1) Spend quality time with God each day. Reading the Bible, praying, and journaling are so important and things that I have neglected in the recent past. I’ve been having a one-sided friendship with God (He’s doing most of the work) and it’s not fair to Him. I’m excited to see my relationship with Him transform and grow. I have a few books picked out that I want to work through, and I’m hunting for a Bible reading plan that looks best for me.

2) Adopt a healthy lifestyle – eating well (very few, if any, sweets) and exercising more often (we will meet again, Jillian). I’m planning to re-read Made to Crave by Lysa TerKerst (and actually get through the whole book this time!) and possibly focus on one or two God-centered fasts (namely, the Daniel Fast).

Accomplishing these goals should have a very positive impact on my life. Spending time with God is a pretty obvious positive change in life. I have battled anxiety and worry for many years – something I’m ready to hand over to God. He has seen me through lots of peaks and valleys with these struggles, but He’s been so faithful throughout even when I forget to ask or thank Him for all He’s helped me with. I’m hoping to give over control to Him.

With the possibility of having kids in the near future (no, I’m not pregnant, geesh), I want these to be a natural, high priority part of my life. Also, I want to be in better shape before having kids… hello, motivation! I went through my closet and put everything that doesn’t fit the way I’d like it to in a bin. Seeing 2 pairs of jeans staring back at me (and 5 in the bin) was a bit of a reality check. Things need to change and I’m excited for them to start!

Now, I must be honest. This challenge was designed to begin on 1/01/12, but we have some awesome friends visiting and I’m not getting off to a great start. I’ve been more conscious about what I eat and when I pray, but I need to do better. They will be in town until Thursday, and that is when the hard work will begin. Even as I write this, I know it’s a lame excuse, but I want to be fully present for their visit and not constantly counting calories or worrying about my success or failure. Have some grace with me, okay?

Today, I’m off on a good start – after feeling pretty lousy after eating too many sweets the past few days, I have new motivation to avoid the bad-for-you foods.

Okay. End brain dump. Hopefully I will be posting daily… that could be a challenge all in itself!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

As many of you know, in September 2010, we were approached by friends who had a dream of starting a church in Las Vegas. We thought about it, but initially decided it wasn’t for us – we didn’t want to leave friends and family and the familiarity of the Midwest, we didn’t know if we were “qualified” enough for something that sounded so crazy, we weren’t sure if we could make all the pieces of the puzzle come together to get us to Sin City. Little did we know, all that needed to happen was to remove the “we” from our worries. As soon as we remembered that we had Someone greater than us to rely on, things started happening. Our house sold, money appeared when we weren’t sure if it would, we found a great home in Vegas, jobs that worked out for both of us (Jordan as a part-time worship pastor for Advance Church and me as a full-time office manager for a pain management clinic), and we have witnessed lots of people learn about God through Advance Church. Through relying on God, we watched Him provide for us again and again.

So, this Christmas, while we could be sitting here dwelling on the fact that there is no snow on the ground (really, none in the forecast, well… ever) or that we had to celebrate the holidays with our Midwestern family a few weeks early, we will dwell on the faithfulness and provision of the One who was born to die for us. We are so thankful for the way God has worked in our lives, especially this past year, and we pray for many blessings for each of you as you rely on God in 2012.

Merry Christmas to you – wherever you may be, whatever you may be going through, may you always rely on the One who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ever imagine.

With peace, love, and joy,

Jordan, Kristen, and Fran

P.S. from Fran: “I have adjusted well to skidding around on tile floors, drinking extra water to avoid dehydration in the dry climate, and going potty in the rocks. Thanks to everyone for always asking how I’m doing!”

When I said yes on December 29th, 2008, I didn’t know exactly what I was signing up for. Our dating history was fun, but definitely not perfect, and the expectations of being the perfect wife seemed a little overwhelming.

But I said yes anyway.

And I said yes again on October 2nd, 2009.

