Summertime

Hi!  Can't share all of our summer fun but I did want to share a few highlights.  I loved being with my kids home again every day (so did Makai!) and sharing adventures together.  

Hope you had a meaningful summer too.

July 12 I flew to Beaver Creek, CO to attend Thrive, a retreat for missionary women.  I even had the privilege of going to the retreat with my sister Angie!  I was looking forward to the retreat but I had no idea how much I needed the retreat.  Thrive is built on prayer and it shows in everything they do.  Their goal is to love on each missionary with God's love.  I can tell you from experience that I received God's love personally at the retreat!  Each day of the retreat there was worship, prayer time, a speaker, and small groups.  In the afternoon we could have a massage, pedicure, go to a counselor,  meet with a prayer partner, get a facial or shop at their bookstore and clothing store all for free!  This was all put on by Thrive volunteers and every station you went to they ended the time by praying for you.  In the evenings we gathered again for worship and spent time laughing together through the evening activity.  It was so good to laugh!

The first night of the retreat we were all given 20 to 30 minutes of quiet time to just be with God.  I often go into quiet times resisting but I found it to be a gift I haven't had in quite some time.  I envisioned God holding me and I quickly began to cry as I felt His love for me.  I felt God say just come seeking Me, not seeking answers from Me.  That was what I needed to hear.  I can't understand the why or know the when, but God is with me.  I can trust Him.

My prayer time with the volunteer at Thrive was very meaningful too.  As she prayed over me she said God wanted me to know that I am loved and precious, I have God's attention and He sees your tears, all the pain and sadness are not a waste.  That is what I needed to hear!  God spoke directly into my situation.  

I think the Thrive retreat was so special because it is all missionary women so we have the same common ground and we were understood.  Everyone was willing to be real and go deep creating a community I haven't had in a long time.  Because Thrive bathes everything in prayer, I felt like the retreat was on holy ground.  Every one of the Thrive volunteers made us feel honored as missionary women.  I also greatly appreciated the fun and laughter we had.  I needed all of this!  I was emptier than I knew.  God used this retreat to fill me with His love for me.  It was the safe place I needed to release.  The speaker reminded me several times during the week, God gives a peace that passes understanding.  

We love McBain and had fun this summer on McBain's Heritage Days - and going for ice cream!

Small town fun is the best!

The end of July we took a road trip to Oxford, Alabama to see our friends the Dwire family!
Lydia and Grace were going to attend a TCK (third culture kid) camp in Northern Georgia so we made a trip out of it.

Faithful Friends
It was great to see their lives Stateside (they are missionaries in Uganda too).

Lydia and Abbie have grown up together in Uganda and now are both graduated!  A lot of changes for both of them.  So glad they have each other.

Lydia's 18th birthday!

Heading to camp with our girls in the beautiful GA mountains.
It was an amazing week for the girls to be with 61 who have served in 52 different countries and 26 different languages spoken!  These missionary kids are awesome!!!  The camp was called Transition Lounge because TCK's are always transitioning.  The camp allowed them to belong to a "tribe", grieve loss and change, understand how to communicate with mono-culturals, transition to the States (some for college)...  It was a huge blessing for our girls! 

While the girls were at camp, we enjoyed a couple more days with our friends.
We hiked by a waterfall, went out for bar-b-q, and enjoyed one another's company.

We stopped at Martin Luther King's birth place in Atlanta, GA.

King's tomb

Then we spent the rest of the week across the street from the girl's camp on Ft. Mountain.

We saw way too many snakes that week!  Thankfully none while hiking.

And bear!  This one sat next to our cabin one morning eating berries.  Josh and Luka saw one when they went fishing in the pond too.  So thankful it was more scared of them than they were of it.

We spent a lot of time at the cabin relaxing and enjoying!

Exploring the area.

Luka enjoyed fishing.

And Makai liked swimming!

Making miles in the car enjoyable :)

On the way home we were able to visit the Ark Encounter

It's BIG!  And it really made us think and wonder... Can't imagine every thought of every man being evil.  We think today is so evil but it was so evil then that God regretted making His creation.  So sad.  But one man found grace from God.  Noah devoted his life to obeying God and building an ark.  He fully trusted God when he couldn't see the promise.  Amazing.

One door.  One way to be saved.

A friend from MI who works at the Ark.

God's promise to us.  His grace and mercy.

Luka, Grace and I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Moody Radio tent at the Unity Festival (Christian three day Concert) in Muskegon this summer. It was fun to do together, meet great people and hear so many concerts.  Grace's favorite, For King and Country (it was an awesome concert!).  Luka's favorite, TobyMac all the way!