Supernatural Shopping

He did it again!  In a way I would least expect it (how could I imagine anything less at this point :o)  Although we ended up in Alpine, Texas by way of our really sick dog (yes again!), it was very clear we were meant to celebrate Easter with such a wonderful community and church.  Just days before we were “supposed” to leave Big Bend, Sophie, our 9 year old, eats anything and everything, mastiff (yes we have two large dogs living in our motor home with us), had an abcess on her jaw that was blowing up like a balloon by the minute.  Although we were sad to leave our new friends with twin boys Ethan’s age (on their birthday ;-( , I knew we had to get Sophie to the vet…80 miles away.  We first stopped in Terlingua, Texas and saw Dr. Sam, a kind, retired vet who advised us to see the “Dodson’s” in Alpine.  Minutes after driving into town, between the best $5 dollar “hot and ready” I’ve ever had, the beautiful college campus on the hill, a small town grocery store, and lots of thrift stores, I loved Alpine.  It not only reminded me of Wheatland and Laramie mixed together, it “felt like” we were supposed to spend Easter here.  Not to mention Dr. Zach took such good care of Sophie, who ending up needing surgery and lots of rechecks.  Needless to say, almost a week later, we are still in town.  Easter certainly was a blessing in Alpine.  This “Easter Bunny” got to go shopping with Jesus.  Seriously.  I walked into the thrift store and found a potty chair, a horse game, and a spider man game all sitting on the shelf next to each other.  Being the indecisive, cheap, and list-maker that I am, I was thrilled to not only be in a cheap store, reusing toys, but I was so joyful to be shopping with my very best friend, who not only loves and knows me, but once again has proven that He loves and knows my children.  An hour later, Easter baskets full of perfectly picked toys, books, shoes, and candy, I knew why God had led us to Alpine.  Little did I know that the church were we would attend was not only doing an Easter Egg drop from a helicopter (17,000 candy and Gospel-filled eggs, taped shut!), but was a place we felt at home on Easter (although we did miss you all!)  It never ceases to amaze me how the instant connection that is made with true brothers and sisters in Christ.  Especially when celebrating the day that gives us true hope: Easter.  Praying yours was blessed as well.  And as always, we pray you are feeling God’s presence and seeing His hand in your lives as we are in ours.  He is so good!  Miss you all…

Peace and Love, Eric, Jenna, Addalynn, Ethan, Abram, “Stinky” Sophie, and Holly

Thirsty

It’s just barely 3 o’clock in the morning and I’ve woken up to the vision of our 80 pound mastiff jumping up on her back legs with a look of utter despair on her face.  My response to this vivid dream was to scream (yes out loud…my poor family) “she’s thirsty, give her water!”  Just another “crazy dream”?  I think not.  I believe it’s actually God humbling me a little bit, telling me I love my animals, who already have their ticket to heaven, more than the thirsty souls I meet: friends and family alike.  Immediately after I awoke with a start, I got out of bed to check the dog’s water bowl (full), chugged some water myself (I’m sunburnt, and I’ll get to that in a minute), and read my Jesus calling devotional on how God’s people continually grumbled (that’s me!).  Ok, I’m awake…at now 3 a.m…but it did finally cool off to 80 degrees, praise God!

