Merry Christmas –05

I think we are still in shock at the fact that this year is quickly coming to a close. We really feel like we should be starting the fall not finishing out December. We are beginning to understand why people say the older you get the faster time goes. We are sure that many of you can relate (smile). Since the last Christmas letter quite a bit has happened in our lives. We will try to briefly go through this year hitting some of the highlights.

One of the ministries that we are in charge of at church is our youth drama team, which is called “Audience of One”. The team competed at Talents for Christ, which is a Christian competition for high school students in music, art, preaching and for the first time in Iowa, drama. If you win at the state level you get to compete at Nationals which this year were held in Lakeland, FL. We were the only ones that competed at the State level so we qualified for Nationals. At the end of June (a day after our 1st year anniversary) we packed a 15-passenger van with trailer in tow with 13 teenagers and headed for Florida. Twenty-six hours later we landed in Lakeland, FL. The kids got 1st and 2nd in the competition and we had a great time. Lots of memories to say the least!!!!

August was a trying month for Justin and I. Justin had candidated at church in MI. We felt strongly that the Lord was calling us to the ministry there. We had given up our apartment and in a few weeks thought we were moving up north. In a span of a few days we found out that it was not happening and we had nowhere to live. God is faithful and provided the basement of our college pastor. After much prayer we decided to stay in Ankeny for a few more years. We took the huge step and purchased a condo (well the bank owns most of it but maybe someday we will own it). Justin is finishing up his undergrad degree in Youth Pastoral this December!!!! Praise the Lord!!!!! He is going to begin to get his Master’s at Faith through their module program.

I am still working for Wells Fargo Financial but I am now a loan officer. And for those of you wondering no I am not yet expecting. One prayer request that Justin and I would have is this summer we are going with our youth group on a mission trip to Berlin, Germany for ten days. Please pray that God would provide financially for this trip.

God bless you and your family. Thank you for the impact you have had on our lives.