"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the YEAR!!!"

The Holidays are here! SO be of good cheer! :)
Thanksgiving was wonderful! Someone Renè knew through work called and donated 50 pre-made dinners!!! We spent the morning at the dog park with friends and had Thanksgiving lunch with the Nash's. Then went to Luz's best friends house for a while. Afterwards we took the dinners to Miami & handed them out! I think it was the most incredible thing I've done in my life! We met people who we weren't even sure if they were homeless - educated, reading, but homeless. We saw just how bad the economy has gotten! Here so many people come from other countries not knowing anyone or having much of anything so when times are tough they don't really have anywhere to go! We actually thought this one guy was homeless who ended up not being! Well, the truth is I thought he might be, and Renè didn't want to offend him. ;) Finally we asked if he was hungry. He was like, "DO I really look that bad!" We tried to cover up saying, "that we only had one meal left and we just really wanted to give it away so we though he might be hungry!" ;) As we walked away he said God Bless ... like 4 seconds later he yelled out " You don't happen to know any musicians" ... So Renè began to tell him how incredible our musicians were at church, we talked for a while & then met his friend (who was a musician). To make a long story short Julian, the young man we tried to give dinner too, felt that God wanted them to go to South Beach that night & couldn't figure out why ... when we started walking away he felt we were the ones he was suppose to talk to ... Yesterday, November 3rd, we met up with both of them at the church to talk, sing, play some music, & before leaving Julian was baptized in Jesus Name! It was really cool & exciting!

Last night I put out some Christmas Decor. We decided to not do a tree this year! It's so much work, messy, and not that much fun! I just put out some big bowls of ornaments & some sparkle sticks / a mini tree on the table ... it turned out cute, nice and simple!


@ the Dog Park!

Parts of Proverbs 3 (MSG)

Don't Assume You Know It All

1Good friend, don't forget all I've taught you;

take to heart my commands.

2They'll help you live a long, long time,

a long life lived full and well.

3Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty.

Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.

4Earn a reputation for living well

in God's eyes and the eyes of the people.

5Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart;

don't try to figure out everything on your own.

6Listen for GOD's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;

he's the one who will keep you on track.

7Don't assume that you know it all.

Run to GOD! Run from evil!

8Your body will glow with health,

your very bones will vibrate with life!

9Honor GOD with everything you own;

give him the first and the best.

10Your barns will burst,

your wine vats will brim over.

11But don't, dear friend, resent GOD's discipline;

don't sulk under his loving correction.

12It's the child he loves that GOD corrects;

a father's delight is behind all this.

...

Never Walk Away

21Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life;

don't for a minute lose sight of them.

22They'll keep your soul alive and well,

they'll keep you fit and attractive.

23You'll travel safely,

you'll neither tire nor trip.

24You'll take afternoon naps without a worry,

you'll enjoy a good night's sleep.

25No need to panic over alarms or surprises,

or predictions that doomsday's just around the corner,

26Because GOD will be right there with you;

he'll keep you safe and sound.

27Never walk away from someone who deserves help;

your hand is God's hand for that person.

28Don't tell your neighbor, "Maybe some other time,"

or, "Try me tomorrow,"

when the money's right there in your pocket.

29Don't figure ways of taking advantage of your neighbor

when he's sitting there trusting and unsuspecting.

30Don't walk around with a chip on your shoulder,

always spoiling for a fight.

31Don't try to be like those who shoulder their way through life.

Why be a bully?

32"Why not?" you say. Because GOD can't stand twisted souls.

It's the straightforward who get his respect.

33GOD's curse blights the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the home of the righteous.

34He gives proud skeptics a cold shoulder,

but if you're down on your luck, he's right there to help.

35Wise living gets rewarded with honor;

stupid living gets the booby prize.

Lately.

Everyone is excited! Our yearly planning retreat is coming up. We've been meeting with the department leaders & hearing their ideas/vision for the next year. It's going to be incredible! 

Hopefully we will find our camera charger soon so we can get pictures up! God is doing awesome things - The church is growing in numbers and in unity! 

We're going to have videos on youtube starting this next year so you can all join in!!!

What do you think about this?

It's in the 60s today & everyone is wearing sweaters. The kids wore coats to school! 

It really is cold though. 

It must be the ocean air? 

We can't wait to be in Arkansas for Christmas!!!! 

More Arkansas Photos

(this isn't from arkansas, but they're too cute to leave out!) 

"Thank You For Healing Me"

The disease of my soul was spreading,

Eating me up on the inside,

Keeping my heart from your new life.

And i see now where I was headed 

For there is no cure that can save us,

Outside of Your mercy Lord Jesus.

Yes, You stepped in with Your power to save,

Let forgiveness reign, 

Worked a miracle within.

Thank you for healing me;

I was dying beneath my shame 

But You brought me to life again, and I will sing:

Thank you for freeing me 

I was dead to the truth of You,

But my healing was in Your wounds, and now I sing: 

Thank you for healing me.

Though outwardly I may waste away,

On the inside I´ll be more alive every day.

As I walk through times of pain and grief

There´s a deeper truth inside of me... 

You have placed Your life inside of me.

I´m alive, I´m alive.

I´m alive, I´m alive in You.

Thank you for healing me.

- Matt Redman

Little Thoughts.

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good." -Unkown (to me anyway)

The place where God Calls you is the place where your deep gladness & the world's deep hunger meet : Frederick Buechner 

Whether you turn to the right or left, your ears will hear a voice....

"THIS IS THE WAY, Walk in it" -Is. 30:21

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself,

because it is not there. There is no such thing. - C. S. Lewis

"God - you're my God! I can't get enough of you!" Ps 63:1

Welcome!

Hello Everyone -

We have set up this blog so we can stay in touch with all of you - Our Family & Close friends!

A quick update (for those of you we've lost touch with): We are living in South Florida, and working with an incredible group of leaders to building a  spanish church! Rene works with a company called ARISE & is the pastor at Los Pentecostales de Cooper City. Rhona is finishing a B.A. in Sociology, and working at Bath and Body. 

Recently we visited Arkansas & had a wonderful time! It was awesome seeing and spending time with all of you!

Below are a few pictures & hopefully will have a few more to post over the next few days!

We love you all!

Renè and Rhona.