We finally made it to Texas, Big Bend National Park to be exact.  Although the park is 800,000 acres of strikingly beautiful land, mixed with desert, mountain, and river, through a youtube video we watched on Big Bend and specifically it’s Hot Springs (which Eric has been craving since we left Wyoming), through circumstances of Rio Grand Village (RGV) being the only place we could camp due to our generator’s daily task of charging our batteries, through the heat, and through our family’s deep love for water (literally, I think Addalynn’s growing a tail, Ethan had swimmer’s ear last night, and Abram, can’t forget Abram 😉, napped in the reeds yesterday, baby Moses style), the Hot Springs draw us like you wouldn’t believe!  Did I mention that we tried to drive up into the mountains one day to ‘beat the heat’ and Black Coffee our jalopy jeep (sorry Eric) overheated, directing us once again back to the river.  Oh and yesterday, Sunday (how clever Lord, Your day!), the nature trail with the secluded beach was closed…so it was back to the Hot Springs once again!  Mind you it was the weekend, on spring break, during peak season in Big Bend: to say it was crowed would be an understatement.  But the crowds at the springs come in waves as Eric says (no pun intended).  Yesterday Addalynn and Ethan hiked from RGV to the springs (a 2.8 mile “Moderate” hike) and let me assure you it was no coincidence they did awesome!  Abe and I hiked to the springs from the other direction where you drive your 4wd in to a parking lot only a quarter of a mile (“Easy” hike) from the springs.  The spring itself (about 105 degrees) is surround by rocks built by a masonry who a guy named Lankford hired back in 1912 to help heal his Tuberculosis.  And healing pool it is!  It waterfalls into the Rio Grand River (80 degrees) where the melding of the two is a little piece of heaven.  Across the river is Mexico, but the people there are so elusive the way they delicately (and trustingly) place their beautiful, hand-crafted trinkets on the trails with money jars beside them.  Although you are literally right on the border, you feel safe being in a National park and not on a hopping street with people everywhere (my dreaded foreign experience).  In fact, you see cattle, goats, and donkeys far more than you see the Mexican farmers and ranchers themselves!  And to boot, you hear them coming for a drink by the sound of their cow bells ;o) Hopefully I’ve been able to paint a picture of how mystical and almost magical this place really is (if I haven’t, remember we’re always looking for more vagabonds to go with us!)  This Hot Springs being awesome and in a National park brings people from all over the world to, at the very least, dip their toes in (although most don’t spend all day there like we do! Hence my sunburn from yesterday). 

Back to my dream.  I believe God is drawing us to this particular Hot Springs because people are thirsty and need healing just like Lankford did!  But not the thirst and healing of the body (although we need that too!) but of the soul.  And I myself don’t feel like I’ve been properly portraying the magnitude of God’s importance on the extraordinary journey that He’s been taking our family on.  I love to hear other people’s stories when you meet them, none of which I’m envious of, not to be self-righteous, but I’m so glad to finally be following God’s will for our family: together, traveling, exploring God’s AMAZING earth (although Wyoming in the summer still tops it all ;o) and meeting His INCREDIBLE world.  But I don’t want to just “meet” people anymore.  Because for all we know, this could (and very well may) be the last time you meet on earth.  I want to “love” people on earth so I can “meet” them in heaven someday.  I don’t want my faith to be in the ‘in your face’, ‘over the top’, fake, and phony to the point of hypocritical, because I’m not righteous, Jesus is, but I want my faith in Jesus to be sure and clear.  And I want to speak His name, of His blessings, and His guidance for our family with confidence and boldness.  I don’t want to drop anymore subtle hints, “walk on eggshells”, “work up to” talking about my faith anymore.  I don’t want to talk about church casually acting like its entertainment and done out of convenience.  I don’t want to talk about Jesus like He’s just part of my life, when in reality He is my life.  I walk away from these friendships longing for more time and the right words, wondering if I planted any seeds of hope, all along feeling deceitful because I didn’t share who I truly am: a daughter of Christ, a child of God, and being hypocritical by merely calling myself a Christ follower and only truly seeking approval of the world.  If people that drink can talk about their drinks why can’t people who worship talk about who they worship?  I get that it makes people uncomfortable.  But the reason it does is because people who aren’t worshipping God the way that they know they should be don’t want to talk about God.  They’re uncomfortable because let’s just be honest, we all have a God sized hole in our very souls, that only He can fill, because He created the need for Himself in our lives.  So why should we be the uncomfortable ones if we are walking in close fellowship with Him?  No need to be self-righteous about it, but instead excited about it!  Share your testimony (that should never be more than 24 hours old!)  People all around us are thirsty and hurting.  Sometimes they don’t even know they are.  And sometimes they don’t want to hear about the “well that will never run dry” (Jesus).  Just remember: as much as you feel convicted to show the way, share the truth, and shine His light, that same conviction is felt from them to follow His way, know His truth, and have His light. 

