We Press On...

FOUR FOR FOUR ONCE AGAIN

2011-03-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

So much great news to share:

On Valentines Day, we got the news that we will have a new MALE addition to our family in July. Yes, Meredith of Mississippi will be giving birth to a baby boy. The Hendley name survives another generation and Pastor Andrew
rejoices. It a busy season for the MS Hendleys, but they are very grateful for how the Lord is prospering their life and ministry in Brookhaven. We delight with them in all that God is doing!

That very same weekend, Hannah made another huge personal trek as she left her brother's family, her church where she worked, as well as her adopted state, and returned to Central Florida. She is now back living in Melbourne where she is "in relationship" with Dominic Foti and.... once again, gainfully employed. Hannah has been hired by Christian Care Medi-Share, where so many of our friends work. That means all four of the Hendley children are in
great jobs and for that we praise the Lord. Now for more news from recent months....

This has been quite a season of maternal focus for Dan and Beth. Beth's mother, after her stroke last summer, and subsequent moves, decided to try assisted living. She transitioned over the Christmas Holiday to Dogwood Forest of Marietta, GA near Beth's sister, Brook. She is still disabled on her left side, and in need of much care and attention, but enjoys a sharp mind and the love of her friends and family. We just received the good news that her kidney mass is not growing, which means no surgery at this time. For now, Ginny can still receive rehab at Dogwood, so she continues
to focus on gaining as much mobility as possible with use of a hemi-walker. She also appreciates the social and musical activities that provide her such daily encouragement and enjoyment. Beth just returned home from another lovely week with her mom, a gift that she treasures dearly.

Dan's mother, after a lengthy hospital stay in December, decided she could no longer live alone. So Dan and Beth took ten days in January to move her around the corner into her assisted living arrangement. Granmimi is missing her independence but still gets out to play bridge and have dinner with her supper club. She too is learning to enjoy bingo and her friends at Emeritus of Ocala.

Meanwhile, back on the ranch in Houston, Sarah Beth is planning for the end of her one- year fellowship at MD Anderson. That means a job search for a position as nurse practitioner in the field of pediatric oncology. She has
possibilities around the country. Pray for peace and wisdom as she assesses her future. Sarah continues to run like crazy and just finished her fifth marathon!

The Pittsburgh Hendleys are hoping Spring is near and enjoying proclaiming and serving Jesus at church and school, in the community, and at Loafers Bread Company. We are greatly looking forward to being grandparents for the second time this summer, as we await the birth of Lylah's baby brother in July!

The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.

HOUSTON, HERE SHE COMES!

2010-08-29T18:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, and her name is Sarah Beth whose eagle (actually Solara) is landing there in early September where she will begin her life as a nurse practitioner working at MD Anderson Hospital. Sarah Beth will be there for at least a year and likely longer as she focuses her energies on becoming an expert in pediatric oncology at one of the nation's top hospitals. Sarah has found it hard to leave central Florida and so many friends, but she is excited about what the big-city hospital, not to mention a new city church, holds for her and she is very glad that her friend, Catherine Gartzke, is only a few hours away in Big D. We continue to be amazed and thrilled with what God has wrought from Sarah's experiences in her own battle and win over leukemia, but this major change for her is only one of the big news items in what has proven to be yet another summer of change for our family.
Another major adjustment came on Father's Day when Beth's mother, Ginny Proctor (aka Nan), was hit by a stroke in the middle of the night. The stroke left her paralyzed on her left side and the tests that she underwent also revealed a mass on her kidney. As she sought recovery in hospitals in Melbourne, Orlando and Sarasota she has dealt with infections, bed sores, contagious diseases, and all the general slings and arrows of our medical system. But she has battled. She is mentally sharp, speaks well, and is rehabbing to regain use of her limbs. So many have joined us in prayer, and we continue to request of our heavenly Father that her recovery may allow her to return home someday to her condo in West Melbourne. But, between now and then, there is much more rehab and a possible surgery to remove a kidney. So, we pray and wait and cheer her on. Nan will begin discussions on Sept. 8 with a team of specialists from Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, to determine the fate of the mass on her kidney. Beth and her siblings continue to cycle in for a week or two at a time to assist Nan in her recovery. It has been quite a summer of seeing God at work.
We have been praying for some time now that Hannah Ruth would be able to go from part-time to full-time in her position as Assistant Youth Director of Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Brandon, Mississippi. That prayer was answered with a "yes" just about a week ago; thus Hannah will be able to retire from her restaurant job and focus her energies on discipleship ministry with several young ladies in her youth group. Meanwhile, she has also relocated to a lovely home nearer her work place with another twenty-something gal who holds a similar position in a sister church. We are, with Hannah, thankful for this provision. Hannah continues to delight all of us with her photography expertise, especially filming our sweet grandbaby Lylah at every new and exciting development of her young life. Hannah has also recently been requested to handle all of the photography for her first wedding, that of a friend and fellow team missionary to Ireland.
Speaking of Lylah, our precious little girl has had her first birthday, complete with a ballerina theme, and is keeping her parents and grandparents, along with her aunties, proud and happy. At every turn with her, especially since she looks so much like our own "babies", we are reminded of the happy days that seem like yesterday, spent reveling in the joys and delights of parenting young children. Lylah's daddy, although he has preached several times at Faith Church Brookhaven, has been recorded for posterity, and we had the privilege of hearing his first sermon from the book of Colossians. That is a book that even his dad, in over 30 years of pastoral ministry, has not preached through yet; so the boy is opening up some new Hendley pathways through scripture. Lylah's mommy has not only proven to be a great mom, but is now also entering the realms of women's and youth ministry bible study leadership this fall. The Faith Church family continually reminds us on our visits how grateful they are to have Andrew, Meredith, and Lylah on board!
The Pennsylvania Hendleys continue to enjoy life at North Park Church, where we have the privilege of seeing God at work on a daily/weekly basis to show Himself strong on behalf of His people. It is such a joy to be in this place! We continue to see friends from Florida cycle up this way, most recently Art Wimer, and the Jonathan Ingrahams (30 min north at Geneva College) as well as Erin Middleton's family (her mom lives up here). Sharon has a very busy schedule of college courses and work at Loafers, but carved out time to help us speerhead some community gatherings in our little townhome area, that we hope may turn into a fall evangelistic bible study. She was also blessed to be able to spend a great week at Joni and Friends Family Retreat, south of Pittsburgh, along with her mom, seeing God do more than we could imagine at western PA's inaugural family retreat. Beth has become quite the traveler, spending much of the last few months in Florida with her Mom as well as excursions with Dan to Colorado (for the EPC General Assembly) and Lylassippi. She will be back down in Sarasota in mid September, not only to assist, but also to celebrate Nan's 75th birthday. The Lord has been so gracious to get us to this place after this eventful summer!
So, we are excited about the Fall, about our children's new adventures, about Nan's recovery, about what the Lord will do in our churches & in our country, and about what the Florida Gators will accomplish with a handsome young Ocala boy playing quarterback.

