Christmas Greetings dear friends,

We wanted to take just a minute to send our love and express our gratitude to each of you for your friendship and support. And to let you know that our prayer is that your life will be invaded by the glorious King whose birthday we are celebrating.

2009 has been a year of big events for our family! As many of you know, Garrett (18) graduated from Air Academy High School. We are proud of his academic successes and awards but pleased beyond measure at the man of character he is becoming. He has been in Cordoba, Argentina since October working with the youth and worship ministries of ****. He is loving Argentina and the challenges of Spanish immersion! In January he and his friend Ryan will transition to Peru and a construction project with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Hiking the Incan Trail to Machupechu will be the culmination of their trip in March and then he will head back to Colorado and Red Robin and working to prepare for college!

This has been a year of challenges and growing for Gabe. (20) Rather than returning to college without a specific goal in mind, Gabe is working for a countertop company. He is an incredible craftsman and quite the marble expert – perhaps even a snob! He is also on the initial business team a new rock climbing gym that is opening. He loves to climb and to teach, working both with children and a wounded warriors program.

Gannon (13) is finishing his last year of home school (8^th grade.) This year he won a spot on Colorado’s Olympic Soccer Development Team. He spent almost 2 weeks in Oregon competing for a slot on the Regional Team. What a great experience that was for him. He is a gentle soul with a fiercely competitive streak.

Gentry and Gayleen’s year has been a lot about keeping up with these boys and with walking as faithfully as possible the path put before us. We are thankful for God’s daily provision and for good health. Gayleen continues to have a clean bill of health from her doctors. We look back over 2009 and see many times we had to say goodbye – to our dear friend Leigh Ann, to some of our plans, and to what seemed like financial security. But we look at all these goodbyes as an opportunity to trust God and live out the truth that He is All.

We have to say we are happy to look forward to 2010. We are looking forward to a year of celebrating and taking new ground. PLANS PLANS PLANS
 

We love the verse (Is 30:21) that says, “Your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying “This is the way, walk in it.”” We like to imagine it means, “Listen to me and I will keep you safe.” But this is a year that hasn’t always felt safe but where we had to listen carefully and step in faith and trust that the One who is guiding us is loving and good and can see the way into which we are walking!