Our MI Christmas, New Years, and snow...

Here is a look at our Christmas, New Years and Michigan snow!  

Fun with Grandpa's 4-wheeler

Decorating Christmas cookies with cousins

Malai sleeping in her coat to keep warm

Our family Christmas party

 My parents joined us and we both got world necklaces.

Malai's gifts to G&G she was so proud of.

Luka got a real set of little drums

Emalai wanted a violin, diamond and penny for Christmas.
We found a little violin (musical family this Christmas - Josh got a harmonica too) and she got a penny but the diamond...it was a beautiful fake little girls ring. 

Here we are at the Beute Christmas party on Christmas Eve

Emalai and her cousins she loves to play with.

Beute family Christmas sweaters!

Having fun!

Dad and Mom and their grandkids

Shaarda family Christmas party Christmas Day

The grandkids

Christmas Day was snowy and cold!  We had so much fun outside behind the 4-wheeler!

Lydia's homemade present for G&G

Grandma's cookbooks she made for the girls

Ice skating on Christmas break

We got lots of snow on Christmas break and it was cold.
Here is my snow angel! 

So beautiful sledding

Gotta have all the fun we can in the snow and cold while we can!

Malai turned 5 on Dec. 27!
Happy Birthday Emalai!  You are a joy in our home with smiles, giggles, imagination, dancing, and sweetness.

The quilt Grandma Shaarda made for Malai's birthday.

More Michigan snow to enjoy!

Freezing cold sledding

We went sledding at Uncle Marks which is super fun because he makes a trail to go down and takes us up in the tractor scoop!

And then the kids convinced him to put the scoop up!!!

So pretty

New Years Eve fondu

 More freezing temps and more fun!

Sledding again with my sister Jenna and her kids

Ice skating on the lake my parents live on.
Lydia is a great skater like her dad.

A walk in the woods...

New Years prayer

Thank you Father for a New Year!  I am so thankful for Your faithfulness, control and plan over each new year.  I put my trust in You.  You are before, in and over all.  You hold the plans, control and power perfectly.  Lord, you are so good, worthy and true.  I need You and look to You and rest in You.

Thank you for 2017.  I look back with joy and thanksgiving.  I am thankful I grew in Christ.  Your Word and Spirit have taught me, filled me, led me, helped, challenged and encouraged me.  You are my Way, Truth and Life.  Thank you for transformed lives.  For David, the youth, Patricia, the prisoners and others You continue to work in.  For those growing in Christ and sharing Your truth with others.  For the leaders we work with, learn from, and minister with.  For those in the villages and churches learning who they are in Christ and living free in Christ.  I praise You for the church choir that has grown and blessed us.  I am thankful for their togetherness, talents and worship.  For the youth growing, serving and participating.  For the work You are doing in the prison.  For each prisoner who has allowed Your Word to change them and for the officers who have welcomed and recognized the work of Your people.  Thank you for special friends you have giving us in Uganda.  Friends who understand us, encourage us, support, love, edify, and to have fun with.  For our home in Obule that we love and is a place of peace, rest, hospitality because it is the Lord's property and filled with His Spirit.  I praise you for our marriage and the oneness you have given us. For our children who are amazingly positive, thankful, flexible and challenge me each day.  Thank you that they know who they are in Christ and love the Lord.  Thank you that we can do kingdom with together with our children.  Thank you for home schooling and the blessing it is to be with our kid everyday, know what they are learning, learn with them and instill God's truth in them.  Praise you for the creativity we can use in home schooling, living in the village, and in our lives.  Thank you for the marriage conferences we could do this year and for sharing your design for marriage.  For providing in drought and sending rain!  For water, power, fans, food, and health.  For our supporters who bless us and pray for us.  For safety at home and over many miles.  For so many wonderful opportunities to travel and see your vast world.  Thank you for Freedom in Christ that we are a part of.  For our time in Michigan, speaking, enjoying and being with family.  God You are good and I praise you and thank you for all You have done!

Lord, put Your Spirit in 2018.  Fill it and us.  Lead, use, empower, be present, protect, provide and do great things for Your kingdom and Your glory!  Be our help and peace as we pack and transition.  Go with us.  Go before us.  Be our health and protection.  Continue to fill our marriage and our home.  Bless our home schooling.  Lead us as a family to see and do Your will.  Provide all we need spiritually, physically and emotionally.  Continue to open doors to do Your work.  Use us mightily in Jesus name.  By Your strength continue Your work in the prison.  Keep the door open and keep leading.  Show us Lord and do Your work.  Use our home, gifts and blessings.  Empower the leaders to continue to serve and teach.  Use Josh to write appropriate materials that can be used in Africa and around the world.  Continue to grow our friendships.  I pray for Achia and pray for Your will to be done in her life.  God be glorified through her and everyone involved in protecting and loving her.

I pray for the Your church to grow in Christ, know You, trust You, submit to You, live in Your truth, be willing to change, be different, go out, serve, share, forgive, to be Jesus in their marriages, in their homes, resit the devil and flee from sin, to let You truly lead and be the head of the church, to long for You, watch and wait for Your coming, to reject the lies and culture and choose Christ, to stand for Your truth, remove all footholds we allow in our lives and homes, to know who we are in Christ and live according to it, to be free and victorious daily in Christ!   

For the lost to come to Christ.  God may the enemies of Jesus, those who hate You and Your people, who do evil and deny the truth to experience You and be changed by Your love and grace.  We cry out to You to stop the persecution, evil, killing, pain, suffering, injustice...  God be seen, heard and felt there.  You are the power to change the world!  Change hearts of stone to hearts of flesh.  As you changed Saul to Paul change closed countries to freedom, evil leaders to Christ followers, abusers to servants, false religions to truth...  This is our prayer and Your will.  Protect and provide for Your children who are hurting, suffering, scared, in need.  Defend and save Your babies being killed, Your daughters misused, Your children unloved.  Raise up Your church to each one do their part spiritually, physically and emotionally.  Give us Your heart that weeps and a righteous anger against sin and injustice.  Convict us for sitting and repent and stand with our hurting brothers and sisters in the name of Jesus.  May Your name be know, honored, and proclaimed!

Be near to each one of our friends and family who is in need of Your touch, power, healing, provision, comfort, leading, saving...may each one choose You and experience You.  You are able and it is in You we trust.

Lord may Your will be done in 2018 and Your kingdom come.