MONEY: the GOOD, the BAD, the LESSON

Here in the PNW we are savoring the cool, crisp mornings; crunchy leaves; and every indication that my favorite season is upon us. 🍁🍁  It seems every time a new season comes it reminds me of how there are clear seasons and chapters in our lives.  Each one marked by triumphs, hurdles and no doubt growth.  One of the most profound things about personal growth is that there is ALWAYS beauty in the process.  Think of the leaves slowly transforming from summertime greens to vibrant oranges, yellows and garnet in Autumn; and they usher in the spindly and barren limbs of Winter; and on into Spring where new growth and color are rebirthed.    Our lives can so parallel this, right?  One thing I'm learning is to embrace the "refining" lessons rather than resist or deny they're there.

In the past couple of weeks (since our last "meet up") an issue has risen in me that has been long standing, crippled me in areas of my life I wasn't even aware of and held me hostage. 

My perspective on Money.

There I said it.

Too much money or a lack of money, not managed honorably, can control us...and it has for me.  It never ceases to amaze me how God intertwines circumstances and "issues" in our lives to finally get our attention.  Two key areas of my life~~our move to the mission field and my business have brought this point to light.  So, my 1st action step was to rally an intimate accountability team that has permission to speak the hard truth to me.  This alone was tough because who wants to say, "Hey, I suck at this so could you help keep my feet to the fire?" Pride is an ugly thing, but when I acknowledge it for what it is it's pretty darn crazy what follows.  When God/the Holy Spirit pricks our hearts to be obedient He doesn't guarantee immediate results, but in His goodness He has already, like tangibly, rewarded me for a broken, surrendered, ready-to-change heart.  Gulp....

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. ~Proverbs 19:20
 
I share all that, not because I'm proud of it, because I'm surely not, but much more because maybe someone else can relate and needs the courage to acknowledge whatever is holding you in bondage.  There is real freedom when we do!!  And, I am learning this DOES NOT define me, but victory over it comes from the Lord, and HE DOES DEFINE ME! 

Can we talk tangible, like you can feel something but it's not physically there?  I love those moments that imagining something becomes reality.  This week we were out doing updated family pics, and we came upon this gem of a find~~an old rustic building adorned with the most perfect wheelbarrow of gourds.  We shot some awesome photos, and as we were leaving we happened on some grape trellises~with the most fragrant, ripe, perfectly sweet, hanging clusters of grapes.  For some reason, the conversation went to, "I wonder if this delightful smell will waft through heaven?" All that is good and pleasing to our senses came to mind~a gift really.  It reminded me all that we have to be grateful for~ALWAYS.

The three guys are learning Tagalog (you know I should be, too, but haven't fit it into my already crazy schedule), and I love to overhear them while they're listening and learning their language program.  Last week, I was blessed by a new connection where the value of learning the local language was further solidified.  One of Graham's friends from our homeschool co-op spent a number of years in Uganda with his family on the mission field.  Graham got to hang with his friend, and I got to listen and share with his mom.  SO GOOD.....SO, SO GOOD!!💗  They spent their first two years there learning the language and culture so her husband could do all his messages in the local dialect. This is why we, too, want to learn Filippino (formerly known as Tagalog) so that we can connect, share and fellowship whether someone knows English or not.

As we "bloom where we're planted" here we also actively continue to prepare, plan, rest and pray what God's next best step is for us in this journey.  Thank you for traveling with us....

Grateful, Honored, Blessed~


The Hounshell Four

If you would like to support us financially in our journey, you can go to missionarycompanionministries.org.  In the top right click "donate", and you can follow the instructions from there.  Please fill in our missionary number, 4157, and then continue.

🍁🍁Life Lessons...Even As Adults🍁🍁

Every day gives us welcome invitation to grow, celebrate, endure pain, and look for the blessing, don't you agree?

The past two weeks (I've found that about every Tues. my heart is prompted to share) have been filled with so many emotions and lessons.  I feel like I'm the student instead of the teacher; the role I play to our boys.

Two of the greatest blessings in our lives

We jumped into our school year which means structure, more taxi-driving to co-op, some resistance, lots of cheering on and more than 1 surprise  in the educational journey.  We have embraced the true definition of flexibility and have been reminded of the power in Ephesians 4:32...."be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."  Do you ever feel, like me, that you've crushed a certain life lesson only to be faced with it again...BAM??  Maybe I didn't quite have it fully mastered....ouch!  Our boys will sometimes ask why Doug and I aren't disciplined when we do something wrong, and then we're faced with the task of effectively explaining we are disciplined by the Father Himself through our conscience.  Sometimes they grasp that and other times you can just see the explanation drift right over their heads.

