We are in Tucson. Jeff did sound for a part of the Resurrection Celebration (CC Tucson), we had a marvelous time. After the Crusade (it was at the Tucson Convention Center) we had a great turkey dinner at the Goodale’s home.

Something is on my mind. There is much talk among the youth of this “vow of purity”. What is purity? What does God say about purity? Doesn’t purity also involve the mind and the heart... not just the body?....

"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe."

1 Timothy 4:12

I looked up pure – it is taken from the Greek word hagneia , which means: pure from carnality, chaste, modest. Pure from every fault, immaculate. Clean.

I believe that this is not just a physical word, but also reflects on the state of being holy – set apart.

Thus... when it is time for Kurt and Grace to dedicate themselves to purity... we will be looking this word up!!!  Heading to Casa Grande, Arizona in the morning!!

Still in Casa Grande... but we are leaving today (HALLELUJAH!!!). This has been the most difficult project we have ever worked on.... The enemy is working overtime to upset us and destroy our witness! All of us have had trouble sleeping, nightmares and middle of the night sleeplessness!! It has been awful – because we are all tired all the time!!!

Then, some of the equipment arrived, bad out of the box and had to be reshipped. There have been other odd things popping up from our past that have been troublesome.   At first that upset me, until I realized that it is just a device of the enemy.  I’m gonna rejoice as God turns something the enemy meant for pain, into something that will glorify the name of Jesus!!!

This has been a hard week.

We are now in Tempe (pronounced Tem-PEE), Arizona. It’s been a really good week! The Pastor here is John Higgins, what a wonderful guy! And what a great family! Two of his sons are on staff and his wife Shauna is amazing! She is the picture of a submitted, loving and forthright woman!

Yesterday was our 17^th anniversary! What a marvelous day! Jeff cooked breakfast in the morning, then we went to church. Afterwards, Seth Higgins (Audio Ministry Leader) took us out to lunch. After that we went to Brooke and Jeremy Higgins (Youth Pastor) home for a steak dinner. Then back to church for another great lesson by John. AND then.... we went out for dessert with the Higgins family (John, Shauna... all the grandkids) and various friends of theirs!! Twenty-two people!!!

It was a GREAT day and a wonderful way to celebrate seventeen years. And as Jeff would say..."four of the best years of my life!"

Kurt was so funny. He had purchased some silly string and at one point in the day (after lunch) he ran back and forth between Jeff and I, showering us with the sticky stuff that comes out of the can!! He kept saying...”here’s your hoopla Mom!” It was adorable!  The kids are such fun right now. They are funny and loving and just wonderful little human beings!!

John taught on a very interesting topic today.. Salvation! His point was that if you are saved, you are purchased with a price (the blood of Jesus). That price was very, very steep. If then, you are purchased with the most precious commodity in heaven and on earth, how then could you loose your salvation?

If you are backslidden, you have not lost your salvation – only a part of your inheritance in the kingdom of God. In Acts 26:19, Paul is commissioned to preach to the gentiles so that they may turn from darkness to light and have a place (an inheritance) in the kingdom of God.

So then, if you are purchased through the blood of Jesus, there is no way to be purchased by Satan – he has not the ability to pay a higher price for you than does God. God has the bigger “bride price”. John’s point was that you can choose to give away a part of your inheritance once you have been purchased by God and adopted into His family. But that your salvation cannot be taken from you.

That gives us hope for those in our families that had been saved and are no longer walking with Jesus!   Interesting point. This will give me something to think about for some time!

Having trouble on my latest writing venture... it just isn’t going easy. Pray that I am led by the Lord on this and the struggles cease.

We are doing lots of “proposal writing” for all the Calvary Chapels we visit. It seems every one wants new equipment – so we sit in front of the computer for HOURS wriwting these proposals and designs. It is hard work. Sometimes I get mad – then I have to remember.... this is my service to the Lord.

It is for Him that I sit here and work out designs with Jeff. Hard – but then if it is for my Jesus.... it’s Good!

After leaving Tempe we traveled to Bullhead City, AZ. To get here, we had to pass through a corner of California.... my heart ached to just keep driving towards Orange County! Being on the road is sometimes lonely and difficult. Sometimes I ache to settle down, but mostly I long to remain in God’s will for my life.

We will be leaving Bullhead this afternoon and heading south to Lake Havasu to visit yet another Calvary Chapel. Here in Bullhead the Calvary Chapel is in the process of constructing a new building. We have been busy designing a system for this new venture.

It is amazing how different all the Pastor’s are in the Calvary Chapel affiliates. Yet... God’s Word never returns void. No matter who the Pastor is, we always learn more about ourselves, our families and our Lord, Jesus.

The last several days have been difficult for me..... crying lots and not feeling very loved. I am probably just PMS’ing....!!!! It seems that everything that comes out of my mouth displeases my husband in some way.... Very demoralizing. I pray for God to guide me and that He will move His hand in our marriage this week. 

Marriage is like a living, breathing thing! I am grateful that God is with us as we go through these times of difficulty together.

Again, we are very wrapped up in the mechanics of our ministry. Spending lots of time writing proposals and figuring out new places. I think that the “newness” and the level of work involved at each new fellowship places a hardship on our marriage and our family.

