Louisiana: The Call, The Answer, The Miracle

Two and half years ago while in Kansas City, Missouri I heard God say, "Watch Louisiana." Minutes later, I found on the road, a white paper bag that said Louisiana Kitchen. A sign? I thought so, but what did it mean?

At the end of August, 2011 I received a phone call from a Pastor friend of mine. He invited me to pray about the possibility of being a part of a new church plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Shortly after, I was reminded about what God had said two years prior in Kansas City, Missouri, " Watch Louisiana." Was this a divine ambush?

As Jessica and I prayed about this invite and the word God gave 2 years earlier, confirmations began to pop up everywhere.

The following day after I received the call from my Pastor friend I was in a conversation and the person I was talking to brought up Louisiana randomly, or maybe not randomly. Hmmm? The whole time we were in Wyoming I don't recall anyone talking about Louisiana, but the day after the invite I did. The very next day at work, I was in a conversation with a totally different person and guess what he began to talk about? That's right, Louisiana!

I received a typical, weekend, I love you call from my dad in September. During the conversation he told me that while he was talking to my uncle Stan, he said, "You will never guess where Cody and Jessica are thinking about going?"

Immediately, my Uncle Stan blurted out, "Where? Louisiana?"

My dad inquired, "How did you know that?"

Uncle Stan said, " I don't know, it just came out."

By this time Jessica and I were confident about moving the family to Baton Rouge, but we wanted wise counsel and a sure path before us. We wanted to hear what our current Pastors thought about the situation. We wanted to know if they had any wisdom or warnings to share with us. We scheduled a time to meet and they took us out to lunch. We did not know where they were going to take us, but come to find out the owner of the restaurant we went to is originally from Baton Rouge. What are the odds? It seemed like another confirmation from God. If that was not enough, the little league playoffs, on ESPN, were playing on a t.v. at the restaurant. You will never guess what teams were playing? The Billings, Montana team was playing Louisiana. It just so happens that Billings, Montana is the closest major city to Cody, Wyoming. Wow! We were blown away.

We had crossed one major hurdle, knowing that God was calling us to Louisiana, but another one lay ahead. The financial hurdle. It was going to cost over $3,500 to move our family half way across the U.S. and we were making income enough to live comfortably, but not save too much. To save $3,500 might take us a couple of years on only my salary.

One Sunday afternoon we were making our way out to lunch when Jessica ran into our former landlord who we had not seen for a couple of months. As they visited, Cindy told Jessica that God had told her to give our family $500.00. She did not know why and was not even sure if we were still in Wyoming. She told God that He would have to bring us to Cindy, and that is exactly what He did that Sunday.

Over the course of about two months we received a little less than $3,300. 00 We never once asked for any money but believed that God would provide if He was indeed calling us to Louisiana. God used 12 different people who financially sowed into our lives in order for us to comfortably make the journey from Cody, Wyoming to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Shortly after money started coming in towards our big move another blessing was released to us. I landed a job painting, which is what I was doing in Cody. The wonderful thing is I did not have to even look for a job but one was virtually given to me. Not only did I get the job, but the owner of the company is also a pastor of church and come to find out, is an incredible man. Favor! Favor! Favor! There is untold favor stored up for Gods children.

In summary, God supernaturally revealed His will for us to make the move to Baton Rouge. We supernaturally were supplied about $3,300. And I was presented with a job without even searching. Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The apartment that we were scheduled to lease told us there was a deposit, but when we came they told us we didn't have to pay for some reason. That was a huge blessing and we didn't make any squabbles about that.

Thank you Jesus for your incredible kindness and heart of adventure. We wouldn't want to be anywhere else but in the center of your will.

Psalm 65:11 You Crown the year with Your goodness. And Your paths drip with abundance

What happens when you travel to a foreign land (Cody, Wyoming) with no money, no place to dwell, a pregnant wife, a 2 year old son, and all you have is a promise from God and faith?

You get to experience the wild, ineffable, love of God!

This is a re-cap of our experience of God's paths dripping with abundance in 2010:

. We were given over $4,000 through different people at different times.

