John William Millers Stats and Pictures

Weight: 6lb 8oz

Length: 20" long

Time: 1:29pm

 

Ministry Update - Awkward Moments, Fuel For The Devil’s Fire

Awkward Moments

Things have been very busy and we are excited to see what the Lord is doing. This last Sunday we had planned to have a meal and then a second service around 2:00 where we would observe the Lord’s Supper. Because we had the flu earlier in the week and it was going around town we decided that we would postpone the second service and Lord’s Supper. Becca began calling people on Friday afternoon to inform our Church people about the change in plans.

Sunday morning was running just as smooth as could be when one of our ladies showed up late with a crock pot full of noodles and chicken. I was standing in the front directing music when she walked in the back. Because of physical layout of our church the only way for her to get to the kitchen with the food was to walk from the back of the church down the center aisle to the front and go through a door just to the right of the platform. As she walked down the aisle with her crockpot you could see everyone’s response. I think everyone felt a bit awkward. I opened the kitchen door and continued to direct music as if nothing was wrong but when we finished the song it was time for the announcements. The only announcement this Sunday was the postponement of our second service, meal, and Lord’s Supper.

For those of you who have experienced situations like this before you realize the potential problems a situation like this could bring. After making the announcement and apologizing for the lack of communication the lady who brought the food simply chuckled and laughed. There were  grins and smiles all across the auditorium and I couldn’t help but smiling. My wife had left a message on her home phone but do some technical issues with her answering machine she did not get the message.

I was very pleased with the gracious and loving response of our people. It turned out just fine because she was visiting some of her family that afternoon and had intended to make a meal for them. She graciously left enough for our family to have a hot lunch and then took her noodles to her family. Her noodles being plugged in simply stayed warm during church until they could be taken. It all worked out and it didn’t appear that anyone was offended. All I can do is praise the Lord.

Fuel For The Devil’s Fire

Situations like the one just described often become the basis for the Devils accusations. The Devil will whisper in your ear, “They didn’t think enough of you to call you.” or to someone else “If I was in charge that would never happen.” After the Devil plants seeds in our thoughts we can let the grow and develop until everything that is said or done is colored with dark negative colors. As believers we are called to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Our minds, if not submitted to the Spirit, will curve everything to the negative and destroy our fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ and with God.

Has anyone ever ignored you or gave you a cross look and you thought they were anger or upset with  you? Do you respond by assuming they are upset? Do you begin interpreting their actions through that glass? The person who ignored you or gave a cross look may have been oblivious or deep in thought and if they knew how you interpreted their actions would have apologized profusely because they meant no such thing. This only shows the desperate need for us to exercise the Love of Christ. Love, as a gift of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” The essence of 1 Corinthians 13:7 is that Love does not assume the worst but it assumes the best.

Have you allowed the devil to create mountains out of mole hills in your mind? Churches have been split over minor issues and livelong friendships have been destroyed over frivolous misunderstandings. Try, through the Spirit’s enablement, to bring every thought under the captivity of Christ and show the love of Christ.  

Awkward moments are the Devils fuel for the fire unless they are soaked with the Love of Christ.

Pastor Ron VanderHart Hands Off Runnells Congregation To His Son

The turn of the  year was also a turnover of leadership at my home church. The following is an article from a local paper about the change.

Pastor Ron VanderHart began seminary without a GED or high school diploma. But he knew how to fly airplanes — and build them — and that’s what brought him back home to Iowa.

The congregation at Adelphi Calvary Baptist Church in Runnells parted with its pastor of 33 years on Dec. 30. The church accepted VanderHart’s retirement as head pastor, and appointed another VanderHart in his stead: Ron’s son Scott.

“I just felt it was time to relinquish the daily responsibilities of carrying on the church,” Ron, 71, said last week, adding that retirement does not mean departure from the ministry for a lifelong pastor. “I’m not interested in playing golf or any of that. I have to keep active in the Lord’s work.”

Ron, originally from Pella, said he will continue hosting his weekly radio program “Key to Life” on 940 AM and plans to frequently travel around the state and country to fill pulpits as needed on Sunday mornings. When he is not on the road, he will attend Adelphi Baptist and continue living in a home on the church property, 7925 S.E. Vandalia Drive, Runnells, with his wife, Donna.

