Merry CHRISTmas!

This is us Christmas Day...

so blessed to talk to Madylanne!

Our Savior is born and

our hearts rejoice!!

making snowballs 

Happy anniversary to Mark and I---- 22 years!

The Nativity performance

Merry Christmas celebration with Pastor Mike, Ednah and Pendo

 

the boys

This was my view at the breakfast table recently on Friday, cereal day. 

Matthew and Micah were VERY excited to 

get their favorites from Dad.

Here they are on the last day of school this term. 

Christmas break, here we come! 

Micah is dressed up in his US gear 

for the parade at the 

International Food Festival.

Christmas is Worshiping Jesus

How do you prepare your hearts for worship?

We celebrate Advent...

there are a few different ways to do this, I'm sure.

Each day this month we will read a passage at breakfast 

as a family to help our hearts be ready, 

and on Sundays we light a candle and sing and pray together.

Come

Let us Worship Jesus!!

Let us adore Him!

  Light of the world, 

 Prince of Peace, 

 Messiah, 

 Lamb of God, who takes away our sins, 

the Truth, the only way to a relationship with God the Father.

May we make space in our hearts and schedule to worship the King of Kings.

Pumpkin Cookies

 What a gift to have a can of pumpkin for baking pumpkin cookies

 this Thanksgiving! I am thankful for the team of volunteers 

who came in October and shared pumpkin with us! 

Usually we boil and mash it so having it ready in a can was really nice.

We are grateful for pumpkin yummies!

A trunk full of love

Friday November 28th we took 13 Christmas boxes 

of food and supplies to the therapy group.

We are grateful to my friend for her family business 

who packed everything up for us.

We are grateful to FBC Burden for their generous gift!

And we are grateful for being able to give these boxes 

and explain about the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.

Please pray for the families to read the book of John 

which was placed in their bags.

Pray for the Lord to draw their hearts 

to Jesus through His Word.

 

A Life Well Lived

Mark's Dad Larry joined Jesus in heaven last week on November 13th. 

We were all shocked because it happened very suddenly. 

Mark is there with his family in Kansas right now.

This is one of my favorite pictures of him...

he really loved being out on his tractor and he really loved his family. 

This is from the fall of 2020.

 

Here's a great picture of Larry, Judy, and all their grandkids from this summer. 

Our hearts mourn his loss on this earth. I couldn't have asked for a more loving or supportive father in law.

We grieve with hope, though, because Larry was a born again follower of Jesus 

and we know this means he's in heaven. 

There's no cancer in heaven. And no pain. 

He is enjoying the presence of His Savior.

And I bet he's singing praises in the choir! 

Please be in prayer for Judy, Mark and his brothers and sister, 

their grandchildren, and all who knew and loved him. 

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.

John 14:1-3

Papa is having heart surgery today

 If you could please take a minute to pray for my Dad 

who is having heart surgery today 

I would really appreciate it. 

His name is Johnie, and my Step-Mom is Donna. 

fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Children in Action

 Madylanne was invited to share with the Children in Action kids at Believers Baptist Church in Wichita, KS on Sunday, about what it was like to grow up in Africa. We are so proud of her for saying yes. She loves spending time with kids. Praying for this generation of kids to say yes if the Lord calls them to serve Him overseas. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 

Friday therapy group

Here is a little guy practicing using his new 

yellow button for communication- 

whenever he pushes the button 

it says a message such as, "I love you", or whatever

his mom (or caregiver) record for him to hear. 

Please pray for this child to know how loved he is

and that the people in his life care so much about him 

that they want to be able to communicate with him 

and for him to communicate with them.

 Micah had the day off of school so he came with me 

to play with some of the boys who are his age.

Thank You Lord, for the many opportunities

You give us to share Your love 

in community. 

Emmanuel Mission Trip

Look at this mission team from Emmanuel Baptist Church! They have been on a mission trip to a place a few hours away from here sharing Jesus in a new place. We are so excited for what the Lord is doing in them and through them....one person already said yes to Jesus and more than 40 heard the Good News! 

Please pray for their safe arrival back home and for the Lord to continue drawing people to Himself. 

May God's Kingdom grow and His name be glorified and 

lives transformed through knowing Jesus Christ as Savior.

Teen Camp 2025

 Thank you for praying for Teen Camp 2025!

It was an amazing three days with

8 teens and 4 moms.

SO MUCH FUN and also 

the Good News of Jesus

was shared clearly 

and with lots of love.

Please pray for these seeds to be

watered and grow and bear fruit

in the lives of these teens!

first day of school

Madylanne is a SENIOR!! 

And so is her cousin, Noah...

and Brianna is a sophomore.

Madylanne has moved in with their family 

to attend a public high school 

where she can complete her senior year.

Her cousins attend a different school in town.

We are so grateful for her Aunt Deanna and Uncle John, 

who have welcomed her into their home and lives for this next year.

We pray Madylanne and Noah have an AMAZING senior year!! 

And Brianna, we hope you have a great sophomore year, too!

 Micah is attending 5th grade here in Burden for the next few weeks

 until we return to Africa. Matthew is attending Algebra class, too. 

So they both had a first day this week. 

They said it was nice to see friends 

from when they were in school here 4 years ago, 

and to meet a few new friends, as well.

VBS 2025

Micah and I had a lot of fun visiting Stonebrook Baptist Church 

and their VBS. What a blessing to share 

with the VBS kids how God is answering their prayers 

when they pray for people in Africa.

 

Baptisms

We were so thrilled to watch our nieces Kylie and Lexi get baptized! 

Thanking God for their commitment to Jesus,

for making it public, 

and that we could be there to witness it!

Keep walking in obedience to Him, ladies.

 

Wisdom teeth

Madylanne had the joy of wisdom teeth extraction last week.

She was quite a trooper and we 

are grateful to God she has healed up so well! 

Thanks to Nana and Rosie for their help at home, too. 

 

South Carolina

Lifepoint Church in South Carolina welcomed us 

with open arms at the end of July. 

We are so grateful for your partnership in the Gospel! 

Thank you Lifepoint for creating 

all these special memories for our family!

We loved every minute with you all. 

 

Smore fun than ever

We had a really fun night at Aunt Deanna's house making smores. Yummm!!

adulting

Madylanne is 18!

Thanks, Nana, for making her lemonade

birthday cake!

 Look who's driving? 

surgery

Micah got his adenoids out!

He's doing oh so much better,

thank You, God!

 

Fun in the summer sun

We've been making lots of memories 

all over Kansas this summer. 

We are grateful for 

family and friends!