Creasmans What's New(s) July

Like Tweet Forward AUGUST=Big Transitions. Only God Knows Where! WHERE TO LIVE: A few weeks back we had an unexpected email. Our Landlord wants to move back into our apartment when the current lease expires on the 14th of September. With Jim traveling regionally for ministry now, and with the costs of living so high, we know we don't have to stay in Singapore. We could go somewhere else and figure out how to get a visa to stay in that country. I would miss our dear friends and the potential of more ministry with artists and international women, but I'm adventurous and I'm open to a change. After all, we're empty nesters right? We have been planning to be back in USA for a year's home assignment. But that's not for more than a year, November 2014. This unexpected move is 14 months too early! Could it be that we need to return early? CAMERON's boarding school sent an interesting announcement last weekend. The school has just been sold and the current top 3 administrators are leaving by months end. The new owners intend to continue a school in the fall. In the transition, the school has lost some teachers and students. Cameron is registered and has tickets to go back the first week of September, and It's too late in the summer to process the needed paperwork for him to get into the school options we know of on this side of the world, and besides, we don't know where we'll be living for sure. So he's also on this adventure with us asking,"What is God planning for us?" TYLER arrives in a few days, July 29th, for a month back in Singapore. It's been 2 years since he was here last: when he graduated High School! Our plans for a together are being reconfigured. By the time both boys fly back to US on August 29th, we trust we'll have answers about this move. CHINA: Until August 6th Jim is in some rustic conditions while meeting with those Chinese leaders in very different groups. The pastors and mission leaders he can assist through coaching and consulting and mentoring is thrilling for him, and makes any of the physical hardships worthwhile! NEW Leaders for CRM in Singapore: The transitions we've asked you to pray for in establishing the next Board for CRMS will be finalized officially at the AGM the end of August. It's been encouraging to see how God has raised up a new slate of board members and local leaders for the ministry. As of August 30th James' role in leading the local ministry will be handed over to a capable and godly new Singaporean President. Will you consider joining us sometime in the next 2 weeks in some kind of fasting and prayer as we look to the Lord for direction? Please tell us if you will join us in this somehow. If you're unfamiliar with the practice of fasting, here's some notes from Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough, and the chapter on fasting from Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline. God does have a plan! We are waiting on him to tell us while researching what our options might be. Our trip to Vietnam in July was a great family time, letting Cameron see what his dad does for work. On Sunday we visited 2 different Vietnamese worship services. This was followed by a chance to meet up & serve with a summer team from Fullerton Evangelical Free Church, Jim's original home church, where we married in 1984. It was an opportunity for all of us to work together sharing the Gospel through English classes and a kid's camping trip with primary aged Vietnamese children. Admission: we're all now hooked on Vietnamese iced coffee. Do let us know how we can also be praying for you. Blessing. Joy. Humility. Gratitude. Grace. Jim & Kimberly Creasman​ Empowering Spiritual Leaders with Church Resource Ministries USA (and Singapore) Thank you for making our work here an extension of your heart for God's Kingdom in Asia. We love hearing from you & pray that you have a rewarding life of great faith and generous service. We also pray as well that you will have great joy in your charitable contributions. If it's with us, Thank you! It is a sweet and humbling blessing to be your partners in the Gospel! Jim is reading: John Kotter,Leading Change Charles Kraft, I Give You Authority Enjoying the community of friends God has given me in Singapore, and wanting to learn how some have taken more serious steps to living like those in the New Testament Church, I started this good book! I'm fascinated! Kimberly's still reading:Restoring the Foundations.

Moving again! SOMEWHERE in the next 5 Weeks.

Where will the movers take our belongings when our lease expires Sept 12? The landlord apparently wants to move back in to the place that's been our home for us since 2008. Oh, I'm still hoping that we'll get a phone call, "I've decided to renew the lease..."

In the meantime, I'm ready for HEAVEN...anyone else eager for that move too? 

Since that's up to the Lord, who wants us as neighbours? We're open to suggestions! At this point, I'm open to a move anywhere!

James Creasman, wherever we end up is going to be great. I'm glad to move there with you. Every place we've lived in Singapore so far has been a slightly 11th hour miracle. 

For instance, this current place; we'd walked all over the Clementi area of Singapore, praying for guidance, and then at the end of the walk, we told the realtor we wanted Blk 356 in Clementi. She laughed. A couple days later one came available. When we came to view it, the realtor admitted he'd just signed a contract with someone else. Oh, our realtor wasn't very happy he'd inconvenienced all of us to come when it wasn't available after all. We asked to see it anyway, and loved it. It's really a cozy place. We prayed that this "no way" didn't mean "absolutely no way." Two days later the realtor called to say the other people pulled out and it's been our home the last 5 years. Thank God for that realtor who forgot to cancel our viewing appointment!

If you can help us find this needle in a haystack, here's what we're looking for:

• 14-15 month lease starting Aug/Sept, goes thru November 2014 (tough, as most leases are 2yr)
• 2+ bedrooms, unfurnished, Aircon!
• under S$3000/mo (yeah, we know, "good luck")
• we have a small [very housebroken] dog

In the immediate neighborhood of these flags. in the same building, or next door. Seriously! I have to move near someone I know to share life with, or I think I will just have to move out of Singapore!!! I just dont think I can start all over from scratch in a new place without knowing any of my neighbors!!! 

Are you on my Google map (if you'd like to be our neighbours)? 
If not, tag yourself! I'm giving this to the realtor!


View Finding our Next Home... in a larger map

"Lord, here's where I have good friends in Singapore, and if we really do have to move by Sept 13, I would love to live near them (that is, if I can't live on Clementi Avenue 2 where we are now and know the people here). Would you help us know your leading as we search for the place we need to move? No matter what I know you're good, and this inconvenience is part of your plans for us."

This is where we have friends I have who are already reaching out to neighbors and would be interested in "living in community." I've been so fascinated by the "intentional community" many of our colleagues in CRM have been doing. Recently, I bought and started reading this book. My heart longs to live this way with people in the family of God.