Doug and I also discussed how pain isn't always a physical feeling and really isn't always bad.  Emotional pain and relationship pain can cause just as deep or even deeper imprints on our lives.  As we have walked out, and honestly continue to walk out daily, this mission's journey we have recognized that relationshipping deeply makes our pending relocation so much harder.  However, the flip side to that is that we are beyond grateful for intimate friendships~they are integral in the patchwork quilt of our lives.  We were blessed to be a part of a gathering of people this past weekend who were there to share in the journey the Lord has called us to.  It was one of those beautiful times where we could see community being lived out before our very eyes.  We laughed, connected, shared, ate and then repeated that all throughout the day!  We love to invite friends into this adventure we've been called to.  So many thriving and genuine hearts were represented.  And with this came pain, too, because we love these people.  We will miss these people.  Our lives are richer because of these people.  So we tarry on, knowing we are blessed to overflowing with friendships here and know the Lord will add to our treasured tribe when we move across the ocean.  

Where we will serve

Earlier we mused over life lessons, and I had the pleasure (insert tsk tsk) of learning one before leaving our house for the party.  You may relate~I had expectations of others.  When they weren't met then my heart got hurt.  My knee-jerk reaction would have produced NO positive results.  Only more hurt.  It's so hard fessing up to my ugly heart and sin.  But, oh so refreshing when I stop, surrender it, verbalize it's not about me and then I get to be a part of God redeeming the situation later that day.  I know the enemy wanted me to wallow in the injustice and the unfair circumstances, but rather I acknowledged my hurt and then released it.  This was healing and freeing.  I regularly look at these fractures in my heart and wonder what the Lord is preparing me for~because it's never for naught or wasted, right?

I am a big memory~making girl, and over the past 18 months it is something else how I embrace and linger in the moments/experiences knowing this may be the "last" _________________________________ (fill in the blank) for awhile.  I got to race with my "home-girl" this past weekend and seriously just loved having the concentrated time to talk.  It's the simple endeavors, like making homemade applesauce with my momma, that makes my sometimes anxious heart not anxious. Cataloging in my memory bank these special times.  

LOVE this girl....

Forever a work in progress.  Feeling so very loved.  Victory out of ugliness.  Remembering this game of life is more about others and will continue to teach us lessons until we take our last breath.

Celebrating the BIG and the SMALL~

The Hounshell Fam. 

Hold Lightly....With Open Hands.

As my heart and mind prepared to share I couldn't help but pray and plead with the Lord in light of the massive forest fire blazing ferociously super close to home and the hurricane off the coast of Florida.  This is because it is affecting thousands...especially personal family and those we call "family of the heart."

In times like these I am reminded of the power of community, coming together, helping one another as Jesus would/does help us.  Simply put, it is people linking arms with a common heart~to love and serve fellow human beings.  So grateful for good and right in the midst of great loss and devastation.

Our mission's journey has been generously sprinkled with people who love, serve and participate sacrificially, well and BIG.  In the past 2 weeks there have been some significant detours in the road~constantly drawing us back to Jesus and the Giver of all good things.  The beautiful piece of land that we shared in the last post is now not on "the table" for the time being.  We are beyond-words thankful to Steve and Julianna, Pastor Alagos, and Judy Grace and her father for their tireless work to advocate for our family there.  So we pray.  And we lay it down.  We trust.  And we believe all in God's timing.

Family fun...getting support letters ready to go out

I am gonna be real and raw~this back and forth of, "we have the land...", "we don't have land" has made my heart a little crazy and a whole lot of learning to trust in our Jesus who knows every detail well before I am informed. 😊  Another example of why it's vital to cling on tightly to Him and lightly to literally everything else.  So much easier said than done in this broken world, right?

I can't help but believe and journal regularly, though, that these delays and minor setbacks are all part of the Bigger plan~so we (really I because the other 3 Hounshells tend to do pretty great) need to abide rather than stress and worry.

