So Much Good Stuff!

Merry Christmas Family!

May your new year be full of the goodness of God! He is so good! He is in a GOOD MOOD!!! He's not mad at you!

What a crazy season we've had. My part time job (Michelle) has it's busy season Oct-Dec. So I've pretty much been working like a mad woman, and got myself a nice case of bronchitis. I'm feeling better - this week is rest and rest and then a little more rest. The good news is that the tithe from my job goes to help get our students to our SALT conference in January. We had students over helping us pack toys many nights in December. It made it fun! We also raised a chunk selling cookies at First Assembly in December- thanks to everyone who bought them!

We spent our Christmas in Winona with my family, and the week before, Phil's sister and her family were here. It's been great, reconnecting with family. After this week of rest, Phil goes back to work and the kids back to school. Next Thursday, Jan 6, we load up and head to Sioux Falls for a long weekend. The SALT conference has always been a highlight in our year- we are really looking forward to it! Pray for good weather!

After SALT, BSU resumes classes for Spring semester. We continue with Tuesday and Friday nights, Phil's men's group on Thursdays, and International students hang-outs. We are also hosting a new event this spring- the Bemidji Area School of Transformation (BAST). This school is a dream realized for our dear friends and board members, Brad & Becky Fossand, but also for us. Phil and I have seen the need for emotional and spiritual health and the transforming of our minds for people to be healthy and free to influence their world, but we also have known that Phil and I are not enough to see this realized. Brad & Becky have had this dream as well for many years, and this fall, we felt the "now is the time" from the Lord. Registrations are coming in, and this first session of BAST will be meeting in our great room on Sunday and Wednesday nights, along with 1-2 Saturday afternoons a month. We are using the curriculum from Bethel church in Redding, CA- the curriculum they use and have developed over the last twelve years for their School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM). You can contact r.fossand@gmail.com for more info.

And I will keep you updated, of course :) Our intent is to pour into these leaders this spring, and be trained at a deeper level ourselves. So exciting!

In the meantime, Ruth is heading up Tuesday nights on campus. What a blessing to have her here. She has been really connected with the school and students, and then she brings them here so Phil and I and our kids can connect with them. For now, while we're working and can't be on campus full time, this is amazing. God is so good to just bring what we need!

So family, this is our plate. Isn't it lovely? Please keep us in your prayers, and your financial gifts are always so appreciated! The "donate" link on this blog makes it easier than ever :)

We think of you often, have your faces on our fridge, and love you tons. We've loved getting all your letters and pictures this Christmas- keep 'em coming! YOU are more a part of all this than you know!!

xoxoxoxo

your Thooft clan

A Whirlwind Fall!

Happy Thanksgiving Family!

I've been thinking of you and thought I would post a quick note. We are having a whirlwind time here in Bemidji. With Ruth here & living with us, it's a party all the time. And we love it! Several nights a week there are groups of young adults hanging out at our house -often until 1 or 2 in the morning! Whether it's Wii dancing or studying or worshipping or talking by the fire, there always seems to be a crowd.

We have been seeing God transform lives. It's amazing to see a young man with an anger problem start to take responsibility for his words and his actions, and be deeply repentant about the people he's hurt. Or another super liberal young man who doesn't seem to have an ounce of conscience start to realize that honoring people around him is a socially responsible thing to do, that forgiveness isn't just a Christian reality. And in turn, starts to think that choosing to live as a Christian is a good thing. Or the young Democrat who realizes that he will not be blacklisted, but loved, at Chi Alpha for who he is even if his ideas are different. Or the young woman who has spent her life believing that life happens to her start to understand that she gets to choose how she lives- that Christ has come to set her free. These have been amazing.

The conversations with young Hindus- watching God touch them physically during a Friday night worship- is just a wonderful thing. Having kids feel like they have a family, that they're not alone- watching them text people they don't even know to encourage them that taking their life is not a good option- wow, family, it's been quite a month!

Wow.

But today, I have to make a turkey :) So it's a quick update!! Love you all- have a wonderful week!

Phil & Michelle & clan

a little personal revelation

Hey family


this post isn't really an update- it's more of a journal for me. I think better while writing, and I figure maybe some of you will get some revelation for your own life by me sharing mine :)


We have a really full life. We just seem to do better that way. Things get too quiet around here and we start sort of moping. I have less to think about, less to pray about, less to write about. I tend to get bored and unmotivated, if I don't have a lot to do.


The opposite is true, too, of course. We've been trying to listen- and rest when we need to, say no when we need to. Focus on our calling here and not try to do all the good things. Which probably makes some people unhappy, but there are so many hours in a day!


