what appeared to be a break in the crazy), but was also incredibly curious about what God had in store for us.  

But since graduation evening...we literally received an email from one church when we got home that very night... Brad has had a Skype interview with a church Memorial Day weekend, interviewed with another church last Thursday, will have a 2nd interview with the same church from last week this upcoming Thursday (June 9), and then he and I will have an interview with a 3rd church this Saturday.

All of a sudden, our life got crazy again!

We ask for your prayers as we meet with these pastors, elders, and search committees this week.  And, please, also pray for these churches and committees.  They have an incredibly difficult job.  We are eager to learn a bit more about each of these churches and are excited to share with them how God has uniquely wired Brad and I to serve His church.

We long to raise high the name of Jesus and to glorify Him in all we do!

This light and momentary affliction...

It amazes me that on beautiful fall days like today, when my to-do list seems to have never ending items of duties to complete, my heart continues to beckon me to rest, worship, stop, remember, and be grateful.  So even though I still have sheets drying on the clothes line outside in the dark, dishes yet to be wiped, and floors that still have the remains of a supper meal, I need...I must stop and write down what's been rolling around in my mind today.


Pastor Jason Meyer preached today out of II Corinthians 4:16-18.  It reads:

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

I have learned a lot about suffering and its good and greater purpose this last year through the preaching of the Word and by watching friends and fellow believers within my church body walk through difficult times with joy and hope.  

It literally brings me to tears.  

I really can't imagine how so many people are walking with joy through these trying circumstances.  I have felt so blessed that God has been gracious to pour out His mercy on our family with good health and provision.  

But last night, as I was finishing up some finances after Brad went to bed, and I fell into such discouragement.  We have 2 older vehicles.  Even though they are both "old", our 94 Civic and 97 Odyssey have been such blessings.  We have had very little repair work done on either one for a couple of years.  But over the last two months, they have both needed normal repair/maintenance work.  (They are both nearing 200,000 miles.)  So after some new CV boots, axles, rotors, spark plugs, brakes and a car battery, we've poured almost $1200 into them.  Ouch.   

After looking at those large bills and the extra money we hadn't anticipated for our kitchen remodel and some other expenses over the summer, I starred at my computer screen in shock and despair.  Since our current income (with both Brad and I working part time) does not exceed our monthly expenses, I began to calculate how many more months we had until our savings would run out.  

Needless to say, I was a bit discouraged.  I went to bed feeling anxious and worried about how we were going to survive these next 3 years of seminary.  

This morning's sermon was quite timely.  Pastor Meyer's 2nd point was the contrast between present suffering and future glory.  Earlier in chapter 1, Paul says that the affliction he (and others) experienced in Asia "so utterly burdened them beyond their strength that they despaired of life itself."  (II Cor. 1:8)

Those were some pretty hard times for Paul.  Yet in today's passage, Paul uses the words "light and momentary" to describe affliction.  Why the change?  When we compare our affliction to this world and all the hardships we suffer while in these earthly and sinful bodies, it brings us to a point of utter despair.  BUT, when we compare our suffering to our future glory, that suffering now is a light load...not one that will burden us down to the point of death.  

Pastor Meyer also said this...which cut straight to my heart.  Discouragement...is a form of arrogance.  It's as if we (finite beings) can see EVERYTHING and we've made a decision that it (fill in the blank) is bad!  We can't see how God is working behind the scenes!  We can't see how suffering is going to accomplish our good and God's glory!  We look at what we see with our human eyes and despair...as IF we knew all that was truly happening around us.  

I haven't been able to shake these words all day....discouragement being a form of arrogance.  So this afternoon during my Sabbath time, I began to stop and remember.  

These 4 years at Bethlehem Seminary are training years.  What Brad will learn and be trained in will, Lord willing, impact God's kingdom.  And what I'm learning from these amazing fellow seminary wives and pastors' wives will also prepare me for the ministry that lies ahead.  

But beyond these late nights studying Hebrew and reading books on eldership, lie personal experiences that will also aid us as we prepare to shepherd the flock God has for us.  

And instead of being discouraged tonight, I am so, so very grateful.  

For the first time in our marriage, Brad and I are literally living paycheck to paycheck.  While I thought that we had been tight with our finances before, it is nothing compared to how we live today.  And this evening, I'm grateful.  God has provided us an experience that we will use someday to comfort and help others who are in this same financial boat.  And I know now, first hand, how it feels to truly trust God for our daily needs.  