I am less available to the children as my role helping Jeff expands during these “newness” times. It seems that when we are in a place for several weeks (or at least longer than one week), we begin to settle in and I am more available to mother the children and create more of a cozy home.

I wonder what God is preparing us for, through this constant travel and readjustment. I pray the children know how much I love them and that they do not suffer for lack of me. Although we are all still together in this little space each day, my attention is diverted as I help Jeff attend to the work of the ministry.

This is not wrong, it’s just what God has us doing right now.... There is no other way to do the work required at each of these fellowships – it just takes both Jeff and I.

Thank God for Kurt as well! Kurt has been incredibly helpful at each of these new fellowships! He runs cable and helps with the soldering! Our young man has become an active and willing participant in our ministry work.

I am going to start teaching Kurt and Grace how to do some of the paperwork for the ministry... that should be beneficial for us as a family, to work together on these projects.

It’s funny, even though it is a hard time... I have Peace. I do so love my Lord Jesus.

Whew, what a week!

After leaving Bullhead on the 19^th, we went to Lake Havasu City (hmmm, located on Lake Havasu) !! We had a great time with Pastor Ray Carter and his amazing family. His wife, Leisa is AMAZING and WONDERFUL and his five, count ‘em .... FIVE children are absolutely marvelous. They are a loving and godly family.

And what hosts! We arrived on Friday and joined Ray and the family (and a few close and personal friends – the Pioneer Club families) on a campout. Saturday, we headed back to the church and they set us up in the vacant lot next to the church with water, power and a local phone hook-up!

Then we did a little looking around and poking in the sound system while Ray and his family provided dinner!! The lesson on Sunday was great – Ray is a wonderful teacher of the Word.

Sunday evening after the prayer meeting we headed over to one of the families homes for swimming and ice-cream! Monday morning we had a few more minutes to work and then Ray whisked us off for an afternoon of boating and swimming on the Lake!!!

Then.... (yep, it just keeps getting better!) on Tuesday, we finally got to get a little more work done (whew!) just before Ray packed us all up for a picnic barbeque and kite-flying fest at the beach!

Now you know Wednesday had to be a bit calmer as Ray was getting ready to teach that evening! However, our little Gracie added a little “fun” to the mix by cutting herself with a knife during her bible class!! We had to rush her to the hospital for FOUR stitches!!

Incredible!

Well... Thursday we headed back to Bullhead to do some wiring in the new building. However, just before leaving Kurt and Grace were invited to attend a concert with Joey Buran as the teacher in Joshua Springs, California..... Have to do that!!!

So... we rushed to Bullhead, did the work and rushed back to Havasu!!! Here it is now – Saturday and the kids just left for the two (or three?) hour drive to the Calvary Chapel in Joshua for the event. They will spend the night and return tomorrow! In the meantime, Eve went over to play with the youngest daughter of Larry and Candy (worship leader and his wife)......

So..... Jeff and I actually have the afternoon to ourselves... a FIRST in two years of living on the road.... WOW!!!

I do have to backtrack a minute. While we were in Bullhead this week, I learned about and caught a glimpse of the man my son will become!

We had a lot of work to do in the new building! We had to wire the stage (32 channels), run the wiring for the PA in the sanctuary, the background system both upstairs and downstairs AND run all the computer (CAT5) and phone lines!! That’s a lot of cable!!

We did the stage on Thursday afternoon. Everyone helped – even little Eve! She’s just the right size to crawl under the stage and pass wire to bigger people! Grace labeled and helped run wire and Jeff, Kurt and I did the rest with the help of Rod, the gentleman from the fellowship who is in charge of the project!

By the way, Rod is such a kind and godly man. What a gentle spirit and loving heart. Jeff and I were both just so taken with him and his obvious love of Jesus. It was cool.

I digress....

In any event, on Friday we had to go back to the building to finish what should be a three day job. We got in the building around ten in the morning.... and we threw cable and ran wires until nearly eleven in the evening! I shuttled the girls back to the motor home, while Jeff and Kurt did most of the work.

Kurt just kept his nose to the grindstone and did the work. He is only thirteen years old and yet... he worked like a man. He just kept going and going.... Kurt was able to keep up with Jeff and I and didn’t complain one little bit!!

It’s funny, but when Jeff and I had the company (back in our secular days!), we always worked like this... just push until the job got done. Working twelve or sixteen hour days was our method of operation in “project mode”. We had few (if any) employees who could keep up, they didn’t like our “push” work style. So... Jeff and I were always US and the employees on the job were THEM.  (I know, not very nice of Jeff and I!)

Yesterday in Bullhead, I found out that our son, Kurt, is one of US!!!

How cool is that?!!!!?!!!

FINAL NOTE:

'We have had a long month.... we've moved six times and served in five different fellowships.  The kids are awesome and have drawn closer to Jesus.... it has been a blessed time as a family.  I keep reflecting on how great God has been to the five of us these past two years on the road, I am so thankful that He has drawn us closer.  Of course, this leads me to pray for and weep over our unsaved family and friends.  I reflect on John 7:17:

"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own."

Jesus is the son of God.  His will be done in our lives. 

God Bless you friends!

Christa