Meet Baby...

Hey everyone!  Hope all is well with you guys this summer!  As many of you know, we have had quite an interesting summer so far.  I (Josh), am writing from the hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan where we have been for the past two and a half weeks.  Felicia got admitted on June 10th because her body was prepping itself for an early delivery.  Her due date is September 22nd so this would have been about 3 months early.  Fortunately her body has responded well to the medicine that they have been giving her and her body has stabilized.  She is supposed to get checked out again on Tuesday and if everything looks the same then she can come home!

We want to thank each and every one of you for your prayers, your cards, your encouragement.  Thank you to everyone who came to visit Felicia and I in the hospital and brought us meals, it has meant so much to us and encouraged us in this uncertain time.  I remember this time last summer I was speaking at prayer meeting at Felicia's church and was talking about trials and the role they played in our lives.  According to James, trials in our lives tests our faith and that testing of our faith produces steadfastness or endurance in our lives which leads to maturity.  We know God is in the process of conforming us to the image of Christ and that He uses trials to mature us and so Felicia and I have been challenged to not just ask God to take the trial away but rather look to see what God desires to teach us during this trial, as this trial is His opportunity to conform us to Christ's image and bring us closer to Himself.  He has been teaching us to be humble.  More humble than at any other point in our lives.  Felicia and I both hate accepting gifts and generosity from people, and yet we're at a position where we are being taught again that we need other people, whether it's food, money, company, laughter or prayer, we have been so encouraged by the body of Christ and how God designed it to support one another in time of need.  May we continue to take heart and be joyful knowing God is intimately involved and teaching us and that His faithfulness is unending.

Our family at New Tribes Bible Institute have encouraged and helped us so much.  An amazing couple with four kids offered up their home for us to move into once students come back since we weren't planning on staying past July and the school has said I can continue working for them until we leave.  Thank you for lifting us up before the Father and for thinking of us during this time.  We love you!

Josh and Felicia
(Look below for pictures)

Meet baby Jude!!!

Some of the work I've been doing this summer, firestopping, some plumbing, drywalling.  Bringing this building up to fire code and some other renovations!