The King's Kongs

2012-01-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

Romans 12:10-11

The Lord, my portion

2011-12-31T07:42:00.000-08:00

This I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him."

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,

to the one who seeks him;

it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

~Lamentations 3:21-26~

Some good friends of ours are going through a rough time with their 10 month old son, who recently went through a surgery and is having some complications. The father wrote in his blog,

"The feeling of powerlessness is foreign soil, but it’s a fertile place for growth. These days and nights in the hospital feel deeply unsettling, but being unsettled is not always a bad thing. Furrows come before seed. Remembering this allows us to see these grooves in our plans (holy disruptions, if you will) not as an excuse for bitterness but as an occasion for gratitude."

When I feel down in the depths of misunderstanding and doubt, I will remember to say to myself that the "Lord is my portion, therefore I will wait for him." Waiting is so hard, but as I look back on my life I am beginning to see that in the waiting God is working, and that he does answer our prayers, just not always the way we want them to be answered, or in our time.

There is much in the word about waiting. If we had it all right now, we wouldn't be able to handle it, so it is good to wait on the Lord, to wait on things to come to pass that we want to see happen. May the Lord strengthen me during this time of waiting on him.

The Sin of the World, Placed on a Baby

2011-12-23T06:17:00.000-08:00

He is despised and rejected by men,

A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;

He was despised and we did not esteem Him.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53: 3 & 6

Who's in your genealogy?

2011-12-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

Tamar, a widow who bribed her father in law to sleep with her...Rahab, a prostitute...Bathsheba, the object of David's misguided affections...what do all of these women have in common? They were all in the line of Jesus. God is so amazing to use weak, imperfect people as his vessels for greatness.

I have family members who came to the United States on the Mayflower. I bet those pilgrims never imagined that one day they would have a great, great, great, great...granddaughter who was part of a mission traveling to Mexico to bring the gospel and message of Jesus to people there.

I've been thinking this morning about who might come after me in my family and the impact they will have on this earth for Christ. All I have to do is have babies, and by doing so, I am affecting the world for Christ. That's an exciting purpose to have, even if I never accomplish anything else on this earth.

I may never completely comprehend the impact that those who came before me who were faithful followers of Christ have on my life. My mother and father, my grandparents, my great grandparents, my great great grandparents. They weren't perfect people. God used them to bring more people into the world who would make a difference for Him. Their heritage of faith is an important part of who I am today.

Christmas...

2011-12-16T19:32:00.000-08:00

Christmas was...

...setting up the Christmas tree with my mom...hanging my "My First Christmas" ornament from 1982.
...trying hard not to touch the gifts Mom had already wrapped for us that were under the tree.
...opening up gifts at Grandma Russell's on Christmas Eve and Grandma Bachman's on Christmas Day.
...going to church on Christmas Eve and then opening gifts afterwards until late into the night with my Mom, Dad, brother, and sister.
...wishing that Santa were real even if I knew he wasn't.
...nights spent giggling with my sister.
...staring at the Christmas tree and enjoying the warm feeling it produced in my soul.
...waiting snuggled in the car, trying not to let the cold get me while Dad loaded up the gifts from Grandma's house.
...lots of eating.

Christmas is...

...lots of eating.
...time spent in the word reflecting on the Christmas story.
...reviewing the story of the birth of Jesus with Adah.
...singing "Silent Night" and "Away in a Manger" to Adah to go to sleep.
...getting gifts ready for the people that I most treasure.
...working to keep myself at peace in the midst of the hustle and bustle.
...still having the joy of gathering with both of my Grandmothers.
...realizing that life is precious and that we only get so many turns around the sun...and that each breath is a gift.
...home group Christmas party.
...trying to savor each and every moment that I have to spend with family.
...being thankful that Jesus came for me.

Fear in Following

2011-12-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

...an angel of the Lord appeared to him (Joseph) in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."...When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ~Matthew 1:20-21 and 24

Isn't it hard when you know you're called to something bigger and better than yourself? Sometimes I wish that an angel would come to me and tell me exactly what it is that I'm supposed to be doing! However, after looking at these verses, I think it might be a little more scary to have a heavenly being come and tell me what to do! That's a big day...and a big calling. The angel told Joseph not to be afraid because "what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." If it were only that easy...ok...so it was conceived of the Holy Spirit...fear is gone!

There is so much difficulty surrounding a calling. I'm sure it wasn't easy for Mary and Joseph to consider the fact that they were going to have GOD for a Son. Wouldn't you be so afraid that you would mess it up? It's hard enough raising a little one without knowing that they're God's Son that's been entrusted to you. I know that Mary and Joseph had to have a lot of fear in following the call that the Lord had placed in front of them. There were so many unknowns for them.

Linn and I know that we have been called to follow God's purposes in this world with our whole beings. But what does that mean in day to day life? A fear and doubt sundae, smothered in a hot fudge of faith and grace. We will continue to rest in the knowledge that the dreams that God has conceived in us are of the Holy Spirit.

Google Maps: Nazareth to Bethlehem

2011-12-06T06:10:00.001-08:00

For nothing is impossible with God.

~The angel Gabriel; Luke 1:37

What a journey it must have been for Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem! Too bad they couldn't google the directions, hop on the freeway, and be there in less than two hours. I can't imagine the hardship they must have gone through. Not only the physical hardship, but what about the mental and spiritual anguish of having to make a journey like this. I can only imagine Mary's thoughts at the prospect of having to travel 90 miles while being pregnant...

"What???? How am I supposed to travel to Bethlehem? Do you know how far away that is? What if the baby comes while we're on the road? My mother was supposed to be there to help deliver the baby! I have had such a hard time with this...no one understands the pain that I'm going through. No one understands how I even became pregnant when I'm not even married. They all hate me. Now I have to travel to some town I've never been to? Where will we stay? Where will we put the baby? Where will Joseph work? Will we even survive? I just don't know how this is going to work. God! What is going on? Wait...the angel said that nothing is impossible with God, but it's so hard to believe that right now. I can't see it. Lord, help me."

