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June 30, 2006 I want to thank each of you for reading my journal entries. It is a blessing to know that I have praying friends who care for me and uphold me in prayer. The medium of email allows us to keep in closer touch than at any point in past history; it opens the door to more intimate communication than our ancestors could have imagined. I hope that this note finds each of you growing closer to Christ in your daily walk. I’ve been reading the life of Solomon lately and am always saddened as I think about how his life ended. However, his life is definitely a warning to each of us. Paul’s words in 1Corinthians 10:12 ring in my mind Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. When I begin to think that I’m OK, it is then that I’m most vulnerable. My gaze must always be trained on Christ my example. I talked with Juliana (in Brazil) yesterday. She invited my family and me to her graduation and the preceding banquet this coming December. She is the young lady, ...

Welcome to our NEW look Jewell Page. After several years with Homestead.com I've decided to go the less expensive rout (cheapest) with a blog. We'll still be able to post pix and write as often as we care to. This sight should keep everyone posted as to our activities and allow you to post messages to us as well! So, hope that you like the new format. Tonight Abby was privileged to participate in the First Baptist Church of Lake Orion's Concert in the park. The choir and orchestra celebrated America the Beautiful. The Lord held off what was predicted to be torrential rain and we had a lovely evening. It was a wonderful testimony of God's blessing and a rich music program that FBS has. It was exciting that Abby could be a part of it. There will be one more concert; Friday at the park next to Starbucks in Oxford, this Friday at 7:30. Make a point of being there. You won't be sorry!

Graduation time of year brings a mixture of emotions. We were able to participate in the graduation Cerimonies at LOBS (Lake Orion Baptist School) last night. It was a wonderful display of what God can do with young people. The music was heavenly, the speeches very edifying, the message (by Dr. Sam Horn from Northaland Baptist Bible College) was definitely challenging. The whole afair was delightful. If you missed it you missed a treat. With all of the gloom and doom these days with regards to our public school system, the LOBS graduation was a blessing.

Just two more months in the States! Wow. Our return to Brazil is just around the corner and we are getting excited/sad. How can it be that one is excited and sad at the same time? A missionary's life is a mixture of both sentiments. Whether in the States or in Brazil we are home but we've left someone behind. We have friends and family on both sides of the Big Waters and thus the tug on our heart strings whether here or there. Amy and Art haven't helped our situation at all with the birth of our grand daughter Caitlyn. She makes this see-saw life even a bit more difficult. She is SO funny. She is always saying the cutiest things in such cute ways. We will miss her (and her parents too, of course). These God given sentiments help us to long for Heaven don't they. There we will never part ways. We will be worshiping our Savior and God forever in His presence. Forever together!

May 16, 2006   It has been awhile since I sent out a “Prayer Request” type Excerpt. This is that one.   I was talking yesterday to a lady from our church, a lady whom I've known "forever" but never really sat down and talked to. During our conversation she said to me, “I pray for you often.” While at church last week a little girl, about four years old, walked up to me and said, “I know you!!” when I asked her how she knew me she said, “Because I puay for you!”   Those are precious words to a missionary’s heart, whether coming from a four year old or a senior saint. Missionaries thrive on the prayers of their spiritual brothers and sisters. And, our God answers those prayers! Just this morning I was pouring my heart out to my heavenly Father with my “many” woes. After listing them one by one in prayer and on paper I picked up my Bible to the passage that I was to be reading in my chronological journey through the Scriptures. I opened to Psalm 40, which reads, “I waited pa...

May 14, 2006 Happy Mother’s Day! God has richly blessed me with loving mothers. Mothers plural because my birth mother, who passed away just over a year ago, was such a blessing to me. She gave me life, nurtured me, and led me to her Savior. She did her best to raise me to be a follower of her Lord Jesus Christ. My children’s mother has been an even greater blessing to me. She has been with me through difficult times and wonderful times. We’ve traveled the States as newly weds and the world as missionaries. She serves selflessly and always looks to do more than expected of her. God has blessed me because Dawn is a wonderful companion and co laborer. I always think of the male of the species as a big kid who’d be totally lost without a loving mother or wife by his side. God gives the man leadership, strength, and the responsibility of headship in the family. But, without a good woman by his side his job would be an epic struggle of hardship. Thank you Father for a good mother (Venna Ard...

Traveling to Caseville Michigan brings back memories of my childhood and trips to Grand Ma’s house. The countryside is flat and endless farmland with ubiquitous sugar beet truck and cumbersome farm equipment. In October it is also a color filled experience that assaults the gaze at every turn. Our trip this last weekend was to visit one of our supporting churches, Calvary Baptist Church. Pastor Mike Goforth and his wife Sharis have been ministering in this resort town on the shores of Lake Huron for a little over ten years now and have worked hard to establish Calvary as a true beacon of God’s grace. Sunday we were privileged to share in Sunday school and the morning preaching service. I spoke on “Four Reason to Become a Missionary” in Sunday school and the story of Onesimus from the book of Philemon in the preaching hour. Two hands were raised at the invitation to accept Christ and several hands were raise to commit to share Christ more faithfully.