Did we leave you hanging?!

We are so sorry that we haven't updated our blog in forever! I wonder how many people actually noticed that it has been a month! haha. Well, lots of praises are to be given!

We're having a baby girl! We have gotten to see her (in an ultrasound) twice! She is perfect! I think that she is going to be a gymnast, like her mama! Her little legs were stretching over her head! She also yawned really big. She is so cute! We are so blessed that everything is going so well...and that we have insurance for Olivia (her name!), BJ, and me!

Next on the agenda...is it cold in Waukesha?! Lets say, YES! It has been snowing since Monday night! We've gotten a foot of snow and it's 27 degrees. They are predicting more snow, and a low of -4 tomorrow. Any takers on visiting us?!

Last, we have made it through our first semester! We have gone from Genesis all the way through 2 Chronicles. It has been fast and furious...but amazing. It's so awesome to see God's faithfulness to the nation of Israel, even though they constantly turned their backs on them. He is so faithful and keeps His promises!!

We will be traveling home to Arkansas and Oklahoma tomorrow! I am so glad that it is finally here! I have been really homesick. Please pray that our travel will be safe, especially with all of the snow around here. We love you guys and would love to hear from you...especially if you'd like to see us while we're home! We'll be in Oklahoma from Dec. 14-24, and Arkansas from Dec. 24-Jan. 4ish.

Don't read, unless you want your toes stepped on...

I start this blog with a caution. I labeled it "Don't read, unless you want your toes stepped on" because it definitely stepped on my toes. So if you read it, I have pre-warned you!

"When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:36)

We had a speaker in chapel today who did the whole new tribes training several years ago. They never ended up going overseas, but ended up right here in Milwaukee pastoring a church. God really got ahold of their hearts about the 99 sheep. Most of us know about the parable of the shepherd having a hundred sheep. One of his sheeps get lost, and he goes out to look for it...even though he still has his 99.

This speaker told us his day to day service was catering to the 99. He told us his job was dealing with this and that, and the seats being "uncomfortable", and such and such. He hardly even had time for the one, because he was catering to the 99.

They have recently been challenged to reach out to the "one" in Milwaukee. There are 600,000 people in Milwaukee and 200,000 are in some sort of religious involvement. That's 4 out of 6 people in Milwaukee that are un-churched. Anyways, they have an incredible story of what God has already been doing in their lives.

As we listened to this chapel service, our toes were definitely stepped on. Most of the people that we are in contact every day are the 99. We are praying that God will give us opportunities to serve the 1. Please pray for us that God will give us opportunities like that! I pray that other people will catch on to this too! Hopefully this has stepped on your feet (if you've made it this far in the blog!) Who are we trying to reach? The 99? or the 1?

I will leave with some lyrics that have been over played on K-Love, but reflect this message perfectly:

"All those people going somewhere,

Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

Ones that are far beyond my reach.

Give me your heart for the ones forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see...

So give me a second chance

To see the way you see the people all along"

-Brandon Heath "Give me your eyes"