. For three months we were afforded the opportunity to live in a newer 5th wheel trailer for free (after sleeping in the car for 2 weeks).

. A place to rent in the valley of Cody, Wyoming surrounded by the breathtaking mountains.

. Everything a home could need was given to us the day we moved in; kitchen supplies, couches, beds, linens, etc...

. I was given 3 raises in one year.

. I was given a promotion at work.

. A wardrobe of like-new maternity clothes was given to Jessica.

. Over a years supply of clothes for both Abigail and Samuel.

. We were given one of the most wonderful dogs in the world, "Toby." After we picked him up from the shelter we found out his name means God is good!

. We have been abundantly blessed with the reception of Abigail Grace-Ann (Pure Joy).

. After a previous c-section Jessica was able to have Abigail naturally.

. God made a way for us to go to Chicago for Heather and Jay's wedding, California for Thanksgiving, and Missouri for Christmas.

. Jessica was on the worship team at church and was given the opportunity to lead worship for a ministry that provides food for low-income families once a week.

. We were given a van and the title is in our name.

. Our children have both been used in amazing ways in the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit.

. Jessica and myself have had more of the manifest presence of Jesus in this last year than all of the years of our lives combined.

. We have had multiple days and nights of outrageous laughing in the joy of the Lord. In many ways He has used this to rescue us at different times.

. Two separate people have told me in the last year that I am the most blessed person they have met in their lifetime.

We can do nothing without Christ, but in and through Him we experience and radiate the Glory of God.

What are you thankful for?

And then there was a van...

Before we left to see Cody's family in California a friend from our church said something to Cody. She said, "I just have this feeling that you will be coming back with a vehicle." Then Cody remembered a dream he had a couple months ago. In the dream he was picking out a van. For those that don't know we have been borrowing a Geo Metro from our landlords for a few months now. We have been praying and trying to save up money to buy our own vehicle. So when our friend made this statement we were excited at the possibly of what God might have in store for us.

While heading back to Cody from the Denver airport we stopped at a gas station just before sunset. After getting gas Cody went to turn on the headlights and realized they would not turn on. So, Cody called a friend of ours from Missouri to see if he could help him. Our friend said he had had a dream the night before about us and had been praying for us that day. While in prayer he had this feeling that we might be on the side of the road somewhere. It was comforting to know that the Lord had someone interceding for us ahead of time. We ended up staying at a hotel that night in Glendo, WY and headed to Cody the next morning. About 5 minutes from home I got a phone call from my friend Laura who is from Cody. She said she felt the Lord leading her to give us her van! It is a '93 Dodge Grand Caravan ES. It has been sitting in her driveway and has had people offer to buy it, but she never felt led to sell it. It's in great condition and it is the perfect size for our family! I am in awe once again with the Lord. He provides in His perfect timing.

"The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him." Lam. 3:25

More Visitors!

August 3rd-10th we had the pleasure of my sister, Heather and brother-in-law, Jay coming to visit us. We had a great time being together and enjoyed Heather's yummy cooking skills. Cody and Jay spent one afternoon hiking up a nearby mountain. I know Samuel enjoyed having them with us as well. We also drove just outside of Cody where a Japanese Internment camp was located in 1942. The Heart Mountain Relocation Center was one of 10 temporary camps used to confine 110,000 Japanese men, women and children who were forced to leave their homes in different states along the west coast. It was the only camp located in Wyoming. Although surrounded by barbed wire fence and armed guards the people tried to live as a "normal" community to the best of their ability. Though it was sad to revisit the reality of what the government has done in the past to the Japanese-Americans, I was very interested to learn another part of the history of our nation.

cuddle time

Samuel and Heather having fun finger painting

It was so great to have Heather and Jay here with us! We love you guys!

On August 12th, we were also blessed with a quick visit with our friends Sean and Sheila. They were on their way to see Sheila's family in Minnesota and stayed one night with us. This was our first time getting to meet their youngest boy Stetson. He turns 1 in September. Samuel had a blast playing with their 3 kids and new puppy :) It was so fun to have their family come to visit.

