Marathon of a Day

I did it!!! Wow, what a day. Thank you Jesus. I have been waiting for this for a long time. On Sunday 11-11-07, I ran in the Harrisburg Marathon. I had been training for this since July and was beginning to get worn out from it all. I can now say I have run a marathon and did pretty well too. My time was 3 hours and 45 minutes. My goal was to run under 4 hours, however the competitiveness would not let myself slow down any further. My pace was 8 minutes and 38 seconds per mile. I ended up 17th out of 34 in my age group and 232nd out of 734 over all.

In July, Todd Cirelli, my the supervisor at my old job asked if I would run with him. I agreed, not realizing how much this would hurt. We never ran together but challenged each other every morning by how far we ran the day before. It was fun. I was having some knee and hip problems in September or October and went to the chiropractor for some help/advice. After getting new shoes and more prayer I successfully finished the training and the marathon.

Sunday morning Jenny, my girlfriend, drove me to City Island where I checked in and prepared. I was nervous because I wasn't sure how I would do. Jenny helped me get ready and said a few prayers for me then went to watch. I nearly tripped over a woman at the starting line who dropped her glove but avoided disaster smoothly. It was interesting to talk with some people as I ran. I met a Christian guy at mile four and I shared with him about how races like this force me to draw on Christ's strength. He agreed and I thought about that a lot during the run.

Jenny surprised me at numerous places along the course. I can't explain how much she blessed me. She and my sister, her husband, and a friend of mine ran with me for a few blocks at mile 21. At mile 22 I "hit the wall". My legs cramped up so much I thought I was going to fall over and roll the rest of the way. I had to force my feet back down to the ground because my quads knotted up. I prayed and leaned forward. At mile 25 the pain subsided some and I could push through to the end. At mile 25.5 Calvin and Curtis ran with me for a little as I approached the home stretch. It was amazing to have Jenny and the others there at the finish line for me as I came through. I was so happy to see them all.

This is a great accomplishment for me but I believe God is calling me to pursue Him with the same perseverance. Many times it is much easier to force my body through rigorous exercises but when it comes to my spiritual life I find it much more difficult.

I don't think I will be doing a marathon for a while but maybe I'll do it again sometime. Thank you all for your prayers.

Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Words Are Not Enough

Wow! Where do I begin? God is doing so much in my life right now. He is so faithful. I have experienced growth in numerous areas of my life over the last two months. It is amazing how much someone's life can change in just two months. I think that is why I have had such a hard time keeping this blog updated. The last two months have gone by very quickly but at the same time it seems like it has been in slow motion because I have been soaking up each and every moment that God has been taking me through. Words are not enough to express how I am feeling right now.

In the beginning of September I started taking a class called "Cultivating Fiery Devotion" at a local church. This class has changed my thinking about how I approach my devotional life and spiritual disciplines. It was an eight week course that met for two hours each monday. This class challenged me to commit myself to wait on the Lord and to seek his face to encounter his Glory. When we encounter his Glory some rubs off on us and we begin to look more and more like him.

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
(2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

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Since July I have been training for a marathon. This marathon is on Nov 11th and I have put my body through some pretty tough training to prepare for this. Early mornings, hot afternoons, buckets of sweat, blisters, sore muscles, achy joints, chafing, fatigue, and so much more were what I put up with to prepare for this ultimate test. I was putting up to 7-8 hours a week training. What is the point?

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
1 Timothy 4:8

Sure I would pray and praise God while I ran but it was not the same intensity that I desired. I needed to prioritize my life. This last week, the week before my marathon I have not been running at all as advised by my marathon training schedule. Now instead of getting up early to run I am getting up to spend time with my Jesus. Just this morning I read in Proverbs 8:34-35, "Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.” These verses just confirmed that the Lord was calling me to prioritize time with him. I am really looking forward to growing closer to him and learning to hear his voice more clearly.

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Two months ago God really surprised me with a job offer. I had been at White Oak Mills for 16 months and was beginning to move into more responsibility there however didn’t feel fulfilled there. I was seeking God about where he wanted me and he opened up at door at the Mennonite Disaster Service. Out of the blue one day I received a call about a position they have been looking to fill. I interviewed and two days later they offered me the position. Wow! My experiences with MDS have been so fulfilling. I was thinking that this would be the kind of work I could see myself doing long term. I accepted the position and four weeks later started as the Project Logistics Coordinator. This was a tough decision for me, but really felt God opened the door for me. From the time I received the first call until the time they wanted a final answer was about two weeks. These two weeks were over the time when my parents were in Germany so I couldn’t process it with them. It was just God and me. He led me to a passage that my sister gave to me when I volunteered with MDS for the first time for three months in 2006.

