Answered Prayers

I think many of us have people in our lives that we have prayed for over periods of time.  When I came on my site visit to Bozeman last November, I met an awesome lady who I connected with right off the bat that, who in addition to being one of the funniest people I have ever met, would become one of my dear friends.  She had been coming to Kirkwood for a little while, but at the time had lots of questions and did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  So even as I returned to Nashville and prepared those next five months to return to Montana, I prayed often for her heart and for what God would do in her life.  Then, a few weeks ago, when I was on one of the trips that I have had to make down to Utah, I got a call from Pastor and his wife, letting me know that she had come to meet with them that day and surrendered her life to Jesus Christ.  I was SO excited!  This past Sunday, she got baptized along with her daughter who had previously been saved as well.  They wanted everyone to know they have a personal relationship with Jesus.  It is so cool when we are able to see God answer prayers in such a tangible way.  And perhaps even better is when we see the difference a relationship with Him can have in someone's life.  There is a different peace and confidence that she has walked with since coming to know the Lord.  God has put such a desire in her heart to listen to Him daily and she is starting to become more and more aware that God is involved in and cares about every small detail of our lives, not just the "big things."  It will be exciting to see what God does in her life and her daughter's life moving forward as they continue to walk in obedience to Him!  So to all of you reading this - continue to pray for friends and loved ones - even if it is over years and years - God is faithful and promises His word never returns void.

Jonni's baptism

Morgan's baptism

The past couple weeks out here we have been getting back to the "normal" schedule during the school year, with Wednesday evenings along with Sunday mornings and evenings.  We have met as a staff and prayed and discussed what we feel God is leading us to do in the coming year and have begun putting some of those plans into action.  I am also a couple weeks now into the World Religions class I am taking at Montana Bible College and am learning a ton.  I wish the class could be more than twice a week!

I shared in an earlier post that I have been working this summer on memorizing the book of James.  I want to share the following that is an excerpt from the book Divine Mentor by Wayne Cordeiro.  In this passage he was over in China training some of those who lead the underground house churches and this is what he said about the experience:

"We'd brought 16 Bibles to pass out, leaving a few of the leaders to share with one another. I had them turn to Second Peter, chapter 1. As we were about to read it out loud, one elderly woman handed her Bible to another leader.  I thought it was a bit strange, since Bibles were so scarce, but I didn't call attention to the matter.  After we began to read, I understood why she had willingly given up her Bible.  She quoted the whole chapter from memory! During a short break, I asked her how she memorized so much Scripture.  "I have much more memorized," she replied through one of our interpreters.  "But how did you memorize so much," I asked, "when there are so few Bibles available?"  "In prison," she said. Pushing back, I went on.  "But if you had a Bible, wouldn't they confiscate it right away?"  "Yes," she answered.  "So people brought me Scripture written on pieces of paper."  "And what if the guards found you with those?"  I pressed. "Wouldn't they take those away as well?"  "Yes. That is why I memorized the Scriptures as quickly as I could.  You see, they can take away the paper, but they cannot take away what I have already hidden in my heart." (p. 167)



At that moment, it really hit me how much I take for granted having a Bible at my disposal whenever I need it, how often quiet time is the first thing to go in a busy day, and then when things in life aren't going according to my plan, I run back to the Word for a "little help."  Lord, forgive me for that!  It has been such a reminder that in His Word we are told to pray "Give us EACH DAY our daily bread (Luke 11:3)" and that as Mr. Cordeiro says in his book, "The Lord wants us to come to Him each day for what we will need on that day.  Nowhere does He ask us to pray for our weekly bread, or our monthly bread, or our yearly bread.  He fashioned us to need fresh bread daily, and nothing but fresh daily bread will every satisfy our souls (p 116)."

In the Bible, Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35)."  I am praying I can be more intentional in my time with Him each day.  As an accountability for myself in memorizing and an encouragement to you all that it is possible, here is a video of me reciting James 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3vJDi1jQnQ&feature=youtu.be ...