So many times when God asks us to do something, at first we can say, "Alright God, whatever you say. I trust you." Then we actually have to live it out, and it becomes something entirely different. So many doubts, frustrations, anger, and annoyances plague our thoughts.

It has to be a moment by moment decision to remain in the presence of God and choose to believe that nothing is impossible with God, and to say as Mary replied to the angel, "May it be to me as you have said."

Abide

2011-12-05T08:37:00.001-08:00

Today, the plan will be to abide in Christ.

From John 15:

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do NOTHING.

At times in my life, abiding seems to come so easily to me, and at other times, it seems out of reach. Why do I spend so much time struggling and striving to find my way on my own, apart from the power of God? I feel so discombobulated, so strung out when I'm out there trying to do anything apart from Christ. Even going to the grocery store can be a challenge done apart from Christ. I need his power in all things. Either I believe this or I don't believe it.

What I say I believe is not what I believe...what I believe is what I do.

Lord, let what I do today...be to abide in you.

Inside Outside Upside Down Kingdom

2011-11-30T06:43:00.001-08:00

Dar's thoughts on...

Philippians 2

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, (is this even possible for us as humans, to really have the same mindset as Christ Jesus in our relationships? even in those relationships that get on our nerves? what would that look like if we did? if we truly understood what that really meant? Lord, come in your power and give us the power to have peace in our relationships on earth as it is in heaven.)

Who, being in very nature GOD (what?? He was God but he laid it all down so that he could come and know me? So that we could know him and the freedom that comes in a relationship with him? So that he could know our sufferings?)
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather he made himself nothing (and was born in a barn among stinking animals in a little known town called Bethlehem! There was no place for him to lay his head even as a baby.)
by taking the very nature of a servant, (we say that we want to follow in Christ's footsteps and become a servant, until we are really treated like one...then we don't like it!)
being made in human likeness. (with all of our weaknesses and imperfections and strivings)
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross! (and death on a tree was the lowest form of death there could be for a Jew. My mind cannot even fathom where Jesus went for us. I can't even imagine an earthly king doing something like this, much less GOD, the God of the universe stepping down to be with us.)

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name
that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the Glory of God the Father.

...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

--

Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me the place in life where I can be a true servant. Even though, honestly, it's really annoying to be treated like a servant. I want to be where you are Jesus. If my God could give up his throne to come to the earth and be a servant, how much more do I need to do the same? Unfortunately, I don't have the strength to be able to do that! I just want to be in charge, to run things, to make my goals and vision be made known. Lord let me be a servant as you were a servant. If even just for a moment, let me catch a glimpse of what that looks like. It's not going to be a fun day at Disneyland as I learn what this means, and I accept that. Refine me God, take me through the fire.

2011-11-22T06:50:00.001-08:00

Excerpts from Ephesians 4:

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.

It was he who gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

INSTEAD, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head--CHRIST.

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

I am longing for the day when we as a body of Christ can truly work together out of the bond of peace. I am so tired of being tossed here and there by every wave that comes in life. I want to know the fullness of Christ. I want to be strongly rooted in him and in his mighty power. I want more. It's so hard to want more, because through wanting more, we are asking for some rough and challenging times. I feel like it's only in the depths of challenge and heartache where we truly learn to live this life. Where we truly learn to discover who God has made us to be. In the midst of heartache and struggle we learn to know who God really is and who we really are.

I often think that our view of God is too small. When we pray for something, and he doesn't answer, what does that really mean? Do we really think that God is going to work how we want him to work? What does it say about God when something horrible happens...or we find out that something horrible happened to someone we love dearly. Where was God in that?

Through this whole support raising process I am learning that God is giving us the exact amount of money that we need each month to learn to truly cling to him and his provision for us. We have exactly what he wants us to have so that we can grow in our faith and in our understanding of who he is in our lives.

Just because we give it all for God doesn't mean that we automatically get some kind of orb of protection put around us. I often think, "God, we put it all in for you...why did this happen??" I guess God says in those moments that there is even more that we need to put in for him. More of ourselves that need to be shaved off, more refining that needs to happen in our spirits, so that we can be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

Columbus Home y más

2010-08-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to going back to my Columbus home. I am ultra excited about this year coming up. I am looking forward this next chapter in our lives. Yesterday I was listening to a message on-line and the preacher said that Faith isn't the absence of doubt, but rather it's the act of moving forward in the face of doubt and fear. Just because fear and doubt exist doesn't mean that we lack faith. I am ready to jump into the next phase of our lives that God has for us. I don't want to just go through the motions of life and never really live.

I hope to get more involved with the Latino/Hispanic community in Columbus this coming school year. I am excited to learn more about what God is doing in that area of our city.

This summer I have learned that God has given me a great confidence in speaking Spanish. I think I've been waiting for this moment for the last 14 years since I started learning Spanish. It's not that I've reached a point where I know it all, but I just feel a new comfort around Spanish speakers that I haven't felt before. I feel sure of my abilities and sure that I can communicate in a myriad of different situations without getting stuck.

I've also learned this summer more about being a good mommy. I've learned to involve Adah in what I do, and try to focus on her world and what she's learning more and more. She's 16 months old now, which is amazing. I still think sometimes how blessed I am to be Adah's mommy. She fills my day with so much joy and accomplishment. Having her here in the midst of so many people who love her too is a beautiful thing to watch. I'm going to miss the companionship of being able to walk out my door and have so much and so many people for Adah to explore.

Something else that I have realized is what a blessing it is to be a part of all that God is doing to save lives here in Rosarito and Tijuana. Through my service, people's lives are being changed. Although I'm doing the grueling and tedious background work the majority of the time, I am able to derive so much joy out of that because I know what the end result is.

Praise the Lord for another amazing summer!