 If I haven’t said it with enough clarity up until this point, here it is: God is the reason why we are doing what we are doing.  He leads and we follow (the peaceful days at least ;o).  People love to hear our story about selling our house, quitting our job, living in motorhome with two adults, three kids, two dogs, and the occasional (although I hope EXTINCT) mouse, and traveling the country.  But our story has lost its saltiness.  It has no flavor.  It gives no glory to God.  As Christians following Jesus, we are the light of the world and the salt of the earth.  I’m sorry to say, but my light has been “hiding under a bushel” and my salt has lost its saltiness.  I don’t ever want it to be a surprise to people that I’m a Christian.  Lately, I feel stunned when I discover that friends we meet aren’t Christians because I like them so much and our kids even play well together!  But when I’m honest with myself, our conversation is lacking something: there may be friendship but there’s not fellowship.  Our stories aren’t about God’s grace (God at work) in our lives.  And if I feel His ever-present hand in my life than why am I not showing and sharing it?  Our journey, each individually and as a family, with God has been the purpose and the very best part of this trip, even though it’s not always the easiest or most vocalized (forgive me Lord).  But I want it to be!  I want to stop grumbling, and I want to take my hands off and let Jesus take the wheel.  When He’s driving, everyday is not “easy”, but peaceful, joyful, and hopeful.  More than anything, I want to give You the glory for every bit of this extraordinary adventure!  Because I see You in all of it!  Now I want to voice Your name to those we meet, to love them, show them how we quench our thirsty souls and heal our brokenness, in hopes that they choose You too, in hopes that we get to “meet” again someday in our heavenly dwelling. 

So, to the friends and family that are reading this, first off, I’m sorry it was so long winded (I pray you’re still with me).  But more than anything, I’m sorry if I’ve deceived you in anyway: our journey is not about us, it’s about Him…it’s about Jesus and our wild, off the wall, walk with Him.  How very blessed we are to be holding His hand and we pray with all of our hearts that you are too!  And if you haven’t reached out to walk with Him yet, and if there’s still breath in your lungs, start now!  I promise He will never let go!  And you my friend will finally experience true peace, joy, and hope.  Trust me, I have experience life without Jesus and I would NEVER go back.  God has special plans for each and every one of us and we know He’ll show up and walk with you right where you are.  Follow Him and watch how extraordinary He can make your life become!

Peace and Love,

Eric, Jenna, Addalynn, Ethan, Abram, Sophie, and Holly

"Beach" Treasure

Although the Lord made His will very clear in Las Cruzes, New Mexico, this same clarity was unseen at Elephant Butte State Park, just outside of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.  Not only did our dog get really sick just days before my leaving to Minneapolis for a wedding, but there were windy, napless, and downright terrible “school” days.  As mentioned earlier, I need to reread my blogs, because embarrassingly, I was even doubting this crazy adventure.  Details aside, I felt like a bad wife, mom, and teacher.  I was planning how we should go home (wherever that may be), I should get a job working with animals who don’t talk back, and put my kids in school and daycare where they had sane people taking care of them, because clearly I was not.  Despite this terrible scheming, I was lesson planning for Spanish when in walks Addalynn and Ethan with new “treasures” they had found on the beach: a Spanish talking and singing Arial mermaid doll and a sand dune buddy car (we later picked up the brand new pail and shovel that they had found for Abram).  For those of you who don’t know our children, these toys could not be more perfect for each of them!  I seriously had to laugh out loud you guys.  Here I am, attending my own pity party, dwelling on the fact that I am a terrible mom and teacher, and God is out on the beach gifting my three kids (and husband who got to drive our jeep on the beach) with toys He not only knew they would love, but toys He knew would show me how much He loves them, and is going to help me through this so often daunting task of being a wife, mom, and teacher…on the road.  Thank you Lord!  I need all the help I can get (even if it’s from Ariel 😉).  After leaving Elephant Butte which was wonderful, just colder and not as scenic as I imagine the white gulf sands of Padre Island will be, we headed through Las Cruces again on our way to White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Marfa, and finally down on into Big Bend, Texas. 