This week both Pastor James and myself will be traveling to Nashville for the Global Impact Celebration at Judson Baptist!  I am excited to get to see everyone, share more about what God has been doing out here, and also to hear what God has been doing with all of Judson's mission partners around the world.  It is a blessing to be apart of a church that is truly working to fulfill the Great Commission and to take His name to the ends of the earth.

Please pray for safe travels and for what God will do through that time.  Pray as well for Misty as she is going on eight months pregnant and will be remaining in Bozeman while Pastor travels to Tennessee for the conference.  Pray for the doors that God is continuing to open here in Bozeman and that we would be obedient to what He is leading us to do.

To all of you back in Nashville - SEE YOU SOON! Love you all and thank you so much for your prayers!

Summer Endings and New Beginnings

Here is what has gone on over the past couple weeks and ministry opportunities heading into this fall and winter!


- This December I will have opportunity to go on a mission trip to Slovenia.  The trip is with the International Sports Federation - an organization that uses sports missions as a tool to share the Gospel.  One of my friends, Jessica, who I served with when I worked for a traveling sports ministry a few years ago, is their Director of Mobilization, and she will also be going.  Our team will be skiing at various resorts in Slovenia and distributing evangelism materials in partnership with local missionaries.  Please pray that I will be able to raise the support necessary to go on this trip!  For those of you who might not know, to the left is a map that shows where Slovenia is.  As those who understand ski and boarding lingo would say, I can't wait to go "shred (tear up the mountain) for my Savior!" or in Bible terms, "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Colossians 3:17)."






Catapalooza Booth

- Catapalooza is a three day event at Montana State University where over 2,500 incoming freshman and their parents, along with other students and people in the community come through.  Many organizations in the community set up booths.  I was able to set up a booth for Kirkwood Baptist along with our youth pastor Andrew and treasurer Matt.  We handed out care packages to many students that included invitations to a dinner we are hosting in a couple weeks and other information about Kirkwood. Throughout the three days we were able to make connections with many students as well as other organizations and ministries. It was a blast!  Please pray for God to open the door to further these relationships.






Bench outside the front doors -
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19



 - This fall I will have to opportunity to audit a class at Montana Bible College here in Bozeman.  I will be taking the World Religions class and am excited about the opportunity.  I really thought I would never go back to school, but when this door opened I just couldn't pass up the opportunity!  Class starts this coming Monday morning and I am looking forward to meeting new people and learning from teachers who have a passion for taking Jesus to the nations.








- This Sunday, the 26th, I will have the chance to share my testimony during service at Kirkwood Baptist.  God tells us in Revelation 12:11 that "we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony."  That means that what God has done in and through our lives is important and we should be willing to share it with others... all for His glory.

Please also pray for:
- Pastor Wyatt, Misty and their three girls as they are still in Tennessee visiting family.  They will be returning to Montana Monday, August 27th.
- For God to open the door to build relationships with some of those we met at Catapalooza this past week as well as to partnerships with other ministries in town.
- Most of the kids head back to school here August 29th. Please pray especially for our youth pastor Andrew and his plans to reach the youth in the community this fall. I also have some meetings I am trying to set up in the next couple weeks to discuss with key people possible plans in the coming year. We will also be fully back into the swing of Sunday and Wednesday night activities starting the beginning of September.
- Please pray as I adjust to my schedule for this fall - that I am intentional with my time and am faithful in pursuing the opportunities God puts in my path.

A couple quick shoutouts: Know I am praying for all of you back in Nashville - for everyone at Judson as you get ready for the Global Impact Celebration in a few weeks (can't wait to be there!) and to the kiddos and families at Foundations Christian Academy (where I worked Aug 2010-May 2012) - hope you had a great first week back at school and looking forward to hearing all about what God does through each of you throughout this year!  Miss you all but so grateful to be where God has me for this season!

Love you all and thank you so much for your prayers and support! It definitely makes my day whenever I hear from you!