SPRING 2010

2010-05-28T19:11:00.000-07:00

As we approach summer in Pittsburgh and the beginning of our second year here, we continue to experience many exciting transitions within our family. In early May, we were back in Florida to see Sarah Beth awarded her master's degree in nursing from the University of Central Florida. Sarah has worked long and hard for this honor and now faces a huge personal transition. Pending a successful board exam, she will be leaving Central Florida and heading to Houston in early September. There she will take up a year long fellowship at MD Anderson, where she will work and get further specialization training in her chosen field of pediatric oncology. By the time she is finished there, she is hopeful of being well prepared to take on her new role as a pediatric nurse practitioner. We are amazed at God's provision for Sarah and look forward to seeing how He will continue His faithful mercies to her in this next year.
Besides celebrating Sarah's achievement, we got to visit with Beth's mom and our Mississippi family, minus Andrew; so we thoroughly enjoyed having Hannah, Meredith and Lylah to help us celebrate. Our focus in that brief time was on our family, but we did get to reconnect with several friends in the Orlando and Brevard County areas--how sweet. While there, we received the news that Andrew had passed his ordination exams! - which takes us to our next trip. On June 13 we will be in Brookhaven, Mississippi for AW's ordination. Dan's mom, Granmimi, will be joining us for this special time of meeting her great granddaughter for the first time and watching her son help ordain her grandson to gospel ministry. Dan will be preaching for that service while both of us will marvel at what God has done with and for our son, his family, and Faith Church. We're also looking forward to reconnecting with our precious grandbaby and seeing all the new things she is doing to get ready to walk.
Hannah's summer will be dominated by her labors as a youth ministry assistant for Lakeside Pres in Brandon MS, where she will be spending lots of time at camps and missions trips, connecting with her students and assisting them in growing and building God's Kingdom together. We pray alot for Boo's passion for the ministries God has given her, as well as her safety in doing so, but mostly that she would glorify Jesus in all that she is for Him as she walks worthy of His high call upon her life.
When we are back home, we continue to enjoy life together and with our church family at North Park Church. Western PA has been gorgeous this Spring, so as Sharon maintains a busy workload of mathematics at the Community College of Allegheny County, she gets to study in the beautiful outdoor array of forest and flower that is our back yard. She has done quite well in her classes so far, even on her many tests, which has been one of her college concerns. The Lord provided Sharon a school break that "just happened" to coincide with Sarah's graduation. That same provision is occurring later this summer as she has a break between summer and fall terms, just in time to participate as a short term missionary at the first ever Joni and Friends Family Retreat in the Pittsburgh area. We praise God for Sharon's heart for outreach in our community!
In March we had a neat opportunity to visit Laguna Beach, Calif for a weeklong conference featuring Henry Cloud and John Townsend, two of our favorite Christian psychologists. The Ultimate Leadership week was a great time to further understand who we are at the core of our being and how that impacts our relationships and ministry. We thank the Lord and North Park church for the further equipping we received there and trust Him for what He will continue to do!

We Find Grace Again in 20 and 10

2010-01-10T19:00:00.001-08:00

Our beautiful first granddaughter continues to bring great joy to our hearts and lives; in fact we had her and her parents and her sweet aunts all here in PA for Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed their visit. We are so grateful for how the Lord continues to lead and guide each one down that growth path in Christ.

Here are some early January 2010 highlights, for which to join us in thanking God:

Sharon Leigh begins her trek back to college life here at our excellent community college taking classes that will hopefully lead her down a career path in nutrution; we thank God for her patience in waiting to get here and get established. She is out ice skating w/a friend in our wintry wonderland as we write this. Sharon requests prayer that she would test well in her class

Hannah began her new position as a youth intern at Lakeside Church, an EPC congregation in the greater Jackson area. She found out in December about this happy provision and is very excited and prayerful about connecting w/middle and high school girls in discipling relationships. Would you pray that Hannah would love these young ladies well?
Sarah Beth completed her fourth 26.2 mile run this morning in the 30 degree Orlando weather, competing in the Disney Marathon there---we are amazed and excited for her, but prayerful as well as she thinks she sustained a stress fracture that needs healing. Sarah came home to her apartment and God's latest provision in her life is our good friend, the lovely Jessica Solid from Palm Bay, who is moving in to be Sarah's roommate and one of UCF's best college transfer students. So Sarah and Jessica will have each other to lean on as they both continue their studies. Sarah is set to graduate in May 2010 w/her masters in nursing as a pediatric nurse practitioner, specializing in pediatric oncology. She is asking God to provide a one year fellowship opportunity out in TX upon graduation, where she would get further training in the field of oncology.

Andrew and Meredith and baby Lylah continue to thrive in Brookhaven, MS about an hr south of Hannah. They are well loved and supported in their youth role there and are excited about God's provsion of a new senior pastor coming to join them in March. As so often happens on this side of glory though, some sadness accompanies Pastor Russ & Amanda's arrival, as they recently delivered their second baby, who slipped away and on into Heaven only a few days after her birth. We mourn the loss of little Viviana and pray for God's peace to attend her family at this time of tremendous transition in their lives.
Dan and Beth requested your prayers for God's help as we met with leaders at North Park Church this past weekend. God did some wonderful things in our time together, giving us precious unity in Him and speaking to us about His desire for mentoring and discipling w/in a major emphasis on small groups, while also reaching beyond our walls into our community for the sake of His gospel in many lives. Thank you for those prayers and for your constant support of His work thru clay pots like us. One of our next personal ministry concerns is that both of us will be travelling to an Ultimate Leadership Week (in CA) March 17-21 and gleaning from the leadership training insights of Henry Cloud and John Townsend. Would you pray for us as we prepare for this intense week, that God would empty us of self and plant within us fertile seeds of growth that would allow us to further take up the mantel of servant leadership in the precious
body of Christ at North Park Church and beyond. Thank you!

