A little preparation

The weather is still struggling to make up its mind as it switches back and forth between rainy and sunny days.  One day good and the next day bad.  Well yesterday was another rainy day and Kristin and I decided that we would make the most of our indoor time and assemble our new baby crib that had arrived.

We've been doing a little work lately in turning our home office into a baby room.  Kristin's parents recently paid a visit.  While here they brought up a rocking chair and helped cut a carpet remnant to fit the room.  The room was starting to take on some of the characteristics of our baby girl's future room.  It just seemed to be missing one key component... the crib!

So yesterday we enjoyed spending that hour getting on our knees and assembling the crib.  When finished we put on the new pink bed sheet and folded the new pink animal print quilt over one of the crib's railings.  Oh how pink will be an ever more prominent part of my life!

It has been fun to make these little preparations.  They help to remind me of the exciting days to come and suppose the challenges as well.  They help to make everything feel more real and have given Kristin and I some opportunities to share in our anticipation.  Three months now doesn't seem that far off!

May update

A Glimpse of Heaven

Matt and I have been reading Randy Alcorn's book, Heaven, together recently.  The Lord has really used it to encourage both of us to look more deeply at the Scriptures and to be encouraged about all that can be found about our eternal home.  I love that the author refuses to write things about heaven that can't be found in Scripture and that he gives a very thorough treatment to the many facets of what lies ahead of us.

A few days ago in our reading, Alcorn included a quote from Martin Luther that seemed especially significant given the spring season:

 "Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime"

Flowers at 7 Mile Creek park during a recent hike

I LOVE that. Yesterday, I went out for a run before church and was struck anew by the significance of that quote.  My favorite trail near our house (Red Jacket for those of you familiar with Mankato), seemed to have come alive.  We were out of town for about a week and while there was plenty of new growth a week ago, it almost felt like the scenery had exploded into spring.  What grace that God gives us this wonderful hint of heaven every year.  As winter slowly fades away - usually lingering a little longer that most of us would like - spring slowly takes its place, gaining momentum as each week passes, until the world seems to have transformed.  Color, warm air, and new life takes the place of the black/brown/white winter palate and gives us new hope.

May you have ample opportunity to enjoy the magnificence of spring and may you hope ever more deeply for the eternal home Christ is preparing for us.  A place more marvelous than the most beautiful spring our eyes have witnessed.

It's a girl!

We had our big 21 wk ultrasound last week and found out that we're having a girl!  We're excited to know the gender of our little baby and to start preparing her room and thinking of names.  Here's a pic - pretty sure she's sucking her thumb :)

Helping Japan

As the clean up and rebuilding continues in Japan, Campus Crusade wants to be available to be the hands and feet of Christ to this earthquake/tsunami-ravaged country.  Here's some information on how you could actually go and bring the hope of Christ to the people of Japan - a people who are in desperate spiritual and physical need. I'm passing on an email from Tommy Dyo, who coordinates Campus Crusade's EPIC ministry to Asian American students:

Dear Friends,

The EPIC movement has led the USCM in a key partnership with CRASH (Christian Relief, Assistance, Support and Hope) Japan and Japan CCC to send at least three waves of rebuilding teams beginning June 27th. The work to be done has not yet been specifically outlined, but daily work likely will include debris removal, cooking, cleaning and children’s ministry.

The cost for a person to participate will be approximately $4500. As of right now, the first three project dates will be as follows:

-          Project A