Updates are In Progress

Over on the Our Prayerletter page, we have posted our latest prayerletter. Unfortunately, due to really annoying computer issues, our April prayerletter was lost except for a large PDF file that couldn't be e-mailed out. We hope everyone was able to read it and hear more about the new role we'll be taking after our STINT ends in June. We are genuinely really, really excited about the impact of this new role and have so much anticipation for how the Lord will use it.

In light of our new role and our permanent transition to Orlando, we felt like it was a good time to update our blog to be able to cast a better picture for our current ministry. So the site is going to go dark for awhile. Over the summer, we'll be working on putting together a site that better expresses our current reality and gives you more informed and up-to-date ways to stay in touch and pray for us.

Thanks for your faithfulness to our family and our ministry. It is such a privilege to serve with you!

Saturday Milestones

This past Saturday, we celebrated a couple of really cool milestones with the kids. 

First up was Gavin's very first football play-off game. Unfortunately, they were matched against the undefeated team in the league for their first game, and it was what we called a "character-building" game for the kids. We were SO proud of Gavin for staying in the game and continuing to do his very best. We are already looking forward the Fall and another season--our whole family has loved watching him play.

 Next up was the Winter Park Art Festival. We had received a letter last week from Hannah's Art teacher saying one of her pieces had been selected to be displayed at the Art Festival. So fun! We had NO idea how big the Winter Park Art Festival is, however. There were literally thousands of people covering the few city blocks we often like to wander. They had over a hundred booths with work from artists around the country. Hannah's piece was in the children's section with some other local schools.

Hannah posing next to her piece.

 It was a project they had worked on creating Native American quilting patterns.

After visiting her booth, Hannah said, "Well, one of my life goals was to be famous. I can check that off now!" :)

We feel like we've been in a state of transition for so long, that it's really quite an odd experience to be settling somewhere. I think one of the bigger milestones of the weekend was doing things that made us feel like we actually live here and aren't just passing thru. We are continuing to re-learn life in America.

God's Hand Across an Ocean

When we left Italy, my heart was broken for many of our Italian friends who knew no other believers. God was gracious to allow us to introduce all of them to at least one of the other missionaries/pastors in the city. We prayed (and still pray) that some day God will bring those brief introductions to fruit.

I have one friend, in particular, for whom my heart still breaks. She actually knows several believers, but she is an outcast among them. She wears a Scarlett A on her chest and has experienced judgment, condemnation, and disgust from many of those bearing the name of Christ.

When we left Bologna, I wept and wept for this broken, wounded soul who, admittedly, had made a mess of life trying to find happiness outside of Christ. I could see in her face a need for a Savior more than any other. I was just beginning to get to know her beyond the casual formalities when we had to leave, so I lacked confidence we would be able to maintain a relationship across the miles.

At Christmas, we sent a care package. Love delivered in a box of American goodies. The thank you note was overwhelming. Again, my heart ached to be a part of her life on regular basis, to be a person who shows her Christ's love in every interaction. After Christmas, there was only the silence of the miles again.

And then yesterday, I heard from her. She contacted me.

As much as my heart aches for what we left unfinished in Italy, I am thankful the ache still moves me. I am thankful I still have the picture of my sweet friends' face longing for something more secure than herself. It will be the greatest joy of my life to see her enter the Kingdom some day.

Would you pray for her? Right now? Pray God would allow us to continue to build a sweet friendship, despite distance and despite my greatly atrophied Italian. Pray she would see Jesus across miles. Pray for the Spirit to be at work to draw her to the One who can finally heal a wounded and broken heart.

What's Next?

As you know, the internship we are doing at our World Headquarters will end in June (or maybe you didn't know that!). The big question on our minds is "What happens after this? God, where do you want us to go next?"

We have tried to keep ourselves open to whatever the Lord would put in our path. We hoped that would mean staying in one place for a few years--to provide some stability for our kiddos, after a couple of years of more transition than we would ever have wanted to ask of them. And we hoped the Lord would allow us to somehow remain involved in what He is doing overseas. He has led us to a lot of places we never would have dreamed of, however, so we've worked hard to pursue any role that seemed like it could be a possibility.

We are getting to the point where we need to make a decision. We feel like there are three possibilities the Lord has continued to keep in front of us. We wanted to share them with you and ask you to pray with us for God's wisdom and clear leading.

1. We can stay with the role and team that we're currently in: As a MPD coach and trainer, we would have the opportunity to come alongside new and senior staff to help them develop their team of ministry partners, in order to go out into the field to proclaim the gospel on a global level.
2. We have been asked to consider joining a team of people who are responsible for finding and developing the resources needed to allow campus teams all over the U.S. to plan and pull off various ministry initiatives, with the goal of exposing students to the gospel, growing current believing college students in their faith, and equipping students to go out and proclaim the gospel wherever God leads them. 
3. We have also been asked to consider joining one of our Global Vice Presidents to begin developing resources that will allow national Campus Crusade movements outside the U.S. to reach their own cultures with the gospel.  This role would allow me to travel internationally from time to time, in order to help national teams develop the resources needed to effectively proclaim the gospel to their culture. It would also directly empower international students trusting God to reach their campus to have the resources they need to do so.

One of the very best parts about our job is doing it alongside you all. We can not say enough how humbled we are to be partnered with you in proclaiming the gospel. Your words of encouragement, the insights you have shared with us, the challenge you have given us to ask God for more are the Body of Christ as intended. 