Hendleys -- The Next Generation

2009-08-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

Let the historians note that it was around 3:30 central time that she got her first glimpse of mom, dad and the outside world. Lylah Tove (which means Good, Blessed, or Beautiful Night) Hendley was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi, greeted by her father Andrew, thrust into her new environment by her mother, Meredith, attended by her aunt Sarah, and cheered by her aunt Hannah. And the angels sang, and western Pennsylvania rejoiced.

The statistics…. 8 lbs even, 20 inches, labor lasted a dozen hours, went smoothly. Sarah Beth, who is now a labor and delivery nurse, was on hand to guide the process. Hannah, who now lives just over an hour away, was the main cheerleader. Meredith’s parents get the first grandparental rights. Then Sept.2 Dan, Beth and Sharon fly in to join the party. So, that is our big news, but there is more…

We are approaching the end of our fourth month in Pittsburgh and things are going well. There have been many adjustments to life in our new community and at North Park Church, but the attendance at worship is strong, and we see many encouraging things in our congregation. Tonight we have our first visitors dinner and the first North Park Encounter is just three weeks away.

Our summer has been fun, busy, and much cooler than usual. Beth and Sharon have been to a family reunion in Michigan and to a Joni and Friends Family Retreat in eastern PA where they cared for some children with disabilities and their families. Dan’s mission was further south, as he returned to Florida for a quick trip to drive Hannah and her worldly possessions to her new home in Mississippi. The kids report continues below…

Sharon has enjoyed her summer here, quickly jumped into ministry, has developed some good friendships, and delights in the different natural offerings of her new home. The Lord has provided a position for her, working at an organic bakery called Loafers (they grind all their grains to make wholseome breads and sandwiches) which is owned by dear North Park members. She continues to look at schooling options for January, when she will have gained in-state residency and can return to college at reasonable expense.

Hannah now lives in Canton, MS, which is NE of Jackson. She is the house-mom for a crisis pregnancy home and is also presently employed at an upscale Italian restaurant . She thinks she has already found a church home in the Jackson area and is looking forward to being the world’s greatest auntie. Her parents are especially pleased that Hannah has seen fit to move her world to MS, where she can not only continue to build and love the life God has given her, but also help care for our new grandbaby and keep us all supplied with wonderful pictures of baby Lylah and her family.

Sarah Beth remains in Orlando, working as a nurse and pursuing her master’s toward being a nurse practitioner (Lord willing, she will graduate May 2010) in the field of pediatric oncology. She is also happy about the Lord’s provision of a church closer to home and is pursuing meaningful service and relationships at City Church downtown Orlando. But she still misses her departed family and friends, as they have moved away in a mass exodus these past several months. We praise God that He is good, even when His calling sometimes means painful loss, and we are humbled to see the way He is providing through His loving Spirit and presence in Sarah’s life.

Andrew and Meredith have a great little home in Brookhaven. He is heavy into youth ministry now and excited about the challenges and privileges of fatherhood. He and Meredith have made a sweet bungalow in which to welcome their little treasure, and many others, as they love to open their home for the purpose of practicing hospitality, and boy, are they going to get those opportunities galore in the next weeks, as their excited extended families come to share in the joy of Lylah’s birth on planet Earth. We think they are going to be the best parents ever!

Dan and Beth have enjoyed having visitors to our new home. Dick and Barb Burkhart came from Arizona, Stephanie Rasbach and Janet Olsen from Palm Bay, Beth’s brother from DC. Randy and Judy Miller are coming up to bring us some more of our stuff, (thanks Millers even tho we will be gone when you arrive)
We are looking forward to hosting a PA Thanksgiving with Beth’s extended family and a Hendley Christmas with all of our children and baby Lylah too.

Thanks for reading our latest report and praying us thru all the exciting changes in our lives. We have watched and wondered at the ways of our gracious God. His wisdom is beautiful to us and we rejoice in the choices our Father has made for us! More than terrific children, a fine church, and one sweet grandbaby, we find our life centered on the love of God which we have found in Jesus and His gospel.

PA Now

2009-06-13T19:53:00.001-07:00

It has been a long time in coming, but the Hendleys are now settled or settling into both new home and church in the North Hills of Pittsburgh.

The last week in April, Dan and Beth drove north for our first Sunday as pastor of North Park Church. Beth then returned to Florida to continue her labors for the Latta family and to begin the packing process. Dan lived the first four weeks in Pittsburgh with two families from North Park, but spent most of his time in his new office.

On May 27, a team of around 30 friends gathered to pack the big Uhaul, which was not quite big enough. We so appreciate the great work and attitudes from so many on that day. But, the truck wasn’t quite up to the task and some things had to be left behind. We are trying to figure out how to bring more up here as inexpensively as possible. John and Janice Prentice joined Beth for the trip north, leaving on May 29 and arriving at our new home in Wexford at 4pm on May 30, just in time for a team of 20 or so new friends to help us unpack the truck. We were so blessed on both ends of the project. Finally, we were together in our new place… Dan, Beth, Sharon and the puppies. Also, with us for the unpacking and the installation service which followed were: Beth’s mom, her brother Clay, Marion Leggett and her sister Gail, Bruce and Elena Lewis (CPC 80s), plus a surprise visit from the Malson family (CPC in the 90s) who drove 6 hours from Ohio for the day. It was an awesome Sunday sharing it with friends both new and old.

From there we have faced boxes, boxes and more boxes. Our house is wonderful. We purchased a townhome with a finished basement and two upper floors. It is in a beautiful spot and is great for guests who will have their own suite downstairs. It easily handles four. Soooo… we welcome you to plan your trip to come see us. It is a 16 hour drive from Palm Bay, but much quicker if you fly Southwest or Airtran from Orlando to Pittsburgh.

What is ahead for us this summer? Dan will work hard at forging quality relationships with church leaders. Beth will work hard at making a new home. Sharon will work hard at establishing new friends, contributing to our church’s summer camp, and figuring out her work and educational future. Beth and Sharon both plan a trip to Michigan in late July and a week at a Joni and Friends Camp in early August. Dan and Beth will also attend the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in late June.

In other Hendley news….. Andrew and Meredith have relocated to Brookhaven, Mississippi where Andrew has begun to serve Faith Presbyterian Church as youth director. Baby Lylah is coming in August!! Sarah Beth continues her nursing and studies in Orlando while saying many hard farewells. Hannah is living in temporary quarters in Palm Bay, working at Pregnancy Resouces and considering job opportunities in Huntsville, Alabama and Jackson, MS.

Our Florida home has not sold, but will be rented for, at least, a year by Jeff/Heather Myers and their two young daughters. Jeff is the upper-school principal at CCS.

