"Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my Help and my Deliverer; O my God, do not delay." Psalm 40:17

It is Christmas afternoon, the girls went to buy movie tickets, Lydia and Josiah are playing with their new toys and the house is quiet. We have much to be thankful for this year; Tom's job, our children, family and friends, health, a warm house, plenty of food, being able to buy presents for our children... God is so good to us. He has blessed us so much and we never want to take His blessings for granted.

Life is not easy and none of us are going to avoid trials, its part of being on the planet. Trails are not fun, but the Lord uses them to refine us. Currently, we feel as if we are in the fire, as we wait for resolution regarding us and Cornerstone. We ask, "Why?" and "when will it be finished?" We continually need to reflect on God's goodness to us and remember how He has covered us in the past. How's His record of goodness to us? Perfect. Please pray that we would remember this and that we would trust His timing and His control over every detail of our lives.

Tom is doing all he can to resolve this issue, but there are other people involved and we must trust the Lord to move the hearts of men, so we can move forward. We are in the first stages of an agreement but it all needs to be put in writing. We are praying this can all be resolved by mid-January.

Our prayer is to get moving on support raising soon and we pray the Lord would move mightily to get us to Uganda. Our hearts long to be where the Lord is calling us, serving the children of Uganda. He is our Deliverer and we pray He would not delay.

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!
In Christ Alone,
Jen for the Webers

Thank you, Jesus! Blessed Beyond Measure!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com
Tom and I are blessed beyond measure! When I am weary and tired, my silly children make me smile and help me to not take life to seriously.

Bumps in the Road Hurt!!

We hit a bump in the road as we pursue getting to Uganda. The building company Tom worked for, that went out of business about this time last year, has become a source of pain for the Webers. There are some legal issues we need to deal with before we can move forward on Uganda. Because Tom was the financial officer of the company, we are being included in the legal matters. Please pray the conflict would be resolved by January and we would be able to move forward on support raising. We know Jesus' timing is perfect and he is in control of all of this. We wait expectantly to see what He will do.

Do Hard Things

I recently finished the book by twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris, "Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations". I decided to read it for no other reason than the title was so intriguing to me, but soon after picking it up, I discovered this book would be influential to my life.
"Do Hard Things" exposes our cultures expectations of teenagers to be way low - and how we, as teens, fall into the trap and do the minimum amount of required work. But it's more of a call to a higher standard, a better way of living. As a matter of fact, these are the opening lines of the book:

"Most people don't expect you to understand what we're going to tell you in this book. And even if you understand, they don't expect you to care. And even if you care, they don't expect you to do anything about it. And even if you do something about it, they don't expect it to last.
Well, we do."

The Harris brothers explain that the teen years are a launch pad for the rest of our lives. I had one of those moments when everything in you seems to scream out "yes!" I know I was made for more than just enduring the teen years - I was made to live them. The crazy thing is, in order to really live, you have to do what the title sums up: DO HARD THINGS. We're not going to live the abundant life that Jesus promises by just "having fun" and "coasting" through these critical years, but by continually pushing back the limits of our comfort zones and doing things that are bigger than ourselves. And, guess what . . . that's going to be hard. But I really felt God telling me that even the short time I have left here in the states, I need to live into that. "Emily, it's time to start living a radical, faith-hope-and-love filled life . . . now," He seems to be telling me. It's not enough to dream it if I don't pursue it. I don't know what that's going to look like . . . but I know that it will please Him, and that it will be the best way of living there is. It's time for me to join the world changers and leaders of my generation. William Pitt from Amazing Grace says it right:
"We're too young to know that some things are impossible, so we will do them anyway."

-Emily
For more information about the "Do Hard Things" movement, go to www.TheRebelution.com.

"Sell Your Possesions..."

Tom and I have been seriously looking at all of the belongings we have accumulated over the past 20 years and we are a bit overwhelmed. By American standards we have very little, but when we contemplate moving to another continent it looks like a mountain of stuff! Our solution? Craig's list, Ebay and garage sales!
This week we have been Craig's listing a bunch of stuff and we are planning a garage sale on Friday. We have sold a few items on Craig's list and I felt a little sadness in my heart. I don't think I am materialistic, but it hurts, just a little, to get rid of some of our treasures. Then I thought of the rich young man in Matthew. Jesus tells him, " If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
The young man went away sad because he had great wealth. I sympathized with this young man when I read this story. It is hard to "sell everything", then I remember the rest of what Jesus said, "...you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me." All of our treasures are nothing compared to Jesus and His promise of heaven. As I sold our chop saw yesterday it felt a little liberating and I felt Jesus' pleasure with us. I am not saying it won't still hurt as we let go of our belongings, but it is our sacrifice, kind of a burnt offering to our Lord and Savior. Please pray for our family as we let go of this world to follow Jesus in this Great Adventure He has called us on.
Please pray we are able to sell our stuff to add to our fund to Uganda.
In Christ Alone,
Jen

