Mission:X - here we come!

Oh boy! Test #1 is here! The 12 passenger van that we had reserved is not available, so we're not sure how we're going to get down to Miami - but God does! :o) We so appreciate your prayers for our team as we leave on this trip! I'll try to post updates, or my sister will be. See y'all in a week!!!!

Also, check Barry Carlen's blog for an update on Wales!!!

Happy Birthday Brianna!

So, Brianna decided she wanted to invite the ladies in her Home Group to her 4th Birthday Party! It was absolutely hilarious! We ate pizza and chips and salsa, sang 'Happy Birthday' and ate yummy cake and ice cream! We opened presents and tried on all the princess hats. Then we watched her favorite movie - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers!!! So much fun! Thanks for inviting us, Brianna! :o)

All Things Mission:X

So, my sister is in Wales until Friday the 20th. She'll be updating her blog, so check there for updates. One of the girls on the trip may be updating here. I believe this is Caerphilly Castle (that's just too fun to say!)...jealous yet? I am!!!

And I leave in eight, count 'em eight, days!!!!

Tag...You're It!

My girlfriend Janelle, over at Reformed-Tulip-Charismatic-Girl, tagged me. The rule is that I must list 5 reasons why I love Christ. After that, I must tag 5 other bloggers. So here it goes.

1. I love Christ because He died for, and rescued, me. Yes, me. I did not deserve it, in fact I was running from Him. Yet He died a horrible death, in obedience to the will of the Father and so transferred from me the wrath that I should have experienced (do we think often enough on that?!). That's reason enough, I think, but there are so many more!!!
2. I love Christ because of Who He is. He is Saviour, God, Counselor and Friend.
3. I love Christ because of His love for the church. He has placed me in the best church in the world, Metro Life Church. :o) He leads our church and will one day return for all of us (His children, not just those at Metro Life - haha!).
4. I love Christ because of He is Sovereign. This is something I've recently been especially affected by. Having a biblical view of Christ as the Sovereign Lord changes all (and I mean all) outlooks on life. It changes the way you see circumstances, difficulties and even things that bring you joy. It changes the way you look at the world and the terror, pain and horror that exists. It doesn't make it go away but puts it in perspective: He knows all and sees everything. He has planned each of our days from the beginning of time and everything is part of His plan for me. This means He cannot be surprised, threatened or ousted from His throne. Good news for sure!
5. I love Christ because He has blessed me abundantly. And I mean abundantly. My life is far from perfect, however, I have been given far more than I deserve. A few of the blessings are: my family, my church, my friends, my job, my home, my car...and the list could go on!

Here are those I want to tag.

1. Andrea Lambros
2. Stephanie Lightfoot
3. Debi Walter
4. Cheryl Traugott
5. Rakel Boisvert

Bolivia Update

So, I wanna go back! I went in 2003, the first year of Mission:X, and was soooo affected. The team (ALL of them!) made it back safely this afternoon around 3:30 pm. Brie Korb (who is now Brie Smeltz) was with our team. She went back this year and took these pics. And Tammy posted pictures here from Tim and Erika (along with the daily saga). Amazing!!! Isn't God good?

Say Cheese!

My new baby is a Kodak Z712...

Surely He has borne our griefs

Many of you are familiar with this chapter, as am I. But, I came across it again during my quiet time last week and was freshly aware of how amazing our God is. What love?! Take a minute to read it and be reminded again of His love for you...

Thank you, Father, for crushing Your Son so that we might be free from our sin and condemnation.

Isaiah 53
Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.