God’s encouragement always comes at the right time… never  early but never late. He is faithful… He is ALWAYS faithful. Just when we feel like our legs are going to give out from beneath us, His steadfast love holds us up (Psalm 94:18).

June was a hard month for us. Construction work was slow in coming. We have had to begin to find a way to get health insurance for our family which is never a simple process. We are also quickly learning that raising funds for mission work is certainly a test in faith. Needless to say, we were in need of some encouragement.

An old friend stopped by  one Sunday for some dinner and “catching up”. He shared with the us the things that God was doing in his life and encouraged us with stories of how the Lord was directing him and providing for his needs. We were blessed by the testimony of God’s faithfulness in his life, yet our hearts were heavy.  During that evening with our friend, we began to pray together and while we were praying, our friend read this passage to us:

Deuteronomy 32:10-11

¹⁰ In a desert land he found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye,

¹¹ like an eagle that stirs up its nest
and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them
and carries them on its pinions.”

Our friend shared with us that he learned recently that when the mama eagle is wanting to teach her little babies how to fly, she begins to take apart the nest – the only home in which those babies have ever known. Then she throws them over the edge of the cliff where nest  once laid and hovers over her babies as they free fall through the air. She spreads her wings to catch them before they hit they ground and flies them up to higher ground.

As our friend spoke these words to us, our heavy hearts began to melt. We are able to see what the Lord was doing in our life as a family. We know He has called us to Belfast, Northern to do His work there… but there is a work He must do in us here as we wait.

At times it feels like our nest, our lives as we have known it is utterly being disassembled. Although, we feel like we are just free falling through air, we see now that our Lord never leaves us. He hovers so near to us. He will not let us smash to the ground. This is not punishment nor is it abandonment, but a lesson in trusting that  He will take us to higher ground. He alone will lead us through this journey. He alone can teach us how to truly fly. This season is a season of growing and developing into what need to be… more like Him!

So, please continue to pray for us. Pray that our faith will be strengthened and renewed each day! We want to be faithful to the work God has called us to do, as well as allowing Him to do the work that needs to be done in us as we prepare for Belfast.

A big thank you to all of you who have been supporting us through this journey! Your words, prayers, gifts, and love have been such a huge encouragement to us! The second we begin to wonder what we have gotten ourselves into, you have been so quick to remind us that God really did speak to us and our heart for Belfast was given to us from Him. So, thank you from the bottom of our hearts (and don’t stop).

Because He IS faithful,

Troy and Noelle

     Happy June!

     Here is an update:

   – Troy and Tom went to Belfast in May to shoot a short film about the life and needs of the community there . It was a wonderful trip! While they were there they accompanied our friends, Ivan and Kathy, to an international bagpipe and drum competition! It was  great to spend time  with the  folks from the ROCK Community church and be able to learn more about the needs of the youth in West Belfast.

- We have finally moved into my parents’ basement apartment! It was quite a venture moving all of our stuff (as well as purging most of our belongings) from our huge church house into our little basement apartment. Thanks to many willing helpers from Lamb of God Fellowship, the Goodwill Mission in Newark, and the amazing Vinny Dahmen, we were able to do it! We are not quite unpacked in our new space yet but we are working on it little by little. 

- We have sent out our very first newsletter! Hooray! If you haven’t gotten a newsletter from us by the end of the month and would like to be put on the mailing list, please email us at emailrhodes@gmail.com. We would love to share with you our news and prayer requests!

- Troy has officially started up his handyman business and the Lord has been blessing him with work! Praise God! I am still working at  Lamb of God Fellowship as the director of the Youth and Children’s Ministries. I have also been blessed with some extra part-time work as a nanny for a family in our church. The Lord has been providing and meeting every need. As many of you know, North Jersey “ain’t a cheap place to live in” … yet He is faithful!

- We are planning on making the big move to Belfast, Northern Ireland  June 2010! Only one year away! Our prayer is that we will be able to raise the support needed as well as save enough money (earned from the handyman business and my part-time work) to leave next June! There is much to be done in just a year! We are so grateful for the friends the Lord has brought into our life to not only encourage us to but to help us in the practicalities of this life transition! We could not do this without the support of our family and friends. So, thank you!

Here are some prayer requests:

1) Please pray for Troy’s handyman business! We are very excited about it but also a little nervous. We are new to this “self employment” thing and are learning along way. Please pray for continued work and wisdom.

2) Please pray for us as we adjust to living in our new space. It is great being with our family but there are many boxes to be unpacked and stuff to be put away. We want this temporary home to be cozy and comfortable for everyone.

3) Please pray for Troy and Tom as they begin editing the film about the life and needs of the youth in Belfast. Pray for creative insight and wisdom!

4) Please pray for us as we begin raising financial support for this work. Pray for our faith in believing in Lord’s provision. Pray that the Lord would raise up people who will financially partner with us!

5) Please pray for BELFAST! G.O. Kidz is still in the schools and running kids’ clubs, bringing the power of the gospel into the lives those children and youth. Pray for much fruit to born out of the work planted there and that many children and youth would choose to follow Christ and accept the hope He alone can give.

 Much love to all,

 Noelle Rhodes

PS- If you would like one of these fabulous green BELFAST reminder-bands, as displayed in the picture above, please contact us at emailrhodes@gmail.com. They are free!