Our time on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ (soon to be CRU) has always been an adventure! Walking with the Lord promises nothing less for any one. We do have great anticipation for what comes next. We learned SO MUCH during our time overseas. Our hearts are full of new vision and new passion for how we can most affectively be a part of connecting the most number of people to Jesus Christ. Thanks for being on the adventure with us.

The SuperBowl, American Style

Let me remind you what our SuperBowl Party looked like last year:

And it happened at midnight, local time.

Our SuperBowl Party this year looked a little something like this:

(sorry about the technical problem--no idea how to get "for review only" off these pictures!)

All of the folks we live and work with on our STINT threw one kickin' SuperBowl Party.  We gathered poolside to eat and cheer and eat some more. We have LOVED football season this Fall, not missing one Sunday of action.  We couldn't have been more proud of our Texans' first play-off appearance AND win, and we couldn't have been more excited that the Patriots were denied yet another SuperBowl victory.  Go Giants!

For all the aspects of Italy we miss, we have definitely savored this piece of Americana.  And it was wrapped up with a SuperBowl party as it should be.  What a great day.

Not Thru Yet

Last night Gavin came to me at bed time and said, "Mom, I feel weird."

"What's wrong, buddy?"

"I don't know. . . I just feel weird."

And then tears brimmed in his eyes.  "I miss Italy."  The tears no longer brimmed.  They flowed.

I grabbed him, and we sat in our big red chair and cried.  Both of us.  I had really been missing Italy yesterday too.  I was missing our little corner on Via Arno, by now all decorated with lights and full of the anticipation of Christmas.

"I wish we could get on a plane tonight to go back," he said.

"Me too, buddy.  What would you do as soon as you got there?"

"Go get gelato."

"What else? What else do you miss?"

"I miss Via Arno."

Me too.  A lot.  Last week the ache for Italy wasn't as strong.  But yesterday it burned.

There are days I want to announce that our "transition" back to the States is over.  Funny how I'm not sure that day is going to come any time soon.  As soon as I begin to think we're settling into where we are, a flood of memories and emotions come back to remind me that it will never feel like a clean break.  Our life in Italy will always be a part of us.

My sweet Gavin.  His heart is so tender.  What a sweet moment it was last night to let our tears intermingle and our hearts share the ache of the life we left behind.

"Mom, I miss running to beat you down the stairs too."

Yeah, me too.

How Did That Happen?

I apologize for not posting last week.  I was on my death bed with a "flu-like virus."  It was u-g-l-y.  I am finally recovered, and I will never take my health for granted again!

I wanted to post a couple of pictures of what has absolutely taken my breath away this week.  The first is of our little Maximus.  He is not so little any more!  He weighs more than Ben now.  He is still so sweet and gentle and cuddly and perfect.

The day we picked him out.  Four weeks old.

The day we brought him home.  Nine weeks old.

And today!  Five months old.  How does that happen?  Did I mention he's probably not done growing?  Cody's hoping he reaches 80 pounds!

And then even more shocking, how did this precious three-year-old. . .

Become this stunning (and incredibly fashionable) ten-year-old?

Yes, the time is flying.  We fall more in love with Max every day, he becomes ever more attached to us, and our daughter is blossoming into the most beautiful, creative, fun, spiritually-minded young lady.

Thanks for caring about our family and bearing witness to such milestones with us.  We are honored.

Playing Around

We are headed into a couple of weeks of craziness, with mom taking a theological development class next week.  It actually started last week when I began having to devote copious amounts of time to preparing for said class.  But on Friday, I begin 9-4 every day for a week.

There is nothing like mom's household time being limited to throw a family into a tizzy.  So this week is packed with doctor's appointments, grocery shopping and cleaning.

That sounds fun, huh?! Especially if you're three. :)

So we started off the day with a little play.  Ben put every piece of track he had end to end.  One lucky little train traveled all the way from Ben's bedroom into the living room and then was promptly turned around for the return journey.  Only one train though.  Ben felt pretty strongly about that.

Unfortunately, playing can never last as long as desired.

It's back to cleaning, menu planning and the difference between atheistic and theistic existentialism.

So goes our crazy, missionary, family of five, wouldn't-trade-it-for-the-world life. 

Hannah Turns Ten!

Is she growing up or what?!? This is our beautiful daughter on her tenth birthday.  Her birthday is on New Year's Eve (which she loves!), and for the occasion, Grandma Phipps flew in.  Hannah was beside herself, and we had the best time.

She, of course, had the day planned out long ago (doughnuts for breakfast, time at the park, Mimi's Cafe for lunch, dad's ribs for dinner and a night watching Little House on the Prairie), and she loved every minute.  We also threw in painting some pottery, which was a great memory-maker with Grandma.

We are so proud this growing young lady.  She has demonstrated such courage in the past couple of years. This last year was a really hard year for her.  She gave up a lot for what God has called our family to do.  But it's been such a deep joy for us to watch her begin to develop her faith.  She is learning how to trust God with her own heart issues.

Hannah always keeps us on our parenting toes, but she daily blesses us with her creativity, her inquisitiveness, her leadership, and her strength.  She has so many incredible gifts.

And as I mentioned, we also got to enjoy four days with Grandma Phipps over the weekend!  The kids hadn't seen her in over a year, and they loved her attention.  Cody and I both were bedridden with the flu on New Year's Day, so we were also grateful to have to another mom in the house!  We really savored our time to be together again.

We enjoyed a sweet Christmas break with family, and we are looking forward to a new year.  We have much anticipation for what 2012 will bring, with its new season of life and ministry for our family.  Blessings on you and yours!