So some of you know, about three or four years back, we took a series of gigantic hits from inside. Meaning those who we serve wronged us. I really don't want to get into all of it, and apologies have been made, mostly, and we truly feel like we have forgiven and moved on. We have our hearts back and we have our love back, and students are coming around again.


Can I just say that - for those of you who stuck with us during that hard time when we were down to six students....thank you. thank you so much.


Anyway, it really blindsided us. And then all the financial stuff came then, too. We sold our house & moved twice and moved a house and built a house and wow, it was a whirlwind. I seriously used to just disappear in the woods across from our house and cry. I knew no one would hear me there exept the deer and wolves :) We didn't realize how much those hits hurt us- we had begun declaring forgiveness & blessing almost immediately, but we struggled when it seemed to keep coming, from several sources. It took three years to be where we are now- honestly knowing it's over in our minds, we've forgiven, we're moving on, we're blessing. I can look at the faces of these people and not feel pain and anger.


But all that to say- now that things are hopping again- students are flocking to our family, chi alpha....I find myself afraid, sometimes. I've experienced burnout now. I've experienced lack of love and resentment and anger. I SO DO NOT ever want to go back there.


We have all these kids.....looking to us for love and truth and God. They say things like "I feel peace at your house." "You seem to be an exra-amazing person and I want to spend more time with you." "You have no idea how much of a blessing it is to spend time with you and your family...thank you so much." "Chi Alpha seems to have this family thing going on.....and there is so much life!!" "I came here to America alone and now I have a family." Most times- I am so blessed, honored, and encouraged by these things. God is moving!! But sometimes, I hear these things, and I think, "Oh, God- what if I fail and hurt these people?!"


And yet every day God gives me what I need to keep up this schedule of both of us working full time and working chi alpha. Having people around almost all the time. Feeding dozens. Sometimes I get tired, but surprisingly, not as much as I thought I would.


I have been afraid I am not enough to keep this up. (like it depends on me!) And I have been afraid that this loving Mom that all these kids tell me I am (I am speaking for myself. Phil always seems to have a handle on this stuff. He's a rock :) -will fail. I have been afraid that I am a phony. That this loving person all these kids see isn't really me. That one of these days, the resentful and angry person I was the last few years is going to come out and surprise everyone, and it will hurt them all.


This all sounds so silly now that I'm writing it. It sounds so weird on paper. But it's truly what I have been struggling with, inside. Kind of this nagging thing. Like "you are so setting yourself up to fail, here. Quit inviting more kids in. You don't have enough love for them all." One of my family members once said, with a sneer, I might add: "Michelle, you're not their mom." Sometimes that haunts me.


And yet, they call me Mom. :) Even the son I gave up twenty years ago calls me Mama. (How good is God- seriously?!?)


So, to combat this thing, I will do what I do best. Expose myself to the world in my writing. That way, I figure, it's out in the light. And the enemy can't use this lie anymore.


And God has been helping me see that He will never lead me where He will not sustain me. That I am not who I used to be- I am his daughter, I am a lover, I am a Mom that loves her kids. It's about what HE does, and is doing, in me.


I am beginning to know and really believe who I am in Christ. Who He has made me, who He is making me. He must be doing a lot, 'cause the overflow has been amazing. I am so grateful. I am being transformed.


He is bringing the children. He is providing the food to feed them. He has given us the space to give them a safe place. When they walk in the door, I love them and enjoy them, I just do and I can't explain why - and that is Him living in me. So I just need to trust that, trust Him, and rest- knowing I have what it takes to "keep up this pace." I have Him, and all of His kingdom at my disposal: all his riches and his storehouses of peace & joy & strength & life & love & provision & wisdom- all at my disposal.


this sort of blows me away.


So family, all that to say: if you're struggling with a fear or two- say it out loud. Name the thing. And our faithful God will show you, that most likely, the opposite is true about you. Or at least- the opposite is meant to be true about you. It's a destiny thing. Then the overflow of His love and light in your life will feed the multitudes.

:)


ok, gotta get my kids up now. Love you. thanks again for loving us. :)

Thooft Party House

Hey family!

I just wanted to update you- it's been so fun around here. Ruth lives with us (reminiscent of our days in Redwood when Jeremy & Brian lived with us :) and since she lives with us, half the parties happen here! It's a hoot. She's always bringing people home (she always asks, of course!) from Tuesday night, or on weekends, or after Thursday tea, or Friday after worship. In fact, tonight after worship, the plan is to order pizza and do a movie on the big screen in the great room.

