Check out this great MSN Video: Top 10 Weird Houses

Check out this great MSN Video: Top 10 Weird Houses

Love

"Therefore, preaching the gospel to myself is a great way to keep God's amazing love before my eyes, so that I might experience its power to produce in me a passionate love for Him in return. Captured by His love in this way, my smitten heart increasingly burns to do His will and feasts itself on doing so." Gospel Primer (pg. 29)

First Soccer Practice!

Catch of the Day

Rylie has been wanting to go fishing for quite awhile now. She keeps telling her Grandpa that he needs to take her, she has her net and her rod all ready. So, when she found out that her preschool class was going to go on a fishing field trip, she was very excited.
We went to a Fishing Farm, and she was first up out of her little group. She cast her line and waited eagerly for that tug. She didn't have to wait long. Her rod was quickly being pulled down by a rainbow trout and she was reeling in the line as quick as her little fingers could go. Her friend, Joshua scooped up her fish in the net and Rylie grinned from ear to ear! "Mommy, I caught my first fish!" she yelled.
She was so proud and excited! She had to call Grandpa and Daddy right away and tell them about her catch and ask them if they were proud of her!
She got to take it home and have it for dinner, which she didn't like so much, but Anna did. Anna had three helpings of it, Rylie spit out her first bite. We decided that Rylie can catch the fish, and Anna can eat them.
Rylie said it was the "best field trip ever!" and she can't wait to go fishing again! A girl after her Grandpa's heart!

"How precious is your steadfast love O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light."
Psalm 36: 7-9

Opening Day Party

I forgot about these pictures, they are from Mariners Opening Day. Since Ryan wasn't here to watch it with me, I invited a few friends to come over and watch it! We had cotton candy, hot dogs, popcorn, garlic fries, and pretzels, and best of all, a win!

Treasures From Africa

Ryan brought us back some gifts from Madagascar. Some of them were from him, and some of them were from the Pastor's and wives at the conference. I was so touched that they sent presents to us! I thought it would be fun to share with you all!

Computer Problems

My computer is not working for some reason, so I haven't been able to blog lately. I can go online and do some things with my phone, but blogging is a little more difficult. So, please be patient, I will be back soon, and I have some cool Madagascar pictures to share with you!

Ryan's (and Dave and Bob's) Class

A couple pictures from Africa!

Ryan was able to send me a couple pictures from Madagascar! The first picture is of him standing in front of the city of Tana, from the highest point in the city. The second is the butcher shop, and the third is the house where they stayed.
He is now back in the States! He flew in tonight into Kentucky, where he is at the Together for the Gospel conference until Thursday night, then he will come home to me!
Now that he back in the US, he is back in cell phone range, so the girls and I got to talk to him!

Freebies in my mailbox this week!

Aren't these adorable?!

I love these cuffs! To see more adorable things like this, check out this fun blog, Ruffles and Stuff.
(Anyone want to make some of these for the sewing challenged. . .?)

Easter and B12

I know this is almost a week late, but here are a few pictures from Easter. I had my family, Ryan's family, and the Coulter's over for dinner. We had a nice time all together, but we missed Ryan. Pam will kill me for putting this picture of her on here, but it cracks me up!

I have been having very low energy and feeling very fatigued, as well as having some other weird symptoms (like tingling in my hands and feet, etc.) My doctor checked my B12 levels and they are low. They shouldn't be however because I have been taking B vitamins daily and recently had a B12 shot. My doctor is concerned that my body is not absorbing it for some reason and that I might have an auto immune disorder. She is treating me with a six week course of B12 shots, once a week. After that time she will test my blood again and see if my body is absorbing it or not. Depending on that we will see if I need further testing or not. This would explain a few other symptoms I have been having, so we will see.

What Anna thought of the Tulip Festival

New update from Ryan

To my beloved church family and friends,

We are now finishing our first day of teaching and I don’t know who is more exhausted, us, or the people! Today we taught from 8:30 until 5,

with only a one hour lunch break. We taught on the nature of the

Bible (one class on “Revelation, Inspiration, and Illumination” and a second class on “the sufficiency and the authority of Scripture”) and also did an introduction to the entire Bible. I taught in intro the OT, and Bob and Dave covered all the NT books. It was a long day, but I hope that it was very profitable.

Please be in prayer for our translator, David. He is a believer and is doing a WONDERFUL job, but it is exhausting work. Where we get to share the teaching load, and can take a break, he is the only one

translating- so everything we teach, he has to teach as well! Plus, he has to take our broken, stumbling English and attempt to bring it into another language! Again, pray for this dear brother.

Also, be in prayer for the size of the group we are teaching to.

Originally, there were to be 80 pastors at this conference, but currently our group is just a little more than 20. Many of the pastors are gone at this time, as the country vacations the week after Easter. We are not discouraged, but we simply desire as many Malagasies as possible to be exposed to this teaching. In talking with our coordinator, Julian, the country is in desperate need.