Isaiah 58:11-12

“LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls.”

This was kind of a conformation for me to take the position. My responsibilities will cover vehicles, tools, trailers, supplies, RV’s, cell phones, and all the other “stuff” that MDS projects need to rebuild homes destroyed in disasters. I find that Restoring Hope in lives that were wrecked is a way to express God’s love to them and show them that God cares for them and wants relationship with them. I am based out of Akron but will be traveling to the projects some. In fact two weeks ago I traveled to four projects in the Gulf region to see what it takes to keep them going. I am excited for what God is going to use me for here and want to be open to step out and lead where he calls me to.

As I left White Oak I experienced a great blessing by having them bless me as I went. They could sense that God was calling me to take the position and that it would be best for me and the work of the Kingdom. They told me that they felt I had a greater vision then what I was doing there. They were disappointed to see me leave and made sure that if I ever wanted to return to the agricultural industry that they could use me. In my last four weeks at White Oak they tried to get as much out of me as possible and I put fourth my best effort to honor my commitment to the organization. The Lord Leads.

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Last spring I was asked to mentor or be a big brother to a young man who is now a freshman at E-town High School. Alex is a quiet shy guy who enjoys watching football, cartoons, and playing Madden football videogames. Alex went to Kraybill Mennonite School and attends E-town Mennonite Church. Since this is Alex’s first year at a public school I am trying to help him with this transition. Please pray that I can be a loving and caring brother to him. We have spent done some cool activities together however I really want to get more involved into his life and be someone he can rely on and depend on for sound advice. He is a young man with a lot of potential, however if he doesn’t have positive influences in his life he may not reach his potential as a person. Pray for grace for us as we relate and that we can really connect as brothers. It is my goal to allow God to flow through me to him.

This past weekend Alex and my friend Luke and wonderful girlfriend Jenny, went to the Penn State/Purdue football game. It was a great to see how Alex is beginning to open up around me and others. I believe this blessed him and we even got a few smiles out of him. Sweet! Penn State won 26-19. It has been a while since I have gone up there to watch a game. I enjoyed seeing the campus again and catching up with some old friends up there.

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“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

2 Corinthians 9:15

Truly I feel so blessed….beyond my ability to describe to you how I feel. These past two months have been incredibly amazing as Jenny and I have been growing closer to each other and to God. Jenny and I have been enjoying (understatement) the times we can share together. These adventures include kayaking, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding, serving, blessing others, and so much more. We have done a lot together in these past few months. God has brought us together for this time to encourage each other, build each other up, challenge each other, praise and honor him, to serve others, and to be light to those we come in contact with. I thank God for what he has put in Jenny to bless me. I see his love flowing through her very often. The way she cares for me, and respects me is beyond what I thought was possible.

“How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”

1 Thessalonians 3:9

I am honored to know that there are people all around the world praying for Jenny and me. Knowing this blesses me so much. Having great church leaders love us enough to ask about how we are doing and to pray blessings on us because they want God’s best for us is humbling. I thank God daily for this privilege of pursuing her. It is my desire that this relationship pleases God and that those around us will see that we are committed to Him and his greater purposes for our lives. Please continue to pray that He will reveal his will to me as the leader in this relationship and that I will not fear and trust him. Pray that we can communicate our hearts to each other and honor and respect each other. We ask for strength to surrender this relationship to him every day, to not let it distract us from his higher calling.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

(I John 5:14-15)

His Continued Faithfulness

Well, If I were to sum things up since my last blog I could just say that God has blessed me so much and I feel fortunate to be where I am right now. His grace and favor is amazing and I thank Him for his unending love for me. I thank God for a loving family and encouraging friends. I thank him for blessing me with skills and abilities that I can in turn share with others as God's love flows through me.