This is so fun for us- because the house is finally being used the way we intended. Last night after tea, one of the girls brought her wii and her new dance game. When Phil returned from his men's group (the Man Clan) - he returned to a bunch of girls dancing in the great room. They made him stay and watch a few dances. He came to bed chuckling.

Grace has gotten involved with a group in town who is working on an anime cartoon series. She edits for them. They call themselves the "nerd posse." We had the Nerd Posse over last Monday night for a big screen showing of How To Train Your Dragon. It was hilarious.

This sunday is our International Sunday. We'll have a crowd over to cook Nepali & Indian food and hang out. I keep meaning to take a video for you....will try to remember!

It's wonderful to have community bubbling around us again. Now they're all talking fundraisers for our SALT conference in January so we can take a crowd. One young lady said to me yesterday, "I feel peace when I'm at your house." Another guy said that this was the closest thing to being at Bethel church (in Redding) that he's ever experienced.

I don't mean to blow our own horn. I'm just excited that God is doing so much stuff here.

Have a great week, family! we love you!

October Update

fall retreat!

Friday nights

Maddie & Gabi with a snow-making maching at fall retreat. they had never seen one :)

Eli and his buddy Caleb :)

Brett & Gabi....unintentional twins :) hi Family!

Wow, we seriously have been running with our hair on fire :) But it's ok! God has been giving us all the strength & rest we need. And we've been taking a weekend here and there away to recharge.

Our large group meetings and our Friday night worship meetings have grown to 20+ and 30+, respectively. Mondays is our Evan night (a guy we met a few years ago who has adopted the Thooft clan as his own. So he comes and hangs out on Mondays:) Tuesday is large group on campus, and can I just say, THANK GOD for Ruth and Mark!?!? Ruth pioneered an XA group at Hibbing Tech last year, and when she transferred here to complete her nursing degree, she jumped in with us. That girl rocks the campus. She's a biblically sound spirit filled spitfire that attracts all kinds of people. There hasn't yet been a Tuesday or a Friday without new people, mostly because they met Ruth somewhere! AND, family, she is organizationally gifted! She does stuff that Phil and I, in all our years here, never knew we could or should do. (yikes, can't believe I'm admitting that) So I think of something and text her and say, "hey, we should do this.." and she texts back, "already done. Yesterday."

This is a HUGE relief for us. With Phil working full time and my internet sales home job kicking into high gear for the holidays (yes, they are almost upon us. can you believe it?!?) - with our official "part time" status and the group at "full time" people....without Ruth, what would we do?!? And Mark....Phil's right hand man & friend....he is a God-send in a million ways. Coming over to side the house when Phil is at work. Available for anything we might be doing.....tilling the garden, siding the house, building a wood shed, putting up a huge fence, leading a men's group....Mark has been there. He is a BSU graduate working on another degree in art.

So God is amazing. Sending us a team, right when we needed it most.

Thursdays are busy days for us too. I have a girls tea in the afternoon, where we literally drink gallons of tea and I make scones or something fabulous, and then we walk, or sit by a fire, or whatever weather permits. We are going through the book Captivating, and after that, Danny Silk's Defining the Relationship series. Thursday nights, Phil's men's group is growing by bounds. It started a few weeks ago with three guys, and last week had 10. 80% of men struggle with pornography in our culture. It's a relationship issue; an intimacy issue. Relationships hurt us, and relationships heal us. These guys get together once a week and share their hearts with each other. Phil has been using Mark Peterson's Purity Pursuit DVD set for this class. It's so exciting to see guys getting free and learning to identify their feelings and make good choices.

The international ministry is going strong- last gathering we had 24 internationals and about 12 americans. Something like that. One of these guys has begun seriously seeking to know God, and several others have had amazing conversations with Ruth and Phil. God is on the move here!

Also, family, if you would keep praying for the Krueger's. We found out a few weeks ago that Michelle Krueger was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer and given a year to live. She is in ICU, has had surgery, and is moving into chemo. We are contending for a miracle. Please continue to pray! For more info, see my last post, MN Chi Alpha Alert.

So I could talk a lot longer, but I'm supposed to keep these short! :) We just got back from Fall Retreat last weekend- 20 students and our family went. It was great. A wonderful bonding weekend and students coming home more intimate with the Lord.

Not sure how this could get much better! (but we're pretty sure it will!)

love you, family!!

Phil & Michelle & tribe

Chi Alpha MN Alert

Dear Family

I just wanted to update you on some potentially tragic news for Chi Alpha MN. Craig & Michele Krueger, photos above, are part of the U of M XA team in Minneapolis, and they pastor Sojourn Church on campus. They have 8 children, the oldest is 12 and the youngest is 10 months. Their family is wonderful- so encouraging, always. Michelle was just diagnosed with an aggressive cancerous brain tumor and has been told she has 14 months to live.

