We are moving

God is calling us out upon the water.
We are moving.

Life this summer 2015

Summer started so incredibly slow. What in past years used to be days full of 8am to midnight planned summer camp craziness, with weddings and photo shoots shoved in, were now replaced with days full of watching Netflix and staring at my big belly and swollen feet. ( if anyone would like me to tell you details about the entire seasons of LOST or OITNB let me know)

Then really late in the pregnancy game we got some awful, gut wrenching, life altering news. One of Josh and I’s very best friends and mentors, James, suffered a major stroke at 37 years old, and days later passed away, leaving our dear friends without a husband, or a daddy, or a leader for our home away from home, Central Christian Camp and Make Promises Happen. This camp being the very location and atmosphere Josh and I met and fell in love , got engaged and were married, and have spent countless wonderful days.

We were, and are, devastated, yet still in a zone of not being able to believe it’s actually real.

One week and 20 hours of natural labor and delivery later, we welcomed our beautiful, healthy, 8 pound 13 ounce 21 1/2 inch long, baby boy, Parker Blake McClennahan into the world, June 29th, at 5:05pm.
We are so joyful to be given the responsibility from God to be this precious boy’s parents. I literally had fits of laughter because of the happy hormones surging through me.

The day after Parker was born, the head of the board of directors of camp called Josh and asked him if he would be interested in James’ position as the Executive Director. To be honest after he got off the phone we looked at each other across the bassinet where Parker laid in the hospital… and laughed.
What was going on here?
We were processing death, new life, and now a job opportunity on maybe 40 minutes of sleep. This was crazy town.

If you’ve followed Josh and I’s story through this blog you’ll know that our decisions are very much so decided not on our own accord, but to what prayer and listening to God’s voice tells us.

Proverbs 3:5-6
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.

Matthew 14:24
but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

You can read the post about deciding to start growing our family here.

https://lenaephotography.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/little-one-mcclennahan-the-story-on-how-we-got-here/

There isn’t a doubt in my mind that God intricately plans and protects every detail of all of our lives. I Especially feel this truth when I zoom out and look at the big picture.

We brought our baby boy home. We have started our journey as parents. I am obsessed with our little family and so thankful for our health and all the securities and love we have been given. Every day we have prayed for the direction God would like us to take. When you get an answer from God it isn’t a letter that’s been written and dropped in your mailbox unfortunately. For me, answers from God have always been in the form of how peaceful an option feels after prayer, patience, and most of the time an opportunity to step up to a ‘challenge’ or ‘risk’.

Moving to Guthrie or north Edmond to be closer to our families and friends has always been a dream of ours, so it was hard to see the risk when Josh was first offered the job. But leaving the security of a school teaching job is scary, and not to mention how Josh is going to feel as he drives away leaving those precious boys he has spent three years raising up in the basketball program, and the wonderful friends he’s made. Checotah really took us in with open arms and we will always be thankful for the past three years, the years we learned to be married.

I’ve also run my small business out of Checotah for 3 years wracking up so many travel miles I can’t even laugh about it anymore, but it has still grown and grown.
Josh has spent everyday since Parker’s birth on the phone with at least one of our camp mentors chewing over this decision and the slow process of moving forward.
The patience of both of those things are my patience factors here.

The challenge.
The challenge is the shoes.
Josh wears size 13 shoes, and though his feet might physically bust through James’ shoes, the metaphorical aspect I know scares us both. James spent 25 years of his life dedicated to camp. Josh and I have spent 7. James knew every leaf on the camp property and every penny being spent. Josh was the best at “hide and seek mr banana on camp property” (you had to be there),but the money aspect has never had to be a huge consideration for him.
We loved and respected James so much it has been very hard to understand the need or ability to try and carry on his legacy in such a very tangible way.

But God asked us, so we are saying yes.

We are saying yes to throwing everything from a small house in Checotah that holds a business, a newborn and three years into a uhaul in about a weeks time.
We are saying yes to stepping into a ripped off bandage of hurt and attempting to keep things running to the best of our ability.
We are saying yes to the hundreds of questions we will be asked about why Josh left coaching and teaching to go run a camp. This part is so hard to explain and understand if you’re not a part of our camp family, but we will spend the time trying to explain.
We are saying yes to using all of the support available from our friends and family to make this transition peaceful and smooth for everyone involved.

Your prayers for peace, stability and little to no stress would mean the world to our little family.

We are incredibly humbled by this opportunity. We are excited but aren’t taking the weight of the responsibility lightly.

There is not a doubt in my mind that Josh is the person camp needs right now. Being married to him for three years and together 5, I have seen him take on things with patient dedication and become so versed in each task. His ability to balance and bring logic and peace to his surroundings make his leadership style effective and beneficial for a gentle transition.
There is lots of growing and learning that will be required of him so your support, encouragement, and prayers will be highly needed.

Thank you for reading this post and hopefully it will help you understand our decision. We love you all!

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. (‭Psalm‬ ‭126‬:‭3, 5-6‬ NIV)