Family Update...kinda long, cuz we're busy and there's alot of us

It's been brought to my attention that many of you don't actually know where we are, or what we are up to. So, I suppose I should give an update.

After all those years on Vancouver Island, Sept 2007 we 'temporarily' moved with the 7 youngest of our 9 dc (dear children) out to Cape Breton Island on the east coast where my sister's house had burned down. We rented a house in another town not too far away and thought we'd be here for about 4 months while we helped rebuild her house. Well, winter moved in before they got to dig for the foundation, so everything was behind schedule from get-go. All told we were here for 54 weeks. In January we were joined by our older girls. It was a great time of healing relationships, building new ones, and even getting a big house built.

God had moved in Everette's and my lives alot, brushing away alot of religiosity, and we had a desire to soak our dc in that powerful Christian lifestyle in a community of believers walking in the supernatural.

After the year was up we decided to head south to hang-out with Extreme Prophetic. We gave our old van away, and were trusting God to bring us the big white 15 passenger van Toveli had seen in a vision. I flew back to Vancouver with most of the dc (that was an experience. We saw the power of God and His peace working evidently in our lives and met so many people who witnessed it and told us about it. Incredible) Everette and Danaka drove from Nova Scotia all the way to Phoenix and located a place for us to rent. After a few weeks they met us in Vancouver where I had tracked down an excellent used van only a few miles away from my moms. Wow! We bought it the day after Everette arrived, and the next day our family was packed in the van and heading to the states.

The Lord got us across the border with stories to tell..... the keys were temporarily confiscated, the border-guard closed his bullet-proof wicket window, they shut down all the other lanes, and we were then escorted to a secure area where we were surrounded by armed guards and instructed to leave the van with slow motions and our hands visable at all times. It turned out to be 'mistaken identity' over my passport. Too many Karen Johnsons out there.

We spent 4.5 months in a community just south of Phoenix, AZ. What a time we had. At different times members of our family helped out at foodbanks, did street witnessing, volunteered at a women's shelter, took training on evangelism & healing, took in seminars on the supernatural. We had the opportunity to see the Grand Canyon (on a snowy windy day Brrr) and incredible Sedona.

We made friends with a colorful group of people for whom we will always be connected. They are woven into our hearts. They are a part of the deep work God is continuing to do in our lives. They are each a part of our wonderful time in AZ. We are forever changed.

We left Arizona the end of March. The family (minus Layne) drove across the USA, seeing the hand of God guiding us even as our route changed course unexpectedly. He is so awesome!!!

We drove thru El Paso, TX which I hadn't seen since my YWAM missions trip to Mexico back in the '80's. We got to see Dallas/Ft Worth from the highway, and I personally got to drive across the Mississippi. We spent a late night staying up talking with our friends outside of Atlanta, GA, (we miss you Daigles) then bee-lined it for Lancaster County to spend a couple of days amongst the Amish (one of my dreams come true! Thank you, Jesus!!) We went to the Liberty State National Park and got to see the Statue of Liberty (her backside, anyways) and then had a hassle getting thru NYC....but we made it!! We were about a week and a half in total, and all were thrilled to arrive safely at aunty's on Cape Breton.

This time we are staying in my sister's house. After all, its big and new!! We expect to be here for the summer and get some sailing done, then probably head back to BC for the fall. We have the older dc staying up on the 3rd floor where Everette and my sisters office is, and the family bathroom. Everette and I along with the youngest 2 girls and boys are down in the basement (its a nice
basement) which is mostly but not completely finished. There's 10+ acres to play on, plus the beach is across the street. There's a fishing wharf just across from us, and we can watch the lobster fishermen doing their thing every day.

Layne is living on the westcoast with my mom, and got a job (the first day she was looking PTL!) as a barista, which is basically what she was hoping for. She misses the family loads, but she presses on with the Lord and He sustains her.

Rauchelle is with us at least at this point, working around here and at the neighbours when she isn't away travelling or training for her air rifle. She had a great time & experience in Germany and Italy at World Cup and personally experienced the favor of God and man in her situation.

The other dc keep busy with learning to read, baking/cooking, building forts, gardening, etc.

Everette is doing ForEx, and I am the support for all that goes on around here.

We don't know how long we'll actually be here in Cape Breton. Although its a gorgeous place to visit and the lifestyle is slow the way we like, we aren't really planning to be here long-term. We have embarked on a different lifestyle since we gave up our house and most of our possessions in BC, and are living a life by faith. We can never 'go back', neither would we ever want to. But we are still 'based' out of BC.

So, that's where we are right now. A snapshot view of our family.

Question for You: Do you practice 'soaking' in the presence of the Lord?