The process and journey did add another element of realness this week when we gathered with some dear friends, who also have a heart for the Philippines, to pray over our support letters. 

heading to the post office to mail these beauties

This picture represents so many lives and hearts that bless us, walk with us, love us and lift us up boldly~gulp.  It was a beautiful moment to listen to our boys pray and share their hearts.  As their parents we don't take those holy words lightly.  It was like taking a snapshot of their hearts to remember those utterings for a lifetime.  To participate in something like this for the first time was, well, like dwelling on hallowed ground.

When I dropped them in the mailbox today it was a mix of emotions.....in awe of the Lord, surreal, "oh my goodness this is happening", and a peace that I knew could and is only from Him.  Have you ever felt these emotions~ALL.AT.ONCE??!!

In the mix of all of this we also have been preparing for a new school year and our 7th year homeschooling. Being totally honest, this summer was rough and tough in terms of growing pains (emotionally), navigating teenage hearts and learning to let go...DAILY.

We will have a junior and a freshman~amazing and "WHOA" all in the same sentence!  To raise up God-fearing and God-praising young men in this day and age requires intentionality, heaps of generous grace (ah, that's why God had me choose generous as my word this year...having no idea it would relate directly to our boys) and a loving commitment like no other.  So, Doug and I continue forward~confident we don't parent alone.  Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.✞

And, as we close I am brought to tears by the song "It is Well" by Bethel Music and Kristine DiMarco as it has the power to emcompass every circumstance and situation in each of our lives....period. 🎔

https://youtu.be/YNqo4Un2uZI



Praying boldly and courageously,

The Hounshell fam.

Trust. Obey. Surrender...

    

 When God is the author of our story, He invites us to be a minor character playing a major role as the storyline unfolds.

We've been a bit quiet here on the blog over the past 18 months, but the journey as been anything but quiet.  And through it all there have been 4 common threads: trust in Me. Obey Me. Rest in Me. Lay it all down.

Our family loves, I mean really looks forward to, having people over to share life over good food and around the table. So, can we just imagine we're sharing with each of you, individually, over a great meal and even richer conversation?  

Last September our family home of 19 years sold in preparation for the move to the Philippines.  This brought many emotions~so much to be grateful for; a grieving of letting go of the 1 home our boys have ever known; and an excitement of what the Lord has in store next.  We have been so thankful to rent our home back, Lord-willing, until we move. 

 

Can't wait to hug these two beautiful girls again!!

Doug traveled to the Philippines in October 2016 and January 2017 for a pastor's meeting.  Both trips he was able to lay some groundwork for our move.  This was the longest our family had been apart, and the verse we stood on was Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

1 of our life verses...

During the trip in October one thing we specifically prayed for was land.  So, the day before he left Doug found land~what we thought was a perfect fit.  But, God, in His far-beyond-us-wisdom revealed this wasn't the best fit.  We prayed. We continued to bloom where He planted us.  And we waited.

Early in 2017 we found, what WE thought, was a good match for a "home office" organization to process all our administrative tasks.  However, the Lord had different plans.  At the end of all the paperwork and necessary details to be set up with this non-profit, we stepped back; graciously opted out; and a door opened for an organization that is a better fit for our family, our vision and our heart on the mission field.  

In late Spring of this year another piece of land came about~a clear provision from the Lord because it's about the same size lot as the original piece, diagonal from the 1st plot, equal amenities and about $23,000 cheaper!!!  We rejoiced in the provision AND the waiting.  Then through a series of events (out of our control) it wasn't available; and now just this past week we got the go-ahead to send a down payment to hold it!  Learning to go forth when He says "go" and embracing the lessons in the waiting periods.

Every detail and specifics wouldn't happen without Jesus at the wheel, an amazing team of prayer warriors and a community of brothers and sisters in Christ in the Philippines orchestrating and planning each step.

our dear friends the Braggs

We are praying when it's the Lord's timing for us to leave.  He has and is actively opening and closing doors along the pathway.  We would like to say, by the end of the year, but if we've learned anything at all we've begun to grasp "Trust in Me", and "I have GREAT plans for YOU!"

All right, to answer a few frequently asked questions:

1)  Are you still going to the Philippines?  YES!!

2)  When are you leaving?  In God's timing.

3)  How can we pray for you?  We would be so grateful if you would pray for the next best step in the process; pray for our family unit as we each prepare our hearts for this change; pray we would embrace and not miss the opportunities to  invest and pour into others here; and pray our financial and prayer teams  will be blessed through being a part of this journey, too.

3)  How are your hearts?  Learning a ton; building on our firmly rooted family foundation; loving others; and expecting God to show up~every time in every way.

