The Love of God

The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain
O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men, who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God’s love so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—

The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain
Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain

By Fredrick Lehman

I am so in awe of the love of God. I only desire that my life tells a little of its' grandeur and endlessness.

I been missing

Chocolate cookies, Hudsonville ice cream and Winter in Michigan

Hymns in English

ild He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain
O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song.

When years of time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men, who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God’s love so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race

—The saints’ and angels’ song.

Refrain

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above,

Would drain the ocean dry.

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

Refrain

Imagine birthing a 15 year old!.....

This past week we had the incredible privilege to witness and be part of two new families being birthed! Friends of friends were in Mexico City doing paperwork for the adoption of two mexican teenagers. We got to ride along and help translate. I know how incredible birthing two babies was but can only imagine what suddenly having a 15 year old daughter or son would be like!

I cannot begin to tell all of the emotions I witnessed and felt as the events of the week unfolded. I can tell you that I got a little taste of how God must feel as He opens His arms wide and unconditionally welcomes us into His family. I am also glad that being adopted into God's family does not involve visits to Mexican offices and the US Embassy.

Our new friends are currently in the US Consulate in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, finishing up the hopefully last stages of paperwork. I ask you to pray for Chad and Christy as they will soon cross the border with their new daughter Martha and for Roger and Luanne as they cross the border with new son Ramon. That border has been a turning point in the lives of soooo many Mexicans for years! This week it will witness the beginning of two new families!

Martha and Ramon's last words from Eduardo (director of the orphanage) were that they weren't just joining a new family but also being sent out by the orphanage as missionaries to Michigan. Both of them confirmed their salvation in our home we pray blessings upon them as they adjust to Michigan, new families, a new church and new friends!

Lazy Sunday afternoons

I am sittin' here trying to remember the last time I was home for a lazy Sunday afternoon.....I think it was in 2006! Anyway I made soup, salad, and baked potatoes for dinner. I am barefoot and just came in from putting some water in my geraniums. I was sitting by the front window and noticed a very droopy plant. I read 5 whole chapters in a book! About the only thing missing is Hymns By Request playing on the radio! Sorry that was one of those nostalgic moments. When I was a kid we listened a radio program on WFUR called "Hymns By Request." People sent in letters to request songs for birthdays, anniversaries, in memory of loved ones or just because they liked the hymn. We always had to take a nap on Sunday afternoons and it was the perfect way to relax if you weren't sleepy. I think hymns and singing in English are one of the things I miss most living in a foreign country. Please sing loud and with gusto the next time you are in church singing hymns!

How did I get on that subject? The next two weeks are going to be bussssssy! So maybe that's why God gave me a quiet Sunday afternoon. What do you do on Sunday afternoon?

We've got a two year old!

Relax Mom,

We just celebrated the two year anniversary of the church in Trojes!

It was/is so sweet to see 74 people singing and giving testimony of the goodness and faithfulness of God! We all marvelled at how God took a small kid's club and is turning it into a church family. Several people shared the changes God has made in their personal lives. We cried for those who went home to heaven in this past year and smiled as we listened to the gurgles of the new babies God has blessed us with. Then like all good Baptists we ate! Oh did we enjoy the wonderful foods the ladies whipped up. After dinner we played some games and just enjoyed each others company. In our evening service we are going through a discipleship/doctrine course. On Sunday it went from 6PM till 8:30PM! The questions and explaining were so deep yet no one wanted to leave!

I have often mentioned that the three room apartment that we meet in is bursting at the seams on Sunday. We continue to look for property to buy. Everytime we think it is going to happen...it doesn't. To be honest we have been discouraged. However a few weeks ago the lady who lives next to the church (and lends us an empty lot for big events) offered us the opportunity to put in a cement slab and a roof over it! She is going to completely enclose the property with a brick wall. We will have lots of room until God sees fit to give us our own place! Our growing "two year old" will have lots of room to test her wings and fly! We look forward to all that God will do in this coming year!