December 18, 2009

Dear Family, Friends, and Church Family,

It is hard to believe it is once again time for us to be sending out our annual Christmas letter. I really look forward to writing because it allows me to reflect on what the Lord has accomplished throughout this year. It is our prayer this season that amongst all the busyness and chaos that Christmas brings, you will also take time to reflect on the Lord and why he was born so many years ago. He was born a little baby in a stable; however, He grew into a mighty man who took the sin of the whole world upon His shoulders. What a sacrifice! All He wants in return from us is our love!

2009 has been a huge stepping stone for New Life Community Church in so many ways. We continue to minister at New Life and amazingly watch the Lord work through this church and this wonderful body of believers. Nothing blesses us more than seeing people surrender their lives to Him and growing closer in their walks of faith. This year, New Life took part in planting the Point Church in Charlottesville, VA pastored by Gabriel, Josh’s brother. We look forward to seeing how God continues to use Gabriel, Kari, and their body of believers in Charlottesville. Also, in 2010, New Life will be expanding by means of a multisite campus in Gordonsville, Va. It is our prayer that God can use New Life in this way to reach more people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

On a personal note, we continue to lead very busy lives. Josh amazes me how he continues to pastor a church, take classes for his second Master’s degree, and be a wonderful husband and father all at the same time. Recently, I have been spending lots of days substitute teaching at the kids’ school. Of course, Laura Ruth and Anna love it while Caleb gets embarrassed. We have definitely found out that life is a delicate balancing act of getting everything done. Josh traveled to Nicaragua twice this year. On the second trip, he and a mission team from New Life ministered to the people of this very impoverished nation. In Nicaragua, they have very little materially; however, they are rich in the sense that they are craving the Word of God. It is amazing that the same God we serve is the same God all over the world! Jesus Christ! Josh recently spent two weeks in Colorado with friends from New Life and brought back his first elk that he has ever killed. If anyone would like this trophy deer to hang in their living room please let me know. We also went on a few family trips as well. Over spring break, we spent the week at Myrtle Beach. It was a little too cold to dive into the waves; however, we had fun swimming in the pools, flying kites, and just spending time together as a family.

In July, we came up with the crazy idea to take a cross country trip with three kids in a suburban. As crazy as it was, it turned out to be the most fulfilling trip as a family we have ever been on. Josh and I even survived the kids periodic fighting, and they only asked, “When are we going to be there?” about a handful of times. A true miracle! We were gone two weeks and traveled through fourteen states with New Mexico and the Grand Canyon, our ultimate destination. We traveled through Oklahoma and saw the wind turbines and toured the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. We traveled on through Texas and saw lots of dry flatlands. We spent several days in beautiful Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Next, we traveled on to the Grand Canyon which of course was breathtaking! No words can describe! And who says there is no God! On the way home, we spent several days in Colorado where we drove up to Pike’s Peak where it was 32 degrees in July and it briefly started snowing and sleeting. We also rode the Gorge River train, toured James Dobson’s Focus on the Family, and even stopped by Mile High Stadium. I was a huge John Elway and Broncos fan growing up. We also saw the Columbine shooting memorial and explained to the kids what can happen to those children who grow up without Jesus. It was a solemn but wonderful teaching moment. Kansas, well, Kansas was Kansas. It had lots of pretty cornfields to look at for many long hours. Lastly, we spent an evening in St. Louis. We went up in the arch, enjoyed the riverfront and rolling in the grass as the sun went down. The whole trip was picture perfect except we broke down as soon as we crossed the New Mexico border in the middle of the desert and 110 degree weather! We ended up having to drop $800 on a new fuel pump. It was a bummer, however, the trip was wonderful and we would do it again in a heartbeat!

During Memorial Day weekend, Josh and I did something together we had never done. A very dear friend, Lori Willis, encouraged me to run my very first 5K race. I despise running and truly did not think I could do it. However, after months of training with Lori’s encouragement and faith that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, I decided to try to accomplish this small feat. For a mom with three kids and lots of Little Debbie cakes I have been carrying around through the years, this was no easy challenge. Somewhere along the way, Josh decided to join me. On race day, I did not think I could do it, but I ended up doing it and even took five minutes off my fastest time. Of course, Josh smoked me! Even though the race was something small, my faith was increased a little that day!

The kids are all growing so fast! Caleb is getting ready to turn 10, Laura Ruth is 8, and Anna is 5. Our year is taken up with lots of sports, cheerleading, AWANA, and church activities. Caleb just finished his first year of football playing defensive end and linebacker. He was bruised up a lot, but loved every minute of it, and turned out to be really well at it. He loves sports, tubing, wakeboarding, hunting with his dad, and hanging out with his little gang of friends. Laura Ruth is in 2nd grade and matures more each day. She loves hanging out with her Mommy, reading, and dressing her American Girl dolls. She is excited to be singing her first little solo in the church’s Christmas play and is looking forward to being baptized in January. Anna started kindergarten this year! Such a bittersweet moment! I truly miss the kids when they are in school, however, it is a little more peaceful going shopping and grocery shopping by myself! Plus now I have time to read my new favorite, Karen Kingsbury novels. Anna’s favorite thing to do is play school. She and Laura Ruth remind me of my sister and I growing up playing school. Of course, Kelly became a teacher, and I can’t wait to see if Anna is a teacher one day. This little girl has so much energy which causes me to turn a little grayer each passing year. She definitely has her daddy’s personality and spunk!

This year has been bittersweet in that we lost some dear people in our lives. The Bible tells us that the Lord gives and takes away. In June, Josh’s grandfather passed away. He was a gentle giant to all who knew him. He was not a fancy man by any means and did not do anything famous, but the evidence of the impact he had on others was so evident. He loved the simple things in life. Family, friends, church, and farming were just some of the things he cherished. He loved the Lord and loved people. It could be said that Red Turner never met a stranger. He was a friend to all. The Lord blessed him with a wonderful life that he lived to the fullest! We loved him dearly and truly miss him! The trips to Broadway will never quite be the same. In April, I lost a dear cousin Miranda who was only 32. She loved life despite all the hardships she had to endure along the way. James 4:14 says, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” Their deaths have taught us to love life and make the most of it because we do not know when it will be our last day.

This is just a small portion of what our lives have contained this year. We want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year! The desire in our hearts is to love the Lord, and let you know that we love each of you and are blessed by your presence in our lives.

Love In Christ,

Josh, Stacey, Caleb, Laura Ruth, & Anna