A New Chapter

There has been a lot going on in Bozeman over the past couple weeks!  Here are some highlights:

-          Moved to a new place here in Bozeman (and for lack of a better way to get the word out - that means I have a new address – email me if you need it!)

-          Opportunity to take Jacey, Nick and Mason (three sweet brothers who have been involved in Kickball Club and VBS all summer) to lunch and spend an afternoon with them before they returned to Illinois for the school year where their mom lives.

-          Got to watch Pastor James and Misty’s three girls for a weekend while they went up to Canada for a wedding.  It was a blast of a time – pie making, hiking, coming up with a dance routine to “Ole Ole Ole” while watching soccer in the Olympics (yes, really) and just sharing a sweet time together!

With the Wyatt girls

Hiked the "M" trail with Muranda, Alex and Cassie

-          Had final meeting for summer Bible study I have been attending – it was a sweet community of people I was blessed to meet there and the chance to be in the Word with them was definitely an answered prayer through the summer.

-          We had our last day of kickball club – it was awesome to see God work through that ministry throughout the summer as we had an opportunity weekly to build relationships with many children and do devotions.

Gospel Presentation at Kickball Club

-          We had a visit from Pastor Russ (First Baptist Provo), his wife Lesley and their three kids – second time I have gotten to be with them this summer – they are awesome and we have spoken about possibly getting our churches to partner on some work in the states as well as overseas.

-          A small mission team from Dalton, Georgia is currently here – they have helped with many odds and ends around the church, as well as putting together care packages in preparation for an event at Montana State University when the students return in a couple weeks where we are hoping to build relationships with freshman as well as returning students. They have also been prayer walking in key areas around town and one evening I took them on a trip up Hyalite Canyon to one of the falls. They will finish out their week tomorrow by helping us with the Back to School Bash we have in a local neighborhood where we are giving out school supplies to families in need. They are officially here on a site visit to prepare for a potential partnership and full mission team to come out next summer. 

Preparing for Catapalooza at MSU

With Dalton, GA team up Hyalite Canyon



Palisade Falls, Hyalite Canyon

Personal Update:

After much prayer over the past couple months, I feel confirmation that the Lord is leading me to remain in Bozeman for this coming year.  There are still some details to fall in to place, but God is the author of details and He often calls us to walk forth in obedience and trust Him to light the path one step at a time.  He truly is Jehovah Jireh – the Lord who provides – and I have seen that time and time again, especially as I have said “yes” to remain here in Montana.

For those who do not know, I think it is important to share with you how I even ended up here in the first place…

I had the perfect life in Nashville.  I was serving as Camp Director at Judson Baptist Church with an amazing church family, while also working at a Christian academy with 120 of the sweetest kids and families in the world.  Life couldn’t have been any better.  In June of 2011, my dear friend and mentor Jenny called me while on a mission trip to Bozeman and said, “I could see you out here for a while.”  I quickly dismissed the notion, reciting the million reasons why Nashville was the place for me.  At the time I truly believed I was where God wanted me.  However, God tells us to hold our plans lightly and walk with Him one day at a time.

Well, in September of 2011 our administrative pastor approached me about the possibility of interning in Bozeman the following summer and I told him I would pray about it.  I was walking through about a five month period where all I heard in every sermon, Sunday school lesson and Bible study was “be obedient.”  I didn’t know what that meant at the time and just prayed that the Lord would make the desires of my heart match His when the time was right.  In November 2011 I got on a plane to Bozeman for a site visit.  During that ride I asked the Lord to show me what I was still holding onto that I needed to surrender to Him.  He showed me it was the community of people I was surrounded by in Nashville. 

When I left Salt Lake City, where my layover was, it was a completely cloudy sky and I was still praying for clarity from the Lord.  As we got ready to descend into Bozeman, the skies cleared and it was like hearing "welcome home."  I knew at that point I would be coming back to Bozeman before too long. 

