Dixie Stampede 2012

Once again....our home church treated us to a show at Dixie Stampede in Pigein Forge, TN.  It was just an overnight trip with the kids and I.  Brian was with Bro. O'Brien in Kenturcky at some meetings.  I really wished he could have been there too!!! We had a really great time.  It was nice to see everyone from our home church :)  I can never get over how much food they give you at Dixie Stampede.  But it sure is good!!! 

The night before the show, some of us, including our Pastor and his family, went to the Krispy Kreme.  The "hot and now" sign was on, so we knew we were in for a treat! That was the first time I had ever had the fresh hot donuts, and they were sooooo good!   They just melted in your mouth.
 

We also got free tickets to the Mountain Dew glass bottom bridge.  It was alittle scary at first, but the boys had a ball standing on the glass and looking down under them.   Briana wouldn't even walk on the bridge...I think it was alittle overwhelming for her.

 

Since we came to Pigeon Forge a day early, we decided to do some site seeing.   The kids wanted their picture taken in front of the upside down building, so we did.  We also got some pictures outside of the Hatffield and McCoy show.  We never went inside these places, but just got some pictures.  I have always wanted to go to the Old Mill Discrit, so we did.  Got some good pictures of the kids in front of the river and old Mill house.
 

We all had such a good time. We're so thankful to our home church who takes such good care of us!

19 Years Together

Happy 19th Anniversary
 

 

We are so thankful to the Lord for preserving our marriage.  Only through Him and by His grace have we made it 19 years.  We give God all the glory for what He has done in our lives.

Everything is BIGGER in Texas

 

The past month, we have been in Texas with a month full of meetings in many different churches in many different cities/towns.  We have found out that Texas is one hot place to be during the summer.  I can't believe it got up to 115 degrees while we were there!!!

 

We were in Houston for 2 weeks.  I found a great deal on some sites in Houston.  It was a type of city pass and it included the Houston Zoo, the Houston Aquarium, The Nature Museum, The Children's Museum, and NASA;  all for only $250 for all of us.  I think all of us loved the Zoo.  There was such a variety of animals and critters to see :) 

 

I really enjoyed the nature museum....other than the "millions and millions of years ago".... we know that is not true.  But to see all the fossils and bone from the dinosaurs and animals that were found amazed me.  How God could create such large creatures and so many different ones too.

 

I was most disappointed by the aquarium.  I guess I was expecting more than what we saw.  The oddest thing was, they had white tigers in an aquarium....hmmm...I guess just having sea life wasn't enough.....lol....

 

Next is NASA.  "Houston, we have a problem".... now to me....that was tops on my list!  All the different interactive games and displays...it was so neat! To see some of the actual rockets used as a part of the NASA program.  The best part was going into Mission Control, sitting where former Presidents have sat and watched as a mission was taking place.

 

 

Next, we visited Galveston Island.  I really just wanted to dip my feet into the Gulf of Mexico, just to say I have done it :)

I think my husbands favorite site was the Alamo!  I know, he has always wanted to see it.  My boys were disappointed though.  They thought it would be more interactive than it was.  It was most just relics from the past, and the history that was part of the Alamo. 

 

Here we are with Bro. Jeff and Mrs. Bettina Shue.  They were so gracious to house us while we were in the Rio Grande area visiting churches.  Since we were so close to Mexico, the Shue's invited us to go into Mexico with them.  So we entered Mexico through Progresso.  I couldn't believe there were so many dentists, orthodontist, and pharmacies.  Many American's come into Mexico to purchase there prescription drugs because they are so much cheaper than in the states.

 

The Shue's took us to an authentic Mexican Restaurant (where it was safe to eat).  Here is my plate :)

 

 

We were privileged to help Mrs. Shue organize some items she was getting together for their Men's and Women's conference in Mexico.  It was a lot of fun, and such a blessing to be able to help them!

We're on the BIG screen...lol... :) My husband presenting the work in a church in Austin Texas.



This is the original plaster working model of Iwo Jima in Harlingen, Tx, for the bronze and granite memorial statue in Arlington, VA

 

 

 

You can view many more pictures from our trip to Texas by clicking on the link below....

 

http://www.faulkners2ukraine.com/texas.html



Camping Pennsylvania Style

We have had the most fun this past week!!!  No TV, no Internet, no phone (well most of the time anyway). We were invited by Aultman Baptist Church in Aultman, PA to take part in their family camp they have every year.  We stayed in the cutest little cabin and had services every morning and night.  The kids played games, played volley ball, went swimming, and even had a mud fight.  It was a relaxing enjoyable time for our whole family. 
 

