Moving Right Along

This is what our house looks like. We will pack the U-Haul tomorrow and Elaine, Emily and Ada will hit the road Thursday morning fulfilling their dream of driving the ALCAN (Alaska-Canadian Highway). Please keep them in your prayers.

Leaving AK

So the plan was to drive out on Monday. Emily, Elaine's twin sister, was going to fly from Philly to Anchorage to drive with her. (It has been a dream of both of theirs?!?!?) Anyway, old hurricane Irene is messing up the plans so leaving AK Monday is out the window. Hopefully, we will be on the road by Thursday. Maybe God want us to stay?

Wes

Packing Video

Facebook: The love/hate relationship

I'm sure that many of you out there are like me and have this love/hate relationship with Facebook. It can either reconnect you with dear friends and loved ones or it can suck your life away spending hours finding out the latest relationship status of people you barely know. It can reconcile broken relationships or break them up (seems like more of the latter). Anyway, I did something this week that will help close the gap between those who have not joined the 21st century (my mother) and those who are not really friends but would love to keep tabs on the ministry God has given us. I created a "Page." What is a "Page" you might ask? Well, it can be just about anything you want it to be. For us it will be another way to stay connected with Churches, acquaintances and those like my mom who want to see what is going on in our lives (mostly a few pictures of Ada here and there).

All you have to do is go to our Page and "Like" it if you have a Facebook account and you will start seeing our updates in your daily feed. If you don't have an account just check out the site facebook.com/theauldridges and you will can see all the same things.

Hope this is a useful resource to stay connected.

Wes

The e-Journey Continues

So as we look at the (approximately) three weeks left in AK, lots of thoughts run through our minds. Will we get good goodbyes with all our dear friends? What do we keep? What do we let go of? These are all life questions but not (e)ternal in our journey. I think the real question is, "Lord, what are you doing?"

Do you remember that time in your life when you were super close to God in your walk. You were constantly talking to him and you just really felt his presence? If you have never had an experience like that before, I pray you do. I (Wes) am really being stretched right now by God and it hurts. Not just emotional pain but physical as well. There are times when I physically ache for the eternal. Let me tell you that this is not what I imagined when asked God to be my savior. (Puppies, roller coasters and bacon for every meal!)

Please allow me to share a video a really good friend sent me yesterday. I think it sums up really well where and what God is doing with me. Click Here

Isaiah 64:8 Yet you, LORD, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

Pain "For His Glory,"

Wes (along with his girls Elaine and Ada)

Aloha!

Many of you knew that we just took a weeks vacation to Hawaii last week. As much fun as it was, the vacation was planned before we knew we would be leaving in less than two months. So relaxing and stressing don't go very well together. I (Wes) am having some real struggles with anxiety right now and so I thought this would help out a ton.
Many of you know I am a big fan of Twitter and a day or so after we arrived Pastor Rick Warren Tweeted this, "You cant escape problems thru a vacation because you take YOU with you." Ouch. But I definitely saw his point.
Needless to say it was fun and there were relaxing moments. We saw beauty at it's finest and had some wonderful hosts, the Cassidys. Now we move our focus to the move to Denver. Pray we, "cast all our anxieties on him because he cares for us."
-Wes

Like a Band of Gypsies

Wes, Elaine & Ada Easter 2011

Ladies and Gentleman in the words of Willie Nelson, it's time to be "on the road again." After conversations with Cadence Headquarters, prayer and consideration our leadership has decided that our service in Alaska is finished.

Three years ago this month we (the two of us) arrived here for a one-year internship. It has been a long, challenging, unexpected, exciting and rewarding road. Most of you have followed us through this journey. We are incredibly grateful that God placed us here for this time, and we're excited about his plans for our future.

The time frame is short. We (the three of us) plan to be leaving Alaska by 1 September. From here we will drive (!) to Denver, Colorado where Cadence HQ is located. The plan is that we will spend the next 6-12 months (per Cadence Home Assignment policy) resting, being renewed, and preparing for our next ministry assignment. Pray for this time, as we use it to grow closer to God, refresh our marriage, and recover from the weight we have carried here.

If you support us financially, please continue to. Relocating is expensive, and we will need to save in order to begin at our next location.
If you don't already support us but you've been thinking about it, this would be a great time to join the team! See the EFT Form download to the right, visit Cadence.org, or chat with us for more info.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for the love and support you've shown us in so many ways on our great Alaska adventure as we've shared the Gospel and our lives with the soldiers and airmen here.

That's the basic info. We will keep you posted. Please feel free to write or call with any questions, or just say hi! :)

Many blessings to you,
Wes, Elaine & Ada

Elaine & Ada hiking with our dear friends Anna & Jenna in Eagle River

And Sew it Goes

Lindsay came for a little sewing lesson

This is my pregnant friend Lindsay (I have a lot of pregnant friends). And if she's not careful I'm going to steal her sewing box!
I was surprised when she showed up with a sewing kit of her own. She told me she needed to take up some curtains, and since she was asking me for help, I figured she had no sewing experience. Turns out she has sewn before, but like most people I find, has little confidence in her ability to remember what she learned so many years ago. Like sewing is rocket science or something.
I taught her the step by step sewing method learned decades ago, and enjoyed passing on my knowledge. We chatted a bit about life and babies and grandmas. These are the little moments I want my ministry to be made up of. Just "life" things.
I used to explain to people that life is what happens in the times when you're not saving the world. Ministry is then assumed to be the "saving the world" moments. They are both pretty connected though. Jesus' ministry included long sermons and fishing trips. Both life and both ministry. Sometimes I save my schedule for someone that really needs me, responding to some spiritual crisis- since 'that's ministry'. But I know (and need to remember) that these little interactions are just as important...and quite a bit of fun!