After 33 years, Runnells has become his home both relationally and geographically.

“I’m so close to these people,” Ron said, recalling countless births, deaths, battles with sickness and moments of joy that defined his time as pastor. “I’ll never lose their friendship.”

The church — now drawing between 150 and 180 people each Sunday morning — has come a long way since the Vander­Harts arrived in October 1979. Adelphi had gone through three pastors in two years. It was an intimidating congregation for any pastor, let alone one with only a few years of experience, Ron said.

“It was totally and completely different than anything I had been a part of … and after about 15 months, I really couldn’t take it anymore,” Ron said, remembering a defining conversation with a pastoral mentor that sealed his commitment to Adelphi, for better or for worse. “He said, ‘What’s wrong with just staying there and teaching these people the Bible?’ ”

Prior to arriving at Adelphi, Ron spent four years leading a rural church in eastern Iowa, fresh out of seminary at Bob Jones University in South Carolina. As a student — and pilot with his own aircraft — Ron visited the small Round Prairie Baptist Church as a guest preacher one Sunday to help fill a pastoral vacancy.

He viewed the trip as a chance to gain some much-needed flying time on his path to becoming a missionary pilot. But that long-term plan deteriorated the moment he arrived at the church, just as his pursuit of farming and a career in tool and die making drastically changed when he encountered Jesus at a “gospel preaching church” in Pella years prior.

“I immediately knew my missions days were over,” Ron said of the visit to Round Prairie Baptist Church. “Our hearts knit so close together on that one Sunday. I just knew that that was my church.”

After working through the trials and challenges of the first few years at Adelphi, those familiar relational ties began to form in Runnells.

“(Ron) has been a good friend for one thing, and he’s been such a blessing to our community,” said Raymond Battles, who has attended Adelphi for about 70 years. “He’s done a wonderful job. He knows his Bible, and he has compassion for his congregation.”

Church members said they share the same affection for Ron’s entire family, including his wife and five children. Ron and Donna’s son Shawn runs a home-school academy based out of the church, and Scott, who was unanimously approved to replace his father, has been the church’s youth pastor for 23 years.

Those in the congregation said they expect a seamless transition into Scott’s new leadership position.

“I’m thrilled with the prospect of Pastor Scott taking over,” said Scott Strait, who began attending the church several decades ago as a Southeast Polk High School student. “I was able to almost grow up with him as a young fellow … He can talk to the youth and he can talk to the adults, so it’s a great blend that he has.”

Scott VanderHart, 44, said he offers a different teaching style than his father, but plans to carry on the guiding principles and ministries that define Adelphi.

The church designates more than 40 percent of its budget to foreign missionary work. With 77 families receiving aid from the church, Scott said the church has more missionaries around the world than those in the Runnells congregation.

“The church is a very missions-minded church,” Scott said.

The father and husband said he has no intention to entirely fill his father’s shoes, because that would be impossible. But he said he will obediently carry on the work of the Lord in a congregation that his father passed onto him in a healthy state.

“I’m not following my dad, I’m following the Lord,” Scott said. “And I have no doubt that this is what the Lord has for me.”

A Full House For A First Funeral

The Funeral

Today I conducted my first funeral and I can truly say that I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better. The Lord enabled and blessed in a wonderful way. If there is an event that a pastor wants to go smoothly it would defiantly be a funeral. For the last week or so we have been communicating with the family and preparing details for the funeral, graveside, and dinner. Although it seemed like every day I got a few more details figured out there were still many loose ends this morning. Everything came together in enough time for me to be free and available to spent time with the family.

