Holiday Schedule

Many people have asked where we'll be and when over the holidays. Here is our tentative travel itinerary:

Last day of classes: ---Friday, Dec. 21
In Longview: ---------Saturday, Dec. 22----Tuesday, Dec. 25
In Conroe:-------------Tuesday Dec. 25-----Friday, Dec. 28
Back to Longview:-----Friday, Dec. 28-------Monday, Jan. 7
Back to Lubbock:------Monday, Jan. 7
Term 3 begins: --------Monday, Jan. 14

We're looking forward to the break and to seeing many of you very soon.
-Jeff

Yours or mina?

I just wanted to let everyone know we're still here. :) Practically everyday, I come home and say "I just understood this passage for the first time today" or "I've never seen it in that way before." Yesterday it was:

Luk 19:12-27 So He said, "A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. (13) "And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, 'Do business with this until I come back.' (14) "But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.' (15) "When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know what business they had done. (16) "The first appeared, saying, 'Master, your mina has made ten minas more.' (17) "And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.' (18) "The second came, saying, 'Your mina, master, has made five minas.' (19) "And he said to him also, 'And you are to be over five cities.' (20) "Another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a handkerchief; (21) for I was afraid of you, because you are an exacting man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.' (22) "He *said to him, 'By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? (23) 'Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?' (24) "Then he said to the bystanders, 'Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.' (25) "And they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas already.' (26) "I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. (27) "But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence."

I knew that God created me and everything I own was made by Him. I realized that everything with which He's blessed me was given to me as a stewardship, and that I am supposed to use them for His purposes and glory. But yesterday, when I was thinking about this I thought about our back bedroom and how messy it is. And, how I usually cant' find the things I'm looking for in there. I realized what God must see when He sees that room and all of the things in it. Our family has been uniquely blessed, and I am determined to do a better job as a steward of God's possessions. It's odd how this had made sense earlier in my life as far as money is concerned, but it took reading it one more time for me to understand God's will for my life in this way.

We are being edified daily. Please continue to pray for us.
We hope to see you all again very soon,

-Jeff

Light yoke, but no yolk

Noah Loves to Bowl :)

Noah may be allergic to milk...he seemed to have reacted after our initial test and reintroduction (drainage, sinus trouble, eczema, and even behavioral changes). So, now we're on to eggs... As if finding foods with no milk wasn't hard enough, now we are limited to feeding him foods with no milk, and no eggs. I must say that Kristina has done very well at finding different foods to feed us that qualify. Noah is a good boy. Pray for us as parents. Pray that we can raise him in a way that glorifies the Father.

Juliana is well...she stays happy all the time (as long as she's well-rested and well-fed). She seems to be coming down with allergies herself though.(or a cold)

Kristina has amazed me over the last few weeks. She's finding new and better ways to take care of us all. It seems like she's found a new spring in her step, and has tapped into an extra reserve of energy. I can really see her drawing closer to God, and God working in her life. She is becoming more disciplined with her time and more generous with her resources.

Jesus' yoke is easy, but there's much work to be done. I have found a greater peace and confidence in my salvation. I am beginning to accept God's gift of grace given for me. I am beginning to learn what it means to die to self and live for Him each day.

Thank you so much for all of you who keep up with us, support us, and pray for us! School is going really well, but we are gaining so much more than Biblical knowledge.

May you find rest for your soul in the One whose yoke is easy, and whose burden is light.

-Jeff

P.S. Report cards came out for our first term and we both made all A's.

Happy Halloween

Our class

This is the entire student body, faculty, and staff at S.I.B.I. this year. We all meet for chapel every morning that we have class. This includes: AIM (Adventures in Missions) students, Level 1 and Level 2 S.I.B.I. students, Advanced Missions students, faculty, and staff.


Here is our class. (We're level 1 students this year). It's a great group. :)


you can find more pictures of the other groups at www.sibi.cc

Break Week

Next week is finals-week and the following week is break-week. We are going to travel to Longview and then to Houston for break week. We can't wait to see everybody and for them to see the kids again. I wish I had time to post here more often to keep everyone updated on what's going on with us. Hopefully we can catch up with some of you in our travels. :) I really want to share what I'm learning with you all.

Coming to a town near you soon.

-Jeff

In live action and color!

We are able to post videos online. So far we've only posted one as a test, but it's worth watching. It's of Juliana laughing. :) Go to www.youtube.com/followthesims and click the big play button in the center of the video. I'm sure it would take a long time with dail-up, but it probably still works. We'll let you know as we update it.


Au Revoir,

Jeff

Ah Ah Ah Ah Stayin' Alive...Stayin' Alive...

We are still here...Sorry we haven't updated in so long. School is still great...schedule is still crazy...Kids are good...runny noses as usual. We had some friends over from school on Saturday, and it was a nice break from all the work. Everyone seemed to have a really great time, and we did too. We're doing well. I hope to have more time to update later.

boom ba doom ba boom ba doom untiiiiiiil we meeeeet agaaaaiiin,
Jeff

More pictures :)

Noah suits up for battle at his birthday party. (with a little help from mama)

Noah's first time in Granny's pool.
He had a blast.
He even rode around in a boat for a while.
Even I got into the birthday fun. This is Noah's "cheese" face.