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"- Jesus

It's a funny promise, but Jesus does promise we will have trouble in this world. Some days it feels as if we are surrounded by trouble on all sides, but then I remember the rest of the promise. "I have overcome the world."
Just when I think the troubles of this world will make me lose heart, Jesus reminds me of the blessings in my life and how He walks with me through hard things. Not only does Jesus stay with me always, which is enough, but He showers me with love through His precious children.
My good friend Jill, reminded me this morning of the blessing of children in my life. Not just my wonderful Webers but all of the children God has given me to love; nieces and nephews, my friend's children and children at church. And soon, We will be loving children in a far off country, people who are precious to the Father but in this world their value isn't recognized. I am overwhelmed with joy for the opportunity.
This world can be so discouraging and hard, but Jesus shows me promises of better things through the young people in my life.
I see Jesus' love and His strength to overcome in these 4 faces.

Jen's post

We went to South Dakota over Labor Day weekend.
We stayed with the Wood family. We are very thankful for them giving us a place to stay while we were there. (with all honesty, we were more spoiled there than we were ever here!) We also got to eat the best Cheesecake in the world!!! I mean, you would get a really small piece and barely be able to finish it!
While we were there, we saw Mt. Rushmore. We got to go to a free museum, (Well, the cost was paid with our entree fee) where we learned a lot of cool facts! Like how they were planning to do their whole bodies until World War II started; and how it only took them fourteen years to build it. Also, my personal favorite fact is, that when they were building Thomas Jefferson, he was supposed to be to the left of George Washington, but the rock wasn't strong enough, and a crack went down his face! So, they did the only thing that they could do, they blew his face off the mountain and started over!!! I though that it was funny! It was all around really cool. . . that is, all but the weather!
It was 102 wopp'n degrees out!!! HOT HOT HOT!! "This ice cream is the best Kate!" Lydia told me, and somehow I don't think that it was the taste, it how refreshing it was to have something cold!
While we were enjoying our Frosties, we were told we were going to Bear Country! (A wild life reserve!) It was so hot out, barely any animals were out! But once we got to the bears, things changed!

We all were happy to see animals that actually moved! By the end of the "safari", there was a sign that read, "Baby Animals". We all decided to go look at the babies. Most of those animals were moving too.
"Dude, it's a lot cooler out of the sun!"

"Do you have any food?"

The day we left, we decided to stop by Devil's Tower in Wyoming!

It was really cool there. It looked a little like a tree stump.

All in all, it was great trip. We got to see a lot of cool things and learned a lot about Uganda.
I am glad that we were able to go and have such a good time.

Kate

Emily

I can't believe we are old enough to have a child who is 17! We celebrated Emily's 17th birthday on Sunday. As we look back over the last 17 years, we have watched our baby grow into a beautiful, passionate woman of God. Emily is on fire for Jesus and has a depth that only the Lord can give. It is hard to think about the day she won't be in our home on a daily basis, but we can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for this beautiful young woman.

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and failthful instruction is on her tongue." Prov 31:27&28

Crazy Love

Emily and I are reading a Fantastic Book called "Crazy Love". Something struck a chord in me when we were reading the first chapter. The author, Francis Chan talks about the All Powerful God and how we live as if He was created for us, instead of us being created for Him. Francis writes about some of the questions people pose like, "Why are there so many people dying of starvation? Why is my family so messed up? Why don't You make Yourself more obvious to the people who need You?"
"The answer to each of these questions is simply this: because He's God. He has more of a right to ask us why so many people are starving. As much as we want God to explain himself to us, His creation, we are in no place to demand that He give an account to us."
God has given us the resources, time and talent to make a difference in this world. Now I am thinking about how He might be asking the church, especially the church in the West, "Why aren't you making a difference with what I have given you." the Bible says "To whom much is given much is required." We have been given so much and God is waiting for us to hold up our end of the bargain.
Thank you, Jesus, for giving us the opportunity to be a part of Your healing on this earth.
Jen

Show me your faith

This morning as I spent time with God, several verses came to mind. The first was James 2:18 where James challenges us and says "show me your faith without any works, and I will show you my faith by my works". The second verse was from I John 3:18 where John say "let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth". I guess what hit me is the idea that God wants us to walk out our faith in a practical and real way. It's not just believing, believing in His calling for your life, but in our walking with him, walking in faith, taking those steps. Trusting, moving, acting on what he wants, His plans. That is where I am at. God desires obedience over sacrifice (although sometimes He asks for both). As he calls us into His bigger story, we need to take action steps of faith, to meet God where he is at. We truly want to be about what God is doing. This is where the action is, where one can find the abundant life that God promises.

Tom

Just be like a sheep and follow!

Today I read John 10.
These verses stuck out to me.
". . . He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, He goes ahead of them."
We are Jesus' sheep, and he calls our family out by name. But he doesn't just say "Okay Katie, now that I have called your family out to Africa, you are on your own to wherever it leads". No, the bible says he leads us out. Meaning that he doesn't just tell us to go. We just have to follow. It continues on to say that "He goes ahead of them". Meaning that not only does he go with us, he will protect us, and lead us to where we are suppose to go.
Later on in the chapter it says
"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."
It says that He will protect us, and will let no one snatch them out of his hands. I can't describe the feeling that God himself will make sure that I (we are) am protected and won't let anyone snatch me (us) out of his hand.

