News From the North...

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Greetings from the “it can’t be fall already” North!

 Yep, here it comes! Fall. Temps are dropping, cohos are in the streams, deer season (bucks only) is open and duck hunting is right around the corner. Love it!

Do you mind if I (Mark) get a bit personal? I want to tell you a bit about my three girls.

Hannah, our oldest, graduated this spring with a degree in Biology. She’s taken the MCAT (standardized test for medical school) and is in the application process for medical school.

Ellen is at Western Carolina University in the musical theater program. She just got a lead in an original production.

Claire, our youngest, is a junior in high school. This summer she was the worship leader for a week long teen retreat.

I’m sure by now you’re wondering why I’m sharing this other than to brag on my kids. And, yeah, I’m proud of my girls, but that’s not the point.

This is “the point.” At 13, Hannah was working in operating rooms in Nigeria with Christian Medical Fellowship. That’s when she heard God calling her to be a doctor. At 14, Ellen was doing high school plays when God began to speak to her about bringing the Kingdom into the earthly realm of musical theater. Claire was a pre-teen when she first told us that she thought that she believed that the Lord wanted her to be a worship leader.

For all three of my girls, the call of the Father became their passion. The destiny that He has spoken over them from eternity past became their dream and their dreams are becoming their reality. This is the goodness and the greatness of our King on display, fulfilling the desires of our hearts, desires He placed there. And that knowledge, the knowing that God is truly good and that they have heard His call, helps to sustain each of them, through the struggles and disappointments, the tears and turmoil, the failures and the triumphs.

This is their testimony, their story. The story of a loving God pouring out His goodness on His kids. But it’s also our testimony, the testimony of applying Kingdom principles to raising kids, of watching and imitating the Father.

If He hadn’t taught us how to guard, nurture and grow dreams, we might have quashed the dreams of our daughters. Thank you, Father!

 INDIA
We don’t have a date yet for the next India trip. What we do know it that we don’t want to go in May again. Call me a wimp, but it’s just too hot for an Alaska boy. We also know that it will be before May of 2014.

Which brings me to two things. The first is those that want to join us on this trip. If you want to go, we need to be communicating soon. Drop us a line or give us a call if you want to come along. We promise you won’t be bored and you will be blessed.

The other thing is finances. We’re going to start raising funds a bit early this time. The need is about $4800.00 for Mark’s airfare, housing and conference expenses. But, we are praying that Julie will get to go this time, and that will add about $2000-2500.00 to the total.

As always, we ask that you ask the Lord what He would have you do to help with this.

ROMANIA
This is starting to look promising. While we are still in the exploratory phase, it seems to be coming together.
We can’t say much more than that right now, but a trip could be coming soon. Thanks for keeping this before the Lord.

NIGERIA
Just as it began to look like Mark might be able to return to Nigeria,
Boko Haram struck again. As far as we know, all of our friends and colleagues are fine, but Nigeria needs our prayers.

Thanks again for all you do to make this possible.

Yours for the Kingdom,

Mark and Julie

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