Noah and Granny.
Juliana with her great grandmother.
Eating birthday cake.
Small boy, big cake.
Perhaps his first music lesson. He has enjoyed his harmonica and drum. :)

This week has been very relaxing so far. It's been good for us. It'll help when we get back to school next Monday. You can click the pictures to make them bigger, or right click to download them to your computer. Enjoy!

Research Week

We are entering research week here at S.I.B.I.. We are given a week off of classes to work on research papers and projects. We are already at mid-term and I can't believe all that I've learned already. I can't wait to tell you all about it. Also, I was elected to be Assistant Class Chairman. Give us a call this week when we have a little more time.


-Jeff

Good News

I'm growing and learning everyday. I'm being stretched, inspired, transformed. I'm sharing my confidence of salvation through Jesus with others. (If you need to be encouraged, call me). I'm just not getting much sleep yet. :) I'm told if I don't find a way to get sleep during school, then I'll just keep up the same schedule in my ministry/mission work later. So pray that I can find more time/manage my time better in the near future.

I just can't say enough about the people here. What a great group of Christians!

I thank God and Praise Him for this school.

Ready or not :)

We are so excited to be here! Orientation is over and we start classes in the morning. S.I.B.I. has impressed me from the beginning. Even me, who is very skeptical by nature. I can already see God in this place through the love shown by the people here. The students all want to be here to get closer to God and to gain tools to share God's message of salvation and hope more effectively. It is obvious that the teachers all have a passion for God and for the lost. Each has served on the mission field. They are concerned not only with the knowledge that we gain here, but their aim is to guide us in our Spiritual transformations as we become more like Christ through scriptural study, prayer, meditation, self-examination, and service. They value healthy relationships and families and strive to create the best situation for each individual and family so that our relationships are strengthened and not strained by the rigorous coursework. This is going to be the hardest thing I've done in my life, but I believe the most rewarding. How can this not be God's will for me? I will be studying His word, applying it to my life, and strengthening my relationship with Him and with others. I will be doing all of this while learning knowledge and tools to help bring others to Him.

I wish I could convey my excitement, hope, joy, peace, and gratefulness through this text. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped get us this far. Please continue to pray for our family. Pray for protections from evil. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Pray for discipline and self-control. Pray for Christ-like transformations. Pray for closer relationships to our God. Pray that we will reflect His light in the world to everyone we know and meet.

Here are some things you might like to see if you've got the time:

School Calendar-http://www.sibi.cc/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=67&Itemid=167

Course Syllabi's- http://sibi.cc/student
(I am taking level 1 classes right now)
also...not listed is an optional class that I'll be taking from 7:30-8:30am everyday-Hebrew

Sink or Swim

There's a message that I heard at an LST training last year that has meant a lot to me these last few weeks, and I thought that it was worth sharing. It was about the story in Matthew where Jesus walks on water:

“But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"; and they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; be not afraid." And Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.” Matt 14:24-32 NKJV

There are a lot of people who would give Peter a hard time because he was afraid and started to sink; but more importantly, he was the only one that got out of the boat. I'm sure that there were 11 other guys in the boat telling him how ridiculous it was to jump out of a perfectly good boat and that the safest thing to do was to stay put. It would have been ridiculous even if the skies were sunny and the seas were calm, but it was the middle of the night and they were in a storm in the middle of the sea. Jesus didn't say “Wait Peter, let me calm the waves and stop the wind before you step out”. He just said “Come.” And even though Peter took his eyes off the Lord, just a minute before he started to sink he did walk on water - a story I'm sure he told for the rest of his life.

It is really hard to jump out of a perfectly good boat- a good job, a nice house, family close by. And there are people who are quick to point out just how ridiculous it seems to them. They are afraid for people who step out of the safe zone. When the Lord says “Come” it is not always when the seas are calm or when you finally have all of your ducks in a row; but you jump out into the water anyway because, as Peter would say, that's where Jesus is.

Please pray that our family will be able to ignore the guys in the boat, and that we will not be distracted by wind and waves, but keep our eyes on the Lord. -K-

"Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time – houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions – and in the age to come, eternal life." Mark 10:29-30

The countdown begins

This is what Juliana looks like most of the time when she's awake now. She has decided that her fingers taste better than her thumb, and she has just about decided that her right hand is better than her left.














Noah has enjoyed the parks here in Lubbock. We went out to an event this week for national night out where the church was handing out free hot dogs to the neighborhood. Noah had a good time throwing the football with another boy his age. You can see that he's ready for Juliana to take an interest in football soon as well. She just smiles at him mostly.
















Both of our kids love books. They are both very content to sit and read for long periods. Here is a picture of the first time I read to them both at the same time. And speaking of books, we bought mine today for the first term. Looks like I'm going to be very busy. My class list looks very exciting. This term I'll be attending chapel every morning and taking Historical Christian Evidences, Old Testament History, Spiritual Disciplines, Life and Teachings of Jesus, Intro. to Ministry Studies, and Confident Preaching. Classes start on Monday.