 

The Figures

Pastor Randy Simmons at Faith Fellowship told me over the phone that I would be experiencing a “baptism by fire” doing this funeral. Knowing that (1) the Martin family is well known in this area, (2) Wade was everyone’s friend, and (3) he was only 52, Pastor Simmons told me that the crowd could be anywhere from 100-150. There was no possible way that we could fit them in our little church when our church can only hold about 50 and there was no other church in town that could handle a much bigger crowd than that. The Family made arrangements to use the Armory’s Gym south of town. It was a good thing they did because there were about 300 people there at the funeral. The chairs and bleachers will filled and there was standing room only.
After the Funeral around 150 people came to the graveside service according to the funeral director. (The photo to the left was taken in the Hartville Cemetery, but is not the actual gravesite.) Everyone gathered around as I read Psalm 23 and made a few comments. After closing in prayer people began to comfort one another and slowly make their way back to their cars. There were about 10-15 mule deer that stood on the hill behind the cemetery watching the service. This was significant to many of those who knew Wade because he was always taking rides in the country looking for deer to take some pictures. He loved nature and was constantly taking pictures. The deer served as a good token for good to the family in this time of grief.

 

The Focus

The last time I saw Wade was when I was visiting his parents at their ranch. Wade saw Andrew standing by the four-wheeler with his hands in the air saying, “up” over and over. Wade picked him up and took him for a ride around. Both Wade and Andrew had smiles from ear to ear. As we spent time with the family I discovered that Wade had a reputation for making peace. I thought of how that beautifully pictured Christ who is the Prince of Peace.
The Lord led for me to prepare to preach along those lines. I opened Isaiah 9:6 and explained that Christ is the Prince of Peace. I then turned to Ephesians 2:14-24 to show that Christ as the Prince of Peace broke down the wall of separation between man and God.  I then read John 14:27 where Christ left a parting gift of peace to His disciples and the church when He ascended. I explained how the Holy Spirit was sent as the Comforter and true peace only comes from God. After establishing all of this I quoted Matthew 5:9 where Christ said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Focusing on that verse I explained that peacemakers are those who make peace with other people, but also bring peace between men and God by declaring the good news of the Gospel. Shifting to the second part of Matthew 5:9 I explained that peacemakers have God’s favor smiling upon them. The verse says, “they shall be called the children of God" and I compared this to when a parent at a ball game or sporting event yells from the bleachers, “That’s my boy!” after their child does something well. God is in heaven watching His children on earth and when they are peacemakers by resolving problems or bringing others to the Savior He thunders from heaven, “That’s my child!” Before giving an invitation I closed with a quote from the Puritan Thomas Watson where he said,

God the Son is called the Prince of Peace. He came into the world heralded by angels announcing peace; "On earth peace..." He went out of the world with a legacy of peace, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." Christ's earnest prayer was for peace; He prayed that His people might be one. Christ not only prayed for peace, but bled for peace: "Having made peace through the blood of His cross." He died not only to make peace between God and man, but between man and man. Christ suffered on the cross, that He might cement Christians together with His blood. As he prayed for peace, so He paid for peace. (Thomas Watson, Gleanings From Thomas Watson (Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1995), 86.)

The Fellow Laborers

There was no way that we could pull off everything ourselves. With almost a third of our church grieving their lost and another third with a sister in the hospital we just couldn’t see how we could pull it off ourselves. As a result we had help and support from many places and want to publically thank all who labored with us. First, we couldn’t have done it without the help of Faith Bible Baptist Church in Greeley, Co. Their Assistant Pastor Ken Curtis and his wife Bessie brought four ladies from their church to help with the food preparation, serving, and childcare. Second, Pastor Randy Simmons from Faith Fellowship and those who came from his church to help with the food and childcare also. Third, Pastor Roy Phillips from Douglas Baptist Church was there to lend a hand and support the family as well as me. Fourth, Jason Crossman, Pastor Robbins assistant at Pioneer Baptist and The Lunch Box did a great job getting food prepared for the group from Greeley as they made themselves busy preparing food for everyone else.

 

The Follow-up

Follow-up for this funeral began long time before the funeral. We were able to spend a lot of time with the family and support them through this time. Also a few days before the funeral I was talking to the librarian in Guernsey as I was checking my email and she asked, “What do pastors do to prepare for funerals?” Could you ask for a better question to open the door to spiritual things? I shared with her in a nutshell what I would be preaching at the funeral and before I knew it she was asking about church and said she intended to come visit. She also was at the funeral and was able to hear the full message. After the funeral as we were leaving one of the military personal in charge at the armory asked me what denomination I was and explained that he was from a Southern Baptist background, just moved to Guernsey, and was looking for a Baptist Church. There are so many other encounters and Divine appointments that have surrounded this funeral that I can’t tell them all. I also know that this funeral may have more effects than I even know as God works behind the scenes.