Come, Follow Me - Jesus

I am feeling heavy today as I contemplate leaving family and loved ones when we depart for Uganda, but I trust Jesus, I trust his goodness and his plan for us. He loves my family and my friends more than I could, and I trust them to him. This will be the hard part of this journey, but we must walk with Jesus because we want to walk in obedience to his call on our lives.

In Matt 10:37 Jesus said, "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

This is hard teaching. Jesus wants everything and He isn't afraid to ask. The thing I love about Jesus is he lets us choose. He loves us so much and he wants us to love him with everything, but he leaves it all up to us. The cost is high when following the Creator, but walking in step with him is worth laying down our lives. Picking up our cross doesn't seem so heavy when you have the Savior bearing most of the weight. He just wants us to decide to pick it up, then he does the hard part.

Jen

He Is Our Hope

When trying to find a name for our blog we went back and forth. Tom kept coming up with ideas and we kept shooting him down. Then last weekend, on the way home from church, we had the song "You are My Hope" by Skillet on and Tom said, "I know what we can call our blog!" The song says, "You are my hope, You are my strength, You're everything I need, You are my hope, You are my life..." It fits.
Jesus is our hope, our only hope, and as we take this HUGE step toward the unknown we don't take it alone. I "feel" Him smiling at us right now. He must feel like parents do, when they get to give their children something they really will love.
I know Jesus has so many good things in store for the Webers and I know He will be with us and He will "etch out His eternity" in us.
Jesus said to us, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And the Webers said, "Here we are. Send us!"
Jen

"But Why God?"

The whole fact that we are moving to Uganda hit last night. I was scared. I cried. I remember going up to mom and dad's room, and mom prayed for me, and told me that God wants us to follow Him, and the devil doesn't, and will whisper lies into our ears.
I went back into my room, but the feeling didn't go way. I cried into my pillow and started to pray. "Why God? We were finally back on track. We were finally comfortable. I have friends that I don't want to leave. Friends that I have a good relationship with, that I can call them sisters.  I will have to leave our house, my dog, my comforts, everything."
Then peace washed over me. It was like God told me, "You were on track with your own plans, not mine, you were comfortable, but I didn't call you to be comfortable, you have good friends, but you get to keep those, and have new closer ones. You still have your sisters."
I remembered Job, how everything was taken away from him, but God gave him back everything way better. I have to remember that God knows what he is doing and that He loves me too much to put my life into my own hands.

"God, you're messing with my plans again!"

This last weekend, with the possibility of moving to Uganda in mind, I prayed ever so selfishly, "God, I thought we had a good thing going here! I mean, I don't mind if you change my plans, but to make it so that I can't plan for the next couple years of my life . . . c'mon, that's pretty unreasonable, especially at the stage of life I'm in!"
I'm so glad that I'm not God; if I were, I would have struck the "human me" dead by now. Thankfully, our Father is so loving and patient that he hasn't yet. Instead, he challenged me with these words Sunday evening: "Emily, you have mistakenly been thinking that I'm part of your plans, when in reality, you're part of my Plan."
That's when I realized that no matter how difficult or different something appears, when God calls you to it, who are we, as His creation, to challenge the Most High God? Who are we to disobey by staying in a state of inaction? Who are we to complain?
I don't have to know what I'm doing in the next couple years of my life. The Omnipotent God is also the Sovereign One. He knows what He's doing with me. And I can rest in the assurance that so long as I continue to press closer into Him and into His love, I'm going to end up where I'm supposed to be.
For now, my prayer is this:

Take my heart, I lay it down
At the feet of You who's crowned
And take my life, I'm letting go
I lift it up to you who's throned
Take my fret, take my fear
All I have I'm leaving here
Be all my hopes, be all my dreams
Be all my delights, be my everything
And I will worship You Lord, Only You Lord
And I will bow down before you, Only You Lord
It's just you and me here now,
Only you and me here now . . .

- Only You, David Crowder

The Journey Begins

This morning we received confirmation and acceptance to be missionaries for New Hope Uganda. WOW.  Jen and I are not sure where to begin, but we do know that God is in control and that "He IS our Hope"  We also know that "you all" are our hope as well.  We ask that you pray for wisdom for our family as we begin this Journey into what God has for us.

This morning, when I awoke (before I read my email) I had the Steve Curtis Chapman song "Dive" in my head.

"I hear a voice that's telling me it's time to take a lap of faith so here I go

I'm diving in, I'm going deep, in over my head, I want to be

caught in the rush, lost in the flow, in over my head I want to GO

the rivers deep, the rivers wide, the rivers water is alive,

so sink or swim I'm diving in..."

So here we go - diving into what God has called us up into.  We are not sure of what is in the water, but when God say's jump, we JUMP.