Their whole church community has already been reeling from the death three days ago of Katie Wyngaard, a 33 year old mother of two, from complications stemming from giving birth to their second child eight weeks ago. She apparently contracted pneumonia in the hospital, and has struggled with cystic fybrosis for years. Matt & Katie stayed with us while we were interning in Duluth. She was amazing- she would cough every day, purposefully, to try to rid her lungs of stuff. And she always seemed to have a cheerful heart, at least when we knew them. Now her children are without their mother.

This is a lot for the Mpls. campus Chi Alpha to deal with. When asked what we all could do to help, the response was "prayer and finances." As you imagine, the bills are high. If you live in the Minneapolis area and are willing to run kids, errands, bring meals, or babysit- let us know and we will contact you with the church.

If you are able to give, please go to http://chialphamn.org/give/ As you link through, there will be a place you can indicate "Craig & Michele" and the finances will get to them, and you will receive a tax receipt from the MN District.

This sickness is from the enemy. God does not give his children sickness....He is not an abusive Father! Please pray- war- that this cancer dissolve in Jesus name. He took stripes for this. Let's make sure He gets what He paid for.

We love you, dear family

Phil & Michelle & tribe

Bemidji State Chi Alpha

Big Weekend

John & Maddie on Friday Night

L-R: Sanya (india) Gio (togo) asmita (nepal) and me

Phil and two of our new guys...still learning names!!

Palbitra :)

football!

Ilsa and one of her new brothers :)

Phil, Chime, Garima (who came back to Bemidji because she missed us all...she had transferred out), Palbitra, Manisha

endless fun on the trampoline

Me and Gabi....she's a peach!

Phil and Brett :)

Dear Family

I thought of you yesterday while we had a dozen international students and a dozen americans here at our house. I wish you could have been here to experience it. Half of us went to our neighbors, the Wille's, and jumped on the trampoline (we haven't met a Nepali yet who HAS EVER jumped on a trampoline before!), swam, threw a football around, swang on the swing, rode bike, & hung out. Phil spent a lot of time talking to one young buddhist who wants to hear about christianinty. Half of us stayed here and cooked (and cooked and cooked....) I don't know how many times I heard yesterday some version of this: "I am not alone anymore in America, I have a family now!" Three dozen hugs later (literally), two dozen stuffed people headed home. They sang to us in the car.

Then we welcomed a few friends from North Central University for a few days...Mo and Dee are here til Tuesday. And Ruth is living with us, so we have a house full, still! After all the festivities were over yesterday, I was standing in my kitchen (drinking coffee of course:), listening to Mo and Dee and Ilsa and Maddie and John jam in the great room. They were singing "How He Loves" and I was standing there thinking, "wow, how He does!" I think Phil and I and our kids are wired for community. If we don't have someone over or someone living with us, we feel kind of lost. Now that school has started, our schedules are packed, full. But we're happy. God always gives us the time off we need, the rest we need....and we live a life of resting in Him. So bring the people!

We're blessed and amazed at what God is doing! The students are coming back....not a day seems to go by where I don't get an email or a call or a message from a student about other students who want to be involved with Chi Alpha. We have been, and continue to, focus on intimacy with God and God-encounters. This is what they seem to be hungry for, because they are coming around.

So the community-wired Thooft family is going to have a big year. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers! I'll keep updating!

OH, and I am installing a new feature on this blog- a button that will take you to a link to donate to our ministry. I just have to figure out how to put it on here. Your donations will go directly to the MN District Assemblies of God and be routed to us, and you will get a tax receipt.

We love you!

Us Thoofts

Welcome Week Update

Ilsa and Eli after the fireworks yesterday

Maddie, Eli, Ilsa

Rachel & Maddie's hair!

Ilsa peeking
Phil, Eli, Ilsa
Maddie

Hi Family!

This is why I like the blog format- I can update. So much is going on that it would take forever to get it all to you in a newsletter :) The lake photos above are from our trip last week to the north shore- Grace is working at Naniboujou for the fall, waitressing. So if you get up there, stop in and give her a hug! She's doing great, finding friends, making tips! She comes home end of October.