 

The Fatigue

Although everything went smooth, everyone was exhausted when it was done. The group from Greeley, Co had a long drive home and we had some last minute cleanup to finish. Even Elizabeth was so exhausted that she crawled up in mom and dad’s bed and went to sleep by herself before 8:00pm while we were still working. That was a shocker for us. Thanks for all the prayers and support. They certainly impacted today more than we will ever know.

 

The Flub-Up

Before the funeral, as we made preparations and spent time with the family I discovered that the family had a few computers that belonged to Wade that had passwords. Before they spent $50-$100 to get around the passwords I offered to do it for them. Back when Windows XP was popular I had a few tricks to erase the password but those tricks didn’t work with the new Windows Vista and Windows 7. After I found some instructions online I emailed them to myself so I could print them, but instead of emailing to me I emailed them to our blog and the instructions were posted. The post has been deleted but many of you may have received a strange email that seems completely irrelevant. Sorry about the confusion and by the way you might not want to let your mischievous teenagers read that email.

 

The Fond Remembrance

OBITUARY

Funeral services for Albert Wade Martin, 52, will be held at 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at the General Spence Wyoming Army National Guard Armory in Guernsey, Wyoming with Pastor Jason Miller officiating. Inurnment will be held at the Hartville Cemetery near Hartville, Wyoming.

Wade died Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Wade was born August 29, 1960 in Casper, Wyoming the son of Albert Paul and Eldora Joann (Goolsby) Martin.

Wade was a football and basketball player for Wheatland and Guernsey High Schools. He graduated from Guernsey High School in 1978. Wade attended Torrington College on a basketball scholarship. On July 3, 1982 he married Shelly Dickinson, to this union they had two daughters, Tricia born on March 18, 1990 and McKenzie born on December 30, 1992. Wade worked at the Wheatland Power Plant for seventeen years and later took a job traveling for Intec Services based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Recently he returned home to be with family on the ranch that he had always loved. Wade enjoyed playing golf, bowling, hunting, collecting hot wheels, watching Lonesome Dove, hanging out with his nephew Ned, his girls, and Rock, his ever faithful dog. Wade had many loyal friends, a large family, and he loved every single one of them.

He is survived by his parents, Albert and Dori Martin of Guernsey; daughters Trish (Tristen) Martin of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and McKenzie Martin of Wheatland, Wyoming; his fiancé Tiffany Savageau of California; four sisters, Jackie (Bill) Holtz of Guernsey, Lynne (Dave) Mesenbrink of Casper, Liz (Eric) Henneman of Lead, South Dakota, and Ellen (Scott) Nelson of Hartville; two brothers, Pete (Sheila) Howes of Fort Laramie, and Matthew (Sabrina) Martin of Guernsey; as well as many nieces and nephews, great nieces and Great nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Wade is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Jesse and Jennie Goolsby, paternal grandparents, Harley and Nellie Martin, and niece, Ashley Howes.

Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Dan Cooley, Doc Jeffries, Marc Martinez, Mike King, Rex Martin, Danny Martin, Dale Woodrick and all of his many friends.

A memorial to the Wade Martin Memorial Fund in care of Lusk State Bank, P.O. Box 1400, Lusk, Wyoming 82225 would be appreciated by the family.

Friends and family may call on the funeral home on Sunday, December 2, 2012 from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.

The Gorman Funeral Homes – Platte Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to the family at gormanfh.com

Eulogy

Wade Martin was the kind of individual who could make you smile on your worst day. His presence filled any room and his laughter filled any heart. Wade never knew a stranger; he could sit and talk to someone he just met for hours. Always happy, Wade never stopped smiling. However, he seemed to be the happiest when he was round his family.

When Wade wasn’t spending time with his nephew Ned, his daughters, or his fiancée Tiffany, he was finding more stuff to pile at his mom and dad’s house. His dad was his hero, but he loved every member of his family unconditionally. His faithful dog Rock never left his side since Wade bought him some “special” Jerky. As far as his daughters are concerned, he was a hero. In his eyes they could do no wrong and he was always proud of them.

