My Last England Update.

Hey Everyone!!

Wow. I apologize for taking so long to get this out! It's been a pretty crazy few weeks here. As most of you know, I came home at the end of April, cutting my time in England short. There are so many reasons why I made that decision, but the one that is the most important is because God never gave me a peace about being there. There was always something that didn't sit right, didn't feel right. I know that things aren't always good, and wonderful, especially when walking with the Lord (Satan tends to attack the hardest when we're close to the Lord) but there was something that just didn't fit. So I took the months of February and March and prayed. I asked you to pray. I spent time in His Word, searching for an answer. I cried, and I begged Him to make it clear. And He did. He made it abundantly clear to me that I needed to come home. It would take pages upon pages to fill in all the details, so I'll just leave it at this. God showed me more about who I am in Him while I was there, than I've ever experience before. And that lead me to the conclusion that I was not where He wanted me to be.

So I'm home. And there really is no place like home.

The month of April was trying, and intense. I felt every emotion under the sun in those 30 days. Sadness, glee, excitement, worry. We had two Easter camps right in the middle of the month, and I have to say, those were the most physically exhausting 2 weeks of my life! The kids were on break from school and ready to have fun! The weather cooperated and we were able to spend a majority of the 4 days they were with us outside. We re-introduced the Raft Building activity, where kids worked together to build a raft that they would then float around the pond on. The kids really enjoyed themselves as they paddled around gathering random sports equipment and trying not to fall into the stinky pond water. We were able to have picnics outside, play water games and even pull out the water slide a couple of times. April was a month where we saw a lot of progress around the Oakes, as we were able to start moving ground on the bottom lot they had recently purchased and were going to transform into a football field.

Easter Sunday I was blessed with the opportunity to spend the day with Becky, Jonny and Evan out at Chatsworth, an amazingly beautiful old manor house that has been turned into a museum. The day was perfect, and we enjoyed ourselves laying by the river and dwelling on the gift of victory over death. Those three became three very good friends, and I am so blessed by their presence in my life. I miss them terribly.

I would like to end this update by thanking you all for your support of me through this time. I realize that some of you may not have made the same choice I made, and that you won't agree with me coming home. But I appreciate the support and love you have shown regardless. Your patience, encouragement and grace has spoken volumes to my heart, and I am truly thankful to know you. It was not an easy decision to make, but I trust that God spoke into my heart, and I responded in the way He desired of me. I hope that you can trust Him as well, and know that He's working in amazing ways through you all in my life. Thank you again, and may He continue to bless you always!

In His love,
Kelly