We’re hitting the road!
Just a brief update to let everyone know that we are leaving San Jose, California tomorrow for about 5 1/2 months. We will be traveling with 5 of our kids in a mini van cross country, visiting friends and churches (new and old).
Our first stop with be the L.A. area until March 26.
Please pray for us – for safety, God’s provision, and profitable meetings with all.
Let us know if we can stop by (we have added Chicago, Kansas, and maybe Colorado to our itinerary).
The Shepherds Conference was AWESOME last week! We were so privileged to see many friends and make some new ones as well.
We are so blessed
Today was another good, crazy, busy day. We had an AWESOME morning at church, had an afternoon visit with folks we hadn’t seen in over 10 years, then after I tucked in Luke for the night, Timothy and I headed out to do a couple of errands and go out for drinks (chocolate shake and diet lemonade).
I’m so thankful for all our kids – we are truly blessed. Spending 1/2 hour alone with Timothy just talking made me realize how fast they grow up and what a privilege and blessing it is to hang out with my teenagers.
Last night Michael and I had time together at McDonalds (the favorite choice of 8 year olds!) while waiting to pick up Stephen from band practice. Life is so busy, that sometimes it seems like too much effort to make time to spend time alone with each of the kids now and again.
I am SO thankful that Kimberly and I will be heading down to Los Angeles tomorrow – thankful for the opportunities that this week holds – thankful for the time in the car just with her – thankful for “big” kids and grandma that can take care of “little” kids – thankful to be with Steve after a weeks’ separation.
Missionary meetings in LA
I have been in LA this past week with about 40 other men from around the world at the annual The Master’s Academy International (TMAI) symposium. Monday was interesting; I was at Joni & Friends (the ministry to the disabled founded by Joni Erickson Tada) for a long day of meetings. They have a quite large international ministry. We learned about ministry to the disabled and discussed how we might be able to integrate some of the material into our pastoral ministry curriculum. Joni is about the most pleasant and kind person I have ever met.
The rest of the time we have been at Calvary Bible Church in Burbank. There have been presentations and reports from schools, training centers and various ministries from all round the world. Seminary professors sure have a lot to talk about when they get together. I shouldn’t say much because I will have my time in front of the mic on Monday. I’ll give a report on how things are going in South Africa. But, I will be giving the report with two of our graduates; Thomas, who is from Germany, and Kwacha, who is from Malawi. Thomas is now working back in Germany and Kwacha is here in LA working on his master’s degree at The Master’s Seminary.
Next week I will still be here in LA, but I will be at the Shepherd’s Conference at Grace Community Church. It will be a working conference for me though. I’ll be at special meetings for missions and missionaries, manning a missions booth and answering any questions I can that the conference attendees have about me, our ministry in South Africa and about the ministry of TMAI.
Please pray that all of the meetings and interaction with people are fruitful for us all.
Steve
Winter in America 2009/10
Here are a few pictures of our family since we’ve been back in the ‘States. Friends of ours own a house at Lake Tahoe and let us go up for a week. Luke’s first experience in the snow!
Playing street hockey in front of grandma's house
Timothy snowboarding in Tahoe
Kimberly relaxing after sledding and snowboarding
Luke
Catherine hits the slopes
Michael over the picturesque lake
Mom enjoying the snow with Michael and Timothy
Michael and Timothy having fun back at grandma's house
I forgot about Minnesota!
I woke up this morning thinking, “Oh no! I forgot about Minnesota!”
Yes, we are very much looking forward to visiting our friends at Redeemer Bible Church in Minnesota; probably sometime in June or July.
I’m still planning on posting pictures later today (Stephen is teaching me how). UPDATE: Pictures are posted
