Feeling blessed to have had so many volunteers help out with VBS visuals, props, and animation! There is more to do, but it is wonderful to see things taking shape. I am praying that the children will not only enjoy seeing these tangible things, but that they will be given the spiritual eyes to see and accept God's Word and amazing Gospel!

We are excited to be driving to Saint Peter in a few minutes to meet our dear friends the Davison family and pick up some materials they have gathered and given to us for making VBS backdrops, props, and visuals. Their great young people Hannah and Isaac are coming back with us to give us several days of their time, energy, and talents in making said materials for VBS! We will also be picking up a copier Mr. Davison's work has donated to our ministry. There are a few things we need to find at a thrift store along the way, like queen sheets to paint backdrops on. Please pray for a safe and successful time in town and for the Lord to bless this family and the preparations for VBS during this week!

So excited! I have sent the first three of five short sketch scripts for our "Fossil Feature" off to be drawn and animated by the amazing animator Miranda Markley. Looking forward to sharing her work again at VBS this summer!

We are excited to announce the addition of a new grandson! 

So grateful to God for our darling little Edward! May the Lord bless him and his family.

                    Looking at the world today, what do we see?

Millions of Rocks NOT Millions of Years!

The millions-of-years evolutionary thinking is everywhere. So many people believe in them and therefore disregard or reject God and His Word. Textbooks, museums, coloring books, movies, national park and overlook signs, billboards, the media, and more are pushing this theory as if it were fact. Is it important how and when these rock layers were laid down and the fossils made? Why do they want to label the rocks, fossils, dinosaurs, etc., as millions of years old? What do the rocks really tell us? How can I recognize and counteract the false and hidden messages of evolutionary thinking? And would God really send a flood? How could the ark have held all those animals? These questions and more will be answered as we take a look at how the Rocks cry out the message of the Flood. We will see that God is the Creator and Righteous Judge, why He sent this worldwide punishment, and how to avoid judgement in the future.

        Talking Rocks Ranch VBS 2014 is a fun look at rocks…               and a serious look at their message!

We are currently scheduling for VBS 2014. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are not yet down in stone on our calendar!

“Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch” is a daily skit that teaches aspects of “rockology” in a humorous Wild West style, while also helping the children to be aware of evolution's sometimes hidden anti-God messages and the truth they are trying so hard to cover up.

Monuments in Stone will highlight a few of the many amazing National Monuments the Flood left behind.

Message in Stone: God's Word never changes just as God never changes. He is our Rock. We will study key passages about stones in the Bible, what God taught through them, and how to respond to His message.

“Floodology” will take a look at conditions before the Flood, building the ark, a day in the ark, the Flood, and conditions after the Flood.

Rock Handling and a Field Guide will provide hands-on projects and workbook activities to take home.

The Chuck Wagon will offer tasty grub to one and all.

Memory Rodeo gives our rock hounds and rock hunters opportunity to exercise and cement learning.

The Rock: On Christ the Solid Rock we can stand!

Flood Legends from around the world are another witness that the Flood was truly around the world. It covered the earth!

If Rocks Could Talk: This daily “Talk Show” gives rocks a chance to be heard.

Fossil Feature is a fun glimpse of what fossils might say about the evolutionary lies told about them.

Memory Verses give a rock-solid foundation for life and Original Songs help spread God's message in the rocks!

Increased Opportunity
It had been a very long day and it would be a much longer night. We had finally finished preparations for the trip and had driven an hour on our way south when I discovered I had left an essential item at home. What?! Could I really be that forgetful? Yes, unfortunately, I could be. We still had about six hours to drive to make it to our destination in Missouri, but first Mom and Dad would graciously make the almost two-hour trip home and back, while Bryan and I did some last minute shopping.

We were excited to be headed down to Kansas City where we would be teaching the third through sixth graders at the 2013 Christian Chinese Retreat. We would be sharing the VBS curriculum we had taught that summer. I felt I knew what to expect. After all, we had done it last year. A lot would happen in the next few days. I was trying not to think about how we would somehow drag ourselves out of bed after ariving in Missouri around 4 a.m. and head for the hotel where the retreat would be held. We planned to meet with others and transform a huge room into a castle-themed classroom, with activity, counseling, and team registration areas. That night the children would arrive and five days of teaching would begin. It would end on Christmas Day and then we would see Kevan, Deana, and Tirzah that night. Bryan and I were happily roaming the store with a giggling doll for Tirzah, when we got the call.