It's All About Him, 

The Hounshell fam.

P.S....here is a short video of our pending land...

Purposely Placed.....

     Sometimes it's too easy to settle in for the ride and be content with the lukewarm.  That's a place where we're giving just enough; listening just enough; responding just enough; and not creating any waves.  So, when real life comes crashing through in its wholeness we are thrown downstream!  

God's love is as deep and as wide as the ocean...imagine!

     A common message has come up for both Doug and me since returning from our trip in December.  It is one of "what does it look like to live, love, serve, surrender, abide like Jesus?"   Insert our hearts: this is challenging!!!  

    



  My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. ~John 15:12-13

     When we have this as our filter it becomes urgent to not just say that, but to actively live it out.  The lukewarm no longer becomes o.k. We have found it interesting because once we adopted this mindset Jesus has given us real life occurrences to see if we really understand it.  It is human tendency to want to extract or pray a difficult person or situation out of our lives.  I also fall into the trap of wanting to pray that the Lord would change them....but actually He is wanting, needing to change me.  If that doesn't bring a little humility I don't know what does!

     Let that simmer for a minute....did He purposely, intentionally and consciously put that difficult and challenging person in your path and life to try and teach YOU/ME...not them?  Why do we so quickly want to remove the things/people in our lives that honestly draw us closer to Him?  I ask myself, "Do I deeply desire an easy life with no obstacles, so when I get to the end I can just kind of sail on in?"  Or, "Would I rather encounter the people and situtations that challenge me, stretch me and draw me closer to Jesus so that I can passionately and with reckless abandon meet my Jesus saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant" knowing that I loved like Jesus~with my whole life and heart?  The second choice definitely has a higher cost for our hearts...because they will be hurt and we will face objections.  Put clearly~it's because to the world it doesn't make sense when we respond that way.  They are looking for us to react.  It's that mindset if I treat you this way then I expect you to treat me the same~good or bad.  When we clearly respond with love, speaking God's truth (not the world's truth) with boldness and courage, people don't know how to respond.  That's the way it should be...completely not the norm.  

Simply beautiful...withstanding the forces of nature

     I heard a powerful and convicting quote last weekend that has burned in my soul and has me pondering, "how am I going to live that out~right now?"  I wanted to share it to hopefully have you stop and think about your life and what do people see....

    



 Why would anyone want to hear about Jesus unless they were compelled by seeing Jesus in me? ~Jennie Allen 

     The next time (which may be as soon as tomorrow or later today) you cross paths with those hard people to love, how beautiful it would be if you could recognize they are powerfully and purposely placed to help YOU love better, deeper and bolder.  The potential for growth and freedom in this is limitless...REALLY!

This is 19+ years of love!

     Grateful for the not-smooth-road,

Noelle and Doug

Who Can FULLY Prepare for All the Blessings?

A commercial fishing boat at sunrise

     So the next time you're at the beach, remember that there's a star for every grain of sand.  And for every star, there's a thought about you in the heart and mind of your Father." ~Jon Courson



It feels good to finally share and publicly ponder our adventure to the Philippines!  It's a little daunting to think I'll share all our insights in one post because I don't think we've even fully processed the whole experience!  Therefore, I'll share what comes to my heart and then in subsequent posts they'll be more!!

Precious children at the CCC program

We all agreed, without hesitation, that our favorite part of the whole trip was the Filipino people.  They have the most beautiful, giving, kind hearts!  They smiled freely and frequently; they gave sacrificially; and they loved fully. Our hearts were filled time and again by their love and culture.

We quickly learned that one way they like to give and serve is through food.  So, we ate probably 3x more each day than we do in the States, but they cooked and prepared tirelessly so there's no way we could decline.  We (Doug and I anyway) found that we had to eat small portions at each house to be able to receive the food offered at every house.  The boys (two teenagers!!) found the over-abundance of food to be quite wonderful!  We definitely found our favorite dishes to be adobo, pancit, spring rolls and fried bananas!

One of many gorgeous orchids

Amongst the beautiful, smiling faces and warm hearts we encountered we were treated to gifts to the senses:  the plethora of tropical, blooming flowers; the rich, lush agriculture; the aquamarine ocean waters; and yummy, aromatic, Filipino cuisine.  Our 300+ pictures are a testament to all of these!

