"Be still and know that I am God."

Good morning All! Today is a beautiful, clear, crisp winter morning. The mountains have a fresh layer of snow on them, the sunrise was brilliant and I have a fresh anticipation for what God is up to! (There are also brand new baby sheep in the fields! One mama had twin black lambs!!!!!!!!!!) As of today Torre has only 6 weeks left of work and we depart New Zealand in exactly 47 days. *sigh* Wow...almost a whole year down to this absolutely EXCELLENT Adventure! I'm full of all kinds of emotions as I think about where we were a year ago, how God was preparing to bring us here, all that he's done in and through us over the past ten months...we serve a HUGE God. Don't forget it! Once again we are in kinda of a holding pattern as we search out Torre's next job, how God will continue to use us at home and on the mission field, and where we'll be moving to come our return to the states, but for us we are finding it's also a place or season that is really testing our faith and challenging our perception on our future. I feel like we've been down this road a couple of times and although we have definitely grown and can recognize some of our "flesh" in advance, God always has something new for us to learn. After climbing the hills of "what if" and "what will people think" and "but that's too far" and "how will that work" and "will that be enough" all over again, Torre and I have thankfully fallen back into God's grace that allows us to throw up our hands in surrender and say, sincerely, "Whatever, Wherever, However, God!". I hate how easily we fall back into the control freak trap, but I am so thankful to my God who patiently waits for me to get back in line and resolve myself to follow his lead. I love how Lisa Bevere puts it, "Our Lion will not lead us on a path he himself has not already paced." Life is not absent of trouble, challenge or fear, but I must hold tight to the truth and personal experience I have with my Father God who holds the universe in the palm of his hands.

So as far as we know right now, it looks like we will be living/working in California come October but we do not know where or for how long yet. We really want to be in Cali. for the holidays so we can spend as much  time as possible with our family. :)

Torre had an amazing time on the Missions trip to the DR and I really enjoyed my time visiting my family in Cali! All of our DR Family is doing really well and besides some set backs this year through customs they were able to serve approximately 400 people at the medical clinic! I absolutely love how God continues to grow our partnership and build up our relationships in the DR and really look forward to heading back next time!

Our Mission trip to Tonga is coming up as well...September 24-October 1!!! We are taking a team from Otaki and some of the surrounding churches to Tonga to serve the students and families of ACTS Community School! This will be the first Mission trip the church here in Otaki has ever organized so keep us all in your prayers for provision, direction and God's Spirit to go before us and prepare the way. Our goal is to make this an annual trip to Tonga so we can continue to build relationships and further the Kingdom of God through His love!

I need to get my day officially going now. Be blessed!

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans for a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Oh How He Loves Us!

This is one of our newest and dearest friends, Thelma Simpson. She is 98 years old, still lives on her own and never misses a church service even if it means she has to walk! (Don't worry! Someone always picks her up!) Thelma is so full of gusto, comedy and an immense love for the Lord. I asked her if I could share a testimony she shared with me a few weeks ago and she said, "Of Course!". Thelma and her husband, Christopher, were married for 60 years before Christopher passed away. For Thelma's 80th birthday Christopher gave her the rose tree you see below. After many years the rose tree began to die and no matter what Thelma did she couldn't revive it so for a long while it sat in the corner of her yard. She wasn't ready to get rid of it because it was one of the last gifts her husband gave her before he passed away. Thelma began praying and asking God to bring the rose tree back to life because it was so precious to her and decided not to get rid. A while after she began to pray for the rose tree she saw that it began to grow again! 18 years later, Thelma's rose tree is alive and more beautiful than ever! I was so blessed by this testimony of the absolute love of our Father God. He cares for us friends! And not just FOR us, but for the things that we care about as well. How could we ever doubt it?