Every night, before preaching, they had a "green bean" choir.  It was made up of all the children.  My boys so enjoyed taking part in this choir!  On the last night, the boys and the girls worked on skits to act out on Friday night.  They were both very good!  Also, some of  the teen girls got together and did a recitation of Psalm 139. (Hoping to post the video soon)  It was really good too!!!

 

My two oldest children have been to different camps through the years, but they both said this was the best one they had been to!!!  They told us that there was no clicks, but everyone treated the other as they should, with no respect of persons.

 

There were several who made professions during the services this past week!  One was our very own Orion!  Please pray for him! 
 

Busy in Pennsylvania

We had a outstanding time on this last trip to Pennsylvania.  This time, we started out in Penndel, PA, a small suburb of Philadelphia.  We were able to visit with some friends we haven't been able to see in awhile.  It was such a blessing getting to fellowship with them again.  However, we were there in Penndel for a missions conference at Grace Baptist Church.  We are always amazed at the hospitality of the Pastors and their congregations as we visit all the different churches! They took very good care of us...from the hotel and the food every evening...to the sweet spirit of the people....it was outstanding!  I always enjoy seeing the presentations of the all the other missionaries the Lord has called.  We were privileged to see two souls get saved at that meeting...Praise the Lord!!!

Our next stop was in Oxford, PA...it was not a scheduled meeting, but it was a place for us to take a quick breather for our next meeting.  We have been here before and really enjoying being in Amish country.  It is such a quiet area.  We didn't do much site seeing this go round, we just stayed at the prophets chamber and relaxed!  We were invited to tour a local dairy farm with the churches homeschool group.  We were able to see the cows being milked by the machines. They would bring them in by groups of 10-15 cows and hook them up to the milking devices. 

The device would just "pop" off once it sensed there was no more milk.  The calf's were stored in a separate area....there was one that was only 3 days old.  Calf's are just like babies when it comes to there need to suck on something.  The kids used there hands as pacifier for the calves.  We did have one drop-in in Secane, PA, where the Pastor treated us to the famous Philadelphia pretzels :)




 

We left Oxford, and headed to Lake Erie, we only had one night on our 3 week trip that we didn't have a place to stay.  We found a reasonable place at Geneva-on-lake that would be able to sleep all of us in one room.  Most places were at least $99 a night, but we have to get 2 rooms, which doubles the price.  We were able to find one room for much less than that.  We praise God for that!!!  This was our 3 visit to Lake Erie, just in a different location. Lake Erie was so breath-taking, especially as the sun was going down.  It was gorgeous, the sky for pink, and purple...beautiful. 





Our final stop was in Greenville, PA.  We were there a week and was blessed and refreshed during our stay there.  The church put us up in a nice home with plenty of room and a large back yard.  It also had a washer and dryer which was a HUGE blessing in and of itself.  It's nice to come home with clean clothes.  During our stay there, we visited a train museum.  The boys really got a kick out of being able to go inside of the trains.  While we were there, a man had fell off of the back of the caboose and was hurt. We were able to witness to him and prayed for him before the ambulance took him to the ER.  Please pray for soul and that he might be saved.  He did admit to us that God had allow him to live and not die for that fall.  We praise God that he did realize that and that God would continue to open his understanding to all things eternal.

Happy Mother's Day

 

We would like to wish all you mother's a Happy Mother's Day.  This is a day for us to take the time and remember how precious our mother's are to us! And for us as mother's to reflect on how we mother our children.  It is such a big task, being a mother. But we have the Bible to guide us.  We have many wonderful examples of motherhood....from Hannah to Eunice.  We also have mother's in the bible that made many mistakes, but we are to take them and learn from them.  So we do not make the same mistakes they did.  I know I still have a lot to learn about being a mother.  I also want to be the best wife I can, which ties in to being the best mother.  If I don't have a good relationship with my husband, I would not be a good example to them.  Monkey see, monkey do as the old saying goes.  They follow both my husband and I and if I don't do right, their going to pick up on that.  My kids see me on my best days, but they also see me on my worst days. And to me, that's scary.  I know my kids don't expect me to be perfect, but I want to be the best example of a christian (and a mother for my daughter's sake) that I can be!!!!  I just pray daily that the Lord will give me the wisdom and discernment that I need each day, so I will make the right decisions and do the right thing!!!  Let's strive in our hearts to make a impact on this generation, starting with our children and grandchildren!!!  We can change the world one child at a time!!!!