Samuel with their new puppy

Trying to get everyone to smile :)

You can never give too many kisses

Abigail 3 1/2 weeks old

Some other recent news is that Cody is going to be starting a new job soon! He will be working for a company called Varney's Clean Care. He will start working there on August 30th. Some of the things Varney's specializes in are: cleaning carpets, furniture and air ducts. They also receive emergency calls for fire damage, water damage and mold. So, Cody might get called back to work after hours if there is an emergency.We feel so thankful for this new job the Lord has provided.

And the kids are doing great! Samuel never ceases to amaze me with how bright he is. I love hearing the things he comes up with. While Heather and Jay were here he liked piling pillows on top of Jay and then standing on them. While on top of a stack of pillows he said, "I am up in the sandwich!" He is so fun. Abigail is still eating well and seems to be getting cuter everyday. When you hold her up she tries to hold her head up on her own and she does a pretty good job at it. At her two week check up she weighed 7 lbs 6 oz and the doctor said she is healthy. She's also smiling more and is starting to make cute baby sounds. I feel so blessed with these children the Lord has given us. Thank you, Lord!

"I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High." Psalm 9:1-2

Coming Soon...

This month we were happy to welcome our first out of state visitors. Our good friends Steve and Brad were able to come out to see us June 31st-July 6th. We enjoyed eating meals together, having times of worship and prayer, going to the river, the Buffalo Bill reservoir and the 4th of July parade in Cody. It was a blessing to have them with us. It felt like we picked up right where we left off when we last saw them about 10 months ago. On July 7th we got the opportunity to attend our first Rodeo in Cody, Wyoming. It was a lot fun! One of my favorite events was when they invited all the children 12 and under down to the bottom level. Then they let 3 calves loose with ribbons attached to their tails. The children chased the calves and the first 3 to get the ribbons won a prize. Samuel wanted to go down and be with the other kids. Maybe next year he can give it a try.

Steve, Cody and Brad

Buffalo Bill Reservoir

39 weeks !!!

I am trying to cherish each moment in these last few days I have with Samuel as my only child. I know things will be a little different when Abigail is born and I'm praying he adjusts well. We talk about what it will be like when Abigail is born and how he can help take care of her. He is going to be such a great big brother! He is growing so fast and learning how to say so many new words. My favorite Samuel phrase as of late is: "I love you too much, Mommy!"

On July 11th our church, Living Fortress, had a baby shower for me. It was a lot of fun to spend the afternoon with these ladies, eating yummy cake and being blessed with so many gifts for Abigail. This month we have also received many packages in the mail from family and friends. Samuel has enjoyed helping us open these presents for Abigail and has received a couple for himself as well :) Thank you to everyone who has prayed, sent gifts and helped us prepare for Abigail's arrival.

It's hard to believe I'm already 39 1/2 weeks pregnant! My due date is July 22nd! I can feel that Abigail has dropped and my doctor said she is head down. During the past couple weeks I have begun to feel more contractions. But they aren't very consistent yet. The closest contractions have been 20 minutes apart. I know some people experience contractions for weeks and others pick up fairly quickly. I hope Abigail comes sometime this week, but only God knows the day she will be born.

By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall be continually of You. Psalm 71:6

Blessings From Above

"You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas..." Psalm 65:5

The beautiful gate Cody and Samuel made for the top of the stairs

Samuel excited about his own bed and room!

33 weeks :)

At the salon....I will miss the long locks, but alas...

Who's that good lookin' fella?!

We are now in our new home! We moved in last Thursday, May 27th. We just got internet hooked up yesterday, so I'm excited to be back online and able to post an update. Our friends and now landlords were so generous to let us stay in their RV over the past two months. We are so thankful for their kindness and the example of Christ that they have been to us. They offered to furnish the apartment for us, so the furniture you see in the pictures was all provided for us by them! They also gave us pots, pans, dishes, silverware, an iron, a vacuum, a microwave and a t.v. with a dvd player. What a blessing they have been in our lives. Samuel says often that he likes his new house and his new room :)

We were blessed to find out Cody got a raise at work about a week ago! Business at Bubba's has picked up significantly since Memorial Day weekend as more and more tourists will be coming through town. Cody is known as "The Rodeo Capital of the World" with a rodeo every night June 1st - August 31st. It is also 50 miles away from Yellowstone Nat'l Park, so there is an increase in traffic when we drive into town.