On the field where Jenny called me from
in June 2011 ... this was taken May 2012

After a great site visit, I returned to Nashville and began preparing to come out here to intern this summer.  I felt the Lord asking me to lay down anything I was holding onto before I left so I informed the academy I would not be returning the coming school year, as well as a couple other jobs I was working on the side.  This was at a time that all I knew for sure was that I would be in Bozeman for this summer. 

Although the original plan involved me serving out here for three months, after seeking the Lord through this summer, God has confirmed there is still much work to be done here so I am going to remain. 

Please pray:

-          He continues to provide the resources necessary to make this possible

-          That He will continue to open doors for ministry opportunities and partnerships here in Bozeman and make it clear which ones to pursue

-          That I will be intentional in sharing the Gospel as I go out in to the community each day

-          That I will be able to keep in touch with loved ones in Nashville and elsewhere around the world (i.e. all of YOU!)

Following God’s call is not always easy.  When you end up thousands of miles from everything that was once familiar to you, you quickly realize if your foundation is truly in Him or in other worldly comforts that were never meant to hold that weight in the first place.

However, the joy in serving Jesus is always greater than the sacrifice when you earnestly seek Him each day. To follow God’s call as He lights the path one step at a time… it is always worth it.  Each moment He has given us is a blessing and I pray we all use it to the fullest!  God tells us “where our treasure is, there our heart will be also (Matthew 6:21).”  The joy in the Lord and valuing what He values is so much more important than fitting in with what the world deems as most important.

I am so grateful that the Lord has put each of you in my life! We serve an awesome God!

Please also pray for Pastor James and Misty and the girls as they will be traveling to Tennessee the 17th-27th of August to visit family.  I will be returning to Nashville for a short time in September for the Global Impact Celebration at Judson so I look forward to seeing many of you then!

Run the Race

The past week has been a crazy one and so cool to see God at work!  We had Olympic Week Camp at Kirkwood.  We had the sweetest kids and best time through worship, skits to introduce the theme for each day, recreation, Bible study, missions, Olympic Games, crafts and cooking activities.  The week centered on "running with perseverace the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2)".  The theme song for the week was "Shout Your Fame" and we taught the children about giving Jesus the fame in all that they do.  We looked at Olympic athletes who exemplify this as well as missionaries serving in various countries around the world.  We prayed for chaplains and others over at the actual Olympic games who would be sharing the eternal hope we have in Jesus, that He would be on display for many to see throughout the next couple weeks in London.  We had a couple kids accept Christ and others asking questions about making their profession of faith public through baptism.  We also had an opportunity to get to know many of the parents better at pick-up and drop-off each day.  At the end of the week we had closing ceremonies where we invited the parents and had the kids perform one of the songs they learned, showed a video highlighting what the kids did, presented each child with a Gold Medal and an individual award of something the coaches saw them do really well throughout the week, and then presented a message to the parents!

One of my favorite parts of the week was seeing the members of Kirkwood Baptist Church being reminded how much FUN it is to serve and share Jesus with others - each of them who helped with camp did a great job working with the children. Also, my dear friend Dawn Canniff, who I served with in Honduras in March and then a few weeks ago with the Judson team that came to help with VBS, was back in town and she was a HUGE help! It was such a blessing seeing others step into leadership roles and use the gifts He has given them for His glory.

Here are some pictures highlighting the week:

Snowball Dodge - one of our Olympic events

The stage!

Team Honduras

Some of the Olympic athletes and coaches having fun!!

In the couple hours we had on the side, Dawn and I were able to hike part of Bridger Bowl, the local ski resort just outside Bozeman, as well as a quick trip on the Drinking Horse Mountain Trail and a trip to the Lewis and Clark Caverns.  Here are some pictures of the fun:

Hiking Bridger Bowl

Scouting out ski runs

Drinking Horse Mountain Trail

Just outside the Lewis and Clark Caverns

Inside the caverns

Inside the Caverns

Please pray for:
- Rest!  The last week was a crazy one!
- Upcoming events including a visit from Pastor's friends from Utah, Russ, Lesley and their children (who I met recently when I was down there) and a mission team coming into town on a scouting trip who will be helping with our Back to School Bash on the 11th!
- The Olympic athletes and chaplains serving over in London over the next couple weeks - that they can be a witness for Christ!

