The body of Christ, moving, losing job & getting Rhino. WHOA!

Interestingly, Atascadero, the town God brought us to live in, means in Spanish, a bog or mire. In the Bible, bogs or mires are considered a stumbling block to bring us down or tempts us to sin. We have had many of those: van not being finished yet, my blind eye, Skye's allergies (oaks are everywhere), challenges at Skye's work, pesticides at his work, mold at our current rental, high rent prices, and our attitudes to all these things.

BUT, we live on Los Osos Rd. in Atascadero. Los Osos in Spanish means, "the bears". Bears in the Bible refer to those with strength and courage. We have courage and strength in Him to get us through the bog, the stuck places. Because Christ's power lives through us, we can take courage, bear all things, and rise above our challenges. We are bears in the bog. Can you relate in your life?

Skye's work is in the city of Paso Robles, which in Spanish means, "the Path of the Oaks" and in scripture oaks are referred to four times as mighty men. We should be like oaks of righteousness, solidly founded in Christ, no matter what hardships come our way. Skye's work was off of Vineyard drive. We are being taught to stay in the vine to be the righteousness of Christ-oaks of His righteousness through all things.

Just to add to that, San Luis Obispo, affectionately referred to as "SLO" was where we'd go up a big grade, climb up and down mountains to be refreshed through cooler temps nearer the ocean, going through SLO: slowing down, to finding the Pearl Chapel in Shell Beach. He paid the pearl of great price for us and His body is that pearl. So much fun with word play....

We had continued visits with Greta and son Gabe for outreach & time doing life together and discipling Ben. April 2023.

April-July 2023: We started going to Thursday potlucks and Sunday worship at the Pearl Chapel in Shell Beach, CA. Took amazing walks nearby on the oceanfront cliffs. We had some of the most beautiful, heartfelt worship we have ever experienced with David Brymer, his wife Sahar and the body of Christ. Rebecca joined on violin most days. Check out David's website and you'll be super blessed.

http://www.davidbrymer.com/

His YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNWK4yBPlag68voxOuy3tJw

We had teaching and shepherding by a wonderful pastor Neil and his wife Lindsey. The body had powerful healings happen there, deliverances from demons, baptisms and more. It felt like revival and the pure raw love of Jesus was tangible. The building owner, Roger Sachs, was good friends with the late preacher Lonnie Frisbee, from the Jesus Revolution, that swept across Southern California and then the world. He co-wrote the trilogy of books with Lonnie about his life during the Jesus Revolution. We feel super blessed to be a part of this movement the Holy Spirit is doing.

May 2023: We moved to the Holland Farm, still on Los Osos Rd (still bears), just a few houses down from the garage we were living in. The old place had mold and a lot of water damage after the unprecedented winter rains. God provided a really special place (apartment above a garage) from a very generous Christian couple and at a price that blew us away.

We've upgraded from the living in the van, to a small garage, now an apartment above a garage. We are learning to never take anything for granite or to feel entitled. After all, we are pilgrims in this world.....just passing through.

The Holland's loved what we were about. Interestingly, the family whose casita we first stayed in, when Skye had his interview here, is related to this new couple the Hollands. So many signs of God's movement.

Rebecca's cataract had completely blinded her right eye. It was hard to do daily tasks. She tripped a lot, cut her fingers cooking and couldn't drive very easily. Lots of prayer, forgiveness, study on faith and healing. The eyes are so important. June 2023: eye appointments.

So grateful for having an oven now in our new place. The toaster oven in the last place was a step up from the vans induction burner. Grateful for what we do have. And the walks on our street are so peaceful and full of animals. Yummy veggies from our landlord.

Visit from Michigan friends Deb and Larry 6/24-7/3/23. They drove all the way from Michigan to visit us and some other family on their way. What troopers and real friends for sure! We got to pray for several different people when we were out and about with them...they are our evangelist buddies! We got to pray over a couple who were celebrating their anniversary in Cayucos Garden cafe. They were so blessed by our care.

Up at Pirate's Cove, where we met with Ben, (a few blog posts back) we prayed for a young man who the day before, lost his friend to an accident of falling off the cliff to his death. Skye was given tears of sorrow with him as this man grieved his friend. Powerful moments with these two friends always.

Fourth of July: with Holland's (our new landlords) and their relatives, our friends Lance and Mo from Scotts Valley. Incidentally, we met Lance and Mo in Scotts Valley last year, and they gave us their place to stay when Skye interviewed for his job to the area. Their daughter is married to the Holland's son. It's a small world after all.

Favorite bike ride road in Santa Rita Rd. The longhorns, farm stand, the ridge and river are fun stops.

Time with Ben's son Obie...

Skye was terminated from his ranch hand job 7/14 with no explanation. We believe the large corporation had staffing turn-over as his hiring manager was just as shocked, as Skye had positive reviews. He worked so hard at that job and everything he did was spotless. His manager said he was the most positive person she had ever met. Come to find out later, she also quit her position.

More time with Ben, our pastors family and worship leaders family. We truly feel like we found a special body of Christ.

7/23/23 We took Luke, the surfer hippie, to lunch. He heard the gospel when we shared it with Ben up at Pirate's Cover before Ben was baptized. I'm pretty sure he was stoned, and just hanging out, but God had really touched him with hearing the gospel, and when we prayed for him. He had just lost his friend to fentanyl overdose the month before.

Bike ride up the grade after lunch with Luke. We were all super grateful for our time together....more later with Luke.

7/24/23 What's the status of our van you ask....finally, we drove this day to get our VAN BACK. Stay tuned for what happened the day we picked up rhino......our first unexpected Luke 10 trip to Sacramento (5 hours away).

Isaiah 61:3 " To grant to those who mourn in Zion-to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."

Have your way in us Lord....