Since moving to Texas, I’ve been on the hunt for a job. Almost everyday I search for jobs and send out applications and resumes, receiving little if any response to my inquires. We’ve been praying daily that the Lord would send me a job, but He has not seen fit to grant our request and I sometimes grow discouraged as I wait. Two weeks ago I decided to pray for something else – a pumpkin. I love pumpkins and every fall I wish I had one, but I’m too cheap to go out and actually buy one. So one day as I was driving to the store, I decided that I was going to ask God to send me a pumpkin – I just wanted a reminder that God grants His children’s requests. So I started praying and told only Josh, with strict instructions that he was not allowed to go out and be my answer to prayer.

This week, the Bixbys came to visit and as I was driving to the store to get some last minute things for supper, I asked the Lord to send me a pumpkin and thought that maybe the Bixbys would bring me one. When the Bixbys arrived, I took the kids for the afternoon, and as they were getting in my car, Miriam gave me a little pumpkin. I smiled. God answered my prayer and sent me a pumpkin. At dinner that night, I shared with Tim and Ruth about my answered prayer request. This morning, when Josh and I went out we found a large pumpkin at our front door. Last night, after the Bixbys left us for the evening, they returned and left a pumpkin on our doorstep. So, now I have two pumpkins to remind me that God answers our prayers in His time and in unexpected ways.

This week we had the pleasure of having the Bixby family visit us during their deputation trip out west. Since moving to Texas, we’ve been looking forward to their visit, and I’d been anticipating being able to host and show our home to “family.”

Tim, Ruth, Micaiah, and Miriam arrived at our apartment a little before noon and we went out to Chick-fil-A for lunch. (Unfortunately, Josh could not join us, since he had to be at his 12:30 class.) After lunch I took Micaiah and Miriam back to our apartment, so we could play while the grownups spent some time by themselves. We made brownies, colored, took naps, played Uno, and read. During nap time, I finished getting dinner ready.

Tim and Ruth joined us for dinner and we had a wonderful time of fellowship together. It was a blessing to hear about their deputation travels and what the Lord is doing in their lives. Their visit was a great encouragement to us.