Get Ready, Get Set......

As I prepared for the trip this week I was faced with alot of challenges - fear, doubt, discouragement, frustration, feelings of being overwhelmed and complete inadequacy. Once again I found myself saying to God "I can't do this" and his answer was the same as always, " I know you can't do this, that's why I am here, remember you can do all things THROUGH CHRIST". So I battled through all those negative thoughts and emotions by "taking captive every thought" (2 Cor. 10:5b). It wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't very pretty but God is faithful and once again "his power (and strength) were shown through my weakness (See 2 Cor. 12:9). By the end of the week I began to feel a new sense of peace, not because I suddenly felt confident in my own abilities, but confident in the fact that I have a relationship with a God who is bigger than any of the challenges I will be faced with on this trip.

I am so grateful, and humbled, by all of you who are praying for us. Your prayers do make a difference, please don't stop. This week pray for strength - physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally.

Carol

Off To Thailand!!

It is with a mixture of emotions,everything from fear and panic to excitement and anticipation that I am planning my next trip to Asia. On July 2, I will be traveling to Thailand along with Emily and fiance' Zeb Beam and Aaron and his friend Joel Zook to visit all 10 of the Asia's Hope homes in Thailand. We will be returning on July 17.

I believe this can be a real time of continued healing for our family, as well as an encouragement and blessing to the staff and children who have all prayed regularly for our family over the past year. The healing that I have seen in these children in previous trips has been a real source of hope for me during the last year. I am looking forward to meeting all of them and thanking them for their prayers.

Below are ways in which you can pray for us:

• Pray for us emotionally, this will be the first time we travel overseas without Tim. Pray that I will be able to fulfill my role as "team leader", also a first for me.
• That we will be an encouragement to the staff and kids and find creative way to communicate to them that they are loved.
• That we would be sensitive to cultural differences. 
• Health and safety

If you would like to help us financially you can do so by mailing a donation to Asia's Hope, PMB 185, 343 W. Milltown Rd., Wooster, OH 44691.

Looking forward to meeting all the kids in Thailand!!!

Thanks for following along on this latest "trek" with us.