This short video shows the amazing impact ABTS is having in India! We are so excited for Greg to be teaching Old Testament classes for ABTS soon! Join us in being part of this incredibly ministry!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers for Isaac!  We got his test results back and his kidney numbers are good! Praise the Lord! These numbers tell us that at least Isaac’s left kidney is compensating for the shortcomings of the right kidney, so his situation doesn’t appear to be life threatening.

Our next step is a test called a VCUG on Friday, March 18th which will tell us if his bladder is refluxing urine into his kidneys as this may be the cause of the scarring in his small right kidney. He has to be mildly sedated for this procedure. We then meet with a pediatric nephrologist (children’s kidney doctor) on Monday, March 21st to discuss the results. One of our nursing friends who works at the children’s hospital told us our nephrologist is “excellent, smart, amazing, and exactly who I would want” so we’re feeling grateful to have a great specialist soon.

Prayer warriors – please lift March 18th and 21st up to our Father! Thank you!

Clinging to this promise today. He will lead. One step at a time. One decision at a time. He gently leads those that have young.

We just got off the phone with Isaac’s pediatrician and we're just feeling numb.  They’ve discovered that Isaac’s right kidney is abnormally small and has scar tissue on it.  We aren’t sure what’s causing the problems with his right kidney at this point.  Tomorrow Isaac has to have some more tests done to determine if his left kidney is compensating for his right kidney.  If the left kidney is compensating then the situation is still concerning, but not life threatening.  Sometime soon Isaac will also need to have a kidney reflux test done which will require him to be sedated - always a little bit scary when they’re so young.  Will you please join us in praying for the doctors to find the reason for Isaac’s kidney problems and for complete healing for our little man?  Also, prayers for peace and trust for our family would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you for your love and prayers!

To celebrate Abbie's 7th birthday we had a Barbie Superhero Birthday Party!  We made superhero masks and power bracelets, watched the "Barbie Princess Power" movie, and played Barbie superhero games.  I love that my precious daughter is super girlie (she loves her pink/purple, dresses, and sparkles) and super strong (she knows she can do anything and wants to be the one to swoop in and save the day)!  Happy 7th Birthday Abbie!

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.”  -Jesus
 
Over the past few months we've seen a lot of beggars with cardboard signs at stoplights throughout our city (Grand Rapids) and cities we've been visiting while traveling.  The many beggars have led to lots of conversations with our children, and even though we've prayed for the beggars as we drove away it wasn't quite sitting with me right that we weren't doing anything for them.  I know it's not the best idea to give beggars money, so a few weeks ago we made Blessings Bags.

The purpose of a Blessings Bag is to give a beggar tangible help without giving them money.  It's a way to meet their immediate needs by providing them with some basic toiletries, water, food, and warmth.  We used clear Ziploc bags (so they know exactly what they’re being handed), and enclosed gloves, socks, lotion, chapstick, sanitizing wipes, applesauce (and a spoon), beef jerky, water, and a note that says, “Just because.  You matter.  Everyone needs help sometimes.  Our family is praying for you.”
 
We’ve kept the bags in our minivan under the front seats, so if we are at a red light or approached by a beggar in a parking lot then we can quickly and easily give the bag to the person.
 
I have to confess that before handing out the bags I was nervous.  As I was driving around I thought:  How are the beggars going to respond?  Are they going to be angry that I’m not giving them money?  Are they going to keep badgering me for something more?  Are the people in the cars around me going to think I’m ridiculous?  All petty selfish thoughts, but they were there so I asked God to give me courage to actually hand out the bags when I saw the beggars.
 
This week God gave us the opportunity to hand out three bags!  And I have to tell you – all three times it was a blessing.  All three people (two men and one woman) were genuinely touched by the gift.  They beamed with joy, doted over the gifts, and said "Thank you!" repeatedly.  Not one of them asked for anything more or expressed anything but thankfulness.
 
The first time I was alone.  The second time Abbie was with me.  The third time Christian was with me and was able to hand the bag to the lady through the widow himself.  Both of my children were grinning ear to ear when we drove away from the beggars instead of their usual faces of concern and sadness.  They each volunteered to pray for the beggars as we drove away!  These blessings bags didn’t just bless the hearts of the beggars, they blessed my family’s hearts too!  Jesus' words are so true - "It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

So if you have a lot of beggars in your city, consider making Blessings Bags.  I guarantee they will bless you too!

Blessings Bags Supply List
Gallon Freezer Ziploc Bags
Gloves
Socks
Travel Sized Lotion
Chapstick
Sanitizing Wipes
2 Applesauce Cups
Plastic Spoon
Bag of Beef Jerky
Small Water Bottle
Note - "Just because.  You matter.  Everyone needs help sometimes.  Our family is praying for you."