For those wanting to check up on Dan’s preaching, or Pastor’s Corners or Did You Knows…. Try the website of North Park at www.northparkepc.org…. the site is undergoing some renovation, so if it doesn’t work right away try again later.

Contact info has changed quite a bit. Here is all you need to know.

Address:
306 Forest Edge Court
Wexford, PA 15090

Home phone – 724-759-7039
Dan’s cell – 724-719-1197
Church phone – 412-367-5000 ext 222
Beth’s cell is same – 321-960-7668
Sharon’s cell - 321-749-8430

New email for Dan is danhendley @northparkepc.org

We believe the Lord has led us here and we are trusting in His wisdom and goodness. We have seen with remarkable views the way our Savior has loved us thru you and many other friends. We are overwhelmed by God’s goodness and by the care of friends and family like you. Thank you for your prayers and support. They are still needed as we begin our mission in the North Hills in the hopes that the knowledge of Jesus will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

In the love of Christ,

Dan/Beth Hendley

Painting Pictures of Egypt...

2009-04-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

Its rare that I feel like I really relate to old testament bible characters and probably even more rare that I run to those stories to glean hope for my life. But the past week, a song by Sara Groves has replayed over and over in my mind because it speaks so well to where I’m at in my own life. It’s a song describing the heart of the Israelites when they had left Egypt and were in the middle of wandering around the desert searching for the Promised Land. If I had been one of them I’m sure I would have been apart of the grumbling and desperate people looking back at Egypt, ignoring the reasons why they had left, and instead pleading to go back to that place of comfort and familiarity.

This weekend our family got together to say goodbye to each other and to the only home we have ever known. A place that is so apart of me that it is impossible for another person to really know me unless they are able to grasp where it is that I’ve come from. And in this time of closing a chapter to allow us to walk into the next, I could sense the doubting Israelite coming out in me. How I long for days past! My heart aches to relive certain moments and go back to a time when life was without disruption and change. God has clearly called my family out of our own Egypt; and if I’m being really honest, I have to tell you… wandering in the wilderness is no fun. It has been a season of loss, confusion, grief, anger, and many tears. I don’t get what God is doing on most days. I’ve done my fair share of pleading to go back to the way things were. But the incredible thing about being a child of God and signing up to follow Him wherever He leads is that He doesn’t bring us through the wilderness so we can have a good time, He does it to make us holy. And I’m finding that His process of refining us ( not usually what I would have had in mind ) is what leads to His ultimate glory and my indescribable joy. I love this quote from Frederick Buechner that says “To be commanded to love God at all let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless. Even in the wilderness-especially in the wilderness-you shall love Him.”

My future, like the words in this song, can at times seem hard and is still filled with many unknowns for the Hendley family. But I know that there is incredible hope in trusting that the God who led us out of one place and into the wilderness is the same God who will take us into our Promised Land for His glory and our good. What incredible things He has taught us during our time of wandering and I, for one, can’t wait to see what He’s going to do as we cease looking back and instead strain ahead and “Press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

I don’t want to leave here I don’t want to stay It feels like pinching to me either way The places I long for the most Are the places where I’ve been They are calling after me like a long lost friend

It’s not about losing faith It’s not about trust It’s all about comfortable When you move so much The place I was wasn’t perfect But I had found a way to live It wasn’t milk or honey But then neither is this

I’ve been painting pictures of Egypt Leaving out what it lacked The future seems so hard And I want to go back But the places that used to fit me Cannot hold the things I"ve learned And those roads closed off to me While my back was turned

The past is so tangible I know it by heart Familiar things are never easy to discard I was dying for some freedom But now I hesitate to go Caught between the promise And the things I know

If it comes too quick I may not recognize it Is that the reason behind all this time and sand?If it comes too quick I may not appreciate it Is that the reason behind all this time and sand?

tender mercies

2009-03-18T04:29:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, March 15, the congregation of North Park Church in Wexford, PA voted to call Dan as Sr. Pastor. After much prayer and seeking of the Lord’s will, we were able to accept this strong call soon after the vote was taken. So, Lord willing, the Hendleys will be moving sometime this Spring… Thank you so much for your support and prayers. More info below.

** North Park (www.northparkepc.org) is a congregation of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The EPC is a young denomination comprised of churches that have sought to avoid the unbelief of the mainline Presbyterian body, or, in some cases, the theological rigidity of the PCA or OPC. North Park Church is located on the southwest corner of an enormous park north of Pittsburgh. Average attendance is about 450. A wonderful body comprised of some very faithful folk!
** Dan did not apply to North Park, but we are so very humbled that he was recommended by Mike Glodo, RTS professor, who preached at Covenant in Fall of 2006. We have been in process with their fine search team since September.
** We visited the church and the community in December and January, experiencing serious winter weather on both occasions. And, yes, we know it’s cold there. No, we don’t know how we will handle it, except for the Lord’s equipping grace.
** Dan still faces a presbytery exam on April 25 before he begins his official duties; thankfully no cause for concern on that front.
** We hope to move late April, but, if we buy a home, new mortgage rules may restrict us from closing until late May, which could keep Beth local until then.
** Our home here is for sale, but we are looking now more seriously at renting vs selling. It is a 4 bedroom, multi-bath home in a fabulous location. If you would send potential renters and buyers our way, we would be very grateful.
** We have not landed on a home up there, but we had a busy weekend looking and are making progress. If we don’t sell here ASAP we are facing some strain in getting together a down payment, so we are looking once again to the Lord’s provision on our behalf, and He has been so faithful to do just that.
** We are excited and scared, grieved (to be leaving) and greatly encouraged all at the same time.
** Sharon will be going with us and looking for school and work opportunities. Sarah stays in Orlando for now. Andrew has accepted a call to be youth pastor at a PCA church in Brookhaven, Mississippi. He will be moving there right after he and Meredith graduate from RTS on May 22. Meredith is due in August with our first GRANDBABY (How good is our God!). Hannah is still searching for a job and a location. Lots of fuel for praise and prayer in all of that!
** Beth’s mother will continue to live in West Melbourne but we plan on lots of visits from her. Dan’s mom remains in Ocala. It is hard for us to go far away from each of these special ladies.
** Beth will be gradually handing off her duties with the Latta family to Krista Moyer and other aids.
** We find ourselves overwhelmed with gratitude for God’s new provision and for the amazing and wonderful life in Brevard county which we have enjoyed these last 27 years. We are magnificently rich in friends and memories, but especially in the kindness of our Lord.