Since then, I’ve said yes to many other things. You see, when love is in the mix, it’s fun to say yes. We have had lots of compromises throughout the past two years, and I wouldn’t change a thing. We have said yes to things we never dreamt we would:

Buying a house.

Selling a house.

Adding to our family (ahem, I’m talking about Fran, not a baby…)

Loving each other when it doesn’t always make sense.

Talking it out instead of walking away.

Boy movies (and probably some girlie ones too).

Selling a car.

Moving across the country.

Putting the other person first.

Are we doing what we predicted we’d be doing two years ago? Absolutely not. But God’s love surpasses knowledge, and because of Him, we are on one of the biggest and greatest adventures of our lives. Our “plans” may not be happening just the way we thought they would, but I am so glad Someone has a bigger and better plan for us. And I’m glad I married a man who will say yes to God, even when it doesn’t seem to make sense.

The past two years and all that has come with them make me so excited for the next two… and the two after that… and so on. Because when we aren’t in control, big and beautiful things can happen. And I am confident they will.

“for I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer. 29:11)

photo courtesy of kristen lunceford photography

You are young enough to believe that anything is possible, and you are old enough to make that belief a reality. Now is the time to figure out what kind of work you love to do. What are you good at? What makes you feel alive? What do you dream about? You can go back to school now, switch directions entirely. You can work for almost nothing, or live in another country, or volunteer long hours for something that moves you. There will be a time when finances and schedules make this a little trickier, so do it now. Try it, apply for it, get up and do it…

Don’t get stuck. Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. Walk away, try something new. There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. This season is about becoming…

Ask yourself some good questions like, Am I proud of the life I’m living? What have I tried this month? What have I learned about God this year? What parts of my childhood faith am I leaving behind, and what parts am I choosing to keep with me for this leg of the journey? Do the people I’m spending my time with give me life, or make me feel small? Is there any brokenness in my life that’s keeping me from moving forward?…

Now is your time. Become, believe, try.

The trip was great. If you haven’t ever driven through Colorado and/or Utah, we highly recommend it! The scenery was amazing, and we took advantage of many “view areas” along the way. We have lots of pictures to upload and share… they’ll be coming soon! With the exception of late night rain on our drive from Denver to Glenwood Springs, we had an entirely uneventful trip. We stayed at my parents’ house in Omaha the first night, then met my best friend, Whitney, in Denver for dinner the second night, then got to Vegas around 5pm PT the third night. I’ll never forget Jordan exclaiming, “Look!” when he first got a glimpse of the strip. The final leg of the journey was a little long, so (though I never thought I’d say this), seeing the strip was very relieving. We knew we had made it!

We were greeted in our new home by our MN-turned-NV-friends who had furnished our place with a fabulous Aerobed, complete with sheets, pillows, and blankets, a card table and some chairs, a few towels, cleaning supplies, flowers, and candles… all which made us instantly feel so welcomed. Dinner followed at Ryan and Kristen’s house with all of our old friends, and even some new ones – the kitchen was adorned with a “Welcome to Fabulous” sign (who needs the “Las Vegas” part?!) that the kids had made, and casino themed dinnerware. We kept it MN-style with burgers, brats, and veggie trays (did you know people in the West haven’t heard of brats? Crazy!).

The following day, our things were supposed to arrive on the moving truck, but got delayed until… Monday. I stood my ground and told the company we needed my baby (grand piano) off the truck immediately, so they hurried it up and delivered everything on Saturday. Ryan helped us unload the truck and the unpacking process began. My parents packed all of our things, and (bless their hearts) used an entire forest’s-worth of packing paper. I can truly say I think I’ll cry if I have to flatten out one more piece of paper. However, we have only come across one broken thing, so we are quite impressed with the Hood Packing Services.

So, where does that leave us now? We are slowly but surely arranging everything in our new home, starting to decorate, trying to figure out the time difference between here and the Midwest, and enjoying the beauty of the mountains, palm trees, and sunny weather. On Sunday, we had the chance to hang out with a bunch of Advancers and get to know many new friends. Jordan and Ryan led worship together at The Crossing in Las Vegas, which was a very moving experience for everyone.