As some of you know I went to Mississippi again last week to work with MDS at rebuilding houses. I went with several friends; Jenny, Luke, Jeremy, John, Brandon and Ken Sutter(Michigan). The week prior to leaving I was given some verses during one of my quiet times. I thought they fit as a focus for our trip and shared them with the whole group on morning. They are from Colossians 3:

12Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Each time I volunteer with MDS I feel so blessed to be able to help. It is fulfilling. This trip was organized fairly quickly as I was responding to the need for volunteers. MDS is closing down all of the sites for the month of September due to the lack of volunteers. Only two years after the storm people are forgetting how devestated the area still is down there. It will probably take another 10 years until the homes are all rebuilt. How can this happen?

I am grateful to each of our group for there willingness to take time off in short notice to volunteer with me. We had many great times. It will be marked in my memory. Whenever I spend time with MDS I feel like I have developed a new family. I don't know if it is the servant hearts of the volunteers but I always seem to feel sad to leave that place.

Our group flew into New Orleans on Sunday the 19th where we visited the French Quarter for lunch and sight seeing. We then made a trip to the 9th Ward, where the levee broke and killed many people. Monday through thursday my group worked on the porch at the one house (decking, railings, steps, etc). Some of the other groups worked on drywalling, mudding, sanding, painting, etc. On Wed we had a dedication for a house that we helped finish up. It was great to hear the stories from the home owners and to see their excitement for the new home. On Friday we worked around the base to prepare it for being vacant for a month. In the afternoon we took all of the vehicles to a location for evacuation in case of a hurricane. If you care to hear the "Turtle Launcher" story feel free to email me.

It was great to catch up with Lori, Catrina and Maureen while in Pass Christian. They have all been there several months and I have met each of them there before. Their hearts for serving in this way is great to see.

I hope to return to Pass Christian sometime this winter for another week. It would be great to have a nice sized group to go down. I look forward to it. If you want to see more pictures you can click on the "Web Albums" link on the right.

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Our group of friends has really been enjoying the beach this year. Several weeks ago we spent the weekend at Allaire State Park just 20 minutes from the beaches in New Jersey. We had great times together playing volleyball, wiffleball, body surfing, surfing, and sitting around the fire and talking. I am blessed to have such great friends who know how to have fun in wholesome ways. They challenge me spiritually too which makes this so wonderful.

Those of you who have never tried surfing before you really ought to. It is fun to feel the power of the waves below the board and learning how to control that power.

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No I am not a crazy fisherman but this trip was fun. It was on the Cheseapeak Bay for a day with people from work. I had never done that before but really enjoyed it. We each caught probably 20-30 fish, mostly Stripers(Rock Bass), and Blues. Well I caught a Toad Fish, too. Probably the smallest fish of the day.















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The third weekend in July my family went to a cabin along the Juniata River near Port Royal. It was a great time together as we enjoyed the river by canoe and kayak. On Sunday morning we set off from Port Royal at about 6:30 in the morning. At that early hour the air was cool but the water was cool creating a misty effect over the river. It was really neat to canoe through the mist and watch the wild life as we went by. We saw White Egrets, Blue Herons, King Fishers, Mink, Bald Eagle, White Tailed Deer, and numerous species of ducks. We canoed and kayaked about 13 miles. My niece Hadassah traveled in the kayak with me for a while.

I thank God for my family and how we can get along so well. I enjoy spending time with them and am challenged by each of them to dig deeper in God. I thank God for parents who raised me in the faith and taught me so much about living the Christian life. On Saturday night we had a time where we worshiped and studied the scriptures together. What a blessing to be a part of a loving family.

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Some of you may or may not have heard about Jenny. Jenny is an amazing person I met under unusual circumstances 7 months ago. Since that time we have become pretty close and really enjoy spending time together. Her relationship with God and openness to allow Him to use her is really neat. I am challenged by her in many ways and I thank God for her. Together we are seeking God to lead us in this new relationship as we ultimately want to honor him. We are really excited for what God is doing even though it can be scary at time.

Please pray for us as we get to know each other better, as we discern God's will, and that I boldly lead as He directs.

2 Corinthians 1:20-22

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. "

4th on the Beach

It started as a simple idea then developed into reality as we finalized the last minute details for our day trip to Bradlee Beach in New Jersey. What a great day!



Five of us met at my place and we all packed into the van by 7:30 on our mid-week day off. We stopped by Luke's place just north of Philadelphia. We first toured his place (he just signed the papers one week ago) and then piled back into the van for the final leg of our trip. We stopped by a Diner for a casual breakfast and then went to the Brennan's (Christina's friend's) place right on the beach front. Our goal for the day was to learn/experience surfing. However, after turning purple from being in the 67 degree water for only 20 minutes we decided that the waves were too small and water too cold to try it. It was fun nonetheless. The 20 mph wind cut right through our wet clothing. After the short time on the beach we went for a walk on the board-walk and a small beach town. This beach is really nice. It is an alcohol-free beach and is oriented towards families.