White Sands was AMAZING!  The best playground for an almost two year old we’ve found yet!  Although I am glad we waited a day for the wind to die down.  Carlsbad Caverns, unreal!  Literally, either the dim lights of the caves, the humidity, or their out of this world beauty made me feel like I was dreaming.  Marfa and its mysterious lights, definitely had me thinking.  So much so that I wanted to drive to where the lights where coming from just to make sure no one was “spotlighting” to trick me (I was the baby of my family).  Big Bend National Park was not at all what I imagined, but I don’t know why that surprises me anymore, nothing is!  It was becoming ever apparent we were losing touch with the rest of the world as we made the two hour trek down to this “must see” park: we had no cell phone service (now you can have some grace with the month late blog posts).  The terrain driving in to the park was desert-like and desolate, nothing new.  We couldn’t run our generator camping back country.  So there was only one place in all the park we could stay: Rio Grand Village.  But I tell you, the minute we saw the green life drawn from the Rio Grand River and felt the warmth (it was 104 the day we arrived), I was ready to stay.  Although my poor husband would laugh at that last statement.  This may surprise you and totally contradict this whole adventure we’re on, but I am not a good traveler.  I hate change, have a hard time being flexible, love routine, and have a tendency to set expectations.  Something’s gotta give!  Thankfully he’s learning to tune me out in a loving way, knowing that I’ll be fine in a couple days ;o)  Big Bend was Breathtaking and Lifegiving.  Read on…

Thy Will Be Done

Our week at Indian Bread Rocks was extraordinary, minus a 24 hour flu that ran it’s course for us all (if you can count Addalynn having a “frog in her throat” 😉…what can I say, the girl’s got a stellar immune system, praise God!).  Thankfully the weather was crummy the couple of days we felt crummy so movie days were pretty guiltless.  Although the sunshine was blissful when it did decide to finally make its appearance.  We enjoyed our hikes exploring the rock features and even summiting to the ever-deceiving “waterfalls”.  Eric was at peace to finally learn from a ranger that javalina were most likely not going to attack our dogs.  We even managed to venture to Historic Tombstone one day where we cried/cringed through the reenactment of the epic Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday gun fight.  The highlight of our kid’s day: feeding donkeys carrots and apples from the Jeep windows on the way home!  Our most epic day this week however: you guessed it!  Sunday.  But this Sunday was like one we have not, and I think will not (God’s laughing), ever experience again. 

With the nearest town to Indian Bread Rocks being run down by what we found out later to be druglords (yikes I’m sensing a pattern), and the other close towns not having any churches that peaked our interest, we decided to pack up camp early and head to Las Cruzas, New Mexico, in hopes of finding a church there.  Well find one we did!  (Just not the same one God had in mind).  We listened to a sermon from this church and felt like we would be “fed” spiritually if we attended church there.  But just in case, Eric thought we should listen to a sermon from another church, in order to be objective.  Seconds after hitting play, our eardrums were ringing and as far as we knew our speakers/radio, or maybe both were blown (poor Eric, we seriously break at least one thing a day!).  Well apparently, God isn’t keen on plan Bs.  Not with His redemption, not with His will for our lives.  His was very clear that day.  Read on:  After dumping and filling up with water on our way to Las Cruzas (Spanish for Crosses…), Eric (although I love his fix it capabilities…I don’t always love his timing) decided to try to fix the radio…before church.  With arriving at the Walmart parking lot and hopping into the Jeep (our tow vehicle…a must!), just minutes before church started (11 am), I was confident we wouldn’t be too late since Siri and I had become bffs on this trip (literally, it’s why Eric and I are STILL on the road to this day!).  After a minor mishap of circling Walmart because I forgot to close the navigation for it, and because we really didn’t even need to leave the parking lot in the first place (you’ll find out why in a minute, just hang in there).  Let’s just put it this way: God punked Siri on Sunday.  We knew we had not “arrived at our destination” in the middle of an intersection.  After thoroughly searching the area, the internet, and attempting to re-navigate to this church, it was clear, we were not to be attending this church today.  But we were also thoroughly confused as to why not?  Feeling discouraged and now hungry, we decided to head back to Walmart and search for a church service in the evening, because “our understanding” was that services didn’t start after 11…or did they?  Well the one ACROSS from the Walmart parking lot did.  Heart for the World’s service started at 11:30.  It was 11:28.  We weren’t even late!  God had my attention.  He knew exactly where we would be able to worship Him best that day.  Where You go, I’ll go, when You stay, I’ll stay, when You move, I’ll move, I will follow You.  Lord Lead on!   