Difficult for different reasons

2010-08-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

So each week here seems to bring its own challenges. Isn't that how life is, though? This week has been rough because last Saturday we said goodbye to Matt and Amanda and Jeremy. Also Bill Drake was here last week, which was such a blessing. We had an amazing dinner at our favorite restaurant in Puerto Nuevo. They have tortillas the size of pizzas, and they taste amazing! We have one team here from New York, as well as two guys from Canada. Thinking about heading back to Columbus is starting to make me feel a little nervous, just because I know that this fall is going to be different for us, and what awaits us beyond the fall is exciting to think about, but it's also an unknown!

Adah is growing so much...today I think she babbled non-stop. She does this weird sound where it sounds like she's a motorcycle revving up, like "a-nun-nun-nun-nun." Then she makes another sound, "neener, neener, neener..." And she makes the sounds so loud sometimes! She is definitely going to be a talker. She talks to me all the time. Sometimes she's just babbling, then other times it seems like she's really telling you something, with the correct sentence intonation and everything. I think the thing that I need to pay attention to now is keeping my eye on her all the time still. Since she's a little more independent now, it's easy to just kind of let her do her own thing, then you realize she has a crayon in her hand, is unrolling the toilet paper, or worse, getting into some kind of trouble that she shouldn't be in.

We're flying home on August 29th. Katie is coming to hang out with us for a few days before we fly home. It will be great to have her help on the plane!!!

Holy moments

2010-08-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the incredible opportunity of leading worship for the team of 11 that are here this week from New York. We held the worship/Bible study in the newly re-designed staff lounge. It was one of those holy moments for me, when something of heaven touches earth. We had people of Chinese, Pakistani, Cambodian, American, Canadian heritage there in that room, all worshipping in unison the one and only God.

"Missions exists because worship does not."
--John Piper

June 2010 Newsletter

2010-06-04T14:17:00.000-07:00

Well the time has come once again. Time for us to pack up say our good-byes and get ready for another crazy amazing summer of service in Tijuana! As some of you may know since we’ve been doing this in 2006 we were able to pack up our vehicle, a Jeep Liberty, and take a long yet fun drive across our wonderful country from Ohio to California. This year with our beautiful addition we’ve decided to both fly down to San Diego instead. We don’t think for Adah that long of a trip would be the best way for us to travel. Pray that we’ll have a pretty non-eventful trip you know, no delays, Adah adjusts well to the new environment, etc… We will be leaving on June 11^th at 6am. We hope to be all packed up by Tuesday of this coming week. The summer season of outreach begins on June 13 and ends on August 21. We will probably be staying beyond the outreaches for a few days or weeks to debrief, rest, and meet with people there.

This summer brings a new position for both of us. We are now officially going to take on a position as Outreach Directors. It’s so amazing to see where God has led us the last 4 years that we’ve been involved with YUGO. When we first went to take part in the outreaches, we just wanted to do whatever God wanted us to do…we really didn’t have any plans. Now he has given us the ability to lead others in a really powerful way. The whole time we have worked with YUGO, our goal has been for unity. We are driven by Jesus’ prayer for us in John 17: 20-23:

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me…may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

This has been at the core of what we do when we’re in Mexico. We put almost all of our effort into maintaining the bond of peace and love amongst the staff, the team members that come from the US, and the Mexicans that we have the privilege to work with. We have seen that as we love each other and serve together, we are able to show the world God’s love. So often in the Church and as Christians I think we don’t realize how much our love for each other really needs to be at the center of what we do. When Jesus prayed to God in the above passage, this was at the center of his heart, and we strive to make it the center of the ministry that God has entrusted us with.

We wish there was enough space here to fill you in on all that will happen this summer and all that we hope to see God do in us and through us. We could probably fill many pages!! We hope to update our blog (and Facebook!) as much as is humanly possible throughout the summer to try and fill you in on the details of things as they happen! One of the most exciting things this summer will be our Mexicanos a Mexicanos (Mexican to Mexican) outreach week during the last week of July. During this week, we will be bringing in Mexican youth from the Tijuana area. We will be training them and sending them out as teams into the local communities to reach their city for Christ. It is an amazing and humbling thing to watch God use us to empower the local people to reach their own people for Christ!

Our prayer for you is that the Lord would richly bless you as you pursue Him and His will. I have discovered lately that life is all about relationships. Our relationship with God first, then our relationship with others. I think that relationships are all that really matter in this life. It is through our relationship with God that we are able to find strength. It is through our relationship with others that we are lifted up, are able to serve, and most importantly, are able to point people to HIM.

2010-03-04T18:32:00.000-08:00

Here are some well 2 pics of us playing in the snow. just some fun shots. the snow is melting and the forecast shows warmer days. So hopefully this will be the last of the snow pics this year.

Gotta love sinuses.

2010-02-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

Well in my last blog or prayer letter, not sure which I wrote it in, but I wrote about not being sick. As with many things I do I spoke to wrote rather too soon. Dar as been battling a small cold and is now getting over her PINK EYE!! (gasp) I didn't think adult got that anymore. She had to go to the doctor or minute clinic of Customer Value Store better known as CVS. That was sunday and today I am happy to announce she's just got a little cold. I on the other battle a horrendous EARACHE. (chills down your spine) This was the most painful earache I've ever felt. It made me wake up twice last night and both times I seriously thought 1. I might need to go to the emergency room and 2. I though I was going deaf. My ear was ringing (and still is as I am typing this out) all night and sounds coming into the poor ear seemed like they were going through a fan. You know the sound when you talk through a fan. I was battling between thinking that it was kinda cool and could someone just knock me out! Thankfully I checked on line and I'm pretty sure its not an infection because I don't feel feverish or "sick". I think its just wax build up and SINUSES. Of course it had to be SINUSES, because of the first 3 letters in the word. Says it all. However we are doing okay and the promise of the weekend had lifted at least my spirits. I hope everyone is doing well too. Who's excited for Easter? I am more than normal. God is showing great stuff about obedience and life. I hope to share about it soon. Well good night and God bless.