A neat story below for those who have time to keep reading….
After visiting with North Park leaders and staff in mid-January we faced a critical point in the process. Their search team was ready to recommend Dan to the church and the presbytery. Were we ready to move forward to be their candidate?? We spent a long weekend getting to know their leadership and understanding the church. Our intention was to respond by end of day, Sunday, January 25, and, frankly, we were uncertain. On Sunday morning January 25, Dan was slated to preach at a tiny (20 people) church plant, meeting at a school, in south Orlando. Tom Doran was supplying the music that Sunday. Among the first to arrive was a visiting couple. The wife recognized Dan from her days at Belhaven College in Jackson, MS. She had worked at RTS Jackson and married a seminarian – her husband Ron. Ron, it turns out, had pastored an EPC church in Brooksville the previous 16 years, at a church to which Dan had applied. We inquired about his ministry history prior to Brooksville. He had been in Butler, PA, north of Pittsburgh. We asked if he was familiar with the EPC work in Wexford. He said, “Oh yes! North Park. North Park is a great church!” We explained that their committee had selected dan to be their candidate for pastor, to which he responded, “Take it!” He and his wife (a Tampa girl) went on to tell us we would love it there. We just kind of stared in amazement at the ways of our God. Twenty people in this church! And in walks this couple who said to us afterwards, “God sent us here today for you two.” We believe that.
We also believe the Lord had a special purpose in the trials and the endurance of the last 28 months. We have learned so very much which we are eager to apply in ministry for the glory of our Savior, who is worthy of our absolute devotion, and in whom we place our trust as we make this move.

His and your grateful servants, Dan and Beth

Latest

2009-02-15T05:07:00.000-08:00

Click on the Link to Andrew and Meredith's blog to see the latest Hendley news!

Run 4 My Boys

2009-01-19T15:26:00.000-08:00

~Run 4 My Boys~

I have been asked several times why I run marathons. The simple answer to that question is that I run them… because I can. On days like today, when I sit at a funeral service for a 17 yr old boy who battled leukemia for over 3 yrs, I feel guilty. Why God allowed me to survive cancer and chose to take home so many of the kids that I came to love on the Oncology floor is something that I don’t think I’ll fully grasp until eternity. These kids have inspired me to do great things with my life, they’ve given me a gratitude for the small things, and they’ve put into perspective the unimportant things that just don’t matter.

On March 1st, my friend Carly and I will be running the Gasparilla Marathon. While this started out as just another running endeavor, we feel that we could not lose this opportunity to run with a greater purpose. We will be dedicating every 26.2 miles to 3 boys who have touched our lives and ask that you come along side us and enable us to raise funds for Parker’s Pals, an organization started by Aaron and Jamie Underwood which assists families who have young children walking through a cancer diagnosis. Please take a few moments to read their stories and consider how you might be a blessing to similar families facing cancer.

Camden Kibler: Camden was one of the youngest patients I’ve taken care of at APH. He was diagnosed with AML, a very aggressive leukemia, at only 5 months of age. From the first day that I took care of him, I developed a bond with his parents, Stephen and Jannae. From the get go of Camden’s diagnosis, they were ready to fight with all they had and their attitude and love for everyone around them made me look forward to coming to work every day so we could get rid of the cancer invading Camden. Its amazing how many lives he touched in such a few months of living; Camden passed away on August 5th, 2008 in the arms of his loving mother. For more on Camden’s story you can visit www.camdensjourney.com

Parker Underwood: Parker also was diagnosed with AML at 19 months of age and won the record at APH for longest stay. During that time, everyone on our floor fell in love with Parker and the entire Underwood family. Parker could bring tears to your eyes in the way he would still say “please” and “thank you” in the sweetest voice even on his worst days. I had a special connection with Aaron and Jamie because I soon found out that they were also Christians. I was so grateful for the light that they shed on the oncology floor. Even after Parker passed away, they pointed to Jesus Christ as their hope and strength in the midst of very dark circumstances. Jamie has worked very hard to start Parker’s Pals and has reached out to many families who are facing cancer. Parker’s sites and story are www.parkeru.org and www.parkerspals.org

Sabastian Marquez: Sabastian was one of the first kids I ever took care of as a new nurse. Sabastian had the same type of leukemia I had and we formed an instant friendship over a common bond. Sabastian went into remission and was doing very well before he relapsed with a new form of leukemia, AML. He went on to receive a Bone Marrow Transplant. He did great for awhile and was so happy to live a normal teenager life, making plans for his future. Unfortunately, he relapsed again. This past Tuesday, I held his hand as he struggled to breath and told him I loved him and would tell everyone I knew about him. Tears rolled down both our faces as I sang him the song I used to sing with my dad while getting procedures, “ I cast all my cares upon You, I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet. And when I don’t know what else to do, I will cast all my cares upon You.” That night, I watched Sabastian take his last breath and go home to the One he had put his trust and faith in. His website is www.thafuzz.org

My heart breaks wishing that Camden could have grown up to play baseball and maybe even become a firefighter like his dad, and I wish Payton and Paige Underwood would be able to grow up playing with their brother, and I wish Sabastian could have realized his dream of becoming a doctor. But I know that God has and will continue to use their lives to bless others. These 3 boys are why I continue to run and why I am asking for your support. I understand everyone’s budgets are being pulled in a hundred different directions right now so all we are asking is for each donor to give $26, one dollar for every mile we will run. The gifts are tax deductible and will go completely to Parker’s Pals. Checks can be made to Parker’s Pals and please put Run 4 My Boys in the Memo Line.
Checks can be mailed to:
Parker’s Pals
685 Winterberry Trail
Deland, FL 32724

OR You can also donate online using PayPal at www.parkerspals.org

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!

