I remember Phil saying to me once early in our marriage that no matter what the weather outside, he was determined to find the fun in it and enjoy it. That seemed like a wise statement to me, so I have adopted it these past twenty years. So when we started getting our northern MN snow in March, we have LOVED it! Snowshoeing has been a hoot, hoarfrost amazing, and currently we have 2 moose in our front yard. They're made of snow, but whatever. A moose is a moose.
Speaking of early in our marriage, check this out:
Ilsa is graduating this spring and the school needs some pictures, so we are digging through our picture bin and sorting ...... and found some treasures!
Other family news: I (Michelle) am about ready to release the re-write of The Gift of Sam on Kindle. The book will be available in print as well shortly after. I will keep you posted! We are looking at a new title, and so far, You Smile as You Show Me Grace is the top contender. It's a line from an old DC Talk song, Mind's Eye. I am hoping to write a journal companion to the book, potentially entitled You Laugh as You Heal Me, that will take readers through forgiveness and getting rid of wounds and lies they're believing. It will be based on the Sozo ministry we have learned and are facilitating here in Bemidji.
We went to Illinois for the kid's spring break, so they could hang out with their cousin, and Phil was able to speak in his sister Louise's 6th-7th, and 8th grade classes. He told them that God wasn't mad at them, and for some, that was a revelation. Maddie got to attend a school day with her cousin Elise, and experience a different high school than what she is used to.
This was last night's Chi Alpha gathering:
Side note.....the guitar you see in the picture? It got bumped, and the neck smashed. It's un-fixable, unfortunately, and it was Ilsa's guitar that she has been seriously working with. Sigh. If anyone has a good quality guitar you would sell us, would you let us know? Thanks!
Our new president, Jolynne, is in the bottom picture right under Eli. She is a freshman this year, and is really excited to be our president! Last week she went to the office, sat down, and asked God what she should do for Chi Alpha on our campus. This is what she gave me:
Jolynne is in track and cross country, so we have been meeting students from these groups, and enjoying track meets. She wants to have a "hot tub night" at a local resort....when I asked her what students needed she said "a hot tub! Our muscles hurt all the time!" I thought- perfect. We'll have hot tub nights at Rutgers, a local resort. Now that's ministry!
We are feeling that we are to move Friday Night Worship to campus next fall, and that would be our large group gathering. It will still be open to other adults in the community, but we will meet on campus. Until then, Phil is still facilitating his guy's group on Monday nights along with Andy, a former student who is now married and working in the community. They see a dozen or so guys every week- some students, some not- who are wanting to get healthier :) Both of us are meeting students one on one, and having students over for pizza and game nights (last night we played Mafia- hilarious. One guy's alibi for why he didn't "kill" the person in question was "because I was in another town killing someone else" !) Love it.
A couple things we are praying about: our church, First Assembly of God, is hiring a new pastor. We had a great retirement party for our Pastor Vern and Mary a few weeks ago, and we now have a really wonderful intern pastor. So life there is kind of up in the air. We are praying for a Kingdom-minded pastor who sees the importance of college ministry and loves students....will you pray with us?
Another thing we have been praying about, and for, is a campus center on our campus. There is a property right across from the dorms and right next to Diamond Point Park that we have "circled" in prayer. (Read The Circle Maker, if you haven't already!) We see some student apartments, a coffee house, and a large meeting area for FNW and other Chi Alpha events. Offices, study rooms, a meeting room maybe. It's a big audacious prayer, and we can't even imagine the cost, but the idea of having a place on campus where we could interact with students on a daily basis keeps growing in our hearts. We have an office on campus, but it is really out of the way and not many students know its there. We hang out in the union, but it is closed and empty at 2 o'clock. We have done some things in the dorms, but you have to be invited to be in the dorms- you can't schedule something regular in them. We can get a room for FNW on campus, but rarely can you have the same room every week. So we have felt, for a long time, that a regular place for Chi Alpha - a presence- would be a great thing. Kind of like the Newman Center or the Lutheran Campus Center. Our coffee shop would be open early and late, giving students a place to go and study and hang out. Would you pray with us about this? And if you happen to know any millionaires who need a tax break, send them our way?
There is more to tell, but I will save it for another blog. Thank you so much for your love and support! Have a wonderful Easter!
