The Family: Del, Arielle, Ezra, and Silas

Do you ever wake up in the morning and wonder, what on earth am I here for?  Recently, I woke up in the morning and wonder what am I doing taking my family to West Africa?    Why would God want to pull me away from my family?  Why would God want to take my kids away from their grandparents?  Why would God want me to take my family into the unknown?  This last week, I was reminded of a passage that realigned my thinking.

Arielle and the boys

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Isaiah 55:8-9

I can rest with confidence in the fact that we are accomplishing the purposes of God by taking the gospel to West Africa.  Are these my thoughts?  No way!  If deciding what I want is better for me than what God wants, then I’m saying that my thoughts are higher than Gods thoughts,

Arielle reading a book to Ezra

making God subject to me.  My friends this is NOT right!  Even when God does things that make no sense to my worldly mind, I am still called to humble myself before God.  Each day we must wrestle with this question:  Are you going to humble yourself to God’s thoughts and what he wants for your life today?

Silas is looking cute these days!

Silas at 8 weeks. We were trying to take a passport picture : )

After the holidays, we made a few contacts in Senegal and confirmed that we can proceed with a March departure date.  Wow, that is only about two months away!  We promptly realized that there is a COLOSSAL mountain of tasks to accomplish before we leave.  Monday rolled around and we hit the ground running, looking into plane tickets, picked up Silas’ birth certificate, applied for our boys’ passports, and crossed off a slew of other things on our “to do list.”  Every day our pages of “to do list” seems to grow, but we are making head way.  There are days of feeling overwhelmed (to say the least) and days of progress and extreme excitement to what lies ahead.  Right now we cannot do all of this on our own strength or time (especially with two little boys keeping us very busy).  God sure has a way of reminding us of our continual need for him in every stage of life!

Ezra and Silas

Celebrated the birth of Jesus as our little family of four

Opening "stockings" from our shoes, a tradition originating from Europe

Attended a Christmas Eve service. Spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day at the Weinberger's house

Ezra's excited smile on Christmas day!

We traveled to Sacramento on the 26th to celebrate Christmas with the Griffith side of the family

Silas and his proud mother

Silas is already a month old!  How crazy is that?  As we contemplate Ezra and Silas growing up so fast, there is one thing in life we can be sure of–time marches on, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, month by month, and year by year.  This begs the question, what are you doing with the time God has given you?  Are you using the time God has given you wisely?  Each one of us are created to be in a relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ and it is only in a relationship with Him that we can truly

Silas is a month old

redeem the time.  God created us to know him and make him known to those around us.  It is easy to get lost in the decorations, gifts, and even family events during our holidays.  May we keep our eyes on what truly matters as we enter the Christmas Season–Jesus!  And yes, Jesus came as a baby like Silas.

Ezra loves bath time especially with bubbles

Del and Silas sleeping

Ezra and D'Arcy on Thanksgiving day

Whenever Ezra sees a turkey he says, “gobble, gobble.”  Ezra was thankful for turkey and delicious food this Thanksgiving.  In light of Thanksgiving we asked ourselves, what are we thankful for?

Ultimately we are thankful, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” I Cor. 15:3b-4

It is on the basis of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection that we can be thankful

Great Gandpa Frank and Silas

this season and all through the year.  We deserve death for our sins, but Christ died in our place, was buried, and rose to life.  Now we too have new life in Christ.  We give God thanks because our source of life rests in Him and not us.  We thank God for blessing us with two sons, Ezra and Silas, and both sides of our families!  We also thank God for all of you who are supporting us in what God is doing through us.

Uncle Ben and Silas

Delicious Glutten Free Thanksgiving Meal

Silas

After 5000 feet of elevation climb, we decided to do a little rock climbing for a good photo...TJ and Del

5,000 feet of elevation climb, 11+ miles of hiking, and all in 7 ½ hours made for two tired men.  TJ (my brother in law) and I (Del) took one adventurous hike through Yosemite National Park.  As we hiked a wide variety of trails we saw incredible views of mountain tops, valleys, and beautiful water falls.  It was absolutely incredible and

TJ on a trail with switch backs that led us 3,200 feet to the valley floor!

breathe taking.  Although exhausted by the end of the day, we came away amazed at God and his creation.  It was refreshing to be reminded that the God who made all of this is the same God guiding and leading us on our venture to reach the people of West Africa.

“Your love, O Lord, reaches to the

TJ looking over a 1,500-2,000 foot cliff. Incredible!!!

heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.  Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.  O Lord you preserved both man and beast.  How priceless is your unfailing love!  Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.” –Psalms 36:5-7

beautiful view!

View as we hiked down to the valley floor

Arielle, Sarah, Bobby, and Del

On Saturday, October 15, Bobby and Sarah were united in marriage.  What a beautiful event that took place this last week end!  We enjoyed listening to the toasts during the reception!  During the toasts many people said Bobby is a man of genuine character who knows that it is much better to experience life “together.”  Sarah was said to be able to light up a room with her joyful heart and beaming smile.  It was a beautiful wedding, a perfect ceremony, and a day we will never forget—and Bobby and Sarah won’t either! J   We praise God for how well they fit each other.

Ezra and his cousin Ava from Florida

All the cousins together, Ava, Ezra, and Bella!

Ezra's room in our new apartment

Our little family two weeks before Arielle's due date

Had fun surfing and boogie boarding with the guys

Over the past week and a half we looked at apartments, found one we liked, signed papers, moved in, and in between celebrated Del’s 27th birthday and Bobby’s bachelor party.  Last night was our first night in our new “home.”  We are excited to call this home for the next several months.  Now, to unpack!

On Friday Del celebrated his birthday with a yummy cake and lots of dear friends and family.  We consider it a privileged to spend time with people we love so much!

Last weekend Del along with five other guys celebrated Bobby’s bachelor party.  It was celebrated at the coast with steak, clam chowder, games, and a little surfing.  We are all very excited about Bobby’s wedding this week.

Bobby's last week as a single man!

Arielle with our growing baby at 35 weeks

Delicious Chacolate Cake for Del's Birthday

Mormor and Del

Arielle made yummy cinnamon rolls for Del's b-day

The family who went camping!

Last weekend we enjoyed a camping trip with family.  Everybody on Del’s side of the family, except Lily and TJ, made it on the camping trip.  Del’s brother Barry and his wife’s family came too.  It was amazing to step back and enjoy God’s creation.  We worship, serve, and have a relationship with the God of the universe who made the heavens and the earth.  On a side note, the planning for Del’s trip to Senegal is

Arielle and Ezra on the first morning of camping

going well.  He leaves in only a week and half!

Ezra and his cousin Bella holding hands

Ezra in his element: outside!!!

Del and Ezra playing at the lake that we camped by

Five years ago on July 8^th, 2006 I married my high school sweetheart.  When we first met my freshman year of high school, I thought to my self, “She is way out of my league.” But God is gracious and gives good gifts.  Psalm 16:2, “I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”  Arielle has been one of those good things from God.  She challenges me in my walk with God and helps point me back to what is most important.  Even through difficult times, she has a soft heart and is quick to turn back to God.  Therefore, today I especially thank God for the privilege of going through life with my beautiful bride of five years, Arielle!

Prayer Request:  We are looking for a place to rent.  Pray God provides just the right place.  Also if you are in the Fresno area and know of any good renting options we would love to hear about them.