Celebration

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ." 2 Cor 1:3-5

I first wanted to thank each of you for the prayers you have lifted up and support you have shown through this time.  From my church family in Nashville, to those I know in Bozeman, to former golfing, ski and school buddies, to friends serving the Lord all over the world, God has put so many incredible people in my life.  There is no greater comfort we can receive than that of Jesus and I just wanted you each to know the prayers you have lifted up have been felt as His presence has been unmistakable over the past few weeks.  God is so faithful in every season of life when we look to and put our trust in Him.

I was in Utah for five days this past week taking care of things surrounding my dad's passing.  In addition to all the business/legal stuff to take care of, we had a sweet celebration of life to honor my dad.  Many people came, from some of his high school buddies, to relatives, to neighbors, to some people I had never met.  It was great to have everyone there and as my dad wished, "have people talk about how cool he was."  Everything went as smoothly as could be expected and I am grateful to everyone who came and for those who helped with the preparation for the celebration.

Also, I got a sweet surprise when Phil (aka Poppy) said he was going to fly into town.  It was such a blessing having a slice of home there and his support meant so much.

With Poppy in Midway, UT

 I also got to spend a lot of time with my uncle as well as my friend Nikki who I have skiied with in the winter since we were kids.

With my Uncle Bill (in the back), my friend Nikki and her parents

While in Utah I also got to meet with Pastor Russ and his wife Lesley who are friends of Pastor James and Misty who I am currently serving with in Montana.  It was so sweet to have lunch with them and hear about what God is doing in and through their ministry.  We had a sweet time praying for each other, and I also was privileged to go to service at their church (First Baptist Provo) Sunday when I was in town.

I made it back to Bozeman Monday morning after the time in Utah and tried to rest up a little bit, but pretty much hit the ground running.  Pastor James and Misty's good friends from Tennessee, Natalie and Jonathan along with their two kids, are in town and they have been a great encouragement and help.  The biggest task has been getting ready for a week of camp I am directing beginning July 23rd (next Monday).  The theme is Olympic Week: Run the Race (Hebrews 12:1-2).    Please pray for the children that will be coming and their families that they will hear and respond to the Gospel, as well as for the workers that they will see God working in and through their lives.

Gearing up for Olympic Week

Please also pray for:
-The Youth Bash Cookout we have coming up this Saturday at the park! 
-Partnerships in the community - God has started to put people in our path that could potentially be great to partner with in the ministry in Bozeman and the greater part of Montana - grateful for that and please continue to pray for upcoming meetings and potential opportunties.
-All the work I will still have to do in the coming months in relation to my dad's passing.
-Continue to pray for Pastor James and Misty as they are expecting their 4th child in October!

No matter what season of life we are walking through we can always trust in the Lord and what He is doing.  His ways are so much higher than ours and His plans are always greater than ours.  Through each moment these past few weeks He has been present, and for that, I give Him all the glory... We serve a God who can relate to everything we are going through.  As it says in the Word, each moment it is possible to "cast your worries and cares upon the Lord because He cares about you (1 Peter 5:7)." 

I will post updates after camp next week!  Please drop me a line anytime with specific ways I can be praying for you!

In A Flash...

A mission team from Oak Ridge, Tennessee was in town this week.  They helped with landscaping around the church, construction of a deck for a sweet elderly couple and held a three day "Backyard Bible Club" in the neighborhood where we have the kickball ministry.  That ended with a cookout, bouncies for the kids, and a gospel presentation for the children and families there.  We had a lot of great conversations and some of the children signed up for another week of camp we are hosting later in the summer.

