News at Last!

Dear Friends,

I am delighted to be writing and telling you that Roland has accepted a position at the Remote Operations Center ("the ROC") in Bethlehem, PA! This is a wonderful opportunity for him professionally. We are so thankful for your prayers and encouragement while we have been waiting for God to work all of this out. There is no doubt that our calm hearts and peace came to us from the Lord because so many were praying for just that!
Roland's first day will be September 21st. It is a somewhat flexible date because there is much to do before then. Our goal is to arrive in PA around Friday, September 18th. We will be living in a hotel for a couple of months while we are looking for a permeant home and/or selling our house. The next step is for us to receive the relocation package and choose options. Also, we will be working on getting our house ready to sell. The relocation package itself is generous and we are praising God for his abundant blessing.
Thank you so much for your prayers! Please join us in thanking God for leading us and everyone else involved. Thank him for meeting our needs so far and ask that he continue to amaze us with his provision.

Love and blessing to you,

Roland and Michelle

Pa job

Good morning sweet friends!

Roland was called this morning and told that Dan had a couple interviews lined up and so Roland would not be hearing about his decision until next week. So...although "technically" we still have to wait we have peace with our disappointment. It would have been easier without all the "encouragement" from Rome (Roland's boss) and people at the ROC but God is in control and we should have known better.

Right now we are praying for peace and comfort for our hearts, that Roland's position currently will be secure, comfort for Grami and our family, and that God would continue to guide us to the place he would have us right now. I realize this sounds as if I have accepted that Roland has been turned down for the position. In part that is true. Roland feels differently. He hasn't been turned down and may receive a grand offer next week. For me, it's just too much "double talk". I have confidience that we have done our best to do what is right and follow God's direction.

Thank you so much! You are such a tremendous blessing!

Out on the Lake

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Roland's Interview

Roland's interview went really well yesterday. Although, it was not at all what we expected. We had been told that he was going up to interview and sign papers so that everything would be final. As it turned out we will not know the final decision until Monday.

All of the executives and administration for Linde (North America) work at the NOC or closeby in Murray Hill, NJ. It frequently happens that these people come to the NOC to see how everything is going. Yesterday, the president and vice president decided to hold their meeting at the NOC which meant that the person interviewing Roland had to be apart of these meetings. So, Dan only met with Roland for about thirty minutes + lunch during the day-long interview. Roland met instead with the engineers who asked him practical questions.

Through a series of events Roland learned that ALL of the engineers gave their enthusiastic approval for Roland to be hired. But they still have to talk to Dan. So, we wait until Monday...

One funny story...Roland went to dinner with Mick last night who is an operator. They went to a popular resturant and while they were waiting Roland's boss' boss walks in with another man. Roland says "Hey Fred, how's it going?" Fred says, " Hey Gonzo! This is Rob (I don't really remember his name). Rob, Gonzo works in Cartersville and is interviewing up here for a ROC position." So Roland shakes the guys hand and says "Hey Rob, it's good to meet you." Mick greets the men too and refers to the second man "Hi Mr So and So." Roland's eyes pop a little. "Mr. So and So"? "Yep that's me. It's nice to meet you in person Gonzo." This is the president of the company. Nice one honey! (I should add that this man is former Navy so it isn't as big of a deal to Roland as it seems to me.)

Roland really likes the area and the people. Dan did have a chance to answer a few questions. The big one for us is that the relocation package is pretty negotiable in parts. Dan really stressed to Roland that he wants to take all of the risk out of us moving as he is able. Then after he has done everything he can he will go to his boss and eliminate more risk. Praise God! Linde will still not buy our house out-right. But they are committed to helping us up to that point. Even after papers are signed we can negotiate as we need. For example, the package says two months of company paid housing but if we need more then that will be worked out as we need it. Our Aunt and Uncle have also offered to let us live with them while we are transitioning. Praise God! He has truly gone before us.

Our prayer is that God will continue to lead us where he wants us. Also, that we will receive an offer that exceeds our expectations so that people will be amazed (including us) with how God provides for his kids. Thank you so much for being apart of our lives!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Roland flies to PA this afternoon for his interview. Since interviewing is not one of his favorite things please pray for calmness and God's words to be given. This house is going to be especially empty the next couple of days! Roland will be coming home Friday evening. We should have a lot more information after Thursday's interview.

We are so blessed to have such a strong prayer team around us. Thank you so, so much! God is working so mightily in our lives right now and you are apart of it through prayer. I will post Thursday afternoon and let you know more details.

Heading North

Hello dear friends and precious family,

I am writing because it looks like we will be moving North, to Pennsylvania in a bit. Roland has been heavily recruited for a promotion with Linde (the company he currently works for). The job is located in Bethlehem, PA, which is on the eastern PA border to New Jersey. Roland will be going to PA for an interview and to sign hiring papers on August 12th.

A few prayer requests come with this. First, that everything will continue to go well and God will guide our steps. Peace and calmness for Roland during the interview. Our house also will be sold which is complicated since we have only lived here 2 years (as of the end of August). We are both, as you know, very involved in our church so our leaving means new leaders need to step up. We teach 4th grade Sunday School and DivorceCare for Kids. We know that God has already laid a call on people to fill these positions. Please pray with us that they will answer the Lord's leading to serve. Please pray for all the kids involved. This could be a difficult transition for them because the 9th is the beginning of the new year. (So, we will be there for maybe 3 weeks then it's new teachers!)

We are both extremely excited about the job and moving. Oh, we LOVE North Georgia, our friends, church and home! However, this move will put us closer to aging grandparents and other family. God is throwing doors open too!! We have been offered a wonderful relocation package, a place to live while we sell our home, Alex and Jane have a place to stay while we live in a hotel room for two months and last night I was even offered a job! Rome (current boss) is very excited about Roland being promoted and very understanding. Please praise the Lord with us for these blessings!

M