We are getting so excited! Please pray that we have more time to prepare. We have been so busy the last two weeks. We need time to continue our reading and devotions and just spiritual renewal.
Today we actually have a day home. We have things to do, but at least there are no definate things that are pressing on our time! It feels good to be home with our kids.
On Tuesday, Ashley and I brought our friends Kori and Rebecca Vander Kooi to the airport in Chicago. They left for their trip to Uganda. It makes me so excited. It was good to drop them off at the airport so we know exactly what we need to do and how the whole thing works. Reading her blog also just makes me want to be there. It also gives me an urgency to get some stuff done to prepare. You may read her blog if you desire. www.vanderkooivida.blogspot.com
Talking about preparing, my niece, Anna, came over on Thursday and she brought two skirts that she made for me!! I love them sooooo much. I think I am going to wear them to church here. I have already been wearing them any chance I get. I think I could get used to wearing dresses all the time. By the way, my niece is so fabulous that she won't let me pay her for her work! And my sister-in-law paid for the material. God has blessed us in so many ways.
Please keep praying for us as we prepare. Pray that we will have time and energy. Please pray as we prepare our hearts, that we will be in tune with the Holy Spirit and we will be able to see clear direction! Pray for the Ugandans, that they will accept us and they will be fast friends. Please continue praying for Tim and Angie as they are still adjusting to life back in Uganda with no Josh and Mandy. Also please pray for our friends, Kori and Rebecca, and their friend Karin, that they will have a safe and positive trip.
We love you all and continue to be in awe of the wonderful church, friends, and family we have. God has truly blessed us with wonderful people in our lives!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sunday Blessings!
So today was a wonderfully busy day! We went to church this morning at Pathway Ministries where we had a time of prayer for our friends Kori(Mom) and Rebecca(daughter) Vander Kooi. They leave for Uganda on Tuesday. It was powerful to see all of the people who are committed to praying for them on their trip. We had a great service and great worship. Also, please pray for us as Ashley and I drive them to Chicago to the airport on Tuesday.
After church, Steve and Linda and Aaron Snyder came for dinner. This is who our kids will be staying with when we go to Uganda. We had a great time and we could tell our kids were comfortable with them and it made them very excited. When they left, Ashley turned around and gave a little squeal of excitement. It is so fun to see how God just keeps blessing us with the excitement from our kids and from the Snyder's. We are so thankful that God had made this provision and that the Snyders listened to God's prompting. I am so not afraid of leaving my kids behind. I will miss them, but I will have a smile on my face when I think of them knowing that they are being so loved.
Went to a wonderful service at our church at night. It is so good to be with our church family. We are so thankful for their encouragement. We were then invited to go to dear friends house. We didn't know what we were going to eat, but we didn't care it was all about the fellowship. But we ate like kings, we put our resources together and it multiplied. We were able to share our excitement about our trip. It is so fun and encouraging to be with people who love the Lord and want to serve him. We are so thankful for our friends here in Byron Center. If we move that is one of the things that will be really hard to give up. We don't care about the stuff, but our friends are so precious to us. We are so thankful for modern communication for this reason. We may be far in distance, but God holds are hearts together in prayer. And the internet is great for long distance friendships.
Anyway, we just felt so blessed today. I love Sunday, it is a great day to rest and be with God's people.
After church, Steve and Linda and Aaron Snyder came for dinner. This is who our kids will be staying with when we go to Uganda. We had a great time and we could tell our kids were comfortable with them and it made them very excited. When they left, Ashley turned around and gave a little squeal of excitement. It is so fun to see how God just keeps blessing us with the excitement from our kids and from the Snyder's. We are so thankful that God had made this provision and that the Snyders listened to God's prompting. I am so not afraid of leaving my kids behind. I will miss them, but I will have a smile on my face when I think of them knowing that they are being so loved.
Went to a wonderful service at our church at night. It is so good to be with our church family. We are so thankful for their encouragement. We were then invited to go to dear friends house. We didn't know what we were going to eat, but we didn't care it was all about the fellowship. But we ate like kings, we put our resources together and it multiplied. We were able to share our excitement about our trip. It is so fun and encouraging to be with people who love the Lord and want to serve him. We are so thankful for our friends here in Byron Center. If we move that is one of the things that will be really hard to give up. We don't care about the stuff, but our friends are so precious to us. We are so thankful for modern communication for this reason. We may be far in distance, but God holds are hearts together in prayer. And the internet is great for long distance friendships.
Anyway, we just felt so blessed today. I love Sunday, it is a great day to rest and be with God's people.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Update
Today I am finally home and getting all my errands done.