Since it was windy I wanted to try out the kite. Jenny and I flew it for a little while. Now this is not an ordinary kite. This kite flies at 400 feet and on a windy day could nearly pull a child off the ground. It is a 6 foot long box kite.

The evening events were quite interesting. I was not aware that we were going to be a part of a large party but the Brennan's blessed us with a lot of food and fellowship. It was really interesting how several of us in the group made connections with people. I think God really had a hand in the events of the day and who we connected with. I met two people I haven't seen in a really long time and was blessed to be able to talk with them about how God is moving and working in their lives. God is so amazing!!! The evening came to a close with impressive fireworks over the ocean while the rain peacefully fell on the sand. I can hardly wait to return.

"From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."
John 1:16

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
John 10:10

Preparation

Wow! Where did June go? I think I must be too busy if I can't even remember what I did last week. Sometimes I just need to sit back and reflect, relax, refresh, and be renewed. Like last night, I wanted to go to see my awesome nieces but knew that I had a dozen things I should be doing, primarily taking time to "be" with my Father. Over the last month I have been working at finalizing my spiritual growth plan. Taking time to "be" with God is one of my main focuses. Actually doing that is a different story.

This past month has been full of spending time with family and friends. I have spent my saturdays keeping the grass and weeds trimmed around home for the 3 or so large gatherings over the past month. Lets see we had a graduation party for Ang (my sister), an extended Hoover family reunion (80 people 2/3 of whole family), several evening cookouts with friends, and an appreciation picnic for my dad's intercessors. It has been a busy month at the Hoover Homestead.

This month has again been a time of growth for my group of friends. We have gone through some interesting/tough things together and all seem to be in situations requiring us to Trust Him. It is great to be able to encourage and hold each other up in these areas. This month we have started to pray and worship together as friends to glorify God and intercede for specific needs. This has been a time of bonding as well. Thanks to Luke we had the opportunity to serve both at the Water Street Rescue Mission one evening and at the Millersville International House. Hopefully we won't let ourselves get too busy to serve in these ways over the next month. Father help us to surrender our lives to you to be used for your service.



I have continued to kayak about once a week. On father's day my sister, cousin, and I took my dad canoing and kayaking on the Conestoga River. That was a great time. I have gone to the Susquehanna River several times after work. If I drive 10-15 minutes I can access the river at several places. This is really nice as I can relax and take some personal time after a long day at work.

At work I have received some additional training in Dairy nutrition and in Pork Quality Assurance. I am a certified Trainer for the PQA program and last Monday was the first training meeting I was in charge of. A stretching time but that is good. I will have to do on-farm assessments of the management practices for each of the farms certified now. Time away from the office. Nice. I am waiting to receive more responsibility in the nutrition area. I am not sure what is happening there. I almost feel like it is a hassle for them to be training me and don't want to take the time necessary.

Over the last several weeks I have become restless at work and don't feel satisfied. I just told one of my friends earlier this week that I feel like I am on a plateau. I can't see far in the future and soon want to see what to hope for. My place at work, living at home, and in relationships are all areas that I am trusting God in and I strongly desire to see the top of the mountain. I am trying to view this as a time of preparation for greater things but it is hard to maintain that focus. I want to be faithful with where God has me now and get myself ready for what is next. Patience is one thing I am struggling with in several areas of my life. My desire is to be used by Him to minister to others. Right now I am having a hard time doing that in my present position. Please pray that I can view my position as a place of service to others and that as I serve them cheerfully God will be glorified.

Below is a verse that just came to me last night. I can't say I am in the deepest part of the valley but feel like there is a lot of uphill to go yet. I want to be molded, shaped, pruned, fired, and purified through this. Thank you Father for all you have given me. You are Faithful.

"Listen! It's the voice of someone shouting,
'Clear the way through the wilderness
for the LORD!
Make a straight highway through the wasteland
for our God!
Fill in the valleys,
and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves,
and smooth out the rough places.' "
Isaiah 40:3-4 NLT

Which Direction?

