We are very excited!!!

Hello everyone, we will be coming to Williston a week earlier than planned. We have been dealing with Aeromexico. They have changed out airplane tickets 4 times on us. We to make a long story short we were able to move our tickets up because of it. Alyssa is taking here finals this coming week and I(Amanda) have not been able to work because of the surgery, so this was a perfect time to be able to come earlier. We just had Zoe's birthday on Wed. She was not able to have a birthday at school because the government band all parties because of the swine flu. This was ok though, we went out to eat as a family, picked out toys(thanks Mr. & Mrs. Purkey and Family for money for gifts)and then went to our friends house for cake. It was a fun day! Both girls were in there princes dresses. I have never seen someone go so crazy in the toy aisle as Zoe. Watch out Barbies here she comes. Well better go, hope to see some of you guys soon. We will be in Williston for 2 months on furlough. We will return to our home in Mexico the 1st of August. Blessings Amanda

O it feels so great to feel good!!!!!!

Hello everyone, I am writing with such a happy heart. I have not felt this good in 3 months :) I am recovering fast from my hysterectomy. We just had a check up with the doctor and he said, that I am recovering better than he thought I would. What great news!!!! We have been stuck in our home for about two weeks now. The girls have not had school and many companies and businesses have been closed down. It felt great to leave the house for groceries two days ago. The doctor has also given us the green light to allow friends over to the house. Everyone here in the city has felt caged up, we are all excited to see each other again. Zoe's birthday is on Wed. May 13th. We are going to have a small party at the school for her with her friends. I am doing well but not good enough to through a normal party yet. Also we are going to be returning to Williston on June 3rd. We are very excited to see family but I am also having to heal up before the trip home. I am learning not to push it (this is unbelievable hard thought:) Pleas ebe praying for our health these next two weeks. We cannot get sick because they will not allow us on the plane if we are. Trusting in Him!!!! Praying you all have a great week. Blessings Amanda

thankful for Him

Hello again. Wow, what a story. As some of you know Mandy and I just got back from the hospital a few days ago. Well, its been almost a week now. She was bleeding internally the doctors said for probably a few years, just getting progressively worse. She has been struggling with this problem for sometime, but things are getting way better now. She went in on Saturday because of intense pain and many other complications. The doctors said that she was on her way to having another convultion again. Her oxygen levels were down, and she was running out of energy. They took her in and said that they needed to do emergency surgery on her "now" and not wait. Well, she went in and everything is great now. There were some complications with the medicines but everything ended up well in the end. She is doing way better now, just recovering. We are so happy to be living in the will of God and letting Him use this whole thing to further the gospel of His kingdom. We were in the hospital when this thing about the swine virus broke into the public. Also during a 5.8 earthquake. We were in the middle of the place where people needed to hear the most about the gospel of peace. This is something that we have had from the beginning with these medical problems. Peace is not something that you can fake, or make up, or try to immitate. You either have it or you don't. I was told by a spiritual giant one time, as long as you have peace about what you are doing, you are living in the will of God. Not to be confused with comfort, just peace. Well, from day one my wife has been telling me about the peace that passes all understanding she has felt, even from before this whole thing started. Well, as you know, we were in the hospital and the swine flu began its destructive sweep across Mexico City. At first I couldn't figure out why God would bring me here, at this time, but now it is all coming together. At a time when people need to hear the most, we have relationships and ways of communicating. What a blessing!! We even had internet in the hospital, that does not have internet!! Now, that was a miracle in itself!! It's funny how God does things like that. I would love to tell you more about it, but there just isnt words to define the feeling of falling into the loving hands of my daddy, while I lay there helpless and alone. He was the only way that I have made it through this, sustaining me when I had nothing left. Twice now I have felt the embrace of my daddy so much that I knew there was no way humanly possible to recreate the feeling that He gave me. His embrace is the love of all loves and the peace of all peace. I was able to sit in the hospital and tell the nurses that no matter what happens in this life, we can live in peace and communion with the creator of the world who desires nothing more than to hold us and love us. If we are failing physically, its ok. Because He wants a deep heart to heart relationship with us. This is not something taught here in the majority of the church's. People are taught to do this and that and you are "saved". But there is no relationship, they are missing so much, basically everything!!! If we are just living to do this and that, or get this and that and miss the relationship, what is the point of living at all??? We are sitting here in the middle of groud zero for the swine flu epidemic and all I can say to Him, is "Thank You". We are SO blessed!! We have so much to be thankful for!!! There are not words enough to explain the love, gratitude and thankfulness for Him. In the words of my hero count Zinzindorf, "If I am forced to give it all up for Him, my home, my family, my life and I still go to hell, May the Lamb receive the reward of His suffering". You see, He is teaching me, its not about me, its not about my life, its not about what I think I am entitled to or what I think I should have, its all about Him. He is willing to and has blessed us more than anything I could have asked or imagined. It doesn't change the fact that it is not about me or us. I hope that I do the best with my life, with the time that He has so graciously blessed me with. I look around at us and think that one year ago we came to this country with only 4 suitcases and now we have all these things around us, friends, a home, and a life that we love. God is so amazing!! Well, something to think about. I need to go now and get some sleep. Take care and God Bless you all. In Him, Ross