I have healthy kids and I am so thankful. Although Troy now is showing signs of an early allergy season. I pray this year isn't as bad as it has been some years. Please pray that he can have a healthy allergy season. He gets very miserable and mean when his allergies are so bad. I pray as he gets older he can handle it better.
Our next step in our preparation for our trip is putting together a will. This is not so much fun to think about. We need to make sure all is in order before we leave.
We also are doing alot of reading. We have books, websites and devotions to prepare us for this mission trip. We have watched movies, Invisible Children and War Dance. All these things make us so excited to go.
We pray for the Ugandan people that they will accept us and that we will fit into their culture in the way God wants us to. Please pray for the people that we will encounter on this trip. Pray that their hearts will be open to us. Please pray for Tim and Angie as they prepare for not only us, but for the many short term mission teams that will be coming. They will be doing this more on their own, because Josh and Mandy will be coming back to the States to care for little Luka. By the way, check out Josh and Mandy's blog to see how God is working in Luka's life. www.shaarda.blogspot.com
We are so thankful for the prayer support and financial support we are recieving. God has truly blessed this trip so far and depend on him to carry it to completion. We are so thankful we serve a wonderful God.
I have healthy kids and I am so thankful. Although Troy now is showing signs of an early allergy season. I pray this year isn't as bad as it has been some years. Please pray that he can have a healthy allergy season. He gets very miserable and mean when his allergies are so bad. I pray as he gets older he can handle it better.
Our next step in our preparation for our trip is putting together a will. This is not so much fun to think about. We need to make sure all is in order before we leave.
We also are doing alot of reading. We have books, websites and devotions to prepare us for this mission trip. We have watched movies, Invisible Children and War Dance. All these things make us so excited to go.
We pray for the Ugandan people that they will accept us and that we will fit into their culture in the way God wants us to. Please pray for the people that we will encounter on this trip. Pray that their hearts will be open to us. Please pray for Tim and Angie as they prepare for not only us, but for the many short term mission teams that will be coming. They will be doing this more on their own, because Josh and Mandy will be coming back to the States to care for little Luka. By the way, check out Josh and Mandy's blog to see how God is working in Luka's life. www.shaarda.blogspot.com
We are so thankful for the prayer support and financial support we are recieving. God has truly blessed this trip so far and depend on him to carry it to completion. We are so thankful we serve a wonderful God.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Sickness
Troy has been sick with a fever for 6 days now. He has a sore throat and headache and is very weak! Please pray that it will go away. He is on an antibiotic for an ear infection, so I'm pretty sure the sore throat is viral. He is also still complaining that his ear hurts. Drew also woke with a fever yesterday, but it does not seem to be as bad as Troy's yet so I am praying that his does not become worse.
All this said, I am in prayer for a little boy named Luka, he is the son of a family that is on the same mission team as Tim and Angie. Also a nephew to them. He has been sick with diarhea and vomiting for a couple of days now and is in the hospital in Kampala. He needs our prayers. Last I heard he is unable to keep anything down and is getting dehydrated. It makes me realize that the medical care in Uganda is different than here and we may encounter some of these issues. It doesn't make me not want to go, but it makes me realize how much our missionaries need our prayers and how I need to be in constant prayer for their protection and health. Please join me in praying for Luka and also for Troy as they battle sickness in two totally different worlds.
"The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles." Psalm 34: 17 I am clinging to this verse today! I know we serve a God who hears our crys and our prayers. We just need to cry out!
All this said, I am in prayer for a little boy named Luka, he is the son of a family that is on the same mission team as Tim and Angie. Also a nephew to them. He has been sick with diarhea and vomiting for a couple of days now and is in the hospital in Kampala. He needs our prayers. Last I heard he is unable to keep anything down and is getting dehydrated. It makes me realize that the medical care in Uganda is different than here and we may encounter some of these issues. It doesn't make me not want to go, but it makes me realize how much our missionaries need our prayers and how I need to be in constant prayer for their protection and health. Please join me in praying for Luka and also for Troy as they battle sickness in two totally different worlds.
"The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles." Psalm 34: 17 I am clinging to this verse today! I know we serve a God who hears our crys and our prayers. We just need to cry out!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Britt Nicole
So I was listening to WCSG this morning and Britt Nicole was talking on the radio. She just got back from Uganda and was sharing about a song that reflected her trip to Uganda. Ashley and I went to a Britt Nicole concert here in GR and Ashley listens to her music all the time. I was so excited. Ashley is excited about going to Uganda (if we go). This was a great way for her to even be more excited about it. Britt really challenges you to read God's word and to walk out in faith. You can watch the video by clicking on this site:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj7CcYQ88lI
It is so great when a young artist shares her heart and challenges our young girls. Watch the video and I pray she is encouraging to you.