I have a job interview this afternoon at 4pm PT with a dentist’s clinic. Praying that it will be a great fit and that I’ll be employed!

We’re actually heading back to MN (are we nuts?) this weekend to celebrate the marriage of our great friends, Adam and Britt. It’ll be fun to see everyone one last time and to enjoy a little humidity and familiarity. Then, we’ll be back in Vegas, ready to begin what we believe will be a life-changing experience – for us and so many others.

Oh, and Fran. Many of you seem to be sadder to see her go than us, and we completely understand. She seems to be adjusting well to her new surroundings. She loves her fenced in backyard, complete with grass (!), rocks, and a patio. She does not love the crazy amount of boxes and packing paper, although she does enjoy trying to chew on everything she can find. She’s finding lots of love and attention here, whether it’s from complete strangers or people more her size like Selah. She desperately needs a good grooming, but she’s been bathed so she’s doing alright. We’ll try to bring her back to MN at some point – we just have to work her up to flying (some pep talks and Benadryl may be in order).

All in all, we can’t thank you enough for your prayers and support. We are definitely feeling them and are so grateful for each of you. We’ll be blogging more regularly as we finally have internet and LOTS to share as we start our journey to mobilize lives altered by Jesus.

Why we celebrate him:

1. He puts Jesus before everything else
2. He loves me like Jesus loves the church
3. He cares deeply about others
4. He makes a good joke every once and a while
5. He takes Fran out at night because I don’t like to
6. He’s a talented musician
7. He takes risks
8. He loves our families well
9. He learns quickly
10. He cooks (and likes it!)
11. He fixes things
12. He supports me in my goals
13. He listens when God calls
14. He’s cute
15. He’s thoughtful
16. He likes to watch HGTV & the Food Network with me
17. He has good style
18. He’s humble
19. He cleans (and when he does, it’s 110%)
20. He makes the best French press coffee
21. He goes out of his way to teach people about Jesus (hello, Advance Church)
22. He’s adventurous
23. He loves to learn new things
24. He showers grace on me and those around him
25. He shows me what unconditional love looks like every day

• June 24th, 2009: Make an offer on our townhouse
• August 4th, 2009: Close on our townhouse… start moving in!
• October 2nd, 2009: Get MARRIED!
• November 2-9, 2009: Go to Mexico… honeymoon!
• January 5th, 2010: Kristen starts a new job
• March-May, 2010: Lead my first small group for Crossroads
• March-May, 2010: Kristen’s countless dentist visits (ugh!)
• June-August, 2010: Lead a women’s book club
• June 26th, 2010: Celebrate our great friends’ (Bernie & Jess) wedding
• July 25th, 2010: Celebrate our friends’ (James & Katie) wedding
• July 26th, 2010: Celebrate the life of my great-aunt Dort
• August 1-13, 2010: Young Life Camp – Castaway!
• September 2010: Begin teaching piano lessons
• September 21st, 2010: Learn about the Luncefords’ plan for Vegas (start praying about our involvement there)
• October 1-5, 2010: Celebrate our 1st Anniversary in NYC!
• October-December, 2010: Lead a women’s small group for Crossroads
• November 15-17, 2010: Visit Las Vegas
• January 2011: Say goodbye to the Luncefords; Continue to pray about Vegas
• February-April, 2011: Lead a co-ed small group at Crossroads
• March 2011: Feel that God is calling us to take steps toward Vegas
• March 12th, 2011: Get Fran!!!
• March 15th, 2011: Put our house on the market
• May 2nd, 2011: Kristen’s work opens a new office
• May 4th, 2011: Receive an offer on our house
• May 27-30, 2011: Memorial Day at the cabin with the Lindstedts/Hellers
• June 3-5, 2011: Travel to Neenah to see Grandma Hood and friends
• June 10-12, 2011: Travel to Omaha to hang out with the Hoods
• June 24th, 2011: Move out of our house (and in with Jordan’s family!)
• June 27th, 2011: Closing!
• July 2-3, 2011: Jordan’s last weekend at Crossroads
• July 3-5, 2011: Go to the cabin for the 4th
• July 6th, 2011: Sell Kristen’s car

• July 9-12, 2011: Travel to Vegas to look for jobs and a house
• July 18th, 2011: Celebrate Jordan’s 25th birthday
• July 29th, 2011: Kristen’s last day at work
• July 30th, 2011: Load the ABF truck with our belongings
• August 1st, 2011: Leave for Vegas
• August 3-4, 2011: Arrive in Vegas… our new home!

Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. (Hebrews 11:10)

We are so excited that we have been whittling away at our to-do list, and that things are really starting to fall into place. To give you an idea of our upcoming schedule for our move to Vegas, check this out:

I can’t choose just one, so I’ll share a few that are really simple, but are really great crowd-pleasers!

Herbed Goat Cheese with Crackers
Ingredients:
1 log of goat cheese
a drizzle of olive oil
a sprinkling of Italian seasoning

Put goat cheese into an 8×8 pan, drizzle on a little olive oil and sprinkle with as much or as little Italian seasoning as you like. Bake at 350 until warm and creamy. Serve with crackers or pita bread or anything you like! (We’ve also done a mixture of fresh basil, rosemary, and garlic and put that over the top… very tasty!)

Caprese Skewers
Ingredients:
cherry tomatoes
fresh mozzarella (either the small balls or a big hunk cut into pieces)
fresh basil leaves

Put one tomato, one hunk of cheese, and one basil leaf on a fancy toothpick. Repeat until all ingredients are used up. Drizzle with a little olive oil and add a little sea salt and cracked black pepper. Enjoy!

Brie Wrapped in Crescent Rolls
1 wheel of Brie cheese
1 tube of crescent rolls
1 container of raspberry chipotle sauce

Wrap the brie in crescent rolls. Bake at 350 until golden brown (make sure the cheese is melted). Serve with raspberry chipotle sauce.

Avocado-Feta Dip
Ingredients:
2 avocados (not too ripe), diced
2 large roma tomatoes, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 container of feta cheese
juice of 1/2 a lime
salt and pepper to taste

Throw all ingredients together in a bowl and stir together. Allow to sit for a bit before serving to let flavors mix. Serve with tortilla chips!
You can add lots of other things to this. It’s like guacamole but just a little different. Yum!

In an effort to get the list out, here it is:

• Call Comcast to deactivate service on June 25th
• Call Xcel to deactivate service on June 25th
• Get quotes from moving companies – Allied, ABF, United, etc.
• Get quotes from storage companies – Public Storage, PODS, etc.
• Choose moving and storage companies (Going with a local mini-storage, Manny’s Piano Moving, then ABF!)
• Find/buy moving boxes and moving supplies – Picked up a bunch for FREE!
• Sort through the things we have now and donate A BUNCH to Goodwill
• Pack!
• Continue to clean carpets
• House appraisal (scheduled for Thursday, May 26th at 10am)
• Withdraw money from accounts for closing
• Travel to Neenah to see my grandma (June 3-5)
• Travel to Omaha to see my parents and other grandma (June 10-12)
• Find new health insurance
• Find jobs
• Send out support letters (address, stamp, and mail!)
• Travel to Vegas to find a house (July 9-12)
• Figure out where to store the piano in July
• Change address – mail, checking accounts, investment accounts, etc.
• Send out change of address magnets to friends and family
• Sell my car
• Sell other things ?
• Get all papers organized so we don’t lose anything important in the midst of the move!
• Spend LOTS of quality time with friends and family in MN
• Change phone numbers once we’re in Vegas

I will try to cross things off this list as they are updated. Crossing things off is my FAVORITE part of making/having lists. Such a feeling of accomplishment.

In other, totally unrelated news, has everyone discovered Pinterest yet?! Because if you haven’t, you’re totally missing out. It’s awesome!

Have a great Wednesday!

[because all posts are better with Fran pics]