Leadership Retreat

We had a wonderful time with Chi Alpha leaders this past week! Got home to pick up our little girl, who is taking several steps! Lennon and I are so blessed to have such wonderful guys and girls who are sharing this passion of reaching college students. We know we can't do this without them. We stayed at HEB camp in Leakey, TX. It was gorgeous! The Frio River runs in the middle of it. We hiked a mountain twice, I jumped off a cliff into the Frio and had some precious times of worship and teaching. Lennon and I love these guys and gals so much!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

spring

Ok so I noticed the last time i blogged was january and I knew it had been a while but MY GOODNESS! Im a blog looser. Anyways now that I have internet at the house, I should be more frequent. I titled this blog "spring" because of the new things happening in our lives lately. We went for a walk around the neighborhood with A in her stroller to the SA lilly ponds. How gorgeous it was. Everything was in bloom and much greener than a couple of weeks ago. It was peaceful to enjoy each other and our home. After being on a long trip we are always so ready to be home.

We were very glad to be back at XA last night. The service was amazing. L did such a great job. He talked about his trip to Jordan and Syria and how he met a couple there that are from the states and are the missions directors in north Africa. This couple truly live for the people around them. Their 3 children all have middle eastern names. When the father was talking to L about reaching the muslim people there and what they want to see God do he would tear up, overwhelmed with love for the people. When was the last time we felt that way about the people we minister to? Then he met a man that was a former muslim that had been saved by seeing 5 different visions of Jesus. WOW!!! His testimony is incredible. An american christian girl had been teaching him English and one day in their lessons asked the question "do any of you believe in dreams and visions? Not the normal sleep kind of dreams but real visions from God?" Well this got his attention and he was interested in hearing more. He started talking to the girl more about Jesus and he was telling her he didn't accept him as God's son. she told him (which had to be from God) that Jesus is going to give him a vision! And over the course of a few weeks he had 5! L said that when he would talk about Jesus every time he would have to leave the room because he was overcome with emotion and men of that culture are not supposed to let others see them cry. He is now saved but not accepted by his family or by the Christians there because they believe he could be a spy and get them all in trouble. You see over there if you leave islam your family has the right to kill you. So he is alone somewhat in his faith but he is so bold L said and he is so full of joy!

God is doing some new things in our lives. I feel He is pulling us closer and showing us what it really means to live passionately for Him. Going deeper is not mystical or weird. It is searching for God ,for our Lord and knowing more about him. This is my hearts cry more now than ever before! I want to really live like a Christ follower.

Noland Family Pics

Check out the beautiful family pictures from Sprinkle of Grace Photography:

Ready for the road again...

Still in the Dallas area this morning. Our plan was to leave early this morning and then the sky decided to rain freezing rain. The temp isn't supposed to rise any more than 33 degrees and its worse going west. We haven't been home in over 2 weeks. I miss my house, my bed, my food and I'm sure A is missing her bed as well. Last night was the first night in the 2 weeks that A slept all night. So I am ready to back in the routine again. She is doing so many new things in even the past week. She is sitting up better, waving, rolling over like a rolly polly and her top two teeth have broken through her gums! Its amazing how fast babies learn.

Home is calling our names and we should be there by tomorrow afternoon. We have loved our time with the family but then you are just ready to be in your own environment.

Giving Thanks

We are in the town of O today for Thanksgiving. Been feasting on my father-in-law's skillful cooking, watching some Cowboys and now wanting to take a nap but it 'aint happenin with the baby. What glorious food we had! My FIL made anything we mentioned we like so we had so much food it was insane. In my downtime I am crafting up some jewelry for presents and the like. I just wish we could get to see everyone on this day. My parents, brothers, sisters, the H's, and our other close friends. You all are so dear to us and we wish that we could see your lovely faces today. Reading Sarah's blog makes me want to drive to SA as well to see that side of our family. We miss you and hope you are all having a beautiful day. Love you all.

Girls Night!!!!!

Your eyes are not deceiving you. I am posting a blog! Oh my. No I do not have internet at the house yet so I am up at the church doing my weekly preparations for band practice so I thought I would do a little blog. We are having a girls night at my house tomorrow night and I am so excited to be hosting! My Christmas decor will be up and we will be having hot drinks like hot cocoa, coffee, and spiced holiday drink of some sort. Click here for directions to my house and I hope many of you young women can make it.

Playing Around

Here are a couple of videos I took with my camera last night. Just playing around with our "swaddle monkey" which is Lennon's pet name for her. She is really smiling a lot although these don't really capture that so I will have to work on a video with smiles. Also there are a few new photos for Nawna.