Merry Christmas to all of you! We sure hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that Santa was good to you. Most of all we hope that you remembered Jesus and wished him a Happy Birthday. :) Our Christmas was very nice. I had my side of the family over and what I enjoyed was all of us together and that we all were able to sit at the dinner table together. It was awesome! I was so excited. It doesn't take much for me to excited about those things but I had to share it with you.

We can't believe that it is almost a month before we leave for Africa. Ok I am pushing it just a little. LOL I believe we are going to mail out the information to get our visa's hopefully tomorrow or sometime this weekend. Most likely this weekend. Then it will be done and taken care of. Now it will be getting the little stuff to get and ready to pack. We will have to start packing here soon. LOL It is amazing how time flies.

Our prayers are with all of you and your families. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Love and God Bless,

Julie and Kevin

Merry Christmas to everyone! Wow, what a year this has been already. If there is one thing that I have learned so far with all that is going on, look up and know that you are not alone. God is there to help you all the way. Trust in him and have faith in him and watch him work. It is so amazing.

I want to thank all of you for praying for us and please know that your prayers are being answered and they are working. We are praying for all of you too. Kevin will be staying at Hopman's till they close which is at the end of this month. He has started working part time at Gogi's Fine Jewelry. Then he is doing trade work as well to fill in the other hours. He was just certified for his own business. His business is called The Goldsmith Guru. I think I spelled that right. LOL Anyways, he needed that to do the trade work. God has blessed him with his hands to bring out his talents in jewelry. He does a wonderful job with each piece and makes sure the quality is there. I am so proud of him.

With all that has gone on in our lives God has blessed us with so much. He was working for us and it showed yesterday. Clean Seal started the Biggest Looser Challenge in July of this year. I wanted to join because, I wanted to tone up, eat better, and just be in shape. I wanted to be ready for this trip. Some who know me and have seen me, would ask why do this. I sure don't need to loose weight. So to make a long story short, yesterday we had one of our luncheons with our Manufacturer. They announced the Biggest Looser. I was one of the ones in second place. I was so surprised. I didn't plan that at all. I really didn't think I would get anything. I was prepared for that. I did this to be healthy and I new if I did this, it would push me and well it did. More ways then one I guess. With me working 4 days a week, Kevin loosing his job and now going to part time and everything else going on, I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to make the trip to Africa. I kept thinking, why would God push us for this trip and then take it away from us. I was like, he wouldn't do that, would he? I mean I gave up trying for a child. The one thing I want most in this world and then to take this trip away. No way, this can't be his plan. Then when I was announced that I was one of the ones in second place I was just shocked. I wish I had a picture of what my face looked like. I did have tears but I held them in. Surprisingly. I lost it later though. :) After I had soaked everything up I relised that God does want us to go. He is not taking it away from us, he wants us to go. He wants us to help and use us to do his work for him. He has big plans for us and I am so excited. I feel bad for questioning him and not putting as much faith or trust in him. It is just so scary with the recession we are in now and not sure what is going to happen. This recession has taught me some things though. Next year I want to save more and help out more with others in need. God has a plan for each of us, you just have to trust in him and have faith. He will provide and take care of you. He is working for all of us.

Tomorrow our Mission Buddies are meeting to talk about our trip and go over things from last time and new issues that may have come up. We are looking forward to meeting with them. Not much longer just 2 months away. Hope you all have a Blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Julie and Kevin

Prayers Please

It sure has been a long time since I have written in here. I am sorry about that, but boy do I have a lot to share with you. For starters we could really use your prayers. All though I know there is a lot of you that might be in the same boat. Please be aware that we are praying for you too. Last Monday, Kevin was informed that his place of business is closing after 49 years. Kevin is a jeweler at Hopman's. After Kevin left work that day he was calling other jewelry places and we printed out his resume. He had an interview at Jared's on Tuesday the 11th. Then a bench test there on the 17th and the 18th (that is a long story). He has also talked with Gogi from Gogi's Fine Jewelry. She is going to meet up with him tomorrow and they are going to talk about possibly hiring him. I know she really wants him to work for her and he wants that too. So please pray that is what God wants too. Then as you know we are planning on going to Africa in February. This is still a go so far. I really feel that this is what God wants us to do. I don't see God taking this away from us. I know that is probably bad to say, but this is just me talking and thinking. When Kevin told me about his job, Africa was not even what crossed my mind, because I new this is what we are suppose to do. I still believe that. We have gone to some meetings regarding our trip and each time we have done this, we get more excited. There is still so much we have to do and getting the funds to go as well. I have been looking for a second job to work part time to help out with the trip and other finances. Oh I don't know if I mentioned that I am now working 4 days a week since the 6th of October as well. So another reason to get a part time job. Need to fill the void. We are not sure how long I will be working the 4 days, but we pray not for long. Times are so tough right now and I am scared. I have also put my trust in God and I know we are all going to be all right. So as of now in a nut shell this is what has been going on. I hope to get on here more often and fill you in on what is going on. I will have to tell you about our meeting as well. Right now I have some work staring at me. I will fill you in more later.

