Preparing for NICA

This week as been a little crazy as we get ready to head to the city of Villa El Carmen, Nicaragua. On Tuesday night, we (us and the Spann's) took Jermile to Blue Fire Grill for his birthday! We had a great time just celebrating life, and enjoying Jermile being close enough to Greenville to go out to eat.

On Wednesday night, we went to a really expensive restaurant (Restaurant O) in downtown for our anniversary. I had received a gift card from one of my students at the end of the year last year, and we decided to hold it for our anniversary. Now, our actual anniversary will be Monday, but since we will be out of country, we celebrated last night! We had a really fun time just laughing and eating really yummy dessert. When they brought me mine, they wrote a really cute message on it!

On Thursday (or today), we are receiving our new couch! YAY! It is a sleeper sofa and I am sooo excited to actually have a couch. Bristol might have a hard time, because contrary to the futon, he isn't allowed! We are also getting a swivel chair to replace one of the recliners. It is nice, big, and comfy! I am so excited...I just love new furniture...I'll post pictures when it actually gets here.

We leave in two days (Sat) with half of our team, and the rest will leave on Sun. Our team was too big for one trip. Please pray for our safe travel, good health, and over all that the people in Villa El Carmen will be open to the Word! There are some specific requests sent from the pastor and team already located there, so I might post that tomorrow or something! Thanks again for helping this dream become a reality for Jonathan and I. We are so excited to watch God do some very unique things we might not have experienced here!

Us celebrating with Jermile (I had to reduce red-eyes on Mary Beth and I, and now I look gray)

Jonathan and I at Restaurant O (we're off center cause I had to trim the arm fat)

This is our message and my vanilla bean creme brulee(many thanks to the chef)

money, money, money muh naay

I know it has been awhile.....but when you miss a day or two it is so overwhelming to get back into it......where do you start....what do you say! Well here is where I will start......








When we first decided to apply for the Nicaragua trip I was adament, maybe to much so, that we shouldnt get excited about our chances because even though we wanted to go....Gods plans may be different. I didnt want us to get our hearts set on going and have to deal with our sinful pride if we were (wordly) disappointed about not being picked. Well we got picked as most of you know....then what happens. Well me being me ask, well we got picked but does God really want us here on this trip.....how can we make sure that we are doing this for him and not our pleasure? This has been a struggle of mine lately.....i am really aware of my motives and want my heart to be in the right place.





Well God is amazing (as we knew), but I think opening our hearts to what he wants and constantly checking ourselves to see if our path is matching up to what he asks of us is the right thing to do. God answers some prayers with quiet answers and yet others with cymbals and gongs........Well he answered us with what can only be described as a nuclear bomb (minus the death destruction and overall sin). We are both.....yes both fully funded for the trip!!!! Not only are we fully funded but we have to this point raised more that enough money!!! Lets just say that through Gods work on our friends and families hearts he has raised money for us to go on the trip......buy extra meds.....and even help our other teammates out financially!!!! Praise Him!!!





Lets just say that as of our last total (its like jerrys kids) we where both paid for and could have fully funded a friend to go with us! This is just amazing.....Bailey has had a great time watching my reaction everytime we get an update or check in the mail.......pretty much flabergasted

This would sum my reactions up in a nutshell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So what is left to say is thank you to God for providing for us such amazing friends and family that would listen to the Lords call and give to us without any promise of return.

I would be mad at myself if I didnt mention all of our friends and family that are not in a postion to give but have and will continue to pray for us in this process. I know that the worldly view may not see this as important.....but this is actually as important if not more important than monetary support. You guys (as well as those who gave) are praying for our eternal souls.....when God is ready for us to come home, that is all that we will have (that and Him of course). We cant thank you enough for your prayers, the power of prayer is underrated even among believers today (i am truly guilty) every little prayer helps, just as every little dollar does! We are amazed at EVERYTHING that God has blessed us with which includes those that give their money and prayers as well as those who give their hearts and prayers! For those that still find it hard to believe our praise to the pray - ers in our midst take note of this:

Romans 10:9-10 "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved."

Whatever is good for my Lord and Savior is more than enough for me......We love you all, God bless you and even if we don't talk to you or see you often we say this from our hearts....

Colossians 2:5 "For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I am very happy because you are living as you should and because of your strong faith in Christ."