Once I started thinking about this current situation, I began to think of other experiences...ones that were hard and painful...that will be used in similar ways.  

Almost 2 years ago, we learned that Brad would no longer have a position at Lakewood E Free Church.  We were blessed to be able to stay on staff until December 31, 2011, but we know first hand what it feels like to lose a job.  For 2 months after that, Brad was unemployed.  He worked so hard to find work, yet we went over 2 months without income.  When he did find work, he was working a 2-10 shift at a local factory.  

What a hard time those months were, but how precious they are to me now.  God has given us a gift in these experiences.  I know what it's like to put the kids to bed every night by myself...to wonder how my husband's interview will go and whether he'll be hired...to respond to friends and family that we can't travel or do certain things because we can't afford to.  

Memories began to flood my mind.  I remembered being homeless for over 3 months...and how humbling it was to move in with friends and store all we had in someone's garage.  I remembered being humbled by asking friends to come over and help us clean and repair our abused, foreclosed home...wondering what they were thinking of our housing choice.  

But now...oh what I have learned about hospitality and home repair and God's faithfulness through these times!  I don't want to forget and I don't want to fall into discouragement...

I can't see the whole picture.  I don't know what God is doing fully in my heart and in others around me.  But now, I know that whatever God brings to my life, it will be purposeful and that I don't have to despair.  

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." - Matthew 6:25-34

Christmas Letter 2012

"The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."  Deut. 31:8

Dear friends and family,       

We write to you just a few weeks into a fresh year...one that we hope will be full of blessings and joy for you as you seek to know and be fully satisfied in Christ our King! 

Much has happened since we sent out an update letter last June.  After selling our house last May, we spent 3 months living with our dear friends, Paul and Emily Allegra, on their farm just south of Brainerd.  Words cannot express the kindness and love we felt as they so generously opened their home to our family.  Living there was a true blessing, and we will never forget “our summer on the farm.”  Caleb especially loved it. He became good buddies with the Allegra’s oldest boys, and still talks about tractors, riding on the gator, playing in the hay loft and baling hay with Mr. Paul.  We are so grateful for that fun and precious time!

We spent most of June searching for housing in Minneapolis.  After looking at close to 30 homes, we put an offer on a foreclosed house in Brooklyn Center.  By July 3, we learned that our offer had been accepted!  Thus began the craziest and busiest 6 months of our lives!  Brad had begun taking a 7 week accelerated Greek class in the Cities the last week of June.  Since he was going to be gone from us so often, the kids and I kept busy with T-ball (Caleb), gymnastics (Sammy & Caleb), play dates at the park with friends, and Vacation Bible School (Sammy & Caleb).  The kids also spent a great deal of time with my Mom and Dad in Bismarck so I could focus on the countless errands and things to do in preparation for our transition to the Twin Cities and Brad could focus on passing the National Greek Exam (which was necessary for admission into seminary) and working on our new home.  We are so grateful for the 3+ weeks they spent in ND during parts of July and August swimming, going to the zoo, and playing with Grandma and Papa! 
  
We closed on our house on July 24 and as we walked into our new home, I remember thinking to myself, “What have we done?”  We had looked at many foreclosed homes in various conditions and even though our home didn’t need many expensive repairs, it was disgustingly dirty with layers of grease and grim and mildew on many of the walls and ceilings.  We also had almost 2 pages of repairs that needed to be done before we could even occupy the house.  We set to work and with the help of several Twin Cities friends, we were able to pass inspection on August 7.  It felt so good to actually be able to sleep on the floor of our new home!  We learned a TON about plumbing and mudding and taping and code violations!  Brad did a great job working on the house, and I really came to appreciate all those hours on the “paint crew” in college since I prepped, primed, and painted every ceiling and wall in our home.

On August 18, after a very bittersweet good-bye in Brainerd to our dear friends of 8 years, we loaded up and headed to our new home.  We were welcomed by many old college friends and new friends from Bethlehem Seminary who helped us move in.

Brad officially began orientation for Bethlehem Seminary just 4 days after we moved and there was so much work yet to do!  Brad’s mom, Betty, spent a week with us cleaning windows, unpacking, playing with the kids, and washing my dishes!  She is an incredibly hard worker, and we were so grateful for her help! 

The rest of August and September, to be completely honest, was a blur.  Jumping into the rigor of seminary work, looking for part time work (for both me and Brad) and still finishing a long list of projects on our home was quite a “shock to our systems!” I don’t know how we survived those first few months; I truly don’t!  I missed my friends and the familiarity of Brainerd so much, and this “new normal” of Brad’s incredibly heavy study load was hard for me to adjust to. 