Join Our Facebook Group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/edit.php?officers&gid=55947826059#/group.php?gid=55947826059&ref=mf

Year-End Report

2008-12-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

HENDLEY FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER AND YEAR-END REPORT FOR 2008
Greetings Beloved:
Last year we began our letter with this line: “To our great astonishment we come to you again from the wonderful city of Palm Bay.” And that means we write this year with an even greater sense of astonishment. But it has been a good year, in some surprising and wonderful ways. We love each other and our Lord more than ever. It has been a time to learn how to trust the Lord for daily provisions and see Him answer our prayers through diverse means.
So many prayers have been lifted up on our behalf, and for that, we are very grateful. The year-end job-hunt news is that Dan is under serious consideration for the Sr. Pastor position at a lovely church in suburban Pittsburgh. We have visited there for one snowy weekend, and plan to go back for more mutual investigation during early January. This is the first significant opportunity since the Lord closed the door on the position in Winter Haven back in late summer.
In the meantime, Dan continues working as an official for high-school basketball games and as a caretaker for Matthew Bradstreet, a 14 year-old young man with autism. Financial provision for us has also come through Beth’s labors as a domestic assistant for a very special family. Karen Latta is a mother of five who has a rare degenerative brain disease that has diminished her capacities to care for herself and her family. Her husband, Glenn, is president of LiveTV, a devoted husband and father. God has given us the tremendous privilege of coming alongside this family to help provide for Karen and the children, so that for now, Beth’s role has evolved into more of a full-time one . As you pray for us, petition heaven also for this precious and hurting but hope-filled family.
Dan and Beth are grateful for continued health, for many friends near and far, for our church (First Baptist of Palm Bay), for the unity and well-being of our family and for the thrill that is still there for us when we ponder the wonder of Christmas and what the gospel means for time and forever.
Now for updates on the fearsome foursome of the Next Generation.

Andrew/Meredith – the happy Couple!! and soon to be the Graduates. Andrew and Meredith have already celebrated their first wedding anniversary and continue to live and study in Casselberry. Both will graduate from Reformed Seminary in May of 2009. Andrew is now interning (working with college students) at University Presbyterian in Orlando and both testify to the grace coming their way through their church and seminary families. Please pray for God’s direction for the Hendleys as they seek to discover what the Lord is preparing them to do and be for Him post-seminary.

Sarah Beth– the Running Nurse!! Sarah has recently made a move from pediatric oncology to labor and delivery so that she now works at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando. She continues to participate in marathons, having run one in New York and training now to run two more soon in state. Sarah also is pushing herself mentally, pursuing a masters degree in nursing at UCF. In her “spare” time, Sarah (and we) had the privilege of marrying off her best friend, Kate Welch Churcher.

Hannah– the Missionary! Hannah left us in January to join Project Evangelism in Northern Ireland. She has had some great experiences testifying of the gospel to young people there. Now, she is planning her return home in January in time for yet another Gator national championship game. But, Hannah is hoping to go back to Ireland ASAP to work under a sister ministry in the same area. She is in a time of transition, and we are trusting the Lord to direct her steps for the coming year. If you have been a financial supporter, stand by for coming updates. Before coming home, Hannah gets to spend a special Christmas in Austria with Beth’s brother Chris and his family.

Sharon- the Patient! Sharon has been so good to wait on her parents to figure out where they are supposed to be. Meantime, she continues to work at Tropical Smoothie Café while helping out with Matt Bradstreet some too. This has been an amazing year of spiritual growth for Sharon as her devotion to Christ and delight in Him has increased dramatically. She continues as a member at Covenant where she works with children, serves in the cold-night shelter and ministers to the elderly.

We will celebrate this Christmas without Hannah, Andrew and Mer, possibly (again!) our last in Palm Bay. With all that changes, we appreciate ever more those things that do not change – most especially the mighty, saving love of Jesus, whose name remains ever sweet and whose faithfulness never ends. Thanks for your prayers on our behalf and your expressions of love to us.

Latest

2008-11-20T05:07:00.000-08:00

Greetings Beloved!

We write with the latest Hendley news.

Sharon continues to work at Tropical Smoothie Cafe and is doing well in her place of work and ministry, blessing her parents and many others as well.
Hannah is back with Project Evangelism and engaging in part time photography (for which she has been recently published) in Ireland after a much-anticipated visit with us in October.
Sarah Beth has moved to a new post as labor and delivery nurse at Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando, a place of God-led expansion in addition to/beyond pediatric oncology as she is also continuing in a masters program @UCF to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Andrew is in his final year at RTS Orlando while interning at University Presbyterian Church. He and wife Meredith both plan to graduate in May, so we have lots to look forward to in the lives of our precious children!

Beth is happily caring for a wonderful family. Her job started at 4 hours a week and is close now to 40 hours a week - driving, cleaning, cooking, shopping for this family. The mom has a degenerative brain disease that is affecting her ability to care for her growing family of 5 children and 1 very busy husband. Please pray for Glenn and Karen as they walk through this journey on which God has called them. May the Joy of the Lord be their strength.

Dan is doing some officiating again while looking for a position in a church. There is considerable interest coming from a strong church in Western Pennsylvania. They are sending out a team to meet with and hear Dan preach on Nov.23 at Northside (10:30am)

Would you please pray with us for the Lord's direction in this opportunity?

We all had a great experience at Covenant's Appreciation Celebration on Oct.19.

Thank you for your love, prayers and support. "The Lord has done Great Things for us and we are filled with Joy"

In His Joy,

Dan/Beth

When the going gets tough...the tough get going! (aka, I did it again!)

2008-10-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

I am home from my trip to New York City and The Hamptons! We had a great time and packed alot into our five days away. Thursday night, I experienced my first broadway show at Mary Poppins. Friday morning, Carly and I went to the Live with Regis and Kelly show (our favorite part of the trip!) There we saw Nick Lachey, Victoria Beckham, and olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt. After our morning in the city, we managed to make it out of the city traffic and get to the Hamptons.

Saturday morning: Race Day!

7:45AM: A light drizzle begins to fall from the sky, but we're hopeful that it will stop momentarily

8:00AM: Race Start

8:00:30: Pouring rain, our socks and shoes are drenched (we keep telling ourselves this is better than running in florida heat, but we're not so sure running either 13.1 or 26.2 is possible in the sloshing shoes)

Mile 0-6: The rain comes and goes in intensity and then Carly and I have to part ways as the race courses separate between the half and full

Mile 6-8: I run behind a guy for two miles, at one point he turned around and yelled "Are you gonna make it??" At mile 8, I pass him and never see him again...until thirty minutes after I finished the race, that is.

Mile 8-18: This portion is a bit of a blur for me, but for the first time in a race I continually catch up to and pass people without seeing them pass me again a few seconds later

Mile 18: A really annoying pattern of rolling hills begins and I think whoever thought that placing these at mile 18 of a marathon is not a nice person. At some point up a hill I pass Larry, a man who has run over four hundred marathons and one in every state. Needless to say... you can tell.

Mile 19: I suddenly find myself running through the forest portion of the course, right at this moment another downpour occurs and I run for a mile in mud. At one point, I started to think I must have taken a wrong turn but eventually I see the 20 mile mark and I'm relieved.

Mile 20-26: The last six, I was tired but felt much better than my last marathon and know that I'm going to finish.