The other pictures are from our first night of Chi Alpha last night. We forgot that there is a big bash on campus the first Tuesday- so it was a small group, but it was great. We have several that want to help with worship this year, so we have a schedule down for the entire semester. Our students want to have a big worship event on campus twice this semester, so we planned the dates for those and are reserving the Beaux Arts Ballroom. And we scheduled in a few bonfires and pizza feeds at our house. When we left, the big outdoor bash I was telling you about was having fireworks, so the kids climbed up on the suburban to watch. Not sure I've ever been that close to fireworks- I could smell them. Everyone is pretty excited to start a new school year!

Another new development- Ruth Velo has joined us! Ruth is a North Central University graduate who was taking her nursing courses at Hibbing Tech. She pioneered a Chi Alpha there, and now has transferred to BSU to complete her nursing training and is living with our family. The girls are loving having her around! (especially with Grace gone :( ) She and one of our grad students, Mark, have really taken the reins this year. They spent about eight hours on campus yesterday just talking with people, putting up signs, getting us an office, meeting our faculty advisor. They're social butterflies. They're doing everything Phil can't do while he's in this season of working and doing chi alpha part time. But looking at our calendar, chi alpha is definitely running full time on campus this year! God is good!

We are looking forward to Fall retreat with UMD again this year in October, hitting a few of Ian's rugby games at UND, visiting Grace on the north shore, and our first international get together this next Sunday. We asked for all the Nepalis again, so we're expecting a crowd!

Phil wants to start a men's purity group, but the curriculum is $450. If any of you would like to help cover that, that would be great. I am looking at finding a way to allow you to give right from this blog site- will keep you posted.

We also had a bummer the other night- our amp seems to have died. Does anyone out there have any resources along those lines?

Keep us posted on how we can be praying for you all- we love getting your emails! Thanks so much- and we'll update again soon!

Love, Us Thoofts

August 2010

Maddie- Carly- Ilsa

Grace- Ilsa - Maddie

our family! L-R: Michelle, Phil, Don, Kiki, Eli, Grace, Ilsa, Carly, Maddie

Gracie caught a fish! And held it herself!

Eli was the great fisherman of the weekend :)

glorious blue sky

warming up!

Ilsa hangin' on the boat; Eli and another fish

Don & Phil, Michelle & Kiki

Our girls! :)

Hey Family!

Summer is fading. Wow. Hard to believe. But here we are, move in is next weekend, and BSU starts school next week. Phil and I have been wondering all summer, "what does part time look like?" We had a meeting with our students last night, and this is what we're thinking it looks like:

• Phil would like to start a Men's Sexual Purity group that will meet once a week. The curriculum he wants is $450 and he needs to raise that before he can start :)
• Michelle and Ilsa and Maddie will be having a Girl's Tea once a week, that will focus on friendships and fun, but also have special women speakers on life topics for young women
• Friday nights will continue, possibly with sharing a meal beforehand
• Sundays are International student hang out days, and our great friends the Smith family will be joining us in that venture this year :) We get all the Nepalis again!
• Tuesday nights on campus will be worship and prayer and small groups
• Various one on ones with students at our home will continue (ie- Monday is Evan night:)

And we realized that we may be part time, but we can pray full time, and we can worship full time! So pray for us, family, as we venture into Fall. God reduced his army drastically and still won the battle. He fed thousands with a few fish and loaves. We're thinking more time and money isn't automatically a good thing! God's economy is not ours, and we are expectant to see Him move, even in our present circumstances.

Summer has been lovely here! We spent a weekend with our dear family the Gloude's (minus Ian (aka Sam) who was in Alaska all summer!) at their cabin near Walker, MN. The pictures are from our day on the pontoon! It was an incredible God-sent break just when we needed it. Right now we have friends up from Redwood Falls (Jairus and Sonny:) and they are helping us put up siding on the house today. Monday, we drive Grace to the north shore where she will be working the fall season at Naniboujou, the lodge where Phil and I met :) She has a few things to finish up for her high school and will graduate this spring. (it can't be!!!) But she has really gotten that itch to get out on her own, and Naniboujou was such a fun experience for us. They are excited for her to come, and we are excited for her. But we'll miss her!

So we're gearing up for a busy school year. Please pray that we would have wisdom - all the time! Our schedule will be so full. God has put the young IVCF staffers in our lives - one of them, Suzanne, has been coming to our Friday nights and playing with us in our worship team. We just love her! We had a meeting with them and decided we would like to meet once a month and pray for each other and our ministries on campus, and also advertise each other's events. They meet daily to pray on campus, and we're doing the tea and the Friday night and hopefully the men's group. We hope to share those events with all of our students.

Thanks again for your love and support! We'll keep you updated- probably more often now that school is starting again!

Love, Phil, Michelle, Grace, Ilsa, Maddie, and Eli Thooft