You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.             Psalm 16:11

We have enjoyed this fall season more than usual. The reds, oranges, and yellows in the trees have been so vivid that they take your breath away. When we walk in the morning, we often see the morning star and continue to be amazed at God's creation. Our two little pups, Patsy and Penny, have added a lot of pleasure to our lives. All of these are created by God and bring extra joy.

This past Saturday our church hosted a Trunk or Treat festivity for the community. There were over 1100 children and parents who came to celebrate the event. We were asked to bring Patsy and Penny so the children could pet the girls and received some candy. So, they really enjoyed having the children make over them and never seemed to tire of the affection they received. However, after the event they went home and crashed. We never heard anything out of them until morning.

Another special pleasure over the weekend was Christiane and Roger returning safely from walking from the north rim to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. They were able to make this hike in three days and three nights. Carrying all of their supplies in their backpacks made the hike more challenging, especially the last leg when they had to climb out of the canyon to the south rim. An interesting side note of their experience was meeting a family from Wauseon, Ohio who were home schooling their children and Christiane meeting nose-to-nose with a deer in the middle of the night.
We're not sure who was more frightened, Christiane or the deer.  We are very thankful they had a great experience and got home safely. In fact, Roger had a lay over in Detroit early Sunday morning so we met him at Metro Airport and had breakfast before catching his flight to Lexington, KY.

These and many other experiences make our hearts burst with thankfulness to the Lord. We just need to take time to reflect on His goodness to us. Be encouraged to note God's blessings whether they are big or small.

Blessings and Encouragement.


Paul, Gail, Patsy, and Penny

We apologize for not blogging last Tuesday as Paul arrived home very late due to meetings and by that time we were too tired to be able to put our thoughts on the blog.


Below is a quote of John the Baptist speaking of Jesus, who was coming towards him.

I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.                  John 1:31

Whenever our church has a speaker or group from out of town, we enjoy keeping them overnight if at all possible. This past Sunday evening Brian and Liz Crawford, missionaries from Chosen People Ministries, shared their ministry to the Jewish people in New York City. It was obvious from the very beginning that Brian and Liz dearly love the Jewish people. God has definitely laid on their hearts
a desire to build relationships with these people and lead them to the true Messiah.

When they arrived at our home, we had a group of people already here who came to pray for the upcoming election. We asked Brian and Liz if they wanted to join us, and without hesitation they became part of the group. They joined in just as though they had known us for a long period of time. After everyone left, we enjoyed a great time of fellowship around soup, sandwiches, and popcorn.
In our time with them, we recognized the fact that the call of God was definitely on them as their passion for the Jewish people was very evident.

As a side note, both of them made over Patsy and Penny our two growing puppies. Of course, our little girls gave back as much affection as they got. It's apparent that Patsy and Penny love people. When they see our neighbors in the yard, they always want to run over and shower them with affection. We had to start putting them on a leash because they do not know their boundaries, as of yet.

In closing, our hearts were overjoyed to be able to meet a young couple who were so dedicated and committed to the Lord's call on their lives. We pray that they will have a long and fruitful ministry to God's chosen people. It is such an encouragement to see members of the younger generation picking up the torch and proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ to the world.

Blessings and Encouragement,


Paul, Gail, Patsy, and Penny

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.                                                              II Chronicles 7:14

This past weekend was very special in that both our daughter and son, Christiane and Roger, were able to be with us. Since both of them are going to be hiking the Grand Canyon in two weeks, they decided to spend a little time at Cabela's this past Saturday looking at camping gear. They came back with several bags of various supplies. Late afternoon the four of us took Penny and Patsy for their very first walk in the neighborhood. They are beginning to learn how to lead with a leash but still have a way to go. Roger had to leave for Kentucky on Sunday afternoon so we spent the balance of the time with Christiane before she had to leave on business Tuesday afternoon.

Since we are in the middle of the political campaign, Paul noticed an email that informed us that Paul Ryan, candidate for Vice President, was going to be in Toledo Monday morning and tickets were available online. The three decided they would like to attend so we grabbed up the tickets for the event. The sun rose on a beautiful day Monday morning, and we made the 45 minute drive to the Toledo Airport where the rally was held. The facility was jammed wall-to-wall with people, and after hearing other speeches and viewing several political videos, we were able to hear Paul Ryan speak. We were very impressed with his speaking ability and what he had to say. Below is a picture of the scene at the airport.

Another highlight of the weekend was the opportunity we had to walk in the morning with Christiane.
We regularly go to Lenawee Christian School and walk the grounds in the morning while taking this opportunity to pray. It was great to have our daughter join us in the walk and in prayer both Monday and Tuesday morning. These are times that we treasure as a family.

This was also the first time that Christiane had seen Patsy and Penny, our two, new puppies. It was love at first sight for Christiane and the puppies took to her right away. While with us for such a short time, Christiane was able to teach them to sit. Meanwhile, we are hoping to get the two puppies into an obedience class taking place in November and December.

Reflecting back on Paul Ryan, it was encouraging to hear his view of what the United States can become. We certainly need to be in prayer for the election that is less than four weeks away. As this appears to be the most important election of our lifetime. In fact, we are inviting people to come to our home on Sunday evenings for a time of prayer regarding the election. We plan on doing this until election day.

Blessings and Encouragement,

Paul, Gail, Patsy, and Penny

For they refreshed my spirit and yours also.  I Corinthians 16:18

We apologize for not blogging last Tuesday but we were unable to have access to the Internet.
A week ago today we left for a short trip to the western and northern part of Michigan. We drove up the coast of lake Michigan as far as Leland and then traveled to Traverse City and Petoskey before returning home Friday evening. This was a much needed break, and it was such a treat to see God's creation bursting into its fall colors. We enjoyed the sandy beaches of lake Michigan, but enjoying it even more with Patsy and Penny. This was there first opportunity to play in the sand and see the large expanse of water.

At night the puppies would stay in a crate in our motel room. During the entire trip, they were very well behaved. Once we arrived in Petoskey, we stayed over night with our former neighbors and friends, Kerry and Ann O'tool. They were wonderful hosts and even allowed Penny and Patsy to stay in the crate in their kitchen so they wouldn't get cold in the night. There hospitality was outstanding with wonderful food and great conversation.  They even gave Penny and Patsy a comfortable little dog bed for  them to enjoy. And, believe us, they have enjoyed it. Many adjectives could describe our trip but the word "refreshing" sums it all up.

Last evening we were blessed by having the opportunity to host Jonathan and Stephany Durling for dinner. Perhaps host is not the correct word since Jonathan and Stephany prepared a very delicious meal for the four of us. The food was fantastic and the conversation delightful. Jonathan and /Stephany have been married a little over a year and both display great maturity for their young age.. We believe God has an awesome plan for the two of them. Again, it was a refreshing time to be with them.

Spending time with the O'Tools and Durlings as well as viewing God's creation provided great inspiration for the both of us.

Blessings and Encouragement,


Paul, Gail, Patsy and Penny