Wade always said he had a degree in everything, but one of his biggest passions was music. He knew a song for any occasion. One thing Wade was really good at was teasing people. He had a joke up his sleeves at all times. Wade enjoyed golfing, bowling, collecting Hot Wheels, and gadgets. Everywhere Wade went, he was taking pictures. His friends were as dear to him as his family and he kept in touch with all of them.

One way that Wade showed his affection was by placing two fingers on your cheek. Nobody quite knew why but they all accepted it as his token of love. Wade loved all and was loved by all. He will forever be in our hearts.

Going Home For Christmas

Hospital Visits And Funeral Preparation

This last week has been a fury of unexpected activity. On Sunday we were told that Wade Martin, the son of one of our church members, was in critical condition in the Hospital. He had had a tumor removed on Tuesday and by Friday he was able to walk around and play cards with his family. On Friday and Saturday things took a turn for the worst. We headed for the Hospital in Fort Collins, Co on Monday. On our way to the hospital in Colorado we stopped in the hospital in Wheatland, Wy to visit Ramona, the sister of two of our other members, who had congestive heart failure and they didn’t expect her to make it.

After making hospital visit on Monday we spent the night in a hotel in Fort Collins, Co. In the morning we went back to the Hospital in Fort Collins, Co to be with the family. Around 11:00am, just after praying with the family in his room, wade passed away. It was very hard on the family and we grieved with them. The last time I had seen Wade before going in to the hospital he had taken Andrew for a ride on the four-wheeler and both of them were smiling from ear to ear.

On our way back from Fort Collins, Co we stopped again at the hospital in Wheatland to visit Ramona and her family. Her family was glad to see us again. We came back to Wheatland on Wednesday for Becca’s checkup with her pregnancy so, we stopped in again and were able to spend a more significant amount of time with Ramona and here family. She is doing much better and they plan on moving her to Casper some time this week.

Almost every day I have visited Wade’s family as they make plans and preparations for the funeral. This will be my first funeral and from the sounds of things it should be a fairly large one. They are expecting 40-60 family members to come and 100-150 other people from the community. Wade didn’t know a stranger and everyone liked him. In a small town like Guernsey it seems that everyone knows everyone. Here is a copy of the details from the funeral home’s website.

Funeral services for Albert Wade Martin, 52, will be held at 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at the General Spence Wyoming Army National Guard Armory in Guernsey, Wyoming with Pastor Jason Miller officiating.  Inurnment will be held at the Hartville Cemetery near Hartville, Wyoming.
Wade died Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. 
Wade was born August 29, 1960 in Casper, Wyoming the son of Albert Paul and Eldora Joann (Goolsby) Martin.
A memorial to the Wade Martin Memorial Fund in care of Lusk State Bank, P.O. Box 1400, Lusk, Wyoming 82225 would be appreciated by the family. 
Friends and family may call on the funeral home on Sunday, December 2, 2012 from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
The Gorman Funeral Homes – Platte Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Fresh Snow

Monday morning this last week we got some snow and before it was gone I went out to take some pictures. This is a banner I made from the pictures I took.

So Much To Be Thankful For

This last week we had our Harvest Dinner. It went very well and about 40 people showed up. We had plenty of food and we boxed up some of the extra food to take to some elderly shut-ins that we know about. We didn’t see any new faces that we didn’t know but we did se several people that we had not seen in a while. Please pray that God will draw people to Him. There is one young couple who I was talking to who expressed that they knew that they needed to start coming back to church. They feel like it would be awkward to come back after being gone for so long so please pray that the lie that the Devil is telling them will be destroyed.

 

So Much To Be Thankful For VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

A Baby Shower And Electrical Problems

This last Monday we had a baby shower for Cindy and her baby Leyton Griebe. There were somewhere between 18-20 ladies who showed up and Rebecca said things went very well since this was the first baby shower she has ever planned. Several other opportunities in the last few weeks have opened up for us to meet new people in the community. Please pray that the Lord would allow us to be shining lights for Him.

After last Sunday, the electricity at the church began to brown out sporadically. After the city came and inspected the meter they thought that they had fixed the problem, but the next night we could see the electrical wires arcing outside. We discovered that the wires had arched at least half way through the wires because the copper and aluminum were not joined properly. Henry from Douglas Baptist Church came down and helped us get things back in order. We are thankful for friends who are willing to jump in and help in any way they can.

