Howell family update:
A few months ago, we shared our heart with you about the call God has placed on our life to move from Lacey, Wash., to Bend, Oregon. Our desire is to partner with Faith Christian Center, in Bend, to work with the youth of the area. However, due to the economy, finding a job in Central Oregon has proven more difficult than we could have imagined. But, we aren’t giving up! We currently have several job applications in with the Forest Service and look for new openings regularly. Unfortunately, because of the huge response to openings that many employers have received, hiring processes are slow. It could be months before I am called for an interview on one of the many jobs I have applied for.
Our time in Lacey has been a blessed one. After getting out of the service, I felt God prompting me to go back to school and continue the pursuit for full-time youth ministry. The maintenance job and the support from Faith Assembly has been instrumental in that pursuit. Along with the stipend we received, from the VA, the job at FAL allowed me the time and resources to take online classes through Central Bible College and finish what I had started 10 years ago. Having the opportunity to live in the Mission’s House, so close to work and large enough for my family, has also been a huge blessing.
But, now, we have a new pursuit, and we no longer receive the stipend from the VA. So, in order to continue to prepare ourselves financially for ministry in Bend, Katani and I, and the kids, will be moving to Cascade Locks, Ore., where I will be working for her father. He owns his own contracting business, which has had an influx in jobs recently, and he has asked me to come and assist him. Also, since her parents also pastor a small church there, I will get a chance to preach and assist in ministry occasionally.
This is a temporary move, as we will still be working on finding employment in the Bend area, in order to move there as soon as possible, but we are taking this opportunity to save money and give the kids some time to hang out with both sets of their grandparents.
We hope that you will continue to partner with us in prayer as we move over the next couple of weeks and look forward to the plan God has for us that He is continuing to unveil.
Nolan Howell
While I'll miss you guys dearly, I've been praying for you and will continue to. I feel very blessed to have gotten to know you & Kat through FAL and I hope we can keep in touch. Good luck with the move.
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