Snowtorious B.I.G

2010-02-16T11:00:00.001-08:00

Ahhh White death has engulfed us!! Here is whats going on here right now. Of course I'm gonna talk about the snow because of what I just wrote. Here are the top 5 things we are doing to beat the winter blues. It's not in any particular order. 1. dig it up and shovel yourself out. Its not something thats very fun especially since I seem to be doing it every other day but It's neccesary. 2. make snow Ice cream. Yes we even have it on video. it basically turned out to be a really sweet and cold slushy. 3. cut down iceicles with your samurai sword. Yup also on video. the best part was that Eric went out barefoot in his sweat pants. 4. biulding a smowman and 5. doing nothing and enjoying the 2010 Olympics. We are having a pretty good time even though the weather seems to be disasterous. Today Darlene didn't have school and if you know anything about OSU then you know its pretty bad. However God is good and we have power and staying warm. so I hope your doing ok cause I know its been pretty bad all around the country. these times are so crazy but I think we need to see the positive. its the middle of the week and most of us have a little time off. to me thats a blessing and we can only do what we feel right. Maybe try something from my top 5.

Peace

Snowtorious B.I.G

2010-02-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

2010-02-02T19:10:00.000-08:00

I just want to go on record that this particular blogging site in very confusing. I guess I just need to familiarize myself with it more and just blog more. I am to use to facebook which is much easier in my opinion.

Anyways, we are doing great. I just want to thank God for keeping all 3 of us very healthy. Adah had a little cold in December but nothing before and nothing really now. Dar and I have had similar success. I had a cold in November or so but have not come down with anything this winter season. So praise the Lord!! What is really cool right now is that we are becoming more and more free by being more and more disciplined as humans. Of course we're not perfect and are still major sinners but things have been going really smooth. Its all blessings from God in every way.

Its so amazing how the more you train yourself the better you feel. For example physical activity such as exercise. You know you loathe thinking about it, but once you're on the go and working out, even though its painful, you instantly feel better. And medical science has proven its good for you too. We are becoming more healthy and trying to make better choices and I feel the Lord is definitely honoring that. With exercise to the soul, we are learning alot from all around. Isn't that just the amazing thing about God. He is just everywhere and always speaking and teaching us. As life moves He is in front guiding our every step. This is just part of all that He's showing us. I will reveal more as He shows more.

So all in all life is good and thats all it needs to be right now because we have Christ. What else do you need?

Thanks for reading,

Linn

Happy New Year

2010-01-26T14:24:00.000-08:00

Well just a quick update for all 8 of you who are on here reading. I hope we can have more. Anyways I just wanted to get even this up to speed.

The Holidays:

We had a great Christmas. The most special reason for us to be so happy was having our daughter celebrate with us. She is just the best and loved all her gifts and so did we.

New Years was well good and bad. It was bad because of our travel issues which is now a really funny story. We really had a hard time because the outreach we did before hand tired us out. The outreach though was excellent. We were encouraged and humbled by what happened there.

As of Now:

We are hard at work getting teams for the summer. Its crazy but in a few months we'll be heading back to Mexico! It feels like the summer sneaks up on us all the time. We've got one week for individuals this summer and are really excited for this. We hope to get at least 10 people or more. Getting worship leaders and teams and interns are going well too. Adah is doing so great! She getting bigger, stronger, smarter etc... A few more weeks and we're pretty sure shes going to do some real walking.

Well thats whats happening as of now. We are doing great and thankful to our Lord for His amazing blessings. Each day is a new and full of promise but only because our hope is in Him.

Thanks and peace.

October fun by Linn

2009-10-07T20:02:00.000-07:00

Oh Sweet fall air you fall so fair
On my grass like my falling hair
October
October
Nothing rhymes with thee
October
October
You make me want to pee.

If you just read that than I'm sorry to have taken half a second out of your life that you could never take back. Now on to better things. This is a little insight on to my world as a part time stay at home father. So I get up whenever baby gets up which is about the same time momma leaves. I like that however because I get to have a good start on my day. I have a sweet smelling diaper that I have to change and a beautiful smile from my daughter as I do this task everyday. Seriously I'm not kidding about the smile. Its as if she's saying YAY I get to hang out with daddy again, he's the best. Well just like her mother she's never wrong. And then it varies from this point with only one constant me and Adah are attached. I rarely put her down and we just bond through our time together. The house is quiet and we spend a few hours a day just learning more about each other. Never leaving ones side for less than a few moments to either sleep or make coffee. I thoroughly enjoy every millisecond being at home with her. While to some, men and women, Its all about sleeping, eating, and pooping. To me its watching a life grow with a little help from dad and a lot from God. I couldn't ask for anything more than that.

Weird week...

2009-09-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

This has been such a weird week so far...and it's only been two days! I had to go to school yesterday and today for meetings and such, and tomorrow is the first day of classes. I teach at 8.30 and 9.30 with some other office hours during the week. The past couple of days have been a huge adjustment...making sure that Adah has enough milk before I head to my meetings, Linn taking care of her, me coming home with lesson planning to do...it's actually been harder to adjust to this than being in Mexico...probably because I have to be away from Adah for a bit during the day. I am so thankful for my job and KNOW that it is where God wants me right now, which is really encouraging. God gives me so many opportunities to talk about YUGO and what God is doing in Mexico with the people that I work with at the University...just looking to be used by HIM. That's all I want.

El Hogar

2009-08-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

Well, we are back home and taking it slow for a little bit. Just adjusting to not needing to help run the outreaches is difficult. One night I woke up and wasn't sure where I was, I thought I was still in Mexico. We are missing the ranch but are glad to be back and continuing our work to spread the word about Mexico and YUGO. We are working on getting our house in order right now and praying that our Jeep doesn't need transmission work done. It was giving us some problems driving back but God got us through and me and my friend had a great time hanging while we drove for hours and hours and hours. Please keep praying for us and specifically more people to come and serve as we approach a new year of outreaches in Tijuana and Mexicali.

