Live Nativity

 We are so excited to be a part of the live Nativity in East Martin! See details below. Hope you can come!

Merry Christmas!

 I bring you good new 

of great joy that will be for all people!  

Today a Savior has been born for you, 

He is Christ the Lord!

Luke 2:10-11

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May your Christmas be a time of sharing 

the Savior of the world! 

Thank you for partnering with us to bring the Good News to all people,

Grace, Lydia, Mandy, Josh, Makai, Emalai and Luka

Shaarda

Thankful

Isn't God's creation beautiful?!  He is beautiful!  I am thankful I was here this Thanksgiving to be here for our college girls, to share FIC with others, and to be a part of people's lives.  I am grateful.
I had a thanksgiving lunch with friends this year.  (Oh how I wish I had a bigger table and more room for people!)  There were new people at the table this year.  I love when God gives me new friends to love on and be loved by.  We had a meaningful afternoon of sharing in God's Word - Luke 10:21 what makes Jesus joyful?  When ordinary people share Him and are used for His glory.  We bring Him joy when we share Him - especially in our weakness.  We shared what about God and our relationship with Him we are thankful for and what we want to praise God for before the victory.  Each of these ladies have stories God is writing and using to help each other.  Thank you God!

Then the girls came home for Thanksgiving!
And we decorated the tree.

So good to be together again...

Josh and Grace helped prepare two turkeys for Thanksgiving.

A very Happy Thanksgiving!

The Beute family (my fam) gathered for Thanksgiving.  That means 45 people plus other families and international college students who needed a place so we were somewhere around 60 people.  A lot of people but thankful for a family that opens up and loves.

Makai learned about the wishbone and was supper excited to see one.

The turkey carvers.

The kids table with Grandpa

Bingo!

Thankful for you girls!

And you Josh!

Our thankful board...so much to be thankful for.

The day after Thanksgiving we woke up to beautiful snow...

It snowed all day long.  We had so much fun playing in it and watching it all cozy inside.

Christmas market - brrr!

Christmas is so beautiful!

Speaking and Preaching

 Here are two links of churches we shared at and Josh preached at:

https://www.youtube.com/live/kclwv6HMu00?si=QBG0vQSzCMCbSXMY

https://www.youtube.com/live/vGb8imbWkoc?si=nSHIAmzv56ORwt8a

Hi From Michigan!

Hi from Michigan!  As you can see we have settled into life here.  It is a different routine than our village life.  I showed Josh my full calendar here and then my very open calendar from Uganda and he just laughed.  One extreme to another.  We have been so blessed this season!  I am very thankful!  I don't have pictures of everything we've been up to but this will give you a pretty good idea.  I am involved in two Bible Studies that I dearly love and are a big part of each week for me.  I love knowing wherever we are God is with us, has a plan for us and wants to use us!  It has been a joy to serve Him here for right now.

Luka played JV football for Unity Christian this year.
Their team went undefeated, and we had a great time watching him play!

Luka's grandparents faithfully came to each game.

Time in the woods with the guys.

Josh and I made Monday mornings date time while Makai was at preschool.

Luka in action (66).

He loved being on the team! And the team loved him!

We went up North to spoke in the UP 

FIC president, Dan Studt, came to Michigan to share more about FIC with supporters.

Celebrated Dad Shaarda's 70th birthday and retirement!

Grace came home for fall break!

Grace turned 19!

Grace brought a friend home for fall break, Evelyn.

Enjoying fall time in Michigan!

We did a lot more speaking this time in Michigan.
We spoke at our supporting churches, every Wednesday and Sunday night we led FIC courses, spoke at chapels, Bible studies and on marriage for a couple's dinner. 
We praise God for the opportunities and using God's gift of teaching.

Uh-hu that's Makai! 
He takes a hot bubble bath once or twice a day - even snorkeled in the bath!

Roasting marshmallows was also a favorite!

Lydia came home for fall break!

Makai swam in lake Michigan in October!

Went out to Dordt to see Grace and be apart of Defender Days!

Hockey game

Football game

Fiddler on the Roof

On the way home we stopped at Moody to see Lydia!

Luka joined Varsity for play offs! 
 Sad to say they lost and were done sooner than expected.

I got to go to SC for a conference and spent a night with dear friends and co-workers Howard and Aileen!

Refresh conference with missionary friend Kerri!

Makai at preschool.  I got to join him for a morning!

So proud of him!

Makai had his tonsils out!
He was so brave and his healing is an answer to prayer.  No more snoring!