And that He did: to a beautiful state park just outside of Truth or Consequences, where, God willing, we’ll spend the next week or so.  It’s on a beautiful lake and we’ve found our little piece of heaven in New Mexico.  May I caution you on talking to Siri this week; she might just lead you down here!  The more the merrier!  God Bless each and every one of you!  Peace and Love, Eric, Jenna, Addalynn, Ethan, Sophie and Holly

Share the Hope that you Have

Praise the Lord I didn’t have to reread last week’s blog to transform any traveling fears into faith this week😉.  Our transition from Peralta Canyon, just outside of Apache Junction AZ, to Indian bread Rock was quite smooth!  And you guessed it!  God was faithful yet again at showing us a breathtaking “home” for the next week.  Within the hour of cruising in our jeep to find a spot, two people, unrelated but near each other, and who had clearly been there awhile, packed up camp, and we had the whole area to ourselves!  Odd or God?  I think God (if you can’t tell, I don’t believe in coincidence and luck but God’s good grace).  Although we did learn that packing up camp ourselves, taking a hike, traveling, grocery shopping, laundry, and more traveling was A LOT the day before.  We’ll have to figure that out this week.

Our time at Peralta Canyon was blessed as predicted and we would definitely go back and spend an even longer time.  Although the first church we attended was sadly very watered down (taking anything that makes people uncomfortable out of their service), we did discover that fast food play places with wifi could potentially be the best cheap date/Bible study ever (we’ll try it this week and let you know).  We also learned that we are raising some amazing little hikers (even Abe who loves his “pack”)!  The second church we attended was on fire (despite being a megachurch like the last one).  It was pretty incredible to see that many believers who love Jesus worshipping together.  It gave us a glimpse of what heaven might be like!  The best part of Peralta however: fellowshipping with some friends at a park after service on Sunday.

I felt pretty convicted a few weeks ago that I was not to be doing my grocery shopping and laundry on Sunday.  It is to be a day of rest…no matter where you are, the Bible says!  And if I couldn’t learn to rest and relax with friends and family on Sundays traveling down here: with probably the least loaded down “plate” I’ll ever have, than when am I going establish this priority?  I figured hey, I learned how to read my Bible with cartoons going in the background at 5 a.m. I can learn to rest one day a week too!  And wow would I recommend it to anyone.  Okay people there is a reason even God rested on day 7 of creation and even asked us to honor the Sabbath as one of His 10 commandments.  Try it and you’ll see! 

Anyways, details aside, we drove home from the park on Sunday with the epiphany that we need to be bringing church to the people who missed church that day.  The Bible tells us in Philippians that if we have received hope, love, and encouragement from the Lord ourselves, we need to share that same hope, love, and encouragement with others.  You would be surprised by how much our very friends and family need Jesus’ hope desperately.  May I not only encourage you to spend your Sunday’s relaxing with friends and family, don’t talk about the weather.  Cut to the chase, how are they really doing, how can you pray for them, and how much hope do they have?  Because if you’ve got any…you’ve got to share it!  And if you don’t have any hope yourself, I pray you seek a real relationship with Jesus immediately.  Don’t wait another minute!  Let’s be honest, life can feel pretty hopeless sometimes…but Jesus: hope-filling EVERY TIME.  Although I’ll admit simplifying our life and completely uprooting has helped us to seek God more, as much as I wish all of you could join us on this venture (and please do if you can!), I pray you can learn to seek God and His will for your life right where you are.  He has such an extraordinary plan for each and every one of us!  Praying for you all as we continue to seek His will for our lives.  Miss you all!