Julian told us that as many as 80% of the pastors in the churches are, most likely, not saved! The country also suffers from severe poverty and crime, and desperately needs the Word of God to invade this place.

So please join with us in praying that more people would attend the conference.

That said, the group that was here today appear to be very like minded. As I taught on the Sufficiency and Authority of Scriptures, many of the people were very affirming of what was said and accepted eagerly Jesus’ challenge to build their life on the truth of God’s

Word (Matt. 7). I found the same things in my OT seminar, especially

as I explained the story of redemption. So, pray for these faithful

brothers and sisters, that our teaching would encourage them to greater faithfulness.

As far as our living conditions and the care for us, we have been tremendously blessed. Again, the house we are staying in is very comfortable. The weather has been in the 70s and the elevation has greatly reduced the amount of insect activity- two nights without the mosquito net and no problems! So, we thank you for all of your prayers- God is caring for us (and even pampering us pansies!) :) Seriously, we so appreciate all of your prayers. We’ve had a strong sense of God’s presence and care and have really been encouraged by each other and our time in the Word.

Again, pray for the sessions, for endurance for all of us and that the Spirit would take the Word of God and exalt our Lord and Savior through our teaching of His truth.

In the care and blessing of Christ,

Pastor Ryan

Update from Ryan

To my gracious church family and friends-

We’re here, safe and sound! The flights were long but pretty good. The flight to Paris was around 9 hours and the flight to Madagascar was 10.5. We all held up very well, which was a testimony to your prayers! We finally got in about 10:30 local time (12:30 Sunday afternoon for you), but by the time we got our visas, our bags, went through customs, and then got to the house we’re staying in, it was about midnight.

The place we’re staying is very comfortable. It is the upstairs of a guest house, with two bedrooms (Dave and I are sharing), a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom. It is actually very clean and has a European feel to it. We had a nice French breakfast this morning, and shared the company of two British nurses who are here for 8 weeks doing medical work.

The weather here is great right now- somewhere in the 70’s. There is a nice breeze today, which helps with the humidity. Last night, when we landed, it was only 65 degrees, but with the humidity being about 100%, it felt like we were in an oven. The airport, with all of the bodies crowded together, was especially muggy.

Another blessing is that the bugs, especially the mosquitoes, don’t seem like much of an issue, as we’re at 4,000 feet. We even slept without our mosquito netting last night!

Please continue to be in prayer for the conference which starts tomorrow, 04/07. Julian, our conference coordinator, told us that right now it looks like only 40 pastors will be attending (instead of 80) because many of the pastors go on vacation following Easter. Pray that word would get around about the conference and the quality of the teaching, and more pastors would come.

Also, pray for Sunday morning. Both Bob and I will be preaching in a local church. The church has two services, one in French and another in the native language. Bob will be preaching in the French service and I’ll be praying in the native service. Right now, I’m praying about preaching from 1 Cor. 15:3. Pray that God would give me clarity regarding what to preach and that the Spirit would empower the message.

Continue to pray for God’s blessing upon Julian. He is a wonderful man of God who is graciously caring for us. He is the pastor of evangelism in his church here and has served for years with Campus Crusade for Christ. He just finished a four day evangelistic outreach and now is busy caring for us and coordinating the conference. Pray for strength and endurance for him.

Thank you so much for sacrificing, as a church, to allow us to be able to do this. I know God will continue to bless EBC for its commitment to world missions. This is a very needy place and I praise God I can be here, serving these people as your representative.

I don’t know when I’ll be able to get internet access again. It probably won’t be until Saturday. I’ll try to send you another update then.

In Christ,

Pastor Ryan

2 Cor. 4:6

Ryan

I just wanted to let those of you know who have been praying for Ryan, Dave and Bob that I just got an email and they are safe in Madagascar! It took a few days before they were able to get to an internet cafe (and they were closed for Easter). I will share more of his email later, right now I have to get Rylie ready for school.

Decorating Eggs

We were sad when we dropped Ryan off at the airport on Saturday, we were sad, but we were glad we had something fun to look forward to that afternoon. Our friends, Katie and Madelyn, came over and decorated Easter eggs with us. It was fun. The girls were still a little young for doing this, so they didn't really get into doing different colors or designs on each egg, they were just thrilled with changing the color of the eggs. Rylie had her own way of decorating them.
Katie was wonderful and stayed and helped me get the food and house prepared for Easter dinner the next day. The girls had a blast playing together. It was so nice having the help, but even nicer having the friendship! It was so fun just to hang out with her all day! I'm happy my friend Katie is obeying God's calling on her life to become a missionary in Sweeden, but selfishly, I don't want her to go!

Praying For My Traveling Man

Reading to her babies

(She spelled her own name all by her self the other day!)

Gettin' our country on!

My friend, Michelle and I went to the Leanne Womack/Reba/George Strait concert the other night. It was Michelle's birthday present from her hubby and kids!