But now, after having a semester under our belts, we can truly see the goodness of God as He provided for us in ways we could have never imagined! 

Although our house was a TON of work, it is an amazing blessing to us!  We have a big back yard, room for our kids to play, an office for Brad to study, and extra room to house old and new friends.  Although I still find myself complaining about my “highly dysfunctional kitchen” (that we hope to remodel sometime in the upcoming year), I am grateful for a place to cook meals for our family and provide hospitality to those God brings to our door. 

Less than a month before school started for Sammy, we learned that she had been accepted to Birch Grove School for the Performing Arts, a magnet school in our district.  We had been praying about schooling options for her, and we felt this was a clear answer to prayer!  Her new school is just the perfect fit for our highly musical and dramatic daughter!  She’s even one of 61 students that was casted for her school’s spring musical!  God provided so personally and specifically for her gifts and personality!

God also provided a great part time job for Brad.  He’s working at Delta Industrial 1-2 days a week during school and full time on breaks.  The business is owned by a family from our old church in Brainerd.  We are so grateful for the flexibility and steady hours that this job offers.  God truly provided the perfect job for Brad for this specific season!

I have been blessed by the twice a month gatherings of the other seminary wives.  I am poured into and trained and loved by several pastors’ and professors’ wives.  I so look forward to those Tuesday nights, and feel very blessed to be in a tight community with other women going through the same things I am!  I am also doing some childcare in my home, and I am slowly growing a network of families whose children I care for.

We are also enjoying being so close to Brian and Sarah.  We’ve been able to see them several times since we moved, and that is such a blessing!  We had them over for Sammy’s birthday party in October, I met Sarah for a playdate in Woodbury, we spent Thanksgiving Day with them, met them downtown for the Holidazzle Parade last month, and have more get-togethers planned for this winter/spring.  Being near family is such a blessing! 

My parents have also been able to visit twice and help with some final projects.  Putting on doors is NOT my strength, so I was glad that Dad was here to help Brad hang the final 3 bedroom closet doors!
   
All of these blessings and provisions have been such good gifts from the Lord!  Even though we have worked harder...on less sleep...with less income...in highly stressful circumstances the last 6 months, we have learned so much about finding our true satisfaction and joy in our unchanging and all-powerful God!  He has truly sustained our family, both financially and physically. 

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

As you think of us, would you pray for a smooth transition back to school this spring semester?  And also that we would guard our time, as it has become the most precious resource to us.  Please also join us in praising God for His provision of work for both Brad and myself and the finances needed for this new year.    

Our desire is to know and love God and to make His name great as we journey through these next 3 1/2 years of seminary.  All the circumstances of this last year were by His provincial hand and He has brought us through many hard, but good times.   

We think and pray often for you all, our dear friends and family!  We are praying for God to personally meet with each of you as you look to Him to provide all that you and your families need. 

With much love,
Brad, Jenny, Sammy, Caleb, and Hannah Aust

Flashback on the 15th - Sledding and Skating Fun

Brad and I have been ever so  s l o w l y  working our way through editing and organizing our 2012 pictures.  We found these ones from February of last year.  

Snow was pretty short to come by last winter.  I remember just having a few days to enjoy the white powder.  One afternoon we headed over to my friend, Liz's house to sled down their small hill in their back yard.  

Sooooo much fun!

Here's Hannah and her "best friend" Aleah.  Aleah is less than 2 months older than Hannah.  

There's always a truck or two in the back of my van.  Caleb can't seem to travel without his favorite one named "Ali".  Caleb let Hannah have a turn with it.  

LOVE this one!  He is such a boy!

I don't give birth to children with any fear of anything.  They will try anything!  Hannah just jumped right in!

LOVE this boy!



Tamera is almost exactly a year younger than Caleb.  They were in a pre-school co-op together in Brainerd.  

Sammy, not wanting to be outdone!

Brainerd's park and rec also flooded several areas at local parks and provided free skates for families.  We had wanted to go ice skating several times, but we only managed to get on the ice once due to abnormally warm weather.  

Brad is trying to teach Sammy...who is not so graceful on ice skates!

Caleb actually did much better on his skates than his older sister. 

And what did Hannah and I do?  Twirl around the ice with her stroller!

This is one of Sammy's more graceful pictures.  She was on her bottom quite a bit!

And when all else fails...and one gets tired of ice skating...

Make an "ice angel!"  

I have the silliest children!