There were 34 members on the mission team, about 20 of which were youth.  I got to lead their team devotion Friday night and shared the passage from Matthew 7:24-27 which says:

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had it's foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

I spoke about the importance of knowing where our foundation lies, especially when the storms of life come.  Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation that can never be shaken.  Because of what He has done for us, no matter our circumstances, we can always say, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more (Psalm 71:14)."  I encouraged the youth to put what God has taught them in His Word into practice, using their gifts for His glory each day of their lives.

We had an exciting Sunday today too: Two boys, Keagan (6) and Cole (13), got baptized to show everyone they had accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Also, Jacey, Nick, and Mason, the three brothers who have been coming to kickball club and also attended Vacation Bible School came to church this Sunday!  They are precious and I was able to take them to lunch afterwards.  It is so sweet seeing each of these children grow in their relationship with the Lord.

Cole getting baptized

Keagan getting baptized



With Mason, Nick and Jacey - LOVE them!

Please pray for the following:
-Conversations with families of the children we have been working with this summer.  As we meet their needs physically, whether it be through food, clothing, shelter or other necessities, please pray it opens the door to share the love of Jesus with them and their families.
-The outdoor worship service at the Covered Wagon on Sunday, July 15th
-The Mid-Summer Youth Bash Cookout at a local park, Saturday, July 21st
-Olympic Week Summer Camp - July 23-26th at the church

Praise:
Dawn Canniff (from Judson Baptist in Nashville) is coming back to Bozeman to help out with Olympic Week!!  We served together in Honduras in March 2012 as well as on the most recent Judson mission team that came here to Montana, and she felt led to come back and help.  She is a dear friend and I am SO grateful to have a slice of Nashville return for that week.  Love seeing people step out in faith and have a desire to experience God working in a whole new way!

Shout out:
Also, a quick shout out to Duane Blasdel, the Youth Pastor at Judson who I heard via Facebook (where else?) is moving back to NY at the end of the summer to take over as a Camp Director there. You have blessed all the Youth at Judson in many ways and we are all excited to see how God uses you and your family as you transition to New York - I know you will be missed by all those in Nashville!

Personal:
I am heading to Utah July 11th-July15th to take care of things surrounding my dad's passing.  We are having a celebration of life for him July 14th at my uncle's house in Midway (just outside Park City).  Please pray for the time I will be there and all the details surrounding that time.  For those that have asked, here is a link to my dad's obituary that was in the paper today in Utah:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/deseretnews/obituary.aspx?pid=158394403

Thank you to all of you who I have continually heard from through this time - no words can properly express my gratitude.  I send my love to all of you.

A Father's Love...

What a week.  The Judson Baptist mission team (from my home church in Nashville, Tennessee) came in to town to assist with a Block Party, Vacation Bible School, the kickball club ministry and helping to prepare for another week of camp being held here in July.  They were such a blessing to have in town.  Our devotions each night centered on trusting God and giving Him control of our lives, as we heard testimonies of God doing extraordinary things through the lives of ordinary people who had surrendered their lives to Him.  Six children that came to VBS gave their lives to Christ and through the mission offering taken up, we received the amount necessary to purchase the facility for the orphanage that Kirkwood supports in Haiti, which will allow them to better use their funds to take care of the children who lost their parents in the earthquake down there a couple years ago.

Here is a link to a video with many pictures that highlight the mission team's trip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBVAxNOr0Dc&feature=plcp

It was truly such a blessing having the team in town for more reasons than just ministry...

Many of you have heard by now that my dad passed away unexpectedly this past week.  The following is just a small testimony to what God did through the tragedy.

"We must know sorrow to be able to fully appreciate joy."

We serve a faithful God.  I hope this encourages all of you who ever have or will walk through a hard time, that in all circumstances He will carry you and surround you with His presence if you trust in Him and fall into His arms...
 
