Happy Belated Thanksgiving

I asked Shannon and the children to help me list things that we are thankful for. Here is just a partial list. Family Friends Jesus and His sacrifice The Holy Spirit Our church family Brothers and Sisters Foster children Our pets Our home Our jobs Musical Instruments Homeschooling Health Teachers Salvation Our country Books John Deere(we are John Deere lovers Thomas Edison(that from Collin the 14 year old who likes electricity) Fun Adoption And so the list could go on and on but for now we wish to say Happy Thanksgiving and that we hope everyone is enjoying the weekend and time with family and friends remembering what we should be thankful for.

Preparation time

Sometimes a person feels things aren't happening nearly fast enough. We haven't yet heard from Pastor Richard about the land so figure there is nothing substantial to report yet. We also have been trying to have a couple of meetings here that just haven't come together. Shannon and I continue to remind each other that God's timing is perfect. That no matter when we think something is supposed to happen, God knows when it is supposed to happen. He will be sure that His plans happen in His own way and His own time. We are also aware that there is a reason for his timing. It may be because there is something in us that He wants to develop further or in someone else involved. We will remain receptive to whatever it is He may be trying to teach us while we continue to wait. Please pray that we remain patient and that we learn quickly.

Last night I had a choir taping at church. What a fun time that was. We were all wearing headphones so that we could hear the music but then singing normally so that just our voices were recorded. We recorded the 7 diferent songs that we are singing for the Christmas program at church, two times each. This way, at the performance, our voices are literally tripled by the playing of the two recordings plus our live voices. It was quite the production last night and we had a good time but many of us were starting to have very tired voices by the end of the evening. It took us 4 hours which I am told is much shorter than many years in the past where they recorded for two nights and went until 1 or 2AM the second night to finish. I am looking forward to the 7 performances we have coming up in December. It will make for an even busier than normal December but I am hoping God can use our performances to reach many with the Christmas message.

As the sickness makes the rounds...

As you may remember, Shannon had pneumonia shortly after returning home from Tanzania. Then our oldest son, Brandon, had it about two weeks ago. Well, it was my turn next and I have not felt well for nearly a week now which is why I haven't been writing. I finally went to the doctor on Monday and was put on antibiotics. Today, although I still have a nasty and painful cough, is the first day I have felt remotely normal...whatever normal is.

We have not yet heard from Pastor Richard about how the meeting went regarding the land. We have an email off to him waiting for a response. Please continue to pray about the acquisition of the land as that is the first major step thatneeds to happen.

Shannon and I have been contacting a couple of diferent ministries that already have street orphan outreaches. We are hoping to receive advice and possibly even partner with one of them to develop the ministry in Mwanza.

This week is National Adoption Awareness Week. Focus on the Family and Family Life Today radio programs have teamed up this week to offer daily broadcasts about orphans, adoption and foster care. Todays broadcast on Focus on the Family was about a woman who grew up as a street orphan in Korea until the age of 6. At that time she was "rescued" by a ministry. Her story is amazing and makes our vision grow stronger. You can go to www.voiceoftheorphan.org to get more information on how every Christian can help the orphans in some way. The bible says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27

Meeting planned in Mwanza

I just received an email that on Tuesday November 14th, Pastor Richard will be going to the city council office in Mwanza about the land that the ministry is hoping to build on. Please pray for favor with the government and an unbelievably low price for this "perfect" piece of property. May they catch our vision for an orphanage/radio station/ministry center and realize what an asset this will be to their community.

Amazing God-the song

I just wanted to share with you the words to one of my current favorite worship songs. It seems to follow my theme of late. It is by Carl Cartee and is on the CD Back to You by Spring Hill Worship. It's a good one. If you haven't heard it I hope you can find it to listen to.
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AMAZING GOD

To Moses you became the great I Am
You were the faithful God of Abraham
You were the solid rock in David's hand
What you were yesterday, you are still today

Chorus:
You are the same healer,
Same redeemer
Same amazing God
You hold the world together
You will endure forever
You are the same Amazing God
Amazing God

You were amazing when you calmed the sea
You were amazing love on Calvary
And so amazing when you rescued me
What you were yesterday, you are still today

Chorus

Bridge:
Healer
Redeemer
Amazing God
Healer
Redeemer
Amazing God
What you were yesterday, you are still today

Chorus


words and music by Carl Cartee and Springhill Worship

No one but Jesus is sinless

As I have spent the past several days grieving the indiscretions of Pastor Ted Haggard I have realized that it isn't his behavior that grieves me nearly as much as the number of people that will be pulled away from Christ because of it. Unfortunately there are many non Christians out there that believe Christians do not sin...or that if they do, they are hypocrites. In reality, all of humankind, except Jesus, sins, wether they have recieved Jesus as their Lord and Savior or not. As Christians our hope should be that we will sin less and be convicted of our sins quickly and repent of them. To think a Christian will be completely sinless is unrealistic.

What the Spirit has beeen speaking to me through all of this is the importance of my personal walk as it ultimately witnesses to Jesus' power in my life. Also, as a future missionary, I am made very aware that I will be watched very closely by many and I realize that I will be expected to be strong in my walk and will be judged more harshly simply because of the position I am in. I find it all very humbling and a bit scary and pray that I can somehow do justice to what God is asking of me.

Please pray with me over these next days and weeks that the purpose of Christ not be diminished due to one man's sin and that his church is able to weather well the storm they are in. Pray for God's healing and grace on the Haggard family, the members of New Life Church and the entire Christian community.