Need Some Prayers Please

I have some wonderful news, but also need some prayers please. Last night my sister-in-law called us up and told us about a couple in the church that decided to go on the Africa trip. We are so excited that they are coming along on this exciting trip with us. They did a lot of praying about this as Kevin and I have done. Over the summer they have had some road blocks in their way and thought this was a sign for them not to go. Well they kept praying about it and on Wednesday night they went to a class at church, the subject was Obeidence to God. Thursday morning they called Billy and Melissa and told them they were going to go to Africa. Everyone was so excited. All though they need some prayers in the finacial area. Please pray for Steve and Joan (Joann) Sorry not sure what is the correct way to spell her name. But you have names. LOL Thank you all again for your prayers and your support. Talk to you soon.

God Bless all of you,

Julie and Kevin

So much has been going on since the last time I wrote in here. One of the things that has happened is that Notre Dame beat Michigan. They did loose to Michigan State and they are playing Purdue this Saturday. GO IRISH! Another thing that has happened is that I will be working 4 days a week on starting on the 6th of October. Now this isn't a good thing but it isn't the worse thing either. I still have my job. Just the hours are cut at the moment. Customer Service was hit too and they are only working 32 hours too. They have laid off all they can in production and the warehouse so it was time for the office area. We all know that the Economy is down but with God it will turn around. I totally believe that. No worries right? :) I will admit that I am scared especially for our trip. All though that is a done deal we are going and we are so excited about it. I have to keep my focus on that and to know what good we will be doing there. It is going to be amazing. Kevin told me that everything will be fine and that we are going to be fine. He told me that God will provide and he wants us to go on this trip and by George we are going. It will for sure be an experiance I shall never forget. I thank all of you for your prayers. Thank you again for going on this journey with us. We wouldn't want it any other way. God Bless all of you. :)

Love,

Julie and Kevin

First Ever! :)

I know this has nothing to do with Africa, but I haven't written in a long time. So I wanted to share this with you. I am 33 years old and this was my very first ever going to a Notre Dame Game. This was the season open game too. It was awesome! I loved it! We had a great time. The best part was they won but the fly by of the planes. WOW! Now that was so awesome! I am so greatful for Kevin to get those tickets for us. This has been something I have wanted to do for so long and now I can cross it off my bucket list. It sure was a day I won't forget. We played San Diego State and the score was 13 to 21. I will have to say it started out shakey, but the last quarter they kicked it into gear. They play Michigan this Saturday. GO NOTRE DAME!

Blessing and Response

This past week one of the Reps from where I work came to me with his Church bulletin. And in this bulletin he had highligthed a verse from a Hymn. The song is The Church of Christ, in Every Age. The verse goes reads like this:

We have no mission but to Serve

In full Obedience to our Lord

To care for all, without reserve,

And spread his Liberating Word.

He thought this was fitting for Kevin and I, and we agree. Since Kevin and I have decided to do this mission we have been blessed in a lot of ways. Ways that we didn't see until now. The best part of these blessings is seeing God work. It is so exciting. It just makes you feel good inside to see what he does in our lives and to the lives of our friends and family.

Last weekend I went to The Woman And Faith Conference. It was awesome! I learned a lot from that conference and I have some growning up to do that is for sure. But then we all are still growing no matter how old you are. If I put my trust in God and my faith, anything can happen and anything is possible with God. I pray for each and everyone of you. I know God is with you always, just let him in and watch him work. It is amazing!

