http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583
this newsweek article explains why America has become a post-Christian nation. meaning, we are currently experiencing the decline, and ultimately the end, of Christianity in America.
well...i disagree, but it breaks my heart nonetheless. and i know that if my heart breaks, then how much more does the heart of the FATHER break? this is why matt and i don't take what we do lightly. the future of America is, in every way, most certainly dependent on today's university students.
GOD help us...
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
time for updates
first off...matt's grandfather (gramps) did pass away only a few days after i last posted. matt had already left for his trip, so i ventured down to corpus christi with my brother-in-law, james to be with the rest of the hoogendoorn (and smith) family. as sad as it was to acknowledge the end of a beautiful life, it was also such a sweet and unexpected time with my new family...who are totally amazing, by the way!
i only knew gramps for a couple of years, but he won my heart from the very first meeting...like he does with EVERYONE he meets! what a precious life lived to serve the KING! he loved the LORD and his family with everything he had and did so much to make their lives the best they could be.
and here are a few pictures from matt's trip. i'll do what i can to try to get him to write about some of the really amazing stories.
the city
the caspian sea
(and my fully-bearded husband)
a monestary
mount ararat in the disatnce
i only knew gramps for a couple of years, but he won my heart from the very first meeting...like he does with EVERYONE he meets! what a precious life lived to serve the KING! he loved the LORD and his family with everything he had and did so much to make their lives the best they could be.
and here are a few pictures from matt's trip. i'll do what i can to try to get him to write about some of the really amazing stories.
the city
the caspian sea(and my fully-bearded husband)
a monestary
mount ararat in the disatnceMonday, March 16, 2009
please pray with us for matt's grandfather and my grandmother. both have been fighting cancer for quite sometime now (my g-mother- 2ish years, matt's g-father- almost a year), but it seems that in just the last few days they both have become weary of the fight. my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer (i can't remember what type) but it has spread and she has just developed a brain tumor that the doctors say is suppressing her ability to cough and will eventually cause her to get pneumonia. but her body is way too weak to fight it. and matt's gradnfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and they gave him chemo (as an, otherwise, very healthy and active 82 year-old man), which has completely torn down all of his immune system, leaving him in and out of ICU with several various illnesses. both have been given only weeks (maybe) to live.
it's hard to know exactly how to pray for the dying. do you pray that JESUS miraculously heals them or do you pray for their peace and comfort in their last days? of course, we love them so much and it hurts to think about life without them, but it also hurts to watch their pain and suffering be drawn out this way.
and this is the cool/difficult part of all...both families have several members that have never known CHRIST!!! i can't even begin to imagine the kind of hopelessness they're feeling right now. please pray, most of all, for their hearts. don't you know that the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY will be glorified in both of these families?!?!
my grandmother with my sister and me at my wedding
matt's gramps and granny also at our wedding
it's hard to know exactly how to pray for the dying. do you pray that JESUS miraculously heals them or do you pray for their peace and comfort in their last days? of course, we love them so much and it hurts to think about life without them, but it also hurts to watch their pain and suffering be drawn out this way.
and this is the cool/difficult part of all...both families have several members that have never known CHRIST!!! i can't even begin to imagine the kind of hopelessness they're feeling right now. please pray, most of all, for their hearts. don't you know that the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY will be glorified in both of these families?!?!
my grandmother with my sister and me at my wedding
matt's gramps and granny also at our weddingMonday, March 9, 2009
Reconaissance Mission
we just found out about a week ago that matt has been invited to go along with a group of other chi alpha campus pastors on a missions trip at the end of this month! the reason for the trip is to make connections with the missionaries who live there in hopes that we'll be able to take teams of college students in the future. they'll get to visit 2 different countries within a week and a half. one of the countries is about 90% islamic (which is why i cannot mention the names).
we are super excited about this great opportunity and are praying that the LORD would open doors for the students at UH to go and see the need beyond this land. we believe very strongly in missions and that every student (or anybody, really) should experience what it's like to serve others in a foreign land. will you please pray with us for the protection of this team of men leaving on the 18th, and that deep connections would be made with those that live in these countries.
check back for pictures and cool stories!
we are super excited about this great opportunity and are praying that the LORD would open doors for the students at UH to go and see the need beyond this land. we believe very strongly in missions and that every student (or anybody, really) should experience what it's like to serve others in a foreign land. will you please pray with us for the protection of this team of men leaving on the 18th, and that deep connections would be made with those that live in these countries.