Thanks for stopping by to read our blog. Hopefully you're new around here, and will come back for more in the future.

Elaine

Wes' Sister Nicole

3 Weeks ago Wes' older sister Nicole was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. This was the day that Barb passed away. Sometimes it feels like a relay race with cancer, passing the baton.

Bill, Nicole and two of their four children came to visit us last month. We had a fantastic week showing them Alaska and enjoying our kids. It has been a long time since Wes has spent that much time with Nicole, and a first for Elaine. While they were here Nicole gave us a heads-up that she was getting a lump check out after their visit. After a series of tests and doctor's visits they have decided on surgery to remove both of her breasts. Today (Tuesday) is her surgery. During the surgery they will check her lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread. She'll spend a couple days in the hospital then be home with her family.

Please pray for the surgery, the doctors, her family, and us so far away. I have hope that medicine related to Breast Cancer is really sophisticated, and God will use it. We praise him for the testimony of faithfulness he has already given to Bill and Nicole. I know he will continue to use this for His glory!

Thanks for your prayers,
Wes & Elaine

Barbara Jean Evans ~ Feb 13, 1969 - Mar 7, 2011

Yesterday our dear friend and co-worker ended her year and half long struggle with Brain Cancer. Her family and our community are in the middle of the grieving process. We will honor her life and ministry with a memorial service Thursday at our base Chapel.
Please continue to be in prayer for her husband, Dan and their children Caleb & Audrey. They will travel to Chicago for another memorial this weekend at the church where Barb grew up, was married, and her parents still attend.
Pray for those in our community who have known Barb for either 5 years or 5 months. Everyone deals with loss and death differently and we want to be able to help each of them in this process.
Pray for Wes and I as this is a challenging journey. We are glad to know that Barb is in Glory with Jesus, in a body that will never know cancer. We are relieved that her suffering is done. Wes is being a strong support for Dan in this time, and needs continued physical and emotional strength.

The Lord's timing is good. I (Elaine w/ Ada) will travel to PA Thursday after the memorial service to begin the festivities for my sister's wedding. Wes will join us next week. I am beyond thankful that God allowed me to remain in Alaska for this time with the Evans'.

Death is swallowed up in victory!
Elaine (& Wes)

No more excuses...

Ada bundled up for her first outdoor outing, the "Outhouse Races" at Fur Rondy,
the festival leading up to the Iditarod.

Hello friends! The past two months have flown by! Things are busy in absolutely every category of life. So, I'll try to do a quick overview:

Family: Sweet Ada is 8 weeks old now. She's of course growing like a weed. She loves to wiggle, smile, and cuddle. She enjoys having her diaper changed, and loves the bath! She checked in this morining at 10 pounds 10 ounces and 22.5 inches!
Wes and I are enjoying parenthood, and our little family. We've escaped for a couple dates, and plan on continuing our weekly "date night".

Ministry: We are once again hosting Hospitality House in our home, after a "maternity leave" break. Our Married group is large. They love and serve one another so well. There are some marriages going through some dark and hurting times, that would greatly benefit from your prayers. Our singles group is small, and going through a transition. We are in need of leaders to come from within the group, and we have none right now. I'm praying for a soldier or airman with a heart for his or her peers to join us!

Teammates: Dan and Barb's road has turned from rough pavement to gravel. They are nearing the point where Dan says goodbye and Barb continues on through the gate that leads to streets of gold. We expect to give her to Jesus in the coming weeks. She is finally ready. Ready to get a new body where all of her limbs work and with her whole being she praises the Lord. Pray for Caleb and Audrey as they hurt, and grow through losing mom.

Plans: The Lord knows the plans he has made for us. He will direct our steps. If he wills it we will wake up in Alaska tomorrow. These are our plans.

Thanks for checking in on us!

Daddy & Ada taking care of business.

Mommy & Ada enjoying the sunshine.

Love,
Elaine (, Wes & Ada)

Our Daughter

Please Welcome Adelaide "Ada" Jean Auldridge to the team!!

Just a quick post to let the world know that Ada was born on Jan 4th at 11:32 pm. She weighed 7lbs 12oz and was 19.5" long.
We are all home and doing well, getting adjusted to a new, wonderful life!
Elaine's mom was here for 10 days (waiting with us on the late arival of this precious girl) and left yesterday. Tonight Wes' mother arrives for a week, followed by visits from Elaine's sister, Wes' dad, and his sister & family.
Thanks for your prayers and encouragement. We are truly more thankful for Ada than we ever could have imagined.
We have started a new and amazing journey.

Praise God from whom All Blessings flow!
Wes, Elaine & Ada