Today, 12/28/2006, as I begin to write our eNewsletter Update it is nearly 68 degrees, clear and sunny. I am sitting in our bedroom typing with the window open! We even have our heat turned off, along with all the doors open to allow warm and fresh air into the house. It’s just hard to imagine such weather at the end of December here in the “north”. In Texas — yes, pretty normal, but here in Louisville?

It’s been one of those pleasant days as well. Have you ever had one of those moments when everything seemed and felt right? That’s how this day has been for me, Jim.

As we round out the month of December and 2006 we are ever so grateful for how the Father cares for us – and how He is using you to do so! Throughout the year you have stood by us in prayer, ministry and finances.

Along with your regular monthly financial help for our ministry, this month of December we received several amazing special gifts:

• That helped us purchase very much needed tires for our minivan. We’ve had several near rear-end collisions (us colliding with a rear-end of another vehicle in front of us due to our old tires being bald and slippery). Thank you to the three families whose gifts made this possible!
• Thank you Faith Bible Church for your special gift that will soon be a couch in our living room.
• Thank you Faith Bible Fellowship for your gift that helped reduce the amount of deficit in our 2006 support goal.
• Thank you CrossRoads Missions for your gift that also became a new video player and monitor in our living room.
• And to everyone else who sent gifts, cards and letters – too numerous to mention in detail – thank you for sharing with us in the wonderful celebration of the birth of the Savior!

On Christmas day, our daughter Emily called all of us together – our children, their spouses, Phyl’s mom and dad, and us. We had a great time together. Living only two hours away makes it much more possible for us to get together for short visits such as this. Emily, our daughter, dressed our grandson, Isaac, in appropriate apparel for the day – pictured to the left. If you look closely you’ll be able to see that his shirt says “I’M THE BIG BROTHER”. Phyllis caught on to the slogan right away, me — I’m just a bit slower. Grandbaby #2 is on the way! Baby is due to show up around the end of July. It was a big December 25th with this special announcement. Grandma, Phyllis, is already making sure that her schedule is clear and we’ll be available for whatever this special occasion may bring.

In other family news – Erika is in process of taking on some new therapy and also visiting a different neurologist for her seizure activity. Thank you for your continued prayers.

As we look into 2007 we have three ministry events we put before you for prayer …

1. Next week, January 4th, Jim leaves with other CrossRoads Missions staff to head to Gatlinburg, TN. No, not for R-and-R but for another Help Build Hope event. This event will take place at the Tennessee Christian Teens Convention (TCTC) where CrossRoads staff will help guide several hundred teens through the process of framing up two homes! Pray again for physical safety and for the impact that such work and worship may have on those who perform it and those who receive the homes.
2. The first week of March Phyllis, Erika and I, and perhaps some of our children and their spouses, will be going to Piedras Negras, Mexico for a week long Medical Missions Trip. Pray for travel safety and the impact that our serving Christ in this manner and on those we meet, to, from and during this weeks activity. We plan to make a stop-over in Longview, TX coming or going or both!
3. A Help Build Hope event has been scheduled for 4/27/2007 – 4/29/2007 in Florence, KY. All of our friends and family in the Northern Kentucky/Ohio area are invited to stop in and see just how one of these events happens. And, if you’re skilled in construction or not, and would like to pitch in for the day — please let us know! More info will come via our eNewsletter as the dates approach.

In closing — we cannot thank you enough for your encouragement, phone calls, financial support, prayers and care for us these past years! Our Father is so faithful and kind! Even though 2006 was a rough year emotionally, even though our financial support ends up 2006 about $5000 below the amount needed, even though ….., even though …..; our Father is faithful and kind and we count on Him!

As we come into 2007 together it is our prayer that the Father and His only Son – Jesus – be magnified and glorified in all that you and we do and say! To Him be the glory.

Love — Jim and Phyllis