14 November 2008

The Infinite Riches in Jesus

Our family's favorite hymn was penned by Annie Johnson Flint.

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction, He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!

When we have exhausted our store of endurance
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father's full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto men;
For out of the inifinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!

So many of you keep emailing, sending cards and letting us know you are praying for us these days! We are SO GRATEFUL! We must confess...rather than feeling the weight of greater burdens, or increased labors, we are sensing His infinite riches and are finding joy, and hope, and excitment in each new day. That is His dear presence through your faithful prayers...thank you!

Jesus has met us many times in the last week. Elsie Jayne had one final birthday bash once we made it home to Arua where I could make her a cake! :) She had another American/British friend who was turning three the same week, so we celebrated together.

The next day we went to Nebbi for the final exam. Jesus helped us all three (four), but it was a LONG day. We left just after seven and reached home just before six in the evening! Elsie Jayne was a trooper with no real nap all day. It was hard on her though and that is the day we decided we might not all go to Sudan this weekend for training. You may need to be one and a half or two to do international road trips with no naps!

Billy has made it safely to Yei, Sudan and has met up with some of our pastors there already. The rest will join them today. Please pray as he was met with some exciting inquiries from the guys about what the future of WGM Sudan might look like. It's exciting how we all have ideas and in these begining stages we can lay them all on the table, but pray with us that the men might be eager to meet with Jesus and know HIS PLANS and PURPOSES for WGM Sudan and the days ahead!

07 November 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELSIE JAYNE


Elsie Jayne had her first birthday on Monday. She was happy to celebrate in Kampala, where we had traveled for our final good-byes to John and Erica. We were supposed to be traveling home on her birthday, but there were car problems, so she got to celebrate in the big city, which we all loved!
Here is her week in review!
Out for a birthday breakfast with daddy!...maybe Starbucks in 2010!
They are both looking forward to that!


A package arrived from America to Kampala on Elsie Jayne's Birthday!
How fun to have a cool puppy dog to open on the actual day!
Thanks Matt and Bonnie!

This little rubber ducky was a favorite gift!
Colleagues from Kampala, Uncle Kenneth and Aunt Delight gave Elsie Jayne this great treasure.

Elsie Jayne looked so pretty in her birthday dress from Papa!
She loved going out to eat in the big city!
One fun place even had balloons!

The best part of being in the city was getting to spend some time with our dearest friends Tina and Imam and their precious little Angela.
It was so fun just to catch up with them and share with one another all of God's goodness to us in the days we've been apart!

Elsie Jayne had a present waiting for her at home from some Arua friends.
The flowers were by her bed and the note reads:
"Happy Birthday Elsie Jayne,

Welcome back to Arua!

May God bless you and may you live to blow a thousand candles."

We are so thankful for Elsie Jayne's first year!
Jesus is so kind to entrust her to us...and we are delighted to trust her back to Him.
He is carrying us all four now!!!

Pray with us as tomorrow we plan to all go to Nebbi for the day.
We will give the final exam for year one and do a special lesson on Christmas.
Pray as we focus on the birth of our Savior, His Life and Light would be so real in our midst.
There are some divisions and confusion amongst the pastors in Nebbi just now.
Please pray for unity as well as discernment as we seek Jesus and His best for each person and each Church.