check back for pictures and cool stories!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
we are humbled...
to those of you who read this that support us:
YOU ARE TRULY AMAZING!!!!! no really...you guys totally knock our socks off every month! and some of you just plain spoil us at other random times...and we just love it!
it's so crazy to us that just when things are getting tighter and tighter and we have no idea how to make it through the month...we receive a random check in the mail or note of encouragement. you have no idea the impact this has on us! i don't know exactly what happens in matt's heart when he discovers this sort of kindness, but it never fails that i am overwhelmed to the point of tears. it is truly humbling to know that so many people love us enough to pray for us, to think of us and to give to us. i'm just saying...you totally rock our world!
thank you for being obedient to the LORD. and for being so selfless and sacrificial. we love you so, so much!
YOU ARE TRULY AMAZING!!!!! no really...you guys totally knock our socks off every month! and some of you just plain spoil us at other random times...and we just love it!
it's so crazy to us that just when things are getting tighter and tighter and we have no idea how to make it through the month...we receive a random check in the mail or note of encouragement. you have no idea the impact this has on us! i don't know exactly what happens in matt's heart when he discovers this sort of kindness, but it never fails that i am overwhelmed to the point of tears. it is truly humbling to know that so many people love us enough to pray for us, to think of us and to give to us. i'm just saying...you totally rock our world!
thank you for being obedient to the LORD. and for being so selfless and sacrificial. we love you so, so much!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Christmas "Break"
We have had such a whirlwind "break" this holiday season. In fact, it's been so crazy that I'm just now getting to update this thing.
Christmas:
Last year was our first Christmas as a married couple and we were able to get away with not having to travel everywhere to visit family since we had just seen most of them at the wedding. But we decided that we really wanted to see our extended family this year even though that meant adding a few extra locations to our "Christmas Travel Map." It was definitely worth the extra time and travel. We both have such amazing families and are so grateful for them...including our extended Chi Alpha family.
The World Missions Summit 2:
Oh, WOW!!! Really, not many other words can satisfy our feelings about this truly historic event. So much occurred at this conference that it would take too much to explain, but I'll try to fit what I can into a nutshell. We were in Cincinnati, Ohio for two and a half days with about 4,000+ college students and many other missionaries from around the world. There was international worship, rooms set up like different regions from around the world, and story after story after story about the grace and the love and the guidance and the provision of GOD. We also heard of many opportunities where there was great need for help. Close to 100 students pledged their futures to the LORD and told Him that they would go and do whatever would bring Him glory. And the craziest part? They really meant it. Can you even begin to imagine how much our world is about to change once these students graduate and are loosed into the far corners of the Earth to win souls for the Kingdom of GOD?! Incredible.
Itineration:
This is what Matt and I have been doing for a of couple years now to raise our personal and business budgets. Basically, we are invited to visit many different churches all over South Texas and share our vision and burden for the University of Houston. Just in the past few weeks we've visited several churches and have met many marvelous men and women of GOD. It is always so encouraging to hear how the LORD is moving in the ministries that have partnered with us.
When Matt and I visit a church, we always hope that the LORD would use us to minister to and encourage the members and the pastors of the church. And it never ceases to amaze us that we are the ones who leave deeply encouraged and blessed beyond words. I truly believe that we are in the best business on Earth. Thank you, JESUS!
So no, this has not really been much of a relaxing "vacation." But neither one of us would want it to be any other way...and we won't trade it for anything. :)
Christmas:
Last year was our first Christmas as a married couple and we were able to get away with not having to travel everywhere to visit family since we had just seen most of them at the wedding. But we decided that we really wanted to see our extended family this year even though that meant adding a few extra locations to our "Christmas Travel Map." It was definitely worth the extra time and travel. We both have such amazing families and are so grateful for them...including our extended Chi Alpha family.
The World Missions Summit 2:
Oh, WOW!!! Really, not many other words can satisfy our feelings about this truly historic event. So much occurred at this conference that it would take too much to explain, but I'll try to fit what I can into a nutshell. We were in Cincinnati, Ohio for two and a half days with about 4,000+ college students and many other missionaries from around the world. There was international worship, rooms set up like different regions from around the world, and story after story after story about the grace and the love and the guidance and the provision of GOD. We also heard of many opportunities where there was great need for help. Close to 100 students pledged their futures to the LORD and told Him that they would go and do whatever would bring Him glory. And the craziest part? They really meant it. Can you even begin to imagine how much our world is about to change once these students graduate and are loosed into the far corners of the Earth to win souls for the Kingdom of GOD?! Incredible.
