Haleys

It is really sad that I couldn't think of anyone who lives like they did in Acts 2. I kept coming back to the Haleys. Our good friends Michael and Misti Haley were the youth pastor and his wife at our old church in Delaware. They didn't necessarily live like Acts 2 (no communal living or possessions all given away), but they definitely live some of that philosophy. They don't live like their house or things or life are their own. Countless times the youth group would meet at their house for parties or Bible studies. It was always destroyed by the end of the get-together. I remember once watching Misti pick up many, many Hershey kiss wrappers. I'm sure I helped pick them up, but it is completely different when it is your house. People would stay at their house, drive their cars, etc. They don't place all their value and self-worth on their possessions.
When God called them to move to Colorado to pastor a church, they left a lot of things behind in their house simply because they didn't have enough room to bring them. One item was a big screen tv. When Michael first drove the U-haul to CO with their son Derek and their dog, they didn't know where they would be staying. They just knew God would provide. And He did. He provided an apartment until they found a house. Someone gave them a van. I'm honored we had the privilege to do ministry with the Haleys. One last thing, perhaps the most impactful thing I will always remember about Michael and Misti is their trust in God to provide another child. Misti really wanted another child. She would pray God would take away her desire to have another child if that was not His will. They went through so much heart ache in the process. When Misti finally got pregnant after at least 10 years, we were all super excited. A few weeks later, she lost the baby. It was truly devastating to watch! To cut a long story short, the Haleys got pregnant again. She gave birth in CO, so we have never met little Dustin Eli. The day I saw the hospital picture of the 4 of them, it brought tears to my eyes. I thought how different the outcome would have been if they would have allowed themselves to become bitter with God over their miscarriage. It might have even destroyed their marriage. They might never have gotten to the point of the picture...to a family of 4. Sometimes I wonder how much we miss out on because we don't live like God intended. Thanks Michael and Misti! :)