Mile 26.2: I come across the finish line...23 minutes faster than last year in San Diego...despite the rain, running over hills, through mud, and with blisters all over my feet.

Last year after the marathon, I could barely walk through the airport. This time, we walked all over New York City the following day! (However, we all groaned as we walked up and down stairs in the subway stations!)

Thanks for praying for me while I was away. I'm so grateful that God has given me the ability to run...no matter what the weather brings!

"The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running." Nike

October 19th

2008-09-18T10:49:00.002-07:00

The details are coming together for the weekend of the Hendley's goodbye service! If you would like an opportunity to gather with old friends and with the Hendley family; Kyle and Angie Walters have graciously opened their home for a time of food and fellowship...

Sunday, October 19th at 12pm (or whenever your morning church activities are over)
Please bring a food item to share (Main Dish, Side Dish, and/or Dessert)
Please bring lawnchairs, blankets, etc for extra seating
RSVP to Sarah if you plan on attending at RNgirl07@hotmail.com or 321-243-0446

We hope to see you there!!

Walters Residence
3906 Lakeside Ln.
Palm Bay, FL 32909

Take Babcock South to Valkaria Rd.
Turn Left (East) on Valkaria R.
Turn Left on Lakeside Ln. (Dead end dirt road, before I-95 overpass)
Last house on Left.

the Hamptons Marathon

2008-09-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

After I ran the San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon last year, it wasn't long until I decided it was time to go for another...this time I chose one on the complete opposite side of the country. In less than two weeks, myself and three friends will be traveling to New York City!! And exactly two weeks from today 2 of us will be running the Hamptons marathon and 2 will be completing the half. We are making a mini vacation out of the event and will stay in the city and take in a broadway show and other NYC sites before traveling up to The Hamptons for our race.

I feel prepared after training all summer long in the heat and humidity. My knees, while aching after about 12 miles, are not suffering from the tendinitis that I had last year. My only concern is the race start time is 8AM, while my body has been used to a start time of 4:45AM for my long runs; it will be interesting to see how that affects me. My goal is to really enjoy this one though and my race plan is as follows: Run the first 20 easy, and then survive the last 6... : )

Pray for our safety while we travel, Pray for the weather on race day (September 27th!), and Pray that God would keep our bodies from injury and any illness before we go. I will update the blog when I get home with a report and pics of our trip!

love,

sarah beth

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." Emil Zatopak

Football season

2008-09-01T14:36:00.001-07:00

Well, my big sister has been bugging me to blog for a month now, but I didn't really have anything exciting to blog about (it's not like I live in Europe or anything...) until this weekend. Sarah provided me with one of the all time greatest topics to talk about: she got me a subscription to see ALL of the UF Gator football games online!!!! I have been looking forward to football season since....well, since the end of last season, basically. I've had a knot of excitement in my stomach for 2 weeks now. Saturdays are my day off and I had been planning to bus into Belfast for the day and walk around the city and go to the movies until I remembered that Florida was playing Hawaii at 5:30 (my time, anyways). I immediately scratched all my plans for the day. At 5:30 I sat down at my computer breathless making all sorts of excited squeals and ooohs of anticipation. I almost died of happiness at kick-off. I LOVE FOOTBALL. The first quarter was fairly disappointing with no score and lots of penalties, but I had faith in my Gators. Things started happening in the second quarter and the third and the fourth until we ended with a blowout of 52-10. I am so excited for this year. Not only do we have Heisman winner Tim Tebow at quarterback, but did you see Jeffrey Demps? My word! That boy can run! And he's not even supposed to be our best receiver. We still have the porcelain doll that is Percy Harvin waiting to heal up (AGAIN) before he goes out and does his crazy-speed thing on the field. Our young defense now has a year of experience and held up against a solid Hawaii throwing game. Oh, and Brandon James- who is MY size- will be out there to run every punt back for a touchdown. It was a little bittersweet doing the Gator chomp alone, but it will make it that much more thrilling for me to do it with 90,000 of my best friends when I visit Gainesville in October for our homecoming game against UK. Well, there's my first Hendley family blog =) Go Gators!!!----Booboo ;)

Somewhere Over The Rainbow...

2008-08-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

This morning, during the last 2 miles of my 16 mile run, my mind started to wander towards the many rainbows that I've seen over the past few weeks. I began to think about running and what I cling to in order to get me through the rough miles and how the promises of God are what I hold onto during the difficult days when the exhaustion begins to kick in. This idea of rainbows and promises has kept coming back to me over and over this month. I went to a funeral last week for one of my little patients and as I walked in, the song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" was playing in the background. Later that afternoon, another rainbow appeared in the sky reminding me about the God who placed it there...a faithful Father who keeps His promises to His children.

Over the past few months, through a great book called Shattered Dreams (Larry Crabb), God has taught me a few, unexpected, lessons about His promises.

At the end of 07 and beginning of 08, I spoke alot about the concept of rescue. I prayed for God to rescue me and people I loved from difficult circumstances. I discussed it with those around me and told them that this would be my theme for the year. Surely, after the past few years, a rescue must be coming. God, certainly, would be coming through for me at any moment-I just knew it.

I'm sure God just smiles when I tell Him how He's going to work in my life for the coming year.

I thought (of course!) relationships would be better, work problems would be settled, dad would find the perfect church, on and on I could go. However, here I sit on the second half of the year-circumstances largely unchanged. It seems, on the surface, that rescue did not come for me. And, looking at the surface, that would be true. God did not rescue me from painful things going on in my life. He did not give me the kind of rescue that would make life a batch of sunshine and roses...but, instead, He rescued me from myself and from my beliefs about what life should be. He gave me a far better gift than fixing all of my problems. In this book, Crabb writes "One way He works is to allow our lower dreams to shatter. He lets us hurt and doesn't make it better."

I tend to think of myself as a big dreamer. I will set my skies high and go after my goals. But I have often wondered, "Does God have even bigger dreams for me than I do for myself?" I believe that He does, but His dreams are not for my personal comfort, for wealth, or relationships-No, God's dreams are about crushing those lower dreams so that I can learn to desire and dream about experiencing God, truly knowing Him in an intimate way, and living a life that doesn't settle for middle class christianity. I want what Crabb describes in this way, "We begin to feel a desire to know Him that not only survives all our pain, but actually thrives in it until that desire becomes more intense than our desire for all the good things we want."

