wild at heart

This picture was particularly encouraging for me to see. One because of the men I know in the picture and seeing what God has been doing in their lives. Two, because it captures a significant moment in their lives... the retreat that happened just days ago. The time was important for these men as they opened their hearts and hurts to one another and trusted Christ together to be their one and only Savior... trusted Christ to be the only one that can give them life. Pray for these men. Pray that God would raise up Brazilian fathers, politicians, bosses, husbands, missionaries, and friends from this group.

turning 31

We celebrated Amy's 31st birthday yesterday at Rancho do Boi. It's one of our favorite spots considering it has an extra large outside playground to just let the kids run wild. Just between our four couples there yesterday we had 13 kids (granted some are teens now). Happy Birthday Amy!

bring in a ringer

Thankfully I had Dr. Lonas here last Tuesday to field all the hard questions from the graduates. I'm planning to make a habit of this...

lonas visitors

Our friends Dr. Bobby Lonas and his daughter Melissa arrived in Belo on Monday for a visit. I'll share more later about what we've been up to... but for now it's bedtime. We just got finished with a great discussion group with the graduates (they were able to ask all the hard questions for the doctor!) and then several rounds of dominoes.

thursday group

Amy and I started another new group for graduates this past Thursday. We had 7 friends come over for a snack and some ice cream. While we ate we talked mostly about God at work or maintaining morality at work. It was interesting to hear about the different trials they've already faced and the victories and defeats. It became real clear that it's a reality for all their lives and that we need serious help not only in our thinking but also in what we desire.

backed in blue

You can see that Lucy has little curls in the back just like Simon did. We hope she can keep them for a while unlike Simon. The weather has been teetering into the "hot, rainy season", but still the high is around 85º.

spinach leaves

Lucy helped Amy fix supper the other day. She joined right in pulling off the spinach leaves. She's babbling a lot and walking holding on to tables and chairs but she hasn't let loose yet.

organic change

Last night was the second "sermon" I've given in a five-week series we are going through as a church. The theme is Organic Change and it's based on the book How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul Tripp. Last night we focused in on the HEAT in our lives... what are the situations in our lives that are revealing our true hearts, just like the desert many times is used as a testing ground in the Bible. Too bad many of you don't speak Portuguese or you could listen to the sermons online. The poll that is posted here on the blog is related to the series. Here is a question for everyone to ponder and to comment on: if the Christian life isn't exempt from doubts and fear, how do we continue in fellowship with the body during our darker moments?

kicked off

Last night we kicked off a new series of dinner meetings with the graduates. Two happened simultaneously last night; one at Brian and Candace's and the other here. Our hope for the time is that this group (which is more oriented to the city versus the campus) could connect with one another and that the dinner would provide for some significant interaction on some of the issues they are facing on the other side of their diploma. We would love to hear of any ideas you might have for our time or any resources.

formados...

Queria que todo mundo soubesse que eu e Brian não estamos esquecendo de vocês. Passamos bastante tempo recentemente tentando entender melhor qual seria o melhor próximo passo. Mas o que ficou mais claro é que queremos muito que vocês fazem parte desse processo. Então eu e Wandson criamos uma outra pesquisa simples para ouvir de vocês e para vocês poderem ouvir dos outros.

summitted?

Our team attended the Leadership Summit from Willow Creek this past weekend (not live as you can tell by the dates in the picture). It was held by video at one of the churches here in town and proved to be truly encouraging and stimulating for our staff. Tonight I preach, kicking off the series on change that I'll take the church through. Please pray for authentic change among us.

my vere hapy day

it was a day like no other day it was my birthday. Did any of you know that? And anyway my birthday party was in the after-noon and so I had time to decorate the whole house. And so that after-noon non of my friends came. And so I wated and wated. And did you know that I had a mail man friend. And so he wallket in-side aand he sayed that he had brought me a preasent and what do you know it whas a pirate set whith the ship and the men and it also had two bad guys. And so wen he wallct out I didint even know it because I was to busy playing pirates. Aand then all of my friends marcht in and they had a lode of preaseants. And that was the end of my vere vere hapy birthday. The end

not a true story

by braden dowdy
6 years old

lucy and bingo

Lucy got some walking lessons yesterday from her little friend, Bingo. She took a few spills but took it like a big girl. I think she was just so confused by such a fall that she didn't know how to react.