"Who can't come?"
"The first and second grade teachers who live in Arkansas? Oh, that is too bad!"
"The first and second graders are joining us?"
"You mean we will have first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth?!"
"Of course we will do it!"

Suddenly I felt the need to call our helpers and make sure they would be there!
Bryan reminded me that this was a great opportunity and I agreed. It was definitely an opportunity. The Lord was reminding us to rely on His power and not our program. I was feeling a little weak as I tried to adjust things in my mind. More grades meant more children. More children meant more groups and more organization needed to keep snack time, bathroom breaks, etc., from becoming chaos. I wasn't too worried though. I knew the Lord would help Aunt Stacy and me to figure it out. Besides, we had four extra workers coming that I knew would be great.

"You are not sure you can come?"
"The roads are supposed to be covered in ice and snow?"
"I agree. Driving back and forth that distance would be dangerous, but there has to be some way. We need you girls!"

My tired brain was whirling around trying to figure a way for this to work when my brother came up with a logical solution. Now to make calls to several hard-to-get-a-hold-of people and hope they all agreed with our idea.

"Dear Jesus, please help this to all work out for your glory! You know we need these workers!"

 Praise God, He answered this prayer and so many more during the week!

Answers to prayer:
* Our extra workers, the Cahill ladies, were able to come.
* Registration went very well the first night and for every session that followed.
* The Lord gave us ideas to keep things organized and ways to improve as the week progressed.
* We were able to set everything up in time for the children that first day. It looked like a castle!
* My computer did not give me awful fits like last year as I adjusted PowerPoint to fit the schedule.
* The staff was unified, prayerful, and had some opportunities to fellowship.
* Bryan and Stan were healthy and strong enough to do their parts in the teaching.
* Susan was able to balance her part in the teaching with the care of her family.
* Jessica was able to stay energetic and do her duties as lead teacher on less sleep than desired.
* The children were attentive and open to the teaching as a whole. Pray for those few hardened       hearts.
* The children learned the songs and verses well and participated in the learning and dragon legends.
* Parents were encouraged by the things their children told them from the teaching.
* Only a few children got sick and no child was injured in our care during the week.
* We were able to take 194 children up two stories in the hotel and assemble them on the stage and in the aisles of the huge meeting room for the Parent Program. This was done in record time and order, even though we didn't have all our team leaders. God provided a few extra helpers for this endeavor! Praise the Lord! The children sang three songs and quoted the scripture passage they had learned during the first four days of the retreat.
* We felt the Holy Spirit's presence and saw children drawn to Christ, attitudes change, and God work.

We praise God for increasing our ability to share His Word and way of salvation with more precious souls (194!) by giving us the first and second graders as well as the third through sixth. During the retreat nine children made first-time professions of faith in Christ and fourteen prayed for assurance of salvation. Many others came back to ask questions. One little girl trusted in Christ the second night, after definitely telling me she did not want to be there only a few hours before. It was a blessing for me to get to counsel with her and hear her heartfelt prayer to her Saviour. In the days that followed, she went back during the invitation several times with questions, concern for her friends to be saved, and wanting the Lord to help her do things that were hard for her. This second grader was just one of many who made Christ her King and encouraged me to not be weary in His service. Christ desires to increase our opportunities. May we be willing for them to increase and to allow Him to make us able.  

Please pray.. 
* For those who have yet to bow the knee to Christ as Saviour.
* For some with hard hearts who say they know Christ, but don't seem to be interested in Him or have respect for His word being taught or their authorities. 
* For the baby Christians who need to grow.
* For the families these children belong to. May the parents, grandparents, siblings, and others be drawn to Christ and follow Him.
* That the children will remember the things they were taught and allow Christ to continue to work in their hearts.
* That God will increase both our and your opportunities to serve Him.

Watch Your Step! 

by Jessica Myers

It is said that the average person will take about 2,000 steps for every mile they walk. Most of us will take multiple thousands of steps each day just doing our daily routine.

