Count your many blessings...

(Our new home at, 25822 Berryhill Rd)

Two green folding chairs, a stack of wood, a crackling fire, and a mountain of golden leaves. No, I'm not camping I'm sitting in our new home. It's 34 degrees outside and I'm trying to soak in all the warmth of our little green wood stove possible.
I could begin to list the things in the past month that seem like tragedies from where I sit. Friends it has not been an easy month for Wes and Elaine, as well as many others. But I am still here, God has not allowed me to be overtaken with troubles or sorrows. And I truly could list the blessings that have come from each of our struggles. I wish I could tell you each personally about it. Please don't hear lightheartedness in my voice. This hope has not come easy, I am learning to wake up every morning and choose to see the hope and the blessing in our situations. We can sing and read that God is the potter, and we are the clay; but clay does not have an easy go of things before it's a beautiful piece of pottery.

I would love to share with you the brighter side of things. Our new home is a blessing and a ministry in many ways. We are renting from a dear friend. He was the youth pastor on base (Working with MCYM/Young Life) and for family health reasons has had to leave "the field". They are moving back home to Minnesota (eh!) and had hoped for good renters in their lovely Alaskan house.
We hope to move the Singles dinner & Bible Study to this house this week. And soon to move the married group here as well. It is laid our very well for hosting groups of people, and making everyone feel at home.
We pretty much wake up every morning and think, "wow, how did we get here?". And we are truly thankful.

Please continue to pray for the growing ministry here. We still have lots of details to work out concerning how to move forward and in what ways Dan and Barb can and should be involved with the work we've all been doing over the past year(s).
Barb is doing well, but the chemo and radiation are beginning to get harder on her, pray for her children.

In all things I pray that Jesus is glorified. In our lives, and in the lives of those around us.
Have a great week,
Elaine (& Wes)