Ok...Cool

Linn

The beauty of solitude and rest

2009-08-25T20:39:00.000-07:00

I've been back at my Columbus home for about 2.5 days now. I might be tempted to say, "I haven't done anything." But, what I have done is so important. I haven't left the house and gone out to do stuff, hang out with a bunch of people, go to movies, out to eat, and the things I did before having Adah, but I have been able to experience some silence and solitude like never before.

Having time to ourselves is something that our spirits crave, but somehow seems so elusive sometimes. It has not been easy to put aside my desire to turn on the TV, to take a drive in the car, to walk to a store, to spend hours on Facebook or the internet. I have been trying to use this time while Linn is on his road trip home and Adah needs me exclusively to just rest. This is something that is hard for me to do, but I have been enjoying it. It feels strange to think that I have been at home all day today and all day yesterday, living life simply. Taking care of Adah, eating, napping. It has been beautiful really. It feels amazing to embrace the opportunities that life affords us. Rather than wishing that something else were going on, or that I had more activities to do, I have been attempting as much as possible to abide in the love of my Savior while extending that love to my precious daughter.

I know that these days will not always be with me. I know that the next breath that I will breathe is not promised to me. So I am thankful for each one that the Lord gives me and gives to my daughter, my husband, and all of the people that I love in my life. I have experienced so much love, peace, and joy for a thousand lifetimes and my heart is in a continuous state of thanksgiving because of this joy and inner peace. Sometimes I think to myself how amazing it is to feel at peace with yourself, with others, and with God. This peace only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ, I am convinced. Through the Holy Spirit we are able to have constant communion and connection with the creator of the universe. What does that even mean? It is hard for me to fathom it! That the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, wants to know me and have an intimate relationship with me...and with all of us. I could spend an eternity pondering that concept.

It is not easy to abide in Christ. It takes a constant effort and choice on my part. I have to bend my will towards God. There are so many distractions in life. I have been trying to think about the things that I do in a day. If the things that I do don't draw me closer to God, then why would I do them? I am evaluating what it is that God gives us to do in life. Learning, cleaning, working, singing, eating, playing, showering, creating, these are all things that God created. I want to enjoy God in all of the activities of my life. Whether it be through the laundry that I do, the bedroom that I remodel, the time walking around with Adah, visiting family, shopping at the mall, buying groceries, cooking dinner. In all of the seemingly mundane activities, I want to see where I can find God in them.

You know how in the Bible it says that God sees the things that are done in secret? I think that is one of the greatest joys that I have found in parenting so far. That I can be alone with Adah, all day, tending to her needs, and I know that my heavenly Father sees me and approves. Nobody else can experience our moments together. It's just me and her. I think that is one of the greatest difficulties in parenting as well. It is hard to be alone without other adults around, talking to the baby all day. I have been trying and striving though to find out what it is that God wants for me in these moments, and I think it is for me to find him in it all. That I do all for Him and Him alone. Whether it be winning a soul for Christ or changing a diaper.

On our way home!

2009-08-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

We left the ranch this morning. It was bittersweet, and always is. Linn, my mom, Adah and I are in a hotel in San Diego because my mom, Adah and I are flying out tomorrow morning at 6:45am. Linn's good friend Keo is flying in tomorrow morning at 11:00am and they are going to start the drive home Monday. It was hard leaving Claudia because she became like a little sister to me while we were there. She is going to be staying at the ranch with another missionary family. Next week Pastor Martin (President of YUGO Mexico) is going to see if she can stay at the Children's home after that. Pray that God continues to open doors in her life. Her 15th birthday is on this coming Wednesday, and so we had a surprise birthday party for her last night. It was so amazing to see her get showered with love. The interns did such a good job putting on the party for her. We all have grown to love her so much. This morning before we left she handed me a rose and said, "You are like this rose. You are beautiful like this rose." She is so gifted in poetry and I'm excited to see where that might lead in her life.

We taught her how to use the computer and the internet this Thursday. She had never used a computer before. She took to it right away and began looking up poetry to write down. I hope she gets the opportunity to go to school soon!!

God has blessed us so much this summer. I am looking forward to the ministry opportunities that God has for us in our second home in Columbus. I feel like I go home at the end of August to Columbus and I go home in June to Mexico. It's pretty awesome.

$400 for a ticket???!!!!

2009-08-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

Today started with a drive from San Dimas (which is in the LA area) down to San Diego. I have been feeling really extra tired lately, so I decided that I wanted to drive the 15 passenger van. I thought that it would be good for me to overtax my brain driving in So Cal. (Is my sarcastic tone coming across?) About an hour into the trip, I started seeing spots in my vision. This usually means that my hole field of vision will be invaded my spots and squiggly lines soon, I'm going to get a super crazy migraine, so I decided that it would be best for me to get off the freeway and let Linn drive, thus ensuring the safety of 4 interns, my husband, my 4 month old child, and myself. So I'm a little nervous, thinking at any minute I'm not going to be able to see, so I get off the freeway and (try to) make a beeline for the nearest gas station.

As I am about the pull into the gas station, I see a police man turn on his flashing lights, and pull behind me. I said, "oh great! what did I do?" I had no idea what happened. So he asked me for my license and registration. I'm from Ohio, driving a YUGO van, in some small town between cities, headed to San Diego, but eventually headed to Tijuana. So he asks be where I'm going and where I've been, and I honestly had a hard time answering the question! He proceeded to ask me if I noticed the three signs indicating "No turn on red" at the intersection that is right off the freeway. Pretty embarrassed, I honestly answered "No." In that moment, I remembered that Linn told me that it's always best to try and get out of your ticket as a woman, because a lot of times the policeman will have pity on you and let you go. So I proceeded to tell him that I was on the freeway, thought my vision was going, and decided that it would be best to get off the freeway, thus honestly did not see the signs when I got off the freeway. Thankfully, he believed me, and understood my dilemma, and said, "Well, I'm going to let you go with a warning, but I just want to let you know that it would have been a $400 ticket." I was REALLY relieved!!!!!! As a side note...what craziness is it to charge a week's salary for a ticket?? I guess that'll teach ya to ever try to drive again if you ever break a slight law.