I am 33 weeks now and feeling Abigail move often. At my last appointment I was thankful to find out my glucose levels were great after taking a blood test at my prior visit. Dr. Williams says the baby and I are healthy :) As we are having sunnier days, I have enjoyed spending time with Samuel outside, watching him grow into the little man that he is becoming. He loves to play with his toys, read books and play outside. He gets really excited if there are other kids involved. He also likes to play the drums, piano, guitar and sing songs with me. I enjoy these times of singing and playing that we get to have together. I pray that God will continue to grow the giftings that He has placed inside of Samuel and show me how I can encourage him in the things he enjoys doing.

On June 10th, Cody and I will be celebrating our 4 year anniversary. Looking back over the past 4 years, I know they are the best years of my life. And I believe that each year that goes by will be better than the last because the Lord says we will go from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18). I am so thankful for the husband that God has blessed me with. I am grateful for his friendship, love and the encouragement he gives me. I love to watch him grow in the Lord and fall more in love with Him. This spurs me on in my faith to fall more in love with Jesus. I love the passion he has to see others come to know Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him. I love how he is such a loving daddy to Samuel and how he spends time with him playing and wrestling outside. I could go on and on, but I will finish by saying this: over the past 4 years through the good times and the rough times that come in this life I can say with a thankful heart to God that Cody has been there for me with love and support every step of the way.

Thank you Jesus for your goodness and faithfulness in every facet of my life. I praise You, for You are worthy of all my praise. In the good times and the rough, no matter what life brings, I will praise You.

Heather and Jay's Wedding!

Samuel with Grandpa George

If you'd like to view more photos click, *here*.

We had a great trip to Chicago this weekend for my sister's wedding. We had started saving for the trip ahead of time. Then unexpectedly, a family gave us $500 for our trip and another family said they felt led to give $200. The Lord provided the finances we needed. Thank you, Jesus! We left early morning Wednesday the 21st and got there Thursday evening. We had a great time on our drive listening to music and teachings on our ipod. When we hit the Chicago city limits we were in heavy traffic. But in the midst of that I just started laughing for no reason. Then I realized the Lord was filling me with joy and I couldn't stop laughing for about 10 minutes. (I experienced this laughter again on our way back to Wyoming, right before hitting traffic in Minnesota.) This made our drive through about an hours worth of traffic very enjoyable. When we got to Chicago Cody dropped me off at Birthway's while he spent the evening with Jay and another friend Michael. I went to Heather's Blessing Way Party where we had some food and blessings were given. Afterward we went bowling! I haven't bowled in at least a year and a half. I bowled a 145! I was surprised by how well I did. It was fun to have a ladies night out with Heather and her friends. Then on Friday night we had the wedding rehearsal and dinner which was Chicago style hot dogs (yummy). My Mom, Dad, brother, Tim and sister-in-law, Tara arrived in Chicago that night. It was so great to have the whole family together again.

Heather and Jay's wedding was on Saturday. The wedding started at 3 pm at my sisters church. It was a beautiful wedding. Instead of having the minister do traditional vows they had friends read excerpts from different books for the vows. Then Heather and Jay shared vows spoken from their hearts. While they lit the unity candle, I sang a song called, "My Romance." For the benediction I sang, "The Gathering of Spirits" with two lovely ladies who have beautiful voices. It was an honor to get to be a part of Heather and Jay's special day. They had tied their rings to a ball and Samuel was the ring bearer. The plan was for Samuel to throw the ball to Jay. Samuel did throw the ball and it bounced at Jay's feet. He did a great job :) The wedding reception was a lot of fun. It's one of the best receptions I've ever been to. They had a Mexican buffet and a dessert buffet. The food was delicious. They also had a live karaoke band and sooo many of Heather and Jay's friends sing professionally. The talent would definitely have been competition for American Idol. The reception went from 5-midnight. Samuel had a great time dancing and hanging out with the other kids. He eventually fell asleep in my arms around 11. The next day Jay's mom, Annie had a buffet put together at the hotel from 10:30-12. It was sad to say good-bye to my family. The weekend seemed to go by so fast. But I am thankful for the time we got to spend together. I am 28 weeks and I know the next couple months are going to go fast. My parents and sister plan on coming out to see us when Abigail is born, so it won't be long before we'll get to see each other again!