Peace and Love,

Eric, Jenna, Addalynn, Ethan, Abram, Sophie, and Holly

God IS Faithful

Correction: our new humble abode is a ’93 Cruise Master Georgie Boy (or Georgia as Addalynn likes to refer to HER as).  But right or wrong as I am, God continues to prove His faithfulness to our family.  The first place we attempted to put down temporary roots for a week or two was just outside of Casa Grande, AZ.  Although Vekol Valley 20 years ago (when our Grandparents traveled this area) was a desert paradise our experience was much different.  We had a visit from an angel, cautioning us about Table Top Mountain’s proximity to Mexico and the dangerous drug runners and ruthless rip crews (in addition to the hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants) that traveled this area each night.  After a phone call to the sheriff’s department assuring such precautions and some online research, it was decided this was not to be our “home” (even temporarily).  Thanks to my protective husband, the fact that his very tired and worn out wife had just finished setting up camp was null and void.  I’ll admit, I was not happy with the decision, but the presence of evil was so apparent in Vekol Valley, the touch of dusk was enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.  Needless to say, God led us to Life Way Church and Saddle Butte Mountain the very next day.  To say this church and mountain were a blessing to our family would be a vast understatement.  This was the best first “home” we could have had on our extraordinary adventures.  To name a few of our favorites: warm weather hikes, visiting with new friends, a trip to the Grand Canyon, daily bike rides, morning Bible studies, adventurous jeep rides and even a Valentine’s dinner date (thanks to our friends at Life Way who watched our kiddos).  And I didn’t even touch on the fact that for two weeks we never ran out of water for showering and our batteries did great being charged by our generator each morning and evening; is that odd or it that God?  I’m pretty sure this is where God wanted us to be.  He IS faithful. 

But I’ll admit just days later, while searching for our next “home” I became fearful and worn out once again!  May I learn to just sit back and enjoy the ride next time (I’ll have to reread this blog on our next embarkment).  After Eric replaced the alternator (yes another one…this time on the motorhome), after attempting to sleep in the parking lot of a Bass Pro Shop next to someone’s generator that sounded like a weed whacker going full throttle, and after being bawled out by a snowbunny for letting my son get a cactus stuck in his shoe, God graciously led us up Peralta Canyon Trail to our next home away from home.  The clarity of His direction leaves me awestruck sometimes!  This jem (and jewel it is!), is located just behind a beautiful and SAFE neighborhood (unlike Vekol Valley just 70 miles from the Mexican border…God has a sense of humor you see).  I can’t wait to see what adventures He has in store for us and the extraordinary friends we will meet here.  Although these friends cannot replace you all, it never fails to amaze me how faithful God is at placing people in our lives, wherever we may be, to help fill your roles.  We pray He is doing the same for you in our absence…and as always, if you miss us that much: come visit us (just beware: you might end up joining us)!  Peace and Love, Eric, Jenna, Addalynn, Ethan, and Abram (Sophie and Holly)

The Extrordinary Brown Family Travel Adventures

We’ve been on our extraordinary Brown adventure for two weeks now!  Although I have to admit, I had my doubts it would ever happen (everything from a hole in the carpet to an alternator gone bad happened within 24 hours of our departure).  Spiritual warfare… But this trip has been in the works for over a year now.  It all started with my husband’s (at the time, crazy, wild hair) idea to take our motor home across the United States.  We were tired of the rat race, of not spending time as a family, and of desperately trying to hold on while we watched our three kiddos grow too fast.  So together with our love for travel and our need to slow down, we asked God to help us with our plan: He had to help us sell our home…and that He did!  Within 20 days of it being on the market!  Literally less than a year ago, we were living in an American dream home with an American dream job…but something was missing and here we are to find it:  in the desert of Arizona, all five of us (and two dogs) in a 1981 motorhome living off the grid…and it is EXTRAORDINARY!  Do I occasionally miss a long shower and my kitchen aid? Yes.  But being together as a family, slowing down, and watching our kids laugh and enjoy life is worth every sacrifice we’ve taken (with the help of our heavenly Father, families, and friends) to get here.  May we encourage you all to slow down and enjoy life more.  Heck, come join us!  Thank you for all your love, support, and prayers.  Peace and Love, Eric, Jenna, Addalynn, Ethan, and Abram (Sophie and Holly)