from three to four...

So... we had a baby! Actually, I had a baby. And it didn't exactly go the way I had hoped and dreamed it would (note: painless labor that is over before it begins producing the lovely baby that we've been waiting for for 9 months). I ended up having a C-section after there was some confusion about what was going on in my body: I had a fever and they couldn't figure out why. They tested me for everything and there was no clear explanation-- and then my water broke and our lovely little boy had "done his business" in it (aka: pooped). I guess he was just signaling that it was his time to enter the world. And so he did.

On March 18th, Ezra James Dufoort was born. Look at how cute he is...

It's definitely been an adjustment going from having one human being who is entirely dependent on you for their well-being, to having two human beings who are entirely dependent on you for their well-being. Needless to say, it takes quite a lot of energy but of course it's worth it all and more. 

So since we had such a huge change to our family, I figured it was time to update the blog as well-- so voila! New and improved, a bit bright and "spunky"-- I hope you enjoy!  Thanks so much for your prayers for us, and your interest (obviously you're interested because you came to our blog and have read all the way until this line-- either that or you landed here by chance, and in that case: hello). Check out some of the links in our sidebar right there --> and have a great day!  :-)

no words to describe...

... how Father God amazes us over and over again. Seriously the words, "God is so good... faithful... kind" are just not descriptive enough. They don't give enough value to Him because He's just so much more...

We sent out a newsletter yesterday about our upcoming outreach to Brussels and some other news (pregnancy, exams, new car: read it here in English & here in Dutch). We wrote that we needed money to pay off the rest of our car, but we didn't write that we actually also needed money for the outreach to Brussels: €200 ($230) + more for putting fuel in the car and other expenses that come with traveling. Actually we needed to give the €200 yesterday to our team leader, but we didn't have it yet. We said we were trusting and waiting on God.

But I gotta be honest, I was beginning to feel discouraged because it FELT like there wasn't coming much response to our newsletter. Of course there are the faithful ones who always send an email in response just to let us know they are praying and thinking of us-- SO VALUABLE (note: do you want to know how you can encourage missionaries the most? Respond to their newsletters! Even ONE line! Let them know that you are out there and that you remember them!) But we had a need that was immediate and I was hoping for the like immediate answer to come. The night passed, morning came and there wasn't the answer I had been hoping for. 

I sat down for breakfast before my driving lesson and shared with God how I was feeling. I told Him that I really needed a word from Him, somehow-- a Bible verse that He was clearly speaking through, an email, a donation... anything-- just to encourage my heart. I went to my driving lesson (which went very well, by the way) and came back feeling a bit better. As soon as I walked into the living room Wim says, "Hey there was another surprise... God provided again"... a bunch emotions came over me-- relief, surprise, comfort, and most of all just feeling so loved and so seen by Him. It turns out a lovely couple who did a DTS here at Heidebeek gave us a 'New Years gift' of €400! Enough to contribute our share to the outreach and to cover the other expenses.

Wow, just wow. It's surprising every time again. I sort of feel like I shouldn't be surprised anymore, but on the other hand it's also nice to feel that surprise. Almost like God is wooing us!  Sounds crazy, I know, but that's what it seems like! So thank you Papa for hearing our hearts, knowing our needs and being kind to us. Sorry that I get so quickly discouraged and fall tempted to doubt, but thank you for your love that is bigger than my weaknesses! And thank you to our partners out there who are praying for us and sacrificing their own money to help us live the life God has called us to.

And YOU: if you're in a place of need like we have just been, we want to release the breakthrough we just received over your situation as well. God will provide and He will give even more than you need!

Love, The Dufoorts

good good father

I've been enjoying this song from the Housefires album:

"You're a good good Father

It's who You are...

And I'm loved by You

It's who I am..."

Getting to know God as the good Father perfect in every way has given so much insight to how we can parent our kids well. I know it can sound all cliche like, because all Christians say that, but I'm so dead serious. Like if I never knew what if felt like to be loved as a daughter, to be cared for, understood, released-- it would make it so much harder to be able to do that for my kids. I mean, it already is hard for me, but being able to relate to being a child helps me to raise my children.

And speaking of children... we had our 20 week ultrasound yesterday and we have a healthy baby boy growing in my belly!! Hooray!  Of course we were just super relieved to know that every thing is going fine for the baby developmentally.  But it's also so nice to be able to anticipate a little man running around the Dufoort house in the semi-near future.  I already sorted through Nora's baby clothes just keeping the things I really liked, thinking that we might need to use them again soon. But I guess not... so I must sort again. :-)

that's our baby!

Also, in light of the new family addition we are going to need to upgrade our car. We've had a faithful Suzuki that has been wonderful, but it's just not going to fit 4 of us & our things.  We started a fundraiser to raise money for a secondhand stationwagon and we're hoping that we'll be able to buy that before the baby comes.  It's a challenge though, because in one way we're excited to see how God wants to provide and take care of us.  And in another way it comes with some awkward feelings because there can be pressure to like "prove" that we need a car in order to be effective missionaries. Could we survive without one? Probably. But it will make our life easier and enable us to continue doing what we do-- traveling to Belgium, leading worship, doing life with our family. It would bless us greatly.  If you are interested in helping us with that, you can click here.

Blessings!!