I can't come up with a cool name so you choose

Well it has calmed down a little since I last wrote. We just got done with a class called Ancient Paths. This was a class of mixed emotions. There was lots of great stuff taught in this class but there was even more not so great. The Lord uses even things that are not so great to teach us somethings. When you are open to hear and be taught what the Lord is teaching you then He will do some amazing things. Which HE did this last week. He healed some things in my heart that we hurt and wounded. Thank you Jesus that you only bring out as much as we can handle at a time. He never over steps His boundaries. Any way the girls are getting so big. Zoe is now riding a little bike now. She thinks she is such a big girl because she can do things like her big sister. Alyssa is just about out of her trainning wheels. She just amazes me how much she has grown. She is very much a little sweetheart. They are both going to be going to school this coming August. I am going to be one of those emotional moms that cries the first time they get on the bus. We would love to talk and hear about how things are going in your lives. Shoot us a email to rossandmandy@yahoo.com It would be nice to hear about people back home. Thanks for taking the time to hear about how this year is going for us. We would also love to hear about your live too. Talk later Mandy

Whirlwind

This is exactly what it has felt like these last two months. We want to first apologize for not writing like we promised we would. Our classes have been stretched longer into our already short nights and we have had our ministry week during this time and also we went back home for a week break. This was a verrrrrrrrry much needed break to be with family and friends. Also since we went to Thunder Bay God has been stirring some things up in His plans. You can really never give times or dates when you think you are going to be doing something for God. His timeline is a lot different than ours. There is a reason that James talks about this in James 4:13-17. James says you should not say "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and spend a year there, buy and sell and make profit"; You do not know what will happen tomorrow. He says that you should rather say "If the Lord wills we shall live and do this or that". This is something we are still learning in. Our will is to do the Fathers will not our own that is why we have really been in prayer about taking the girls up to the environment we would be in in Thunder Bay, especially after Zoe just about ate three pills that would have overdosed her. A few months back we were casually invited to go with the college to finish of our degree in Mexico City, Mexico. We just kind of blew it off because we knew we were suppose to go the the Bay. The thing that we ignored though was that God quickened our hearts to consider it. This was extremely amazing in its self because none of our class had this option, the only options they had were to Africa and Indonesia. God had different plannes for us for right now. We first started this journey off thinking we were going to go somewhere South of the boarded. We didn't care where we just felt that love for the people of the South. After much prayer and fasting we have decided to finish off our schooling with Bethany. Some huge things that were answered with this choice was our daughters safety. They will each be 3 years older and will both be in school full time. This will save us over $800.00 dollar a month in pledges for part time daycare. Also the girls will not be around the atmosphere of the streets as often. The number one things that we have prayed since we started this journey were "Lord help us to stay on the path that you have laid out for us, don't let us step out of your will for our lives. Second was "Lord you have placed this specific calling on our family, Our family is going to live by the order you have created us to live by: God first, family second and ministry third." The safety of our daughters was the biggest part of our choice. We feel that this choice has been blessed by God and that it is in the path that were are to journey on. Also we were having a hard time getting into Canada. When we finish our B.A. degree with the school we will be able to get into Canada with little red tape. What a blessing God has had planned from the beginning. Here we thought we had to plan this trip!HAHA I guess that is the life of a missionary(and all Christians) You have to totally walk by faith and let God guide your foot steps. We still have a calling and a purpose up in Thunder Bay Canada. We want to fulfill this after our schooling is complete (if the Lord will's). The Love of my Native ancestors is still as strong as ever. When God puts a love in your heart that strong nothing on this Earth can shake it. I must leave and go again into my extremely busy life. We will be celebrating Ross's 28th Birthday this month. I am blessed to have a man as good as him. If any body has any questions or concerns we would love to visit with you. our email is rossandmandy@yahoo.com. Blessings Mandy Johnston