OK, so I am not as good at keeping a blog as some people. Wow it has been over three weeks since I last updated. Over the last few weeks I have really been amazed at how God is bringing my group of friends closer and closer. I have been given a glimpse of what God is doing among us to meet each one of our specific needs. Right now we are each going through some transition or challenge. This means we are all growing. It hurts sometimes but it is great to see how when we help each other carry the loads, it is much easier. I believe God rejoices when he sees us building each other up and "....Spur[ing] each other on to Love and Good deeds."(Hebrews 10:24)

The sunday before Memorial Day my friends and I went to Woodcrest Retreat for the night in one of their shelters. It was a great time to grow closer together and worship together. We had a time of worship and prayer which really ministered to each of us. I look forward to the next time we can pour into each other the way we did then. In the near future I hope to get together specifically for the purpose of worshiping and ministering to each other. I feel like we are called to so much more than just hanging out together. We are called to encourage and empower each other so that we can have a greater affect on those who don't know Jesus yet. We are also called to reach out and serve. Thanks to Luke's initiative we are going to be helping at Water Street occasionally and possibly the Millersville International House. Personally I am hoping to also use my skills with Habitat for Humanity as well. Father please use us.

Many times I am in awe of who God has brought into my life. The relationships I am building right now are pretty new but mean so much to me. I have never had such deep refreshing relationships before and am excited about how God is going to use all of us together and separately. I am challenged by them and appreciate this because many times that is what I need to avoid complacency in my own life.

Eight weeks ago I started a "Discovery" class at a local church and have enjoyed gaining more direction for what and where God is leading me. My perspective going into this class was somewhat skewed because of the amazing trip to Mississippi I had just arrived back from but I believe God used that trip to help focus my life. I feel called to more service. It is awful how I get so caught up on myself sometimes. Through the class I developed a life purpose statement. I feel called to "Worship God by offering my skills and resources to restore those who have unfortunate circumstances, while expressing the character of Christ". My life verse is 1Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." When serving with MDS I felt the pleasure and glory of the Lord. Helping people is so rewarding.

Upon returning from that trip I have become discontent with my job situation. I am not finding my job to be satisfying. Right now I am trying to determine if I want my job to be my mission or if I am to work so that I can do my mission. I find it difficult to view my job situation right now as a mission field.

In my previous blog I wrote about the possibility of buying a house. I had looked at a few but feel God has led me away from that. I don't feel peace to do that right now. I feel like I need a vehicle that is will last me for a while prior to purchasing a home and entering a more financially risky situation. I am praying that God will help me to be content with where I am now and that he will lead me to the right decision when the time is right.

Several weeks back I purchased a kayak. In the last year I have developed a keen interest in kayaking and would like to continue spending time with God on the waters of Lancaster County. I am finding that the times I can spend with God on the water are some of the most refreshing/peaceful experiences.

Right now my desire is for contentment, patience, and surrender. Following God's will for my life is of utmost importance but I am not exactly sure where he is leading me. Some of the uncertainties I have are related to my: job, relationships, living arrangements, and my vehicle. That really covers many different aspects of my life. God it is my desire to surrender each of these specific situations into your hands. Help me to be content with where you have me and be patient to wait for your guidance and direction.

It is amazing how God speaks to me through the scriptures and songs. If I were to write all of them this would never end. However, below are a few that ministered to me today. Thank you for speaking to me today Lord.

1 Peter 1:3-7

"3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. "

"But I trust you, O Lord: I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in your hands." Psalm 31:14-15.

"I have learned to be content what ever the circumstances ." Phil 4:11.

Just yesterday in church I noticed a young child sleeping in his mother's arms. He was completely at peace and surrendered to her. He had no worries or fears. He was content all of his needs were taken care of. I thought about how Jesus wants us to trust him with every aspect of our lives. When we do this he will bless us and provide for us. Jesus I want the faith of a little child.

The More I Seek You (Christ for the Nations)

The More I seek You

the More I find you

the more I find you

the more I love you

I want to sit at you feet

drink from the cup in your hands

lay back against you and breathe

feel your heartbeat

this love is so deep

it's more than I can stand

I melt in your peace

It's overwhelming

Trusting Him

It will be interesting to look back on my life, years down the road, and see how God has shaped me for His service. The opportunities in my life right now are nearly endless. As a cautious person I am really seeking God on what paths he wants me to walk down. The "Discovery" class has helped me to understand more about who I am, what I am gifted with, what my passions are, and other things. The class is in its 5th out of 8 weeks and I am excited to begin a mentor/mentoree relationship with a man I respect very much for his wisdom and faith. Through the class I am developing my personal purpose statement which will lead me and focus me as I move on in God's will. I will also be developing a personal/spiritual growth plan for my life. My mentor will help me to follow this plan so that I will become the man I feel God is calling me to become.