On our trip back to Wyoming, we ate at Outback Steak House that night for dinner. As we were leaving the restaurant we noticed a lady sitting outside on a bench. She looked like she had been crying. We talked with her and found out she had just gotten out of an abusive relationship and had run out of gas. We got to encourage her, pray with her and helped her get some gas. I love living for God. It's so enjoyable to partner with Him.

25 Days

We took a drive about 30 miles outside of Cody, yesterday. We went down some windy roads that we hadn't ventured on before and this is what we saw!

I have some very cool news to share with you that happened a few days ago! To tell the full story of what happened, I will go back to March 12th....

On March 12th, Cody was in prayer and heard the Lord say "25 days." He wasn't sure what the Lord was referring to, but wrote it in his journal and since had forgotten about it. Last week, while outside during a break at work he found $20 on the ground. Then another guy found $5 on the ground. Cody thought to himself, that equals $25. Then he heard the Lord speak to him, "I am reminding you of the 25 days." So when he got home he looked in his journal and counted 25 days from when the Lord had spoken that to him the first time. Then Cody shared all of this with me and said that the 25th day would be Tuesday, April 6th. So when Tuesday came around we both had an expectancy that God was going to do something really cool! Tuesday night, I went over to Bob and Cindy's (the couple who owns the RV we are living in) to give them back a pot that I had borrowed. Cindy told me that a person who is currently renting from them will be moving out May 26th. And she thought of us and was wondering if we would be interested in renting from them! It is a 3 bedroom home that they built. There's a dishwasher, fridge, and washer and dryer. They said they could even help us furnish the place because they have a lot of extra things that they don't need. She has dishes, pots and pans, a bed for Samuel, an infant swing, and a queen size bed just to name a few items. They also have a garden and Cindy said we could have a spot in the garden if we would like! I've been wanting to do some gardening, so I'm excited.

I am in awe once again at the goodness of our Heavenly Father. He has blessed us beyond our expectations! He is always faithful to provide what we need in His perfect timing. We are so thankful for all that He has done and is going to continue to do.

Boy or Girl?!

Baby Morris' side profile

A week of great news... On Friday, we moved into a RV that a friend isn't using right now. It is on our friends property and has running water, a shower, toilet, stove and is just the right size for us. We have enjoyed our time so far in our new "home." Samuel especially likes having a big yard to run around in, a bike, a swing and lots of new toys to play with. That same day Cody turned in an application to a BBQ restaurant called Bubba's. On Sunday, Cody was called in for an interview. His first day of work was Monday, yesterday! He is a line cook and will also do some dish washing. It looks like he will work 6 days a week, for 35-37 hours. It will be a change not to have dinner every night together, but we are thankful for this new job and will cherish the time we do have together. Tomorrow we will celebrate that on March 17th, four years ago, Cody proposed to me! It's hard to believe we will have been married four years in June. Time has flown by fast.

I had my 21 week check up yesterday. I couldn't wait any longer and decided to find out if we're going to have a boy or girl. I asked my doctor to write it down on a piece of paper so that Cody and I could find out at the same time after he got off work. So, last night after Cody got home from work and Samuel had fallen asleep, we opened up the envelope that read, "It is..." on the outside....and inside we found a little green sticky note that read....GIRL!! We were both surprised! We thought we were going to have another boy, but we were very excited to find out we are going to have a girl.