In Ohio Again

 

Another long trip to Ohio....but we had a great time and great services that helped our souls!  Our first meeting we were able to take part in was a missions banquet. the first one like this that we have been to.  They had a spread for supper :) then all the missionaries were given about 15 minutes to tell about their burden and about there perspective fields. We were able to meet many other missionaries, including a family that used to be gypsies, and are now born again and missionaries to the gypsies in their area. What a blessing it was to meet them, and to hear their testimonies of how the Lord moved in their lives.  Their were former tearit card readers, and told people futures...BUT GOD...intervened in their lives!!!  We also was able to hear the testimonies of some of those they have been able to reach. WOW!  God's still working and moving!!! 

At this particular church, they had a missions yard sale kind of thing.  But everything in this yard sale was free to all the missionaries.  It was so great to see all the missionaries kids go through all that stuff, they were so excited and grinning from ear to ear....there was toys, clothes, home décor, personal care items, and they even had homemade travel pillows (which have really come in handy).  The church saves up all these items to have every year for there missions banquet!  What a blessing! The members there keep encouraging all the missionaries to take everything they wanted....you could tell it was a blessing to them too to be able to do this!!!

Would you please pray for the Pastor's wife (God knows her name), she fell the night of the banquet and broke her nose pretty bad...she is going to have to have surgery.  Please pray for her complete and quick healing!!!

While in Ohio, we visited several other churches in the area, and had great services!  We were even able to help a lady who was wanting to adopt though the state....it was such a blessing to be able to help someone! At one service, Brian was preaching, and at the alter call one young lady came to the alter broken and crying.  After the service she had told Brian that if that message was for nobody else, it was for her.   These are the encouraging moments that we need to keep going.  As a missionary, it seems you face so much rejection....and it can be hard and trying on the mind and body...but times like these just encourage you heart!!!  We just need to stay focused on our Savior and His will...and along the way helping the saved to keep going and helping the lost see their need of a Savior!!!!

This trip, Briana and Zach were able to come with us (because the last time we came to Ohio, they were at camp).  so we decided to take the whole crew to Lake Erie, but just a different stretch of it than last time. it was a bit chilly on this day, the wind was blowing and you could fill the chill run right through you.  But of course, the kids didn't care, they still wanted to put their feet in the water and run on the beach :)  (for more pictures on our trips, you can visit our web site, and look under the picture gallery at "Deputation Fun".

Missions, Buggy's, and a Bell

We have just recently returned from Pennsylvania.  We had several meetings there.  It took us approximately 14 hours with all the stops we made for meals and bathroom breaks.  That sure does make for a long day!  Our first stop was in Kreamer, PA, where we were attending a missions conference.  But it was alittle different  that a normal missions conference.  The conference spanned the whole month, and they would have a different missionary in each service for that month.  Brian gave his burden during the morning Sunday school hour, then preached during the service time.  The service went good!  After the service, the Pastor and his wife took us to a local buffet their....you ordered your main meal by plate, but then they had a "side's" bar and a salad bar.  It's so hard to eat healthy when there is so much food available...I guess that's why we've all gained weight since we've been on deputation!  The church put us up in a very nice bed and breakfast!!  It was a very relaxing place.  We even got to see some snow while we were there!

Next we moved on to southern PA, right in the middle of Amish country.  It was so interesting to see the way they live. They even have horse and buggy parking at Wal-Mart for them! I am so intriged by it all, and the way there families are so close nit!  They only lose 8% of their youth to the world.  It makes us Baptist look bad, when we have the truth and are still losing our youth left and right.  With the Amish, everything is about family!  Were losing that in our independent Baptist Churches!

During our stay, we were told it was very hard to reach the Amish.  There so "works" based, that they think it's prideful to say your "saved".  That you didn't know until you died...how could someone live that way with no security of where you will be in eternity.  Must be a miserable way to live.  But I guess there is more than just the Amish that live like that from day to day.  That's the main reason God left us on this earth, to be a light, and to show their is hope, and they can know they will be in heaven when they die!!! By GRACE, through FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ!!!  We were also told that the Amish would only take German tracks....so maybe there is an open door there after all....

During our stay in PA, we always like to take advantage of "free" field trips as we travel, so we were able to visit Valley Forge, Historic Philadelphia (the Liberty Bell & Independence Hall), and Hershey's Chocolate World.  OK...so Hershey's Chocolate World isn't as educational as the other's...but the chocolate was worth it...lol... We learned a lot at Valley Forge and Downtown Philly.  The kids learned more about the Revolutionary War and why and how the revolution started and what transpired from the war.  I guess it sticks better in your brain when you are able to see history take place, and where it took place at.  We were able to visit the home of Ben Franklin, and the temporary home of Thomas Jefferson as he wrote the Declaration of Independence.  I really made history come to life!