Even if you only took 5,000 steps a day (which is considered lower than average), you would make a total of 35,000 steps a week. In an average month that would be 1,085,000 steps. And in one year, it would equal a little under 13,000,000 steps.

That is a lot of steps! And most of us will take thousands or even millions more depending on our occupations, inclinations, and abilities. 

Thousands of steps sound important and indeed are necessary to keep us fit and allow us to reach our goals and destinations, but what about just one step.
Is one step important?     
What difference can one step make? 

     One Sunday night--a little over a week ago--I took a step that got my attention. 
I had slung the computer bag over one shoulder, filled one arm with our family stack of Bibles, notebooks, etc., and clutched the projector bag with my free hand. It had been a great Lord's Day with the opportunity to teach children's church and present the ministry in the morning service and then share a creation presentation that night. 
     Many of the church members had already finished visiting after the service and were headed home. I was fulfilling my self-appointed role of packing things up and stowing them in the van while my family continued visiting with those who remained. I was in a bit of a hurry as we had a family coming over after church for a late supper, and I knew it would take several trips to get everything loaded, not to mention the time needed for final goodbyes. It was a bit dark outside the church as I walked down the sidewalk toward where our van was parked.
     My mind was thinking ahead to what needed to be done before company arrived. I further distracted myself by looking out at the truck stop across the street. I had talked to a young man who worked there a few days before. Had he read the tract I gave him as promised? Would he overcome his childhood grudge and visit one of the many good churches in the area I had recomended? Too bad I hadn't realised at the time that this church was so close and that we would be speaking and singing there! It was such a lovely evening. To think that tomorrow was expected to be wet and cloudy with the approach of Tuseday's projected storm. Well, we would be leaving tomorrow in time to avoid it. Such thoughts darted through my head in less time than it takes to read them as I walked steadily toward the van. 
     Suddenly, with one step, I was lying on the ground. I had unknowingly stepped off the sidewalk in such a way that I had fallen, scattering my cargo. I felt vaguely that I had hit my left knee upon the cement curb where I now half sat in front of the van. I wanted to get up, but the growing pain in my right ankle screamed for me to be still. "Dear Father, Help Me!" "Dear Jesus, Help Me!" I tried not to faint from the pain. The almost empty parking lot, the remembrance that the door had locked behind me, the knowledge of my parents' propensity to fellowship till the last moment did nothing to ease my mind. I cried out to God louder and louder. 
     I was in too much pain to truly consider what type of damage may have been done. A wave of nasea swept over me and the pain intensified. If only someone would come out and see me. I wanted my Mother! I tried to think where my phone was. If I could just find it...but, no, it was in my purse on the front row in the sanctuary. I began to call out for Mom. "MOM! MOM!" I felt like one of the bawling calves I had ridden behind during a cattle drive at a friend's ranch a few days before. I sounded pathetic, but I didn't care. I needed help! 
    What a relief to see the church door swing open a few moments later. God knew exactly what was needed. The first one out the door was a search and rescue worker. He sent one of his children to fetch my parents and immediately checked my now HUGELY swelling ankle. Good news! It was not broken, but severely sprained (we didn't know it then but my foot itself was also sprained). He carefully deposited me into the van and gave us some things to do and watch for. I will save you the explanation of my treatments, countless groans, apologies to my family, and their words of comfort; and simply say that even one step can make a great impact. 

One Misstep...
       brought great pain 
       a need for much aid, comfort, and time for healing

One Misstep...
       affected those closest to me
       changed our plans to travel the next day into the next week

One Misstep...
       reminded me of the importance of each step we take--not only physically, but in our 
       lives as a whole. I need the Lord to guide my steps.

I have just now begun to take a few tentative steps again. I trust I will soon be able to walk without pain and once more think it no great thing to take thousands of steps each day. But I pray that I will watch my step. I want each step I take to be sure, steady, and on the Lord's path for my life so I need to follow His direction. A misstep off a sidewalk can cause pain and change plans, but a misstep off the Lord's Way can have much more damaging consequences for a Christian. I thank the Lord that He is merciful and even in times of failure upholds us. These verses are wonderful promises. 

 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: 

and he delighteth in his way. 

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: 

for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand."

Psalm 37:23-24