Right now God has me in a good place. A place of transition, growth, and purification. Sometimes it is difficult, but I thank him for his provision. He has blessed me with a good job, loving family, friends, an education, and many other things. I am feeling the need to be more independent and am looking to either purchase a home or find a place to rent. When looking at the benefits of purchasing a home versus renting I easily move toward buying. However, as I young single man I do not want that to tie me down if God desires me to be more mobile for his service. Right now I have no financial obligations and would be open to the Lord's lead in my life. What makes the decision on the house more complex is the fact that my vehicle is in need of major work thus cutting into my ability to make a down payment on a house. If I were to purchase another vehicle my desire/dream to own a home would be postponed for probably a year. I ask that you keep me in prayer for these issues and that I would be open to hearing the voice of the Lord.

In the Discovery class my passions assessment indicated that some of my greatest passions are worshiping Him and using my craftsmanship gifts to help those in need. After seeing that God has given me these passions I have been looking to see how I can use these more. I desire to get involved with Lancaster Habitat for Humanity in building homes for people who can't afford them. I have also been pondering other possibilities which may even include employment at a humanitarian/service organization.


Over the last few weeks I have been in State College several times, first for my good friend Justin's baptism, and again for a wedding. It was great to be back in town to see friends and hear how God is working in their lives as well. I remember what it felt like to be finishing up school. A bit frightening to be honest. However, God is good and I hope to carry some of those relationships with me.



God has spoken to me in several verses recently. My friends here have been growing closer and the verse in Romans 1:12 sums it all up: "That is, that we may be mutually strengthened and encouraged and comforted by each other's faith, both yours and mine." (Amplified) The verse in 2 Peter 1:5-9 has also inspired me to develop Christ-like character:

"So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books."

Recently I have become aware of the beauty of the sky as the sun rises and sets. God is so amazing and creative. Take time today to watch the sunset.

PASSing on the Blessings in Mississippi

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Many of you probably remember or heard about my trip to Pass Christian, MS last October with my sister. That trip as well as my other trips to Florida and MS in April '06 with the Mennonite Disaster Service were so fulfilling and enjoyable. The Mennonite Disaster Service is an organization that provides free labor in the construction of homes for those who can't afford to rebuild after a major catastrophe. Many of those we build houses for are elderly or low-income single parents. You can see those pictures and from my
trip last week online at PicasaWeb.

After my trip in October I wanted to start planning for another trip in which my Dad and brother could come along. We had never done something like this before and I wanted to share with them the great experiences that I had had in the past with MDS. At first I thought this trip was going to happen in February when Ron and Elaine Enns were the directors in New Orleans. They were the directors for a time when I was in Florida. I wanted to meet up with them again but it didn't work out. Finally, I made plans for the week of April 15th in Mississippi where I had been twice before. I was excited to find out that Dave and Anna Weibe were there as directors. They also were directors that I had worked with in Florida.

On Sunday, April 15th my dad, brother and I flew out of Baltimore and arrived at Gulfport International Airport at 1pm. It was nice to have some time sunday to catch up with old friends and see the area. We had a short orientation in the evening where I found out that I was to be leading the framing crew. I wasn't expecting that but hey God knew I could handle it. On Monday my crew of 5 built the two large exterior walls but didn't stand them up because they were too heavy for the five of us to lift. Tuesday morning we had some help from another crew to lift them. By the end of the day Tuesday we had all four walls framed and standing. That was exciting. We took a tour of some of the devastation tuesday afternoon. It is incredible to see how much work still needs to be done. They are saying that it will be like 5-10 years until it is back to normal, or seemingly so to outsiders. Seeing these things really makes me feel blessed for what I have. How would I react if I had lost everything like these people had? When we met the man we were building the home for, David Deadoux, we found out that this will be the 4th house on that property in his life-time. We can only assume that the previous houses were destroyed as well. Would I be able to cope with losing my "things" this many times? Challenging.