The view from the church at Calapadan

One (of many) of our favorite memories was visiting the church in Calapadan.  We rode in the van to Esperar and then jumped on motorcycles to finish the amazing trip into Calapadan.  It was quite a ride...that I LOVED!!  Once we left the village, we turned the corner and dropped down into the most beautiful rice valley.  It was breathtaking how gorgeous it was.  The church overlooked this expanse...what a view!  Pastor JoJo opened the door into this mountain region because his family is originally from there.  We received the most incredible gift, a bag of bananas, and it was so monumental because we knew it was given sacrificially.  Did I mention I had lots of opportunities for tears, happy tears, on this trip?!

Multiple times while preparing for this trip we prayed the Lord would go before us and with us.  WOW!  He did not have to tangibly show us how He would do that, but boy did He ever.  Come the end of the trip we had seen His fingerprints over so much and so many.  But, to confirm His presence He showed up again on our way home....before leaving the US we had a flight change that would not allow us to make an international, connecting flight.  So, we worked diligently with our travel agent to have this changed.  Well, all the puzzle pieces began to fall into place when our flight out of the local airport was late, which originally would've made us miss our flight in Manila.  When we arrived in Manila it was raining, and that was a bit odd because they were just beyond their really rainy season.  We boarded our plane to LA and thought nothing of it.  Upon arriving on US soil, I turned on my cellphone and texted a few people to let them know we were back.  At that point my brother responded and said that he was glad we were safe as he'd read that there was a typhoon in the Philippines and people were being evacuated.  We touched bases with our friend, Steve, once we arrived in Vancouver.  He shared that after our flight out of Manila, all flights were cancelled due to the typhoon....God was so good to get us out!  That was not luck; that was His personal care and protection over us!

Enough ramblings for this post...there will be another one soon with more treasured insights and stories!

Just before jumping on motorcycles to go to Calapadan

Thanks for sharing this journey with us!  For us this is/was a forever, life-changing experience in 2015.  Praying as the new year approaches that you will expectantly look, listen and ask the Lord to reveal the plans He has for YOU!!

Grateful beyond words~

Doug and Noelle

Generosity, Gratitude and the Joyful Giver/Receiver....

I sit here, the day before Thanksgiving, and am truly overwhelmed by the concept of generosity and gratitude.  Some of you might read the title and think, "What does she mean, Joyful Receiver?" But I assure you there is  purpose and truth behind that!  I'll just share a little insight into why this post is even appearing....

Breath-taking beauty at Crater Lake National Park

You see, one of my favorite things to do is to bless and give to others.  It always used to be I loved buying the perfect gift for someone, but some years ago when I became very convicted about my spending I was tenderly told by a friend that I didn't need to spend bunches but rather be creative in my giving.  This mindset shift allowed me to still bless others
abundantly; it was simply that the gifts came in very intentional forms of writing a note, hospitality, a home-cooked meal,  homemade yummies, time or a well-thought-out gift that was in the budget.  I experience huge cup-overflowing moments when I generously give AND I am obedient in my spending!  It's kind of an oxymoron but so worth it!  Really how does this all fit into our trip that is literally days away?

Well, Doug and I have learned more than once when others generously give to us that when we don't receive it with a joyful heart that we steal the blessing from the giver....ouch!  This is such a HARD one for both of us, and therefore God sees fit to teach it to us again and again!  Can you relate?  It is so darn amazing when we learn to give AND receive generously.  The prayers we've received; the financial support that was sacrificially given; the words of encouragement all have caused us to be overwhelmed...in a very good way!

Prayer Retreat Weekend at Tillikum

These past two years have been ones of stripping away (which equals pain), preparing and showing us the beauty in giving not from excess but from our first fruits because that is when it is most life-changing!

We are filled with such gratitude as we've been given the opportunity to give generously, as a family, to those in the Philippines.  The days ahead hold untold adventure, unfathomable opportunities to bless others and rich memories to add to the stories of our lives!  Our desire is to share the journey as we're there, through pictures and some journaling, but it may be sporadic how often as the internet isn't quite as efficient!  We've begun to pull luggage, talk to our friend, Steve, about the schedule he has for us and the activities we'll be a part of....how surreal that in 5 days we won't be talking about it but will be in the midst of it!!

Every day may we live from hearts of gratitude and generosity...not just on Thanksgiving....

Doug, Noelle and the boys

Butterfly Gardens in Victoria, B.C.

2 Corinthians 9:7