Cody, Wyoming

This is our view as we drive to Yellowstone, which is 50 miles east of Cody, WY

Going for a walk by the river

We have been in Cody, WY for a little over a month now. The Lord has done great things so far. Over a month ago, we felt the Lord lead us here, not knowing anything about the town or what lay ahead for us. Through prayer we believe the Lord wants us to have a home here and invest in the family. So far, we have met great people in various churches. A wonderful family has opened up their home to us and we are staying with them while we are looking for a place of our own. Cody, WY has a great library with a fun children's room that has blocks and fun things for Samuel to do. They also have a child development group come a couple times a month to do activities with kids Samuel's age. He loves doing the crafts and being around other kids. Samuel has been talking more and seems to be changing more everyday. He loves doing things by himself or with others and he is starting to tell me more often when he needs to go potty!! This is exciting! I'm glad he is starting to show more interest in the potty. I am 20 weeks now and feeling good. We got to see our baby on ultrasound a few weeks ago and it looks like baby is healthy! Praise the Lord! I have been feeling the baby move more too and that is fun. Cody is also applying for jobs. He would love to work on a ranch or do something outdoors. We are praying for the Lord to open the doors that need to be open. Since we have been in Cody, we have had quite a few opportunities to share the gospel and/or pray with people.

One afternoon Cody was sitting in a parking lot talking on the phone. After he got off the phone he noticed a woman in a car parked near him. His heart started to hurt and he felt the Lord lead him to go talk to her. He asked her if she had any heart problems or knew anyone with heart problems. Tears started to come down her face and she said her grandson, Sam, was in the hospital with holes in his heart. Cody prayed with this woman for Sam and we believe he was healed.

During this time of waiting for what the Lord has for us, I have been reading Andrew Murray's book, "Waiting on God". In the past few weeks, I have begun to find enjoyment in waiting with God. Here is an excerpt from his book that I want to share:

It is as we know how blessed the waiting on God has become to our own souls, that we will confidently hope in the blessing to come on the church around us. The keyword of all our expectations will be, He has said, "All they who wait on Me will not be ashamed." (Isa 49:23) From what He has done in us, we will trust Him to do mighty things around us. "Blessed are all they that wait for him." (Isa 30:18) Yes, blessed even now in the waiting. The promised blessings for ourselves, or for others, may tarry. The unutterable blessedness of knowing and having Him who has promised--the divine Blesser, the living Fountain of the coming blessings--is even now ours. Do let this truth acquire full possession of your souls, that waiting on God is itself the highest privilege of man, the highest blessedness of His redeemed child.

Even as the sunshine enters with its light and warmth, with its beauty and blessing, into every little blade of grass that rises upward out of the cold earth, so the everlasting God meets, in the greatness and the tenderness of His love, each waiting child, to shine in his heart "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6). Read these words again, until your heart learns to know what God waits to do to you. Who can measure the difference between the great sun and that little blade of grass? And yet, the grass has all of the sun it can need or hold.

Do you believe that in waiting on God, His greatness and your littleness suit and meet each other most wonderfully. Just bow in emptiness and poverty and utter weakness, in humility and meekness, and surrender to His will before His great glory, and be still. As you wait on Him, God draws near. He will reveal Himself as the God who will mightily fulfill His every promise. And, let your heart continually take up the song: "Blessed are all they that wait for him."

Great is Thy Faithful

Towards the end of September the Lord told us to decline the property management job that we had been in training for. After we told the owners of the property that we would not be taking the position the Lord began giving us words, confirmations and dreams about going to North Carolina. During this time the Lord told us to give our van away to a friend, so we did. A few days later we were given a 2002 Mazda Protege. God is so good! The gas mileage has been a blessing on this trip.

On October 12th we left and when we got to NC a couple days later we were led to a big worship gathering in downtown Charlotte. It was great getting to worship the Lord with some of the body of believers in Charlotte. The next day the Lord led us to Morningstar Ministries, in Fort Mill, SC, and revealed ways we can be praying for this ministry. Then we were led to the beach in Jacksonville, Florida where Samuel had a great day playing in the sand and splashing in the water. He has been so good traveling. And brings a smile to so many peoples faces.

That night, the Lord told us to go to Texas. We knew we didn't have enough gas or money to make it to Texas, but we wanted to be obedient so we started driving that way. Along the way, I got to share the gospel with a cashier at a gas station and talked about the Lords faithfulness to provide for us.