Our next stop was in mining country in PA.  I never realized there were mountains in PA...this town was a big mining community, but not as much now, but they still do have working mines.  You could tell it had that small town atmosphere about it!.  The church was equally "small town"...but the people were genuine and caring!  We actually pasted several Ukrainian Orthodox Churches on our way to this church....you could tell they were orthodox by the gold domes on the top of the building.  I have never seen any Ukrainian Orthodox in the south, but there were many up north. 

Our last and final stop was another field trip :{)  We stopped at Gettysburg on our way home.  I never realized how many monuments and memorials they had in Gettysburg for all the troops, units, and states that were involved with the battles their.  I even took a picture of the field were Colonial Pickett's division was massacred by the northern troops.  Additionally, we hiked up to the top of Big Round Top, that was a tough climb, but a beautiful view of all of Gettysburg.
 

First Trip to Ohio

Recently, we were able to travel to Ohio and visit several churches. 

We drove through Virginia & West Virginia on the way there. 

The boys were very excited, for they have never been to Ohio....but neither have we :) 

Some missionary friends of ours allowed us to stay in their camper while we were in Ohio, and that was a tremendous blessing!!!  We also enjoyed their fellowship while we were there.  They have 5 sons, and our boys were very glad to have someone to play with. (We only had 2 of our boys with us.  Briana and Zach was at camp and could not come with us on this trip :( )

The first church we visited was in Sidney, Ohio.  They were very kind to us.  Orion was sick that morning, and the people there was so helpful.  I didn't get to sit in the sanctuary with Brian, but they allowed us to stay in a Sunday school room where there was a love seat Orion could lay on.  The church had speaker's wired right outside the door so I was able to hear the message  ={) 

Next....it was a 3 hour drive to North Olmsted where the other meeting was.  We really enjoyed driving down all those straight roads.  We drove through a lot of farm land...the roads seem to go on forever.  Acres and acres of tall corn stalks and soy bean plants.  It was very pretty. 

At the church, Brian was able to present his burden and show our slide show.  He also preached. Very friendly folks. For the first time ever on deputation, we stayed with a family in the church.  They were so down to earth and had a beautiful home.  They had a daughter that was very fond of animals...they had bunny's, birds, turtles, and dogs.  One of the bunnies Corey and Orion was able to hold....and they held it in there arms like they were holding a baby.  It was so sweet to see  ={)  We really enjoyed the fellowship with this family.  They had another family over that had adopted a girl from Ukraine  ={)  So, we were able to talk to them about the Ukraine and were they had been. 

The next morning, when we went up to eat breakfast, the family had surprised us by getting us a GPS.  Wow...the Lord does provide what you need, and we didn't even pray for one!!!  PTL!!!!  We pray that the Lord would bless them abundantly for there kindness!!! 

On Monday, after leaving the home of the family we stayed with, we drove to Lake Erie.   It was only 25 minutes from their home.  It was beautiful, it was like the ocean, you couldn't see the other side.  We didn't go swimming, but did let the boys roll up their pants legs and put their feet in the water.  We topped off our trip to Lake Erie with an ice cream cone (the boys were particularly happy about that)  ={)

For the next couple of days, we fellowshiped with our missionary friends, the boys went go-cart riding, while me and the missionaries wife went to Goodwill.  I needed some skirts for the winter, and found 2 for 1/2 price  ={)  And my boys needed some new play shoes...the ones they have were plum wore out with holes in the toes bigger than my thumb..lol...

Wednesday night we did a drop in on a church in Laura, OH.  The people were very friendly!!! The pastor and his wife took us to get ice cream after service.  We enjoyed the ice cream, but enjoyed the fellowship much better!  Were hoping to get to go back real soon  ={)

We headed back home on Thursday, took us most of the day to get home.  The GPS took us a different route home.  This time we went through Kentucky & then Virginia. 

Were always happy to meet new people and meet all our brothers and sisters in Christ in all these churches.  Were praying and hoping to reach 50% support by October 2011.  We started part time deputation in October 2010...we are giving God all the glory for the support He has raised and continue to pray God would allow us to get our support in record time so we can be in Ukraine by next summer!!!!   Please help us pray that Pastor's and churches would be obedient to the leading of God as He places us on their hearts to have us in their churches and to support us in the work God has called us to!!! 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus...and mine too :{)

♪♫Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His Wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangly dim

In the light of His glory and grace♪♫

Mine eye affecteth mine heart...this is what Jeremiah wrote in Lamatations...just like Jeremaiah saw with his eyes all the wicked around him...and it effected his heart...even at one point he was going to quit and never speak the word of God again!  In proverbs...it says...