Two shots down and two more to go

Well I have two shots down and two more to go. I had my Hepatitus A&B done and my Polio done today. In January I will have the last of the Hepatitus A&B and Typhoid done. I should be pretty healthy I think. LOL I have been working out lately too. We started The Biggest Looser at work and I have been going to the gym 3 times a week. I really enjoy it. I have had a lot of people ask me why I am doing this. Well I am doing this for this trip and because I am really out of shape. Let alone I don't eat very well either. So this has helped me tone up and eat better. I am very glad that I have started this. Now I need to go shopping and get some skirts and some material to make me a couple of skirts too. :) I should find some great deals by now. It is for sure going to be a great experiance. I am not sure if I have mentioned that we will be feeding 465 people I believe each day. That is a lot of people but just to think we will be doing this for them. Also one of their goals is to have a hospital around there. The medical care around there is not very good and they need Dr's and everything to have better health care. If there is something you want to pray about please pray for that. I was also told there were a lot of orphanages around there too. I asked if we could visit one and they said of course. That is going to interesting too. I am so excited about this trip. This trip is going to be a life changing experiance for sure and I am ready to help. I am ready to do what is expected of me.

Another thing to check off our list

So I come home today from going to the gym and I see on our table in the kitchen our passports. I was so excited. We mailed them out on Monday the 14th and BAM! We already have them. How cool. We can not only go to Africa but anywhere else in the world. How neat! We shared our excitement with Billy and Melissa and the boys today at Pizza Hut. Billy is going with us to Africa he is our Brother in law. His wife Melissa is Kevin's sister. Just to clarify all that. We were talking to Billy about the trip and where he would like to go in London while we are there and also about the safari's we would like to go on while we are in Africa. So it was good to know that we are pretty much on the same page with that. It was a great time with them. Well I would love to write more, but I am very tired and that is so far all I know about our trip to Africa. Just another thing to check off and bringing us closer to our trip. Talk to you all later.

Since I started my blog yesterday, I can tell you what else I did yesterday for our trip. Ok this is more for me but I needed them. LOL I bought me some new Crocs for the trip. I have also looked at some material and I am thinking of making me a couple of skirts. Since woman are not allowed to wear pants of any type. If you wear them you are considered a prostatute. Not going to work for me. I will just get creative and do what I can. :) I also wanted to mention and I am sorry that I didn't mention it on the first blog, but Kevin and I are going with our brother in law Billy on this wonderful trip. He is the senior pastor at New Life Church in Rochester IN. It is through them that we are able to go on this trip. We are very greatful and blessed to have this oppertunity. There will be 7 of us including Kevin and I. So that makes 9 going. Just in case you wanted to know that. We are excited to be going with Billy because that gives us or more me to know him even better. Kind of cool actually. :)

Why, and What we have accomplished so far

I will try to make this short but sweet and to the point. With a lot of praying and pondering, we have decided to take a trip to Africa in February 2009. We are going on our first missions trip to Kigoma, Tanzania. We made this decision back in April if not before. I was trying to read my journal for the exact date we decided but couldn't find it. It was a tough decision for me to make. Kevin and I have been trying for a baby but nothing has happened. We did a lot of praying as I have mentioned and God has told us this is what we are to do. So we are doing it. We are very excited. We have mailed out our information to get our passports, I have taken my hepatitis A&B shots; also tetanus, and yellow fever. On the 28th of July I will take my second series of Hepatitis A&B, then whatever else needs to be done. Kevin has had most of the shots required as he has been to Africa before. He went in January of 2007 with his Dad. On Tuesday the 15th we went to Rochester, Indiana and had dinner with some of the people we will be staying with. We met Terry and Ruth Ann, Claudia and Lowell, also Mwenge. We even met Terry and Ruth Ann's neighbors and at this time I can't remember their names. They are wonderful people and it was a pleasure to meet them all. You can learn more of what we are going to do by going to www.joyintheharvest.com. You will learn so much about this missionary and what goes on. We are very excited about going on this trip and most of all what we will be doing for all of them and for God. How could you not get excited about doing something for God? You would have to be crazy. :) I will do my best at keeping you up to date with our journey to Africa. After all we want you to join our experience as well. You are a part of this as much as we are. I hope you will join us.