The LORD Thy God Is With Thee

Deuteronomy 20:1

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies,

and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou,

be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee,

which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt

The last two weeks we have been rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord. Like Joshua, who needed the sun to stand still to finish the task God had given him, we feel like, there is not enough time in the day to do everything that needs done. Although time may seem to be against us God is for us. In the last two weeks we have seen God working on our behalf and there is nothing to say but, “God did that.”

Financially

God has provided the needs of our church step by step and we are excited about the new promissory note on our mortgage. A local lawyer has helped us draw up the new promissory note and the seller signed and returned the note last week. There is still a lot of money that owe, but we have a little breathing room and by faith we expect God to move again on our behalf.

Practically

The fire that not long ago was encroaching upon our town is now completely out. However, the danger of fire is still very real. Yesterday as we drove to the airport in Casper, WY we could see the destruction from another fire just north of Douglas, WY and we also saw another fire raging on the south side of the interstate as we came into Casper, WY. With the extremely dry weather, it does not take much for a fire to start. We noticed as we surveyed the damage of the recent fires that the ground and trees may be scorched but the sagebrush does not burn and it is as if the fire leaves it untouched. I thought that this was quite an illustration of the Lord’s working in my life. I do not want God’s moving to work all around me touching lives and miss me because I am not sensitive to Him.

 

Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by.

Physically

Many have asked us how Elizabeth is doing after her month in the hospital. At this point she is back to her normal self and shows no signs of being in the hospital for a month. Becca is still trying to set up a follow up appointment for her in Denver. She should have had the appointment several weeks ago, nevertheless Becca has been unable to get someone to schedule the appointment. She has called the hospital repeatedly and has been unable to talk to the scheduling desk.

 

Spiritually

It was my desire to do some personal discipleship with Lee who is the father of the new family that has joined our church. We arranged to meet on Tuesday in Torrington after he was off work. When I arrived at his house his wife said he had already went to the coffee shop and had a friend from work with him. In a small way, I was disappointed that I was not going to have that personal one on one time, but on the other hand how could I complain about having more men along. At the coffee shop, we looked at the role of a disciple and then I asked them what the most important role in their life. After they offered several thoughts, I shared with them that the most important role in their life is to be a man of God. You could see the truth sink in as I explained that as men when we focus on our relationship with God and strive to be men of God everything else falls into place. Both were excited about next week’s lesson and had plans to invite more to join our group. As I drove home and talked things over with my wife, I could do nothing but praise the Lord for His goodness. Who knows how many men we will have next week? Please pray that the Lord would do a life changing work through our men’s Bible study.

Elizabeth’s Battle With E-coli (Video Summery)

We Are Home!!!

This is Becca posting, Jason may decide to add more later. Just wanted to let you know how things were going. This morning surgeons took out the dialysis port, then she came back to her room to recover for a while. Doctors and nurses did their last checks and explanations, while others did paper work. Then nurses took out the last iv, we said our last goodbyes to PICU doctors and nurses, signed papers and then we made our grand exit!!! We arrived to Dad and Mom Miller's about three this afternoon! The Lord is so good. What a great God we serve! How sweet to know that He has given us a plan path and He is in control of every detail along the way!

We were able to make many friends while in the hospital and we will miss them, but it is good to be home as well.

Elizabeth is doing well! She still has to take blood pressure medicine and insulin, but Lord willing that will only be temporary. Thanks for praying!

Moving Day

Today we moved from the ICU to a regular pediatric room. The new room is much more colorful and has much larger windows for her to see outside. She has defiantly already enjoyed the perks of her new room.

Moving Day VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Happy Birthday Andrew

Elizabeth is doing well and today we had a birthday party for Andrew here in the hospital. She was happy to help him open gifts but she wasn't interested in eating cake. We are hoping that tomorrow she will be transferred from the ICU to the regular pediatric unit. Her toxin numbers are beginning to balance out and we are very excited about that.

Happy Birthday Andrew VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Elizabeth Is Out And About...