Anyway Tuesday evening we had some Cajun crawfish and chili. The crawfish taste like shrimp, not bad really. Wednesday morning it rained a little so we started out at another house. That set us back on the framing of the Deadoux house. When we got to the Deadoux house I realized that I had left the house plans in the other truck. We worked on some odd jobs at the house to prepare it for trusses the next day. We could have started on the interior walls had I been better prepared. In the evening we went to an elderly woman's home, that MDS built, and we had a hymn-sing. It was a blessing to her I could tell.

On thursday we set the trusses. That is always fun. With the house being on piers it was pretty high. I remember carrying the trusses up ladders in Florida. The use of the high-lift was a great asset and much more safe as well. I had only men on my crew all week until Thursday. Heidi helped us by nailing the joist-hangers and hurricane straps/ties. That was a great help but I felt bad for the number of nails she had to drive. The palm-nailer made it a little easier. Good Job Heidi! Thursday evening we played volleyball after dinner. Those of you who know me well enough know that I can get pretty excited about this. I hit Lyndee in the head and felt like a jerk.

Friday was the final chance we had to complete the goal we had set out to do. At the beginning of the week I wanted to get the roof dried-in by friday. I knew it was possible without too many setbacks. On Friday Lyndee was on my crew with all of the other guys. She requested to be on the roof and was up on the roof all day. By lunch-time we had all of the roof sheeted and had the felt paper on by 3. We put drip edge on as well to prepare for shingles. The porch was started by some of the others. It will take a while to build the front porch rear deck and porch roof. At the end of the day we took a group picture with David Deadoux. He wanted us to stay because he thought we did a great job and wasn't sure who would be there the following week.

After dinner (jumblya) we sent the Gehmans Mennonite Church, group of 12, on their way home. They live about 30 minutes from us in Lancaster but we had no idea they would be there. How Ironic. They had a 20-22 hour drive. I could have sold my plane ticket several times throughout the week. In the evening Lyndee and I had the chance to take a bike ride to the beach. I never thought I would be doing that down there, but hey, it was fun. Later in the evening some of us introduced Maureen (Canadian) to "America's Drive-In" (Sonic) in Gulfport. We tried Krispy Kreme too but they wouldn't give us free doughnuts. How disappointing! What a great day. It was fun to be able to hang out and get to know the others better. This made it tough to leave.

On Saturday we wished Lyndee and her family a safe trip. They were driving back to Kentucky. I don't know anyone else in Kentucky but now I believe I would have a place to stay if I were to pass through some day. They were great to get to know. When going into these weeks with MDS I never know who I might meet. Each time I come out of the week with new friends and become a member of a larger family. It is such a blessing. Our flight went out at 12 noon. The long-termers dropped us off at the airport. I will miss these great people. I want to continue to stay in touch. God has been good!

A week later I can't help but reflect on God's goodness. He has blessed me with knowledge and skill so that I can be a blessing to others and share his love. The pleasure I get from this is incredible. There is nothing better then walking in God's will and worshiping him in it. I feel renewed and revived. Prior to leaving for this trip, Jenny, one of my good friends shared the verse in Ephesians 2:21-22, "In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." This was my inspiration for the week. I meditated on this and tried to maintain the perspective of building this Holy Temple to the Lord. I too want to be a place where the Spirit can fellowship. This past Tuesday I was at a class I am taking called "Discovery". It is taught by numerous ministers in the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Tuesday's class was focused on discovering our passions. After thinking about it I believe that one of my passions is being able to use my craftsmanship gifts to do exactly what I was doing last week. I am so thankful to Dave the director down there in Pass Christian for again trusting me to lead the crew last week. It was a blessing to be able to use the gifts God has given me. I enjoyed working with my dad and brother this past as well. We tend to get pretty busy here at home and it was good to spend some quality time with them. I hope and pray that we can continue to be open with each other. I certainly intend to do an MDS trip again. Maybe some others would like to join me. They are in need of both long-term and some short-term volunteers. Oh! Don't forget to check out my PICTURES. They will tell the rest of the story. Blessings and Thank You for your Prayers!

Pictures On the Web

Check out my Gallery at Picasa Web Albums.

Hey Lets figure out how this works!

This is new for me so I am trying to figure out how it all works. How to post pictures and such.

Sometimes it is nice to have quick solutions to our problems on the rough trails of life. Yes, God can provide a toilet in the middle of the wilderness if that is his will. This was on our annual trail-ride this past fall.

Check out the site The Well Network for good online worship.