Anyway...so I didn't end up getting a migraine, which was awesome. I haven't had a headache like that in a long time, so I'm kind of holding my breath waiting for it to happen again.

We got to San Diego, went to a mall to hang out for a couple hours, then headed to our hotel for the night. Tomorrow we're going to take the interns to the San Diego Zoo, and we're going to get some work done.

My stomach has been hurting...I have been having a hard time sleeping the past few nights...we're trying to leave Saturday...finish up caring for Claudia...cook food for the board meeting on Thursday...care for Adah...take interns to the airport...have meetings...pray for peace in the midst of all that God has for us.

New Bible, New Believer

2009-08-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

So today was pretty much amazing. I got to buy Claudia her first Bible. I wanted to get her a Bible that she could understand. She had been given one, but it was in a language that was really hard for her to understand, if not incomprehensible for her. It was also old and had someone else's highlightings in it. So we went to a Christian bookstore today and got her a leather bound NIV for teens. (NVI Nueva Versión Internacional in Spanish) It also has colorful pages in it that are basically like devotionals. They explain things like, "Why should I love my parents even when they're wrong?" and "Where does the Virgin Mary fit into Christianity?" Stuff that's pertinent to the Mexican culture and teens in general. It is really colorful and just something that a teen would like. It's hard for me to remember that she's still a young person because she has experienced so much heartache in her life. I am learning that Mexicans are really modest when you give them things. When we got in the car, she said, "This is the most beautiful gift I have ever received!" Later on she said that she was always going to keep the Bible in its box so that it could stay nice.

Keep praying for us for wisdom as we try to help her with her situation. It is really hard to explain it all here, but just know that she needs lots of prayer and we need lots of prayer to know how to help her best in our final week here.

God has a wonderful plan for her life...I just know it!!!

Adah Laughing

2009-08-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

Claudia

2009-08-12T22:04:00.000-07:00

Please be in prayer for my new Mexican friend, Claudia. She is 14 years old, and will turn 15 in about a week or so. She has had so much pain in her life, and we are praying that God will soon begin to open up some beautiful opportunities for her. She came during Mexican outreach week, and has been with us ever since. This is her 3rd week here with us. She has said that it is amazing to be around people who aren't yelling at each other all of the time, but are happy and loving. She accepted Christ one week before she came to the Ranch to do outreach. Now she says that she wants to be a missionary. Last night we were looking up some verses in the bible and she didn't even know what the Old Testament or New Testament was. I was like, "Duh!!!" She just became a Christian! I am hoping to take her to a bookstore here to find her a nice study Bible. The Bible she has uses "vosotros" (which is a verb form only used in Spain) and she does not understand that verb form. It's kind of like us trying to read the King James version of the Bible, but worse.

I could write so much about what we have experienced with her. She needs prayer for safety and that God will help us to help her and that he would reveal his plan that is far better than we could ever "ask or imagine."

Just a few more days

2009-08-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that the summer is coming to a close. This week the interns are out working on some roofs in a nearby village. I have been enjoying being at home with Adah this week. There aren't any teams here this week, so it's been a nice change of pace. I think I'm learning how to hang out with Adah. It has been an adjustment because pre-baby I did different things than I do now with her. I am learning to go with the flow of the day and not really expect to get a lot of things done, but just focus on taking care of her and what she needs. She eats, then we play for a little bit, then she usually takes a short cat nap, then we take a bath, then I make some food for me, then more playing, maybe some diaper free time, experimenting with a bottle, laughs and tickles and little baby/mommy conversations.

It has been amazing watching her grow this summer. She has gotten so big! I eel so privileged to be a part of her life. At times I am sad that she is getting bigger, but then I think, why am I sad? She needs to grow so that she can go out and conquer the world! I would be really upset if she wasn't growing!!

This summer, 127 Mexicans made first time decisions for Christ. This has been a different summer, with the lack of teams coming in. But because it was different, we were able to do some new things. Having the Mexicans come and do ministry for two weeks was one of the best results of the lack of U.S. teams. I'm not really sure why we never did this before, because it was amazing to be able to partner with them, watch them grow, and equip them to reach their own people. The Mexican evangelical church has a lack of leaders, so these youth will be tomorrow's leaders. They learned how to work with children, adults, and young people. The effects of their time here will have a lasting impact for all of eternity. I could see Rancho YUGO having many more Mexican teams in the future. The key will be to figure out how much it costs for them to be here, because our normal $250 fee is too much for most Mexicans. It will be neat to see them start to raise support next year for their time here.

I am looking forward to the next months back in my Columbus home. I feel like I am starting to get a grip on how quickly that time goes by. We get back to Columbus, rest a bit, I start back to teaching, then comes the holidays and Mexicali. Then we come back, Linn usually goes to the YUGO staff retreat, then two weeks of outreach in Mexicali in April...then time to go back to Mexico in June. I am praying that God uses us to raise up more workers for the harvest field this year.

Mexican Week!

2009-07-27T22:28:00.000-07:00

This week we have a group of 40 Mexicans staying at the ranch. They are formed into three teams and ministering at three different churches this week. Linn and I and Matt and Amanda were in charge of figuring out the schedule and getting them going. It has been a lot of work but has paid off because they are doing well. Tonight we had a prayer and share time and we had quite a few of them share what God is doing at their churches. It is really amazing to be able to equip the Mexicans to reach their own people.

Adah is doing really well. She is smiling so much and even laughed the other day. I'm waiting for the laughing to be really constant! I love it so much. Today I gave her the nickname "Sunshine" because she wakes up with a smile on her face. That is the best way to wake up.

