Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo...

Here are some pictures from our day on Uncle Bob's farm. As you can see, Noah had a blast. It was a great day... We're doing well, sorry it's been so long since we've posted, we've got finals week this week, and then Spring Break. :)

Enjoy the pictures!

Know Your Audience

Enough about us... Here's what you've all been waiting for... Pictures!

Enjoy :)

We love you and we hope to see you all soon!

-Jeff and Kristina

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... (Rom. 1:6)

The Sunset workshop was this week. I was built up and challenged by what I heard. The more I learn, the more I see that we're all called to be missionaries...and we're always in the midst of a mission-field. We need to stop delegating and professionalizing mission work and start training, equipping, and discipling all of our brothers and sisters. It's only then that God's church will begin growing in the way that it is intended to grow. We need to stop settling and expecting additions to the church and start expecting and planning for multiplication.

If you're not helping people, teaching people, or getting to know people outside of church, then please start. One challenge I heard this week was: get together with a group of believers once a week or month and figure out how to help someone outside of the church that week/month together. Keep doing this for the rest of your life. How can we make disciples unless we get into other peoples' lives.

Why are we afraid to tell people good news? We must stop listening to Satan's lies. Jesus has already won the victory. He's already conquered sin, death, and hell. We must get over our selfishness and fears and tell others what He's done for us all.

I gave my first sermon this week. (in the U.S. ...[I gave one in Japan]) (I'll send it or post it if anyone's interested.) It is a great responsibility to be God's messenger. I pray that I glorify God with every word and deed.

-Jeff

I'll tell you more about what's going on with us later.

All is well on the Western Front

We are all well! Both kids got a good report from the Doctor. :)

And, our dinner went well. We played some of our new games afterwards and everyone seemed to have a good time.

We're looking forward to this next term, and the relationships that will be developed here.

We wish you all well in this new year.

-Jeff

Term 3

Here we go again... We start our third term on Monday, and it promises to be a challenging one from what I hear. I am planning to pick up my books tomorrow. We're having the new students (students who start mid-year are called "tweeners") over for dinner along with the other class officers tomorrow night. We're trying to help them feel welcomed and connected before they become overwhelmed with work.

Juliana and Noah both have check-ups with the doctor tomorrow. Juliana is getting her next round of shots which were delayed due to her hospitalization.

The weather was really nice today and Noah and I got to play outside in the yard. We played tee-ball and had a good time. We enjoyed getting to see everyone over the Christmas break. We needed that time with friends and family to recharge our batteries.

Thank you to all of you who pray for us, who support us financially, and who write and call us. We love you, and we appreciate you.

-Jeff

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