Kristina made a cake for my birthday. It was delicious. :) I'm officially 28 now, but I don't really feel any older yet. I guess I'm waiting to turn 30 for that. We're just counting down the days until class starts. I can't believe I'm going to be a student again. I've got that nervous excited feeling all over again.

until next time,

Jeff

Sold!

We closed on our house on Monday morning in Longview, and it's nice to have it completely over with finally. We had a great trip because we weren't in a hurry. We got to spend some time with Kristina's grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins and my parents, grandma, aunt, uncle, my brother and his family, and many of our friends along the way.

And as for our kids...Juliana is laughing in response to people now, and Noah loves playing in the dirt and all sports.

Here are a few pictures now that I found the camera again.
1.-Our happy baby
2.-Juliana with Kathie (my mom)
3.-Noah with Jaden and Jaron (his cousins)
4. Outside an Astros game

Lubbock is great!

We've really enjoyed the last couple of days since we arrived in Lubbock. We had 5 guys from Sunset school come help us unload the truck which was a huge help. We finished in an hour and 15 minutes. Kimberly (Kristina's sister) and Dods are here to help us unpack and organize. It has been a huge blessing. I can't imagine trying to do all that we've done on our own while taking/corraling Noah and Juliana. We set up a bank account with a local bank (City Bank) and they gave us $50 for signing up and 4.18% APR interest on our checking account that is completely free of fees. They also pick up the tab on any ATM fees we run into anywhere and provide checks for free for the life of our account. I can't imagine better service or perks.
I've felt a little like Bob Villa the last couple of days trying to diagnose and fix problems around the house, though I work much more experimentally and take five times as long. I've really enjoyed the feeling of success when I've finished each project though. I've never been much of a handyman, and I think this is good practice.

Everyone has been so friendly and helpful since we arrived, and the weather is beautiful. It sure has helped in the transition into our new home. (At least on our end). Thank you for all of your prayers and words of encouragement as we were preparing to go. Just know things are going very well.

Until next time,

Jeff

P.S. We'll get some pictures uploaded as soon as we find that box :)

When did we get so much stuff?

We've been packing up our things for the move and It's hard to believe how much stuff we've collected. We've had two garage sales, and have thrown a lot away, and still we have a house full. It's amazing how much less value I place on this stuff today than a year ago. Just knowing that we won't be able to take as much with us to Lubbock has forced us to make choices about what to keep, and then knowing that we'll likely be taking much less with us in the next move has made our stuff seem even less valuable. I guess I always assumed I'd just keep accumulating money and stuff as long as I lived. I kind of like this new perspective.

Our big news is that we've got a contract on our house! We are expecting it to close in early August. God is taking care of us.

As the days go by, reality is setting in. We are actually moving away from home and preparing to move even farther away. It's definitely not always easy to do what we think we're supposed to do.

Lubbock Here We Come!

Our decision to become missionaries has been a long time in the making. In 2003, Kristina and I became members of Alpine Church of Christ and quickly decided that short-term mission work was a great way that we could serve the Lord and others during our summers off as teachers. Our first experience in missions was in Hitachi-Taga, Japan. We spent six weeks sharing our God, our language, and ourselves. Seeing God work through us and in the lives of those we touched left us wanting more. God has since continued to send people into our lives who share the same longing. And in the summer of 2006 we took what seemed to us as the next logical step. We signed up for an internship with a missionary in Mexico City. This time we did more than teach. We took classes in missions, language, and culture, and were able to catch a glimpse of what long-term missions work might be all about. And with much prayer and thought, in Mexico City, we decided to become missionaries full time. Yet, we didn't feel quite ready to jump into long term mission work without any formal training or bible study, so we decided to teach at Spring Hill for one more year while making preparations to study in Lubbock, TX at Sunset International Bible Institute.
We will move to Lubbock, TX on July 16th , 2007 to enroll in classes at Sunset International Bible Institute. I will begin classes on Aug 13th to start a two year program in World Missions. The program consists of 40 courses in biblical text and ministry applications covering every book in the Bible including 4 courses in the study of Missions. Preaching labs, campaigns, internships, workshops, chapel lectures, counseling, and mid-course evaluations complete the curriculum. Kristina will complete the Women's Basic Biblical Studies program. This program consists of 20 courses, including 4 courses in Missions study, and meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Over the two year program, we will meet many other families in our classes that share our goal to work in a foreign mission field. Our prayer is to find other families to commit with us to a mission team. After graduation, our team will complete six months of Advanced Missions Studies at SIBI, taking courses in team building, prayer, mission strategy, world view, cultural anthropology, small group practicum, and doctrinal encounter. During this six months, our team will prayerfully narrow down all of the possible locations in the world to the one that we feel God has called us to serve. With the help of the SIBI staff we will begin focused training in language, culture, and strategies that have proved fruitful for our specific field. Our goal is for our mission team to be prepared to begin work overseas in January 2010. If you would like to help support our education, please contact the Alpine Church of Christ office. God Bless!