I love when God puts these things right at our fingertips!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj7CcYQ88lI
It is so great when a young artist shares her heart and challenges our young girls. Watch the video and I pray she is encouraging to you.
I love when God puts these things right at our fingertips!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Immunizations
So we had our immunizations on Tuesday and we ended up with 8 shots and two types of pills we have to take!! It is crazy how much you have to do before you go to Africa. Although the shots were not fun, it was great to get them done. One more thing checked off our list of things to do. We have continued to feel God's providing hand with every step.
Yesteday I (Tanya) helped my friend Kori put on a Spaghetti Dinner for her trip to Uganda. It was a great success and it was alot of fun for me. It made me excited about our trip too. It was more time to talk to Tim and Angie. Also one of my dear friends may be traveling to Uganda this summer and I am so excited for her. She found out last night at the dinner. It was a success in more ways than one. God was glorified in that place.
Through all this, Troy got sick. He had said in the morning that his ear was bothering him, but he had on and off been complaining for a while. He also said he had a sore throat, but again I didn't think anything of it. I thought he was just tired and didn't want to go to school, but I sent him. When I picked him up from school to take him to church where we were doing the dinner, he started to cry. He said "Mom my ear really hurts." I felt so bad, but I had my job to do. The dinner was starting soon and it was crunch time. I then took him in to church and soon realized he had a fever. I called the dr and took him in. I felt bad missing the busy part of the preparations. I realize that my baby needed to come first though. He has an ear infection and he tested neg. for strep but the dr wasn't so sure he didn't have it. He put him on a strong antibiotic. Please pray for him to feel better soon! I am so thankful we have a very uneventful weekend. WE need time to breath.
Yesterday another exciting thing happened too!! We recieved our Passports in the mail. Now it seems sooooooo real. We are going to Uganda. Everytime I start to doubt, I just read God's word or pray and it is still being confirmed!
After yesterday, I just want to get stuff done at home and take a nap. I guess I better get going and get something done!
Yesteday I (Tanya) helped my friend Kori put on a Spaghetti Dinner for her trip to Uganda. It was a great success and it was alot of fun for me. It made me excited about our trip too. It was more time to talk to Tim and Angie. Also one of my dear friends may be traveling to Uganda this summer and I am so excited for her. She found out last night at the dinner. It was a success in more ways than one. God was glorified in that place.
Through all this, Troy got sick. He had said in the morning that his ear was bothering him, but he had on and off been complaining for a while. He also said he had a sore throat, but again I didn't think anything of it. I thought he was just tired and didn't want to go to school, but I sent him. When I picked him up from school to take him to church where we were doing the dinner, he started to cry. He said "Mom my ear really hurts." I felt so bad, but I had my job to do. The dinner was starting soon and it was crunch time. I then took him in to church and soon realized he had a fever. I called the dr and took him in. I felt bad missing the busy part of the preparations. I realize that my baby needed to come first though. He has an ear infection and he tested neg. for strep but the dr wasn't so sure he didn't have it. He put him on a strong antibiotic. Please pray for him to feel better soon! I am so thankful we have a very uneventful weekend. WE need time to breath.
Yesterday another exciting thing happened too!! We recieved our Passports in the mail. Now it seems sooooooo real. We are going to Uganda. Everytime I start to doubt, I just read God's word or pray and it is still being confirmed!
After yesterday, I just want to get stuff done at home and take a nap. I guess I better get going and get something done!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Overwelmed
I just wanted to let you all know that we are so thankful for all the prayer support, words of encouragement, and finacial support. God has been so faithful in providing people to come alongside us on this journey. We covet your continual prayers and feel them as we walk each day trusting that the Lord is walking before us preparing the way. I wish I could tell you my every thought and every little way the Lord has provided, but I could write all the time I feel right now.
Please pray that we keep having great days and that the devil stays far from us. We feel so a peace right now and we pray we can continue in that peace.
Another immediate prayer request is this. Tommorrow we go to get our immunizations, pray that it all goes well and that we don't have adverse reactions. I don't know anyone who likes shots and I certainly don't. I pray all goes well with it.
Please pray that we keep having great days and that the devil stays far from us. We feel so a peace right now and we pray we can continue in that peace.
Another immediate prayer request is this. Tommorrow we go to get our immunizations, pray that it all goes well and that we don't have adverse reactions. I don't know anyone who likes shots and I certainly don't. I pray all goes well with it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)