Itineration:
This is what Matt and I have been doing for a of couple years now to raise our personal and business budgets. Basically, we are invited to visit many different churches all over South Texas and share our vision and burden for the University of Houston. Just in the past few weeks we've visited several churches and have met many marvelous men and women of GOD. It is always so encouraging to hear how the LORD is moving in the ministries that have partnered with us.
When Matt and I visit a church, we always hope that the LORD would use us to minister to and encourage the members and the pastors of the church. And it never ceases to amaze us that we are the ones who leave deeply encouraged and blessed beyond words. I truly believe that we are in the best business on Earth. Thank you, JESUS!
So no, this has not really been much of a relaxing "vacation." But neither one of us would want it to be any other way...and we won't trade it for anything. :)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
i love my job!
please allow me to introduce to you two of the most important people in my life...
caroline is 4 years old going on like, 14. she LOVES cinderella, (and wishes to be called "cinderella"), tea parties, pippi longstocking, and drawing. she also enjoys bike races, and playing soccer. she's just beginning to learn how to write her abc's and could sit and watch movies or tv for hours, literally. she has a way of telling it like it is. she loves me when i wear my hair "blonde" (meaning straight), but only likes me when it's curly. but she also tells me all the time at random points throughout the day, "katey, i love you. you're my best friend." here she is in her new fancy hat sipping tea (water from the bathroom faucet.)
jack will be 2 at the end of january. he LOVES baab, his soft lamb blanket thingy. baab is his best friend and truly part of the family...won't go to sleep without him. (he's holding baab in the bottom picture.) jack enjoys reading LOTS of stories and pointing to the objects that he recognizes and can say. he didn't say any words at all until about 2 or 3 months ago. now he learns 5 new words a day. he loves to play chase and watch the wiggles and do everythng little thing his big sister does...which of course, drives her crazy. he loves me so much even though he can't quite say it. but i know it when he climbs up in my lap, gives me a kiss and snuggles close. oh, and he is soooo handsome in his glasses. this picture doesn't quite capture the handsome, but it does capture the cute.
i love these kids so much. i've only known them for about 8 months, but i could tell you just about anything about them. and if you're ever around me for longer then 5 minutes, i probably have a cute story or a funny picture to share. they don't realize it, but they teach me about life and about unconditional, self-sacrificing love. i get to be part of their lives...and they're not even my kids! how much more could i love my own?!
i just wanted to share with you about two of the most amazing people on the planet.
caroline is 4 years old going on like, 14. she LOVES cinderella, (and wishes to be called "cinderella"), tea parties, pippi longstocking, and drawing. she also enjoys bike races, and playing soccer. she's just beginning to learn how to write her abc's and could sit and watch movies or tv for hours, literally. she has a way of telling it like it is. she loves me when i wear my hair "blonde" (meaning straight), but only likes me when it's curly. but she also tells me all the time at random points throughout the day, "katey, i love you. you're my best friend." here she is in her new fancy hat sipping tea (water from the bathroom faucet.)
jack will be 2 at the end of january. he LOVES baab, his soft lamb blanket thingy. baab is his best friend and truly part of the family...won't go to sleep without him. (he's holding baab in the bottom picture.) jack enjoys reading LOTS of stories and pointing to the objects that he recognizes and can say. he didn't say any words at all until about 2 or 3 months ago. now he learns 5 new words a day. he loves to play chase and watch the wiggles and do everythng little thing his big sister does...which of course, drives her crazy. he loves me so much even though he can't quite say it. but i know it when he climbs up in my lap, gives me a kiss and snuggles close. oh, and he is soooo handsome in his glasses. this picture doesn't quite capture the handsome, but it does capture the cute. 
i love these kids so much. i've only known them for about 8 months, but i could tell you just about anything about them. and if you're ever around me for longer then 5 minutes, i probably have a cute story or a funny picture to share. they don't realize it, but they teach me about life and about unconditional, self-sacrificing love. i get to be part of their lives...and they're not even my kids! how much more could i love my own?!
i just wanted to share with you about two of the most amazing people on the planet.
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