New Adventures!

Today is a different kind of blog post, but one that explains who I am and what we will be doing for the next season of our lives, blessings on all!

Dear Family, Friends, and new acquaintances,

Happy New Year!  The new year often compels us to make goals and resolutions, which we pray will change our lives for the better.  For us, this new year God is calling us to a new place of ministry, one that we could have never even dreamed of, but our God had other ideas!

Nine years ago, we left our comfortable life to follow what the Lord had told us to do.  Over the past nine years we have gone many times, following the Holy Spirit as He has led us.  We have learned so much on our journey and made such great friends.  It never ceases to amaze us how the Lord can connect each different piece of the puzzle to make such an awesome picture. 

I (Wendy) had a vision recently, of many majestic horses being saddled up.  Their riders were in place, everything was ready and the horses were straining to be allowed to go, but it wasn’t quite time yet.  I saw a time capsule with just a little bit of sand left.  The next thing I saw was a ribbon being cut and masses of people exploding forth into their dreams and destinies.  People were flying and running, full of life and freedom as they were released to do all that they were called to do. 

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Just as the “suddenly” happened in my vision, just as a “suddenly” happened when Elizabeth greeted Mary, “suddenly” the Lord has caused our hearts to jump with a call that we can’t ignore.

Today we are writing to share of our “suddenly” that has grabbed our heart.  At first it seemed quite unimaginable, but really it was pieces of our puzzle that have been developed individually that now get a chance to come together as a whole.

Our family has been invited to move to KY to help run an orphanage, church, and camp that one brave woman, Rev. Mary Bennett, started years ago, Sonshine Children’s Center.  The Lord has asked us to come along side of this brave woman in her later years and continue her dream of caring for the unloved.  Over 100 children have come through this one home over the years and have experienced love and hope that they would not have ever found, if it wasn’t for this one woman, many lives would have been lost.  The children live in a beautiful log cabin that the Lord provided as one big family.  Family is something that we know a lot about and now we can share our family with this larger family.

Along with the orphanage there is a beautiful church that also stands on the property that some from the community attend.  We are so excited to be able to help with the church through worship, preaching, and other needs as they arise.  Years ago, Michael was given a word that he would be in the ministry, and he laughed.  To think that the Lord has been grooming us all these years (without us ever knowing), again that puzzle piece is coming into focus and we are excited to see how BIG our God is!  Ps 71:16 & 18 has really grabbed my heart and been a comfort to me in this time of transition, “I will come in the strength and with the mighty acts of the Lord God.  Until I declared Your mighty strength to this generation, and Your might and power to all that are to come.”

One other aspect of our new adventure is the camp that is set up across the creek.  A bunkhouse that can house 30 will begin to fill up come spring with many campers of all ages.  Plans have been drawn up for more cabins to be built to house all the campers; which thrills Michael as building is his love.  We are excited to interact with these campers as they go out and serve the community and as they spend time in the presence of the Lord.

When I look at this new adventure through natural eyes, uncertainty rises up, but when I choose to look through Jesus’ eyes, through supernatural eyes, nothing is impossible!  I saw a quote the beginning of this year, “If you will show up, I (God) will show off!”  Matthew 13:31-32 says, when the mustard seed (something so tiny and insignificant) is planted it becomes the largest of the garden and becomes a tree so that birds of the air come and find shelter in its branches.  In our own eyes, we are just a family that loves the Lord with all of our hearts, but God has something pretty great planned and we are willing to show up so that God can show off!

We pray that your hearts will be touched with the message of our “suddenly” and that you would have hope for your “suddenlies” too, as you are willing to step out.  We are asking for your prayers as we move from our warm sunny Florida to our new life in Kentucky as we realize that we need God’s presence to go with us. 

If the Lord puts on your heart to support the orphanage and us you can give through the district church at http://coastlands-church.org/ under the link give and then the Sonshine Children’s fund.  Thank you so much for your support and love as we go forth into this new season of our lives.

Blessings on you,

The Antenucci Family