Elizabeth is still off dialysis and today and they took the regular catheter out. She took two walks around the hospital and pushed Andrew for one walk and a shopping cart for another. She spent a lot of time playing on the floor and she definitively has her spunk back. They are considering moving her out of the ICU and into the Pediatric unit at the beginning of next week. Please pray that her stomach would get back to normal. She spits up a lot of her food still and her system still needs to adjust.

Elizabeth Is Out And About VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

First Steps For The Second Time

Elizabeth was very playful today. During physical therapy she walked around a little and when Andrew came a long she pushed him in his walker. She enjoyed playing on the floor with her brother and we were all surprised how long she played before she tuckered out. Please continue to pray that her system would get back to normal and she would continue recovering. Thanks for all the prayers and support.

First Steps For The Second Time VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Another Day Moving Forward!

Today Elizabeth was very happy to eat real food. The doctors have decided to continue to keep her off of dialysis because her kidneys are doing so well. After her morning nap she took an exciting wagon ride with Andrew up to the sun deck on the 8th floor. Just before bed tonight she took another trip with the wagon to visit the staff in the ER. They all wanted to see her and she looked much better than the day we brought her to the ER. She is much more playful and has enjoyed many of the toys and stuffed animals that she has received. Thank you so much for all your prayers and support.

Some Good News, A Quick Update, And E-Cards

Good News

1. Elizabeth's platelet count is stable today
2. They took the line out of her artery (this was the line that constantly measured her blood pressure).
3. They took her off of the breathing machine yesterday and she is now on a normal oxygen supplement and doing fine.
4. She should get out of bed today and have some physical therapy
5. She should be able to eat and drink some today.

Update

1. They have capped off the dialysis fluid for the next 4 hours to give her kidneys a chance to have a kick start and get back to work.
2. They plan on giving her some more blood today.

Sending Cards

I found out today that E-cards can be sent through the hospital for free. To send a personalized E-card that the hospital will print and deliver to her room visit http://www.mercydesmoines.org/ecards/Default.aspx.

Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines, Iowa

A Week Of Blessings

A Host Of Blessings

Since last Sunday a lot has happened and we can only praise the Lord. Many things have happened that we can give praise for but I will only mention two here. First, I needed to move the plug for the electric dryer and found that there was enough existing wire in the wall to put the outlet exactly where we needed it about 5-7 feet away. Second, we were able to attend a home missions conference at First Baptist Church of Englewood, CO this week. It was a wonderful conference with good preaching as well as we were sent home with around $2,000 for the needs of our church.

A New Family

On Friday we were invited to a Lee and Cindy’s home to roast some marshmallows with the kids. They live about thirty minutes from the church and are just moving back from the Denver area. They heard about our church through some of the pastors in the area and are excited about joining. Cindy attended Maranatha and play’s piano. She jumped right in and it was a blessing to have her play for us on Today.

Please also pray for Bob and Anastasia. They are a young family that we have had contact with. They are interested in coming to church so please pray that God will draw them to Himself and that He would give us the ability to reach out to them.

A Good Service

I was a little worried about time change Sunday so I planned on calling around to remind people. I discovered that there are no records of phone numbers or address here a the church. Services went like normal and no one was thrown for a loop by the time change. Our attendance today was 26 and with 17 adults and 9 children the auditorium was getting a little crowed. From our perspective that is a good problem to have.

A Test Of Faith

This week I was able to sit down and read through the mortgage that the church is currently paying on. Needless to say, we need the Lord’s leadership of what to do. I am praying that God uses our financial test of faith to grow our church spiritually.

A Word Of Thanks

We have received several letters and emails that have been a great encouragement. Thank you so much to those who are upholding us in their thoughts and prayers.

We Bought Our Tickets To Uganda

This last weekend was very exciting for us. We were in a small church that gave us a very large offering and their offering made it possible for us to get our tickets this week. Several travel agents had told me that international flights don't drop in price, but the price dropped enough that we could afford the tickets. Praise the Lord for His provision.

God is so Good

I have started another blog to declare God's goodness to us. It is still being developed, but for those of you who enjoy our family blog please take a look at our blog where we share the good things God has done for us.

You can find it at Godissogoodtomeallthetime.blogspot.com

More Cute Pictures of the Kids