On Wednesday, June 27th about 4:45pm I received a call we all hope to never get.  It was from my uncle telling me my dad had passed away unexpectedly (we later found out it was a heart attack).  It was about 45 minutes before Vacation Bible School was to begin and we were presenting the Gospel that night to the children.  I told two of my sweet friends from the Judson team about my dad and they prayed for me and I asked them not to tell the rest of the team until after VBS was over that evening.  After only by the grace of God making it through the evening and finishing up recreation time with the children, I walked back into the church and the first words spoken to me were, "Jacey (one of my favorite boys) accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior tonight!"  It was at that moment I lost it as I experienced the deep sorrow of losing my father, but also unexplainable joy in hearing of a boy I had grown to love so much coming to know his Heavenly Father, an eternal relationship that can never be shaken.  I learned there were a couple other kids who had given their lives to Jesus Christ that night as well.  As everyone from Judson and Kirkwood serving at VBS gathered after the children had departed, one of our other team leaders informed everyone about my situation.  Immediately the team of about 30 encircled me and prayed.  As we all cried, God's presence filled the room in an unmistakable way.  Over the final two days of Vacation Bible School along with family day Sunday at church, we continued to see God working in the lives of the children and I had a team of unbelievable people surrounding me in person, as well as so many of you I heard from via phone, text, Facebook and email... there are no words that I can express to thank you for the love and support so many of you have shown through this time. 

As I spoke to the team the next evening I shared the fact that we have choices each day that include:
1) putting our hope in His Word and what Jesus has done for us
2) to walk in obedience to His plan because His ways are higher than ours (even when we don't understand at the time)
3) to use the gifts He has given us for His glory because our time is short and we never know which day will be our last.

The following comes from verses in Psalm 33-34 and is written to reflect the promises of the Lord when we choose to stand on His Word.  May we all be able to say...

"We will wait in hope for the Lord and know He is our help and shield.  Our hearts will rejoice in Him as we trust His holy name.  His unfailing love will rest upon us as we put our trust in Him.  We will extol the Lord at all times.  His praise will always be on our lips.  Our souls will boast in the Lord, and those who are afflicted will hear and rejoice.  Let us glorify the Lord and exalt His name together.  We will hold fast to the promise that when we seek the Lord, He answers us and delivers us from our fears.  He tells us that if we look to Him we will be radiant and our faces will never be covered with shame.  We will taste and see that the Lord is good, and hold fast to His promise that those who fear Him lack nothing and those who seek Him lack no good thing."

The world we live in is not an easy one.  Unexpected things happen that threaten to take our breath away.  The importance of preparing daily and knowing where our hope lies has never been more evidenced in my life than through this past week.  No amount of works or religion can get you through these times, only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can, for that is a foundation that can never be shaken.

Here is the latest:
Since my dad had stated previously he didn't want a funeral, but a celebration, my uncle and I have begun planning that.  It will be on Saturday, July 14th in Midway, Utah near where my dad lived.  We will be able to celebrate and rejoice in the years we had with my father and as he apparently stated to my uncle some time back that when he went we all needed to "get together and talk about how cool he was."  As his nickname was Old Joe Cool, I think it will be quite appropriate.

Please pray as I continue to deal with this news over the coming weeks and will be able to grieve appropriately while also reflecting on the sweet times my dad and I had together.  Also pray I will continue to put my hope and trust in God through each day. 

On the ministry side, there is another mission team from Oak Ridge, TN arriving this week to run a Backyard Bible Club in a local neighborhood, so please pray for them this week as well.

Thanks so much to everyone again for your love and support through this time.

Here are a couple pictures of the sweet people I was surrounded by this week here in Bozeman:

Judson and Kirkwood folks serving at VBS

Hyalite Canyon with part of team

With the Hammers family

With the Hayes family hiking to Sacagawea Peak (9665 ft)
in the Bridger Mountains

Praying for Bozeman after hiking the "M" trail
that overlooks the city

Third mission trip serving with Misty,
twice to Honduras and now here in MT, such a blessing