Our next stop was Defuniak Springs, Florida where we heard about a service that would be held at the Defuniak House of Prayer. That night we went to the service and were refreshed and encouraged by the body of Christ. The guest speaker prophesied over Cody and confirmed many prophecies that have been spoken to him in the past. I experienced the Lords presence in a powerful way that I haven't before. And know my relationship with the Lord will never be the same after that night. After the service people offered a place for us to stay, took us out to dinner and we were given money from 3 different people that totaled $130. God has been so faithful to provide for us when we need it.

This brought us to Missouri City, Texas where the Lord brought us the opportunity to share the gospel with 8 young adults. They all came from Christian homes, but none of them were serving the Lord. They all seemed receptive to the gospel and Cody got to pray with them. One young man had a cyst on his wrist and was going to have surgery on it that week. While Cody was praying for him, he pulled his hand away and said, "I have never felt anything like that before." His cyst started to go down! Praise Jesus, He loves to heal us! After that the Lord led us to a Spanish Pentecostal Church in Galveston, TX where we had a great time of worship. Even though I could only understand a few words during the service I enjoyed the passionate worship and preaching.

The Lord continued to direct us west and while in Tonopah, Arizona, the Lord had us meet Nick. Nick is one of the most humble, compassionate men I have ever met. He was so generous and wanted to help us on our journey in anyway he possibly could. He gave us food and $10, wishing he had more to give. He loved the Lord and wept at the mention of His name. His tears were not tears of sadness, but of joy for the salvation he has received in Jesus. Seeing the way that Nick lives, made me want to love people and serve them in anyway that I can. When I watched the way he talked with others and gave what he had to give, it made me think of Jesus.

As we were driving, we felt the Lord leading us to see Cody's family in California. Grandpa Black (Laurie's dad) graduated to heaven the evening of October 19th. Please pray for her and her family, as they are missing her son and now her father.

We arrived in Placerville yesterday and got to surprise Laurie at her work. We aren't sure how long the Lord will have us here, but it is a blessing to get to spend time with family and rest after a couple weeks on the road. Thank you Jesus for your goodness and faithfulness.

Back in the 'Burg

This is the picture our friend entered in the photography contest for Testify magazine.

This is our new van the Lord provided for us. Can you guess what the side says??

We are back in Missouri! Cody, Samuel and I arrived about 2 weeks ago. We have enjoyed spending time with friends and family we haven't seen in about 6 months.

For those who don't know we gave our Ford escort away before we left Missouri in December. We believed the Lord would provide a vehicle for us when we needed one and He did! Before we parted from our friends that we had been traveling with the past 5 months they saidthe Lord wanted them to give us their van! The same day they told us this, they received a call from a friend who said they felt led to buy their family a car! How awesome is our God!

A few days ago while Cody was in prayer one morning in the van, he began to smell coffee in the Spirit. There was no coffee to be found. Soon after he was given a vision of the coffee shop down town. The Lord told us to go there, so we did. When we pulled into a parking space there was a woman knocking on the window of our van. Cody got out and found out that she had been sitting at the coffee shop reading her bible. She wanted to enter a magazine photography contest and felt like seeing our van was a sign that she should still enter it since that day was the deadline and she had no pictures yet. We hung out with her and her kids all day. She took us out to lunch, snapped photos, and we had the privilege of ministering to her. Talk about a divine appointment!!

Samuel is 18 months now!! I can't believe he's already 1 1/2! Cody recently taught him to say "ouch" when he gets a boo-boo. He will say it and lift up his pant legs to show the scrapes on his knees. If I say "moo" or "ruff ruff" he can imitate me. And if he's playing with a car he will go "vroom vroom." He can point to his nose if we ask him where his nose is. He's also really good at waving and will wave at people driving by when we go for a walk. If he wants to go outside he will bring me his shoes and sit on my lap, so we can put them on. He is also doing really well at following directions. I will ask him to give me something and he can do it. He also likes to help me load and unload the dishwasher and put clothes in the dryer. We went to a friends house last night for a bible study and our friend gave Samuel a bike that was too small for their son. Samuel loves riding his new bike and being outside.