One of our interns, Kylie, has been sick for the past few days with stomach issues. I have her here at the house trying to nurse her back to health. So I have a baby and a teenager right now. I love it!

After this week, we have three more weeks. Next week we have 4 teams coming in from the states to do outreach. The last two weeks of the summer we don't have any teams coming in, but we will be doing construction with the interns during on the of the weeks and the other week we'll be debriefing and may take a trip up to LA to begin moving the office down to San Diego.

3 months!

2009-07-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

Adah is 3 months old today! I am so excited. She is getting so big and strong. I am so happy to see her smiling, holding her head up, and standing on her own two feet. Last Thursday and Friday she was eating almost every hour. Going through a growth spurt for sure. I am so thankful that I am able to feed her. It is such a blessing to see her growing everyday after eating from Mommy.

We took a break this past weekend and went up to San Diego. It was really relaxing. Last week was really busy for both of us, but Linn worked 16 hour days. I am so proud to be his wife. He helped to lead the outreach to the church, and also helped direct the camp. We had an amazing worship team here last week, called Out of Hiding. Check them out at www.holyfireministries.com The lead guitarist went to High School with Linn. On Friday night we had a staff worship time, and it was the most powerful time of worship that I have experienced in years. I love Jesus so much. I just want him to live completely through me. I don't want what I do to be about me at all, but all about HIM.

Today the interns are going to Mexicali to visit YUGO's work there. Linn and I and Matt and Amanda are going to brainstorm for next week. We will have 45 Mexican youth coming in next week to do ministry. They will be going to three different churches. It will be an amazing thing to be able to mobilize the Mexican people to reach their own people.

5 Years!

2009-07-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

Linn and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary this past Thursday. What a blessing to celebrate with our daughter. She was our anniversary gift this year. Our friends, Matt and Amanda, who are here on staff with us this summer, celebrated their 2 year anniversary on Wednesday, so we got to go out to eat together on Thursday night. We had the whole restaurant to ourselves! That's not really a good thing, though, because it means that there is absolutely no tourism in Rosarito right now, which is a huge part of Rosarito's economy. In some of the poorer areas, children are going hungry because of the downturn.

This coming week we have one team here from the San Jose area. They have come to Mexico every year for at least a decade, if not longer. It will be awesome having them here...we always have lots of fun with them. The YUGO staff is also doing an outreach this week. The team will be made up of the interns, Matt and Amanda as leaders, the band Out of Hiding, and the Canote Family. We are a pretty big team, but the church we are going to this week always has lots of kids. So we're looking forward to a REALLY busy week. I'm not planning on going out with the team this year. There is a lot of behind the scenes work that needs to be taken care of, so I'm going to be doing that. I'm thankful that God has been so faithful to provide the extra staff that we needed this summer in order to make up for what I'm not able to do on the front lines this year. God is using me as a major support system for Linn and for the other leaders, which is the vision I had from God for this summer. I really enjoy being unseen...it's kind of fun watching things happen and knowing that I played a major part in making them happen...but nobody else knows what I did!

Pray that many people would accept Christ's message of hope this week. We've already faced many obstacles, so we know that this week is going to be amazing!!!

Twisted ankle!

2009-07-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

So I stepped out of the house today, landed weird on my foot, and rolled my ankle. It immediately started swelling! I was holding Adah in her sling, and thank God, she didn't fall out onto the gravel. The angels were protecting us. I just landed on my bum. My ankle doesn't hurt unless I walk on it, put weight on it, or move it. Other than that, it's all good. : ) Having gone through a long labor with Adah only 2 1/2 months ago, it really doesn't seem that bad!

I still have a cold, but I'm more focused on my ankle, so it's not as bad. We have one team coming in this week from Canada. They just arrived and will be headed to evening chapel, then to bed. They DROVE here from Canada on a big bus. That's what I call a long drive! We're thankful that they are here to do ministry this week. There are so many churches here that are desperate for teams to come and help out at their church. They don't get a lot of support, so they are so thankful when the teams come to help them out. And we always end up getting blessed so much in return! One of the team members from the US a couple weeks ago said that he feels like he spends his whole year planning for the week he comes home to Mexico. It does feel like a spiritual home. The Mexican people are so warm and loving.

Ask God for wisdom if you lack it. I have the privilege of leading and mentoring three young women this summer. At times it is hard to know how to help them and guide them, but today I asked God to pour out his wisdom and he did. I love being here, in the middle of God's will for my life. I pray that all of you who read this will find his will for you. Really the center of God's will is just loving him, and following what he says to do each moment. It's really as simple as that, although it seems so hard to live out sometimes! It is an amazing feeling in those moments when we can get it right.

Cold

2009-07-04T22:02:00.000-07:00

Hey peoples:

I have a cold, I'm probably overworked. Adah is doing well. She is finally taking a pacifier, which I am happy about because it makes her happy and contented when she is fussy! I'm also happy that she has found her fingers...also calming to her. I would rather her use her fingers or thumb because she always has that with her! I sucked my thumb for many years, and it provided me comfort, so I hope that she will too. I know some people might not think that's the best idea, but I think it's cool.

Life here is amazing. God is so faithful. This year our good friends from San Diego, Matt and Amanda House are here with us working with the interns right alongside us. They have been an amazing blessing from God. They have just jumped right in. Amanda is so much like me that it's actually rather creepy at times. Like...we got married in the same week in July (but different years), we have the same flip flops, same clothes style, same way we talk to babies, same fear of looking at our bank statement, etc. It's so awesome to have a sister here...I miss mine so much! We would not be able to do what we're doing this year without them.

Today the kids from YUGO's children's home came and played at the ranch. They had a good time here.

That's all for now.

beach day!

