Home is Where Your Heart Is?

"They say that where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  

And your heart stays where you hide your greatest love" 

by Gary Chapman (singer/songwriter)

What is YOUR greatest love?

Did you REALLY think we'd fallen off the side of the earth? Some days it truly felt like we had. We have begun to dig into the rich, healthy soil in Texas and start to grow roots again. Those roots we pulled up that were 16 and a half years deep with the Bowden family and 14 years with our Ormsby Heights faith family seemed to never surface as we pulled them up and out. They were thick and solid. But, we've jumped in and made a couple friends within our new faith family. We've joined a Small Group that meets weekly. We've launched the Living Hope Houston ministry that we came here to serve with and we meet weekly. It is a joy and an honor to learn to love the L G B T Q + community better and walk with those who are seeking relational and sexual wholeness. 

We finally moved out from Myra's home and have our own (rented) place. If you want to send us a piece of snail mail - just ask! We LOVE getting mail! We love the house that has become our home. Our backyard view is of mature trees across the street and it's peaceful. We miss Myra and Disco (the pug!) for sure and are incredibly thankful for how the Lord so graciously placed them in our lives. We would not be where we are now without that safe place to come to and walk through the darkest days of our lives. Ever. We are forever grateful for Myra and her generosity. And for the constant sunshine she radiates (or should I say "Sonshine" - well, either way, you get the drift!).

Lately, Chris has experienced much success in his dreadful journey through Fluoroquinolone Toxicity (because there is no other way around it - gotta go through it). He has found a new "normal" and learned how to embrace it. And we like it. He's found joy in every day things once again. His "old" personality has gradually emerged. In the process, he has changed some. But, honestly, in ways we never thought possible. He's become more aware of details in life. (Which I NEVER thought he would!) His administrative score in life has gone from a C- to an A+. What wife wouldn't be happy with that change? We praise the Lord for all He has held us and carried us through. We are beyond blessed. Beyond!

Also, or maybe I should say "ALAS" Chris has earned his Master's Degree from Liberty University. He began this long journey back in 2001 at Southern Seminary in Louisville. He has accomplished so very much in his 50 years on earth, but I still believe the greatest gift he has given to this world is the blood, sweat and tears he put into raising his three children while working full time in ministry and loving me. He did it all without holding back and cheerfully and quietly served. They are his greatest accomplishments. Their very lives reflect glimpses of their father and in turn their (and his) Father. 

I've had several different people ask us, "how can you live so very far away from your grandchild who is due soon?" Call me naive, but it continues to shock me when confronted with that question. We already surrendered a long time ago to serve where He plants us. When we moved to Nashville and Haiti those were very long discussions we had with the Lord. "Are You sure we can handle this? Being so many miles apart from the Ward party of 5... and then 6 (Quinton)... and then 7 (Katie) and now the Ward party of EIGHT (baby due July 4 - we call him "Firecracker")." And the Lord gave us SUPER sweet blocks of time with our missed family. He really seems to bless the time we DO have now. He multiplies the benefit of time spent. We communicate in a group iMessage almost daily with the Ward party of 7. On my phone the conversation is named, "Fam-Bam" and we communicate big and little things. Sometimes we just say "selfie checkin!" and everyone sends a pic of what they're doing currently. So, even though we are a little over 800 miles apart (as the crow flys), we can "feel" like we're somewhat part of each other's every day life. 

There's this "thing" that we are all commanded to do - no matter which side of it we're on it hurts - it's called "leave and cleave." Whether we were the ones back in 1990 leaving our parents' homes or now the parents watching our kids start their own families - it hurts to go through the biblically correct process. It hurts, but it is good. It is the way God intended families and life. And we could NOT be more thrilled and thankful for the godly mates two of our children have chosen to leave us and cleave to as they begin their own family. Now, we've still got one at home and pray for the choices that she'll make over these next few years.

But, we're about to be jumping head over heels in love with our first grandbaby and I'm certain, no, I'm BEYOND certain it'll hurt like nobody's business when we leave the celebration of his birth to return to Texas and a new "normal". I know it will. But, we trust that the Lord will continue to bless and bond us even when we're so far apart. And we trust that the Lord will provide just what we each need. There's no place we'd rather be, than there where He is planting us.

How are you? How's your family? What is God teaching you these days? We'd REALLY like to know! Please comment or e-mail us! Or seriously, we live in the states now - CALL us! He's teaching us that He is more than enough. Let it be said of us that we were obedient even when it didn't exactly feel good or make sense. Listen to this ole song and "feel" what we feel. This is a song that has been a treasure for us for the past 26 years.

Chris can be reached at 5223368 at gmail.com
Jen can be reached at HeisIAMiamnot at gmail.com
Brynna can be reached at iambrynnakathryn at gmail.com