Proverbs 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

So if our eye effects our heart, and were suposed to keep our hearts with a constant effort...we should really be very careful what our eyes see.  Every little thing we see effects us in some way...it either adds to our spiritually or takes away from it.  And and for me...facebook just seems to be a melting pot anger and depression...though there are the good encouraging things on there too...but no matter how I try to senor what I see on fb...it always seem to show the absolute worse things...and ussally the devil makes sure it's always at the worst times.  I'm not downing anyone that has fb...for my husband still does...but for me...I just need to focus my eye's on...

1. Jesus said....Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. I should keep my eyes winning souls and the ministry God has put us in...
2. Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I need to keep my eyes in the word of God so I can see His wonderful works...
3. Romans 3:18  There is no fear of God before their eyes. I need to have the fear of God before my eyes!!!
4. Psalms 119:37  Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. I need to keep my eyes away from vanity...all those empty and void things that will not amount to anything in eteriny.
5. Psalms 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. I will keep my eyes on the Lord...for that's were all my help will come from.

These are just some of the many things my eyes need to be on...not on the things of this world that cause my eyes to lust....

A Vessel for the Finer

In this world we live in, everyone is doing that which is right in their own eyes.  No one wants to change, especially if that change involves turning away from what they know and enjoy.  Even saved people have a hard time changing.  Turning (repenting) of the wrong doing in their own lives.  In this verse, it explain how we can be better used of God by refinement. 

Silver is the metal mentioned in the verse above.  But did you know that silver comes out of lead when the lead is being refined? (Refinement consists of purifying an impure material, in this case lead. When the lead is melted at a very high heat it separates the lead and the silver).  Lead is a type of weight, or a heavy heart in the bible.   Silver is a type of redemption, or one that is redeemed.  If you are saved, you have been redeemed by the blood of Christ!  So in this scripture, the silver is a type of a saved individual that has separated from the lead.   Do you remember when you were weighted down with the sins of this world, and so heavy hearted because you had no hope?  But God, put you in that fiery furnace of conviction to separate you to Himself, and purify you, once you accepted His free gift of salvation. Then He brought you out from the heaviness, into the peace of redemption! 

After redemption, the silver still needs refinement!  Take away the dross from the silver....  what is dross?  Basically, dross is waste matter; refuse (that which is rejected); any worthless matter separated from the better part; impure matter.  In this scripture it speaks of taking away the dross, or waste, from the silver....  The dross is all the impure, worthless things in ourselves that needs to be extracted.  Just like when the lead was refined, the silver needs to be refined.  In the  refinement of the silver, the final material is usually identical chemically to the original one, only it is purer.  We are still that saved individual, but purer.  Have you ever felt like you were in a fiery trial?  Why do you think that's so? 

1 Peter 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

 It's so we might be refined, made purer, that we might be found unto the praise and honour and glory when we stand before God!  I don't know what your dross might be...it may be spending to much time on the Internet, or watching TV.  It maybe your lack of bible reading/studying and prayer.  What about your thought life?  Is their bitterness or strife in your heart towards someone.  Have you been content, or are you coveting? Are you doing things for the Lord through vain glory, or for His glory alone? 

Philippians 2:3-4  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

We need to seek God's face....

 James 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Ask Him to search you, as David did....

Psalms 139:23-24  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

God sends us through fiery trials to test our faith.  But there is a way to be refined also, and that is through the reading and studying of God's Word! 

Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

God's word is like a refining fire. It can make you purer.

1 John 3:2-3  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

In the Bible, you can compare yourself.  Not to others, but to the Word.  There you can line yourselves up with the perfect law of liberty.  As it say in James 4:8....cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  This is not speaking to the lost, for the lost can not cleanse themselves, only the blood of Christ can do that.  But after salvation, we need to continually keep our hands clean.  Never doing anything, where someone else's blood will be on our hands because we failed to do that which the Lord lead us to do. 

Ezekiel 3:18-21  When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. 

And the last part of the verse says...and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.  The finer being God Himself.  We want to be vessel that God can use, a pure vessel.  Let us strive to be pure, in every part of our life's, so God can use us and work through us.  God can't use a dirty vessel.  If you read in the law...many time a vessel became unclean because of different reasons and could not be used.  And many times the vessel would be broken and never used again because it was so defiled.  Let us not be that vessel that's broken, but strive to stay clean so we can be a useful vessel to the Lord.