2009-07-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

This will be a quick one. Today was our beach day! It was pretty fun we had lunch on Coronado Island and hung out all day there. The water was freezing as always yet better than sweating out in the hot sun. Basically every one here this summer went and we all had a great time. I being the cool guy that I am decided to wear my old swim trunks that were a little worn. While playing a little team game of lets keep the volleyball up for a long time the shorts finally had enough and ripped where else but by the crotch. Thankfully I had another pair of shorts to wear over them and crisis averted. There was a time actually two times when it seemed like the ocean decided not to make a noise. The waters would constantly crash against the sand giving this white noise. However there was a time when it seemed as if the waves stopped. It was eery and I seriously thought to myself for the 2 seconds the noise stopped "is this the end?" You know like the end of the world. It was pretty neat. I'm not sure why I'm sharing this. I guess cause for that very brief moment it felt like the world stopped. The ocean decided to quit and I just made me think of could the of the world be like this. Everything even the oceans themselves pause and acknowledge the Master. God is that great and I am so blessed to be able to serve Him. He is so powerful commander of all things here on earth yet He takes the time to speak to me and listen to me and help me. Wow what a great God we serve.

Peace,

Linn Kong

God is amazing...

2009-06-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

Last week was awesome. God gave visions, provided healing, and showed us just how powerfully he is using us in people's lives.

It was amazing to see the people that we trained in ministry last summer return to Mexico this summer to work with the church that we worked with last year, Nuevo Pacto. We were able to see first hand just how powerfully God uses the teams in the lives of the churches and how powerfully God uses the churches here to encourage the teams from the United States. They had even more children this year than we did last year! More people are hearing the gospel, and that is exciting.

This week we have no teams here, but are planning what we will do when we do an outreach as a staff in two weeks.

Pray that God would protect us as a team as we prepare. The enemy does not want us to do an outreach as a staff, so he is going to try and bring as much division as he can.

Adah is doing well. Last night she slept from 9 pm to 4:30am and then slept again until 8 am! Wow! She is growing. Yesterday I weighed her and she weights 10 1/2 lbs. She has been putting her hand in her mouth on her own to suck it, so that has been cool. I am so enjoying watching her grow and thrive. I am incredibly thankful to be a mother of such a beautiful child. She truly is a gift from God and a beautiful addition to Linn and I.

I will post more pics as soon as I get a chance...so much comes up down here that it's hard to find the time to hook up the camera, load the pictures, upload them, etc.

Good God stuff

2009-06-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

Well its so good to get some thoughts out there and let you know what's been going on. I'm just going to tag on to what Dar said in her blog. This group of interns are great! Its amazing how it seemed like we picked them to come but really I see more and more how its just God working it and putting things together. Hows it having a baby here with us you ask? I feel like its one of the greatest things I've ever done. Adding to the firsts this is my first fathers day and I really can't think of anything more cool than having my daughter here with me. So far the only trouble we've had Adah wise is a little bit of gas because momma had chinese food. It seems to give baby a little gas. Something I'm proud of and not to toot my own horn but I have gone out into the city by myself to run errands. I went out the 2nd day we got here to get groceries from a local store and when I got back I told Dar all about it. Like a 2 year old who went potty for the first time. I said "I went to Comercial all by myself I'm a big boy." Darlene just said thats good but not in a patronizing way. Our summer is just beginning but it already feels like we've been here for a long time. However it doesn't feel like we've been doing nothing on the contrary. We've been working hard and are very thankful for your prayers. Having a baby makes balancing the things we do a little bit harder because it was just us before. Its still better than anything so far because I can play with her when I'm bored and talk to her father daughter stile, whatever that means. We've been doing an amazing video series called the truth project they have been going good also. Even though the numbers are down it feels as busy if not busier than years past. I praise God that we are here and that we can minister despite the low numbers and other distractions. He is still the same and still shows Himself worthy of praise. Well thats all for now thanks for your prayers and seriously you should Come cause God is doing some great stuff.

Linn

Day 1!

2009-06-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

Another day of firsts today...first day of the outreach season! We have two teams here this week. One team from Texas and one team from Ohio. The team from Ohio is made up of some of our really good friends that we were able to serve with here last summer. Two of my former students are here! One of them, Mo, is an intern for the summer, and the other, Christine, is leading her own team this summer. It is amazing to be a part of encouraging the saints.

We have a new cook for the summer, Ron Struska. Patti (who has been our cook for 7 years) is training him this week. He is going to be awesome! His family is coming later this week.

Adah turned exactly 2 months old yesterday. She is cooing and gurgling and smiling a lot. Each day is filled with the beauty of new life. People have been asking me, "What's it like having a baby in Mexico?" I don't really know how to answer because I don't really know what it's like to have a baby yet! She was only about 6 weeks old when we got here! So it just feels normal and natural to be here with her. Thank you for all of your prayers because that is why she and we are doing so well.

We are thankful that the news is improving in regards to traveling to Mexico. "They" are saying that it's safe to travel to Mexico...so that's an answer to prayer. Maybe some teams will still sign up to come down in August!

Pray that MANY would come to know Christ and be encouraged in their faith this week.

Pray that the efforts of the FEW would be expanded to reach many many people. God is so powerful!!!!! : )

To Live is Christ

2009-06-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

Food, food, food

2009-06-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

Today I will be working on the lists for shopping day tomorrow...a whole day in front of the computer. The interns are in Ensenada on a culture trip...

Truth Project

2009-06-17T22:20:00.000-07:00

We started the Truth Project tonight with the interns and some other YUGO staff members. It was pretty awesome to go through the first "tour" about the question, "What is truth?" "Truth" is reality, and God says what reality is in his word. It's pretty neat that God has laid out the world and our lives to have order and to make sense. God is truth. Jesus said that he came to testify to the truth. Truth is important to God, so it's important for us to understand what truth really is.

First Post

2009-06-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

I had an idea today to start a blog in order to keep in better contact with people about our ministry and what we're doing here in Mexico. We have been here for 9 days and it has been great. It's hard to believe that only 8 short weeks ago Adah was born, and now we're here in Mexico! God is good to give us the amazing strength needed to do his work.