I don't always know what the "big picture" looks like. I don't always understand why God has ordained certain circumstances. But, by God's grace, at the end of the day I have been able to say that God is still God and that "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness." And, now, I can gratefully see that the trials and the ability to sustain my faith by His grace have been life's greatest blessing. He has used the shattering of lesser dreams to draw me closer to Himself...that is the greatest rescue of all.

Our God's promises are true, whether we stand and sing at the highest mountain top of life or stand and cry waistdeep in the darkest valley, He is a God who is faithful to what He has promised us...

~"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed for His compassions never fail." Lamentations 3:22

~"Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." Isaiah 35:10

~"The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will NOT grow tired or weary and His understanding no one can fathom." Isaiah 40:28

~"No Eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him." Isaiah 64:4

~"The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." Psalm 145:13

~"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:17

God didn't promise for life to be easy or pain free. He didn't guarantee a smooth sailing road right into heaven. But He did promise that "Surely, I am with you always, even to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

...And then He gave us rainbows

DisappointmentHisappointment

2008-08-08T03:21:00.000-07:00

Dear One:

I write to provide an update on our latest adventures.

1) In late June I accepted a call from the Cypress Ridge Presbyterian Church (PCA) of Winter Haven to become their pastor. CRPC is a member of the SW Florida presbytery which meant that I would have to be accepted by that presbytery to become the pastor of CRPC. All my life I have been in the Presbytery of Central Florida. Normally, a transfer of this nature is simple, quick and painless, but I expected it may be more difficult for me, and so it proved.

2) On July 19 I was presented before a special meeting of Southwest Florida Presbytery. I was examined for 1.5 hours and then debated for 1.5 hours before being told that my theology exam was not passed. The presbytery told me I was free to meet with their examining committee and try again that way.

3) On Wednesday, August 6, I met with the examining committee (6 men) of the Southwest Florida Presbytery. I had been warned ahead of time that the makeup of the committee would not be in my favor, but I felt I owed it to the church to try. After a 2.5 hour exam focusing on only three issues, my exam was again not approved.

4) On Thursday August 7, the elders of CRPC called to let me know that they saw this as the Lord’s leading and were going to release me to continue my search as they continue their own.

What prevented my approval by the SWF presbytery? This can be rather hard to understand. Presbyteries differ from one another in personality. Some are more doctrinally rigid/narrow, some more flexible/broad. The SWF group is in the former category and under the influence of a pastor/professor who is very committed to a cessationist view on spiritual gifts. This is the understanding that so-called “sign” gifts, by which they mean prophecy, tongues, healing, miracles etc. were only for the apostolic age. Since I do not find such a teaching in Scripture and will not assent to it without Biblical grounds, I am seen to be compromising the finality and sufficiency of Scripture and am thus a danger to the flock.

So, how are we doing? Beth is ok. I am bruised, battered, discouraged and heartily disappointed as I did find the body of believers in Winter Haven a delight, and the opportunity to get back in ministry thrilling. I now face the daunting task of starting over again in my search.

Once again, for those who have supported us in prayer, we bring news that is disappointing. Yet our God is a faith-building God and He obviously believes our patience can be stretched a little or maybe a lot further. If you would continue to persevere with us in prayer, we would be so appreciative of that. We want to understand what this latest providence means. Is the Lord possibly challenging us to some change in direction? This is all a part of the journey on which we find ourselves.

One of my favorite hymns says, “I am not skilled to understand what God has willed, what God has planned. I only know, at His right hand, stands One who is my Savior.” And that, ultimately, is enough to know.

Under the Mercy,
Dan (for Dan and Beth) (if you care to respond to dan personally, try dandhendley@hotmail.com

Our trips...

2008-08-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

So Mer and I have taken two trips this summer, one to Virginia for Jonathan's wedding which also included stops in NC, Charleston, and Savannah, the other trip was back down to WPB/Ft. Lauderdale to hang with Mer's family over the July 4th weekend.

Our big trip around the Dixie was a welcome rest after the Spring semester and gave us an opportunity to get away from life in Orlando enjoy family, friends, and each other. I found the trip to be most helpful because it provided me an opportunity to stop doing all activities in Orlando and to gain some perspective on where God has us and what I need to do next to prepare us for our last year at seminary. Along with the much needed rest we also were happy to enjoy the festivities around Jonathan's wedding, and to enjoy two of the South's oldest and most prominent cities in Charleston and Savannah. Our time in both Charleston and Savannah was full of good places to eat, beautiful old downtowns, and even some interesting people (we even made friends with a couple who owned their own island in the Bahamas.)

Our smaller trip down to South Florida was a whole lot of fun as we got to hang out with Mer's cousin Alan and his wife Kami. We had a blast running around WPB and Ft. Lauderdale with the cousins while we also got an incredible fireworks show from Mrs. Sherlin's 16th floor condo on the beach.

Now we are back in Orlando getting ready for the up coming semester.

P.S. I have added a video from our craziness on 4th of July.

2008-07-29T20:14:00.001-07:00

latest

2008-07-28T18:10:00.001-07:00

Pops here... i got word today that my makeup interview exam with the examining committee of the SW FL presbytery will be August 6 at 1:00pm. That is good news in that i won't have to wait much longer. Bad news is that i am not likely to pass since the views i will be presenting and defending are considered unacceptable by the gatekeepers of the presbytery. so hey... i get to play Martin Luther who said, "to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. my mind is held captive by the word of God. unless i am convinced by either Scripture or right reason, I will not, I cannot recant. God help me I can do no other."

i am also reminded of the line... a lie is an abomination before God and a very present help in time of trouble... i will go with Luther.

On Tuesday I go to Ocala to visit my mother. Press on!

down with the blog

2008-07-22T04:46:00.001-07:00

hey, i am totally cool with the new blog. i be waking up on tuesday praising the Lord.... fighting for JOY despite the new-old uncertainty of wondering where my home is and the old-old financial concerns that come from having no income. but hey! to me to live is Christ and that has not changed. today i get to spend time with my daughter (Sharon), blog for my friends/fam, read and study, worship God, look for a job, workout my old-tired carcass and enjoy another day with my wifey. What a happy man am I!

One of our recent get togethers : )

2008-07-21T19:27:00.001-07:00

Welcome To Our Page

2008-07-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome! I have created this blog as a means of allowing my parents and siblings to connect with those who have cared for our family and to keep those that love us updated on our lives! The past few years have been quite a challenge as God has led our family through quite a different road than we would have ever expected but He is faithful and His grace has sustained us through past, present, and will continue to carry us through the future. I hope you enjoy reading about what God is doing in and through each one of the Hendley family members!

" When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." Psalm 126

Love Always,

Sarah Beth