While walking around the streets of Bangkok, it was common to see monks and spirit houses.

We visited a Buddhist shrine.  It was so sad to see people praying to this idol.  They burned incense sticks and offered gifts of flowers to gain favor with their god.  How we long for these people to come to know the free gift of grace!

Buddhists can pay to hire dancers to help lift their prayers up to heaven.  Below is a video of one couple having their prayers lifted up to heaven by the hired dancers.

One night while in Bangkok, Thailand we had the chance to participate in the beginning of a small church plant start-up of Pakistani Christian refugees.  Bangkok has many Christian refugees seeking religious asylum because of life threatening persecution, but their lives are still very difficult because they are not legally allowed to have jobs in Thailand.   Greg shared a message on Romans 8 - emphasizing how our trials make us more like Jesus Christ.  After the time of teaching and worship, we found out more about the trials of one precious couple and their story broke our hearts.  Read their story: Hope Amidst Persecution

The video below is of these sweet brothers and sisters singing to our Jehovah Jireh in Urdu.  Allow the depth of their praise to wash over you.  Our God is worthy of praise from people of every tongue during every season of life.

Chiang Mai is a beautiful city!  We enjoyed exploring this city, eating lots of wonderful Thia food (Greg ate grubs - he said they tasted like soggy french fries), and at the night bizarre we saw people getting fish therapy (where fish eat the dead skin off your feet - we were told it tickles).  The neigborhoods are very quiet and almost every home has a little spirit house to please the spirit world.

We saw the process of making Asian umbrellas.  They position wooden sticks and tie them with string to create the frame of the umbrella.  They stretch wet white paper over the umbrella frame.  They set the umbrellas in the sun to dry.  Once they umbrellas are dry they paint them and then set them in the sun to dry again.

While in Chiang Mai we saw the silk making process.  It all starts with little caterpillars.  The caterpillars spin silk cacoons.  The cacoons are boiled and the silk strands are removed and turned into usable silk.  The silk is dyed and pulled tight to dry.  The ladies use their silk looms to create the cloth.

Below is a video of the ladies hard at work creating silk cloth on their looms.

One night while in Bangkok, Thailand we had the chance to participate in the beginning of a small church plant start-up of Pakistani Christian refugees.  Bangkok has many Christian refugees seeking religious asylum because of life threatening persecution, but their lives are still very difficult because they are not legally allowed to have jobs in Thailand.   Greg shared a message on Romans 8 - emphasizing how our trials make us more like Jesus Christ.  After the time of teaching and worship, we found out more about the trials of one precious couple and their story broke our hearts.

The husband and wife are Christian refugees in Pakistan, but like most refugees in Thailand they aren't officially recognized by the government and are therefore not allowed to legally work.  When they do work they are underpaid and risk imprisonment by immigration officials.  The couple who shared with us have a 2-year-old son and 4-month-old daughter.  The wife has already been imprisoned once.

Monday evening the immigration officials were pounding on their door, but they quietly hid.  Their 4-month-old baby girl was sick and the day before they used the last of their money to purchase her medicine.  They had no money to purchase their 2-year-old son milk and food.  Monday they had nothing to eat until they joined our fellowship that night.  They are 2 months behind on rent and facing eviction.

It's hard to explain what it felt like in our hearts as we heard this sweet couple's story and saw their tears.  Mamas, can you imagine not being able to provide your baby girl with medicine or your toddler son with milk?  Daddies, can you imagine longing with every ounce of your being to work to provide for your family not being allowed to because you'll be thrown into prison if you do?  And all of this because you had to feel your country because you refused to renounce Christ.

Friends, this is where God graciously allowed many of you to be part of this story!  We were so blessed with many of you giving to our survey trip and the funds that came in were over and above what we needed for our trip.  Monday night one family in the church helped provide this couple with money for food/medicine/milk, and we were able to use the money you gave to cover the rent costs this sweet family owed!

Thank you so much to each of you who gave toward our survey trip!  God has used you not only to help us determine which city we'll live in when moving permanently to Asia but also to help provide for the needs of this persecuted Christian family.  The body of Christ is beautiful.  To God be the glory great things He has done through the generosity of His people!  This family still has many days of hardship ahead of them, but praise God that through the power of His Word and your gifts we were able to give them a glimmer of hope amidst persecution.

The video below is of these sweet brothers and sisters singing to our Jehovah Jireh in Urdu.  Allow the depth of their praise to wash over you.  Our God is worthy of praise from people of every tongue during every season of life.