chrisanddree

We have had a crazy roller coaster ride this summer and just like a roller coaster it is over before we know it!

We started in June by taking our students to the Alive '08 music festival. God did "more than we could ask or imagine" through a music festival! Our students seemed to take a deeper step in their faith. We had the joy of baptizing 6 students a week after we returned and have baptized another since then and have one waiting for his family's schedule to cooperate and then he will also "take the plunge."

I love the way God displays His presence and power through baptism. Chris always says it is an outward expression of an inward change. I can only imagine how the angels celebrate when we see a physical representation of something they have seen spiritually. He makes ALL things NEW!

The thing about it is that these students live in a real world in which their enemy is trying to steal, kill and destroy. It would be naive to think that their battle is finished once they show their commitment. The opposite is actually true, their battle has only just begun. It is our job as disciplers to equip them to fight and to stand with them. The frustrating thing is that we can't do it for them. The choices are theirs. Watching them make poor choices is definitely a low.

The great thing is that that isn't the end. God is working and our hope is fully in Him. Our job right now is to look hard at the way we have always done things and change what he directs us to change to disciple better, to usher them where deep calls unto deep. Our belief that God's people grow best in community is affirmed in us over and over and over again. Relationships are a key to change. Harry (a 15 year old students that spends a lot of time with us and who we love very much) just quoted Proverbs 27:17 to me that states, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpen another." (By the way... He totally showed Chris and I up on that one...)

If you are praying for us, thank you and please keep it up. Bellevue needs Jesus!!!

Well, we have lived in Ohio almost 6 months. In some ways we are still adjusting but for the most part we have settled in and are making this home.

Our youth group is going just fine. We have about 25 students at youth group. They are not the same students all the time, just the same number, funny how that works. We just moved our large group night, called Fusion to Sundays. We will now be having small groups on Wednesdays. God has made it clear to us that he wants us to grow deep and then wide meaning we are striving to deepen our students faith before we grow in numbers. That would be a good way to pray for them!

Chris is also working hard at the Discipleship arm of his job. He has worked at building up the Women's, Men's and SUnday School ministries. He has also started Community Group leader training. We are looking to launch Community Groups in the Fall.

Needless to say our schedule can be fiercely busy and we are learning how to put boundaries in our lives so we are able to continue pouring out our lives here in Bellevue.

We miss our great friends in PA and think daily what a treasure they have been. God has supplied some great friendships here and we are grateful for that.

The girls are doing good. Noelle is learning more and more everyday. She has great interest in her letters right now so we are running with that!

Ashton is chugging right along in homeschool. She is learning to multiply and has quite a good understanding of the concept. SHe has also learned to write in cursive. She does a great job and continues to improve. I am very proud of her and have had a great time teaching her. God has really blessed our time together.

I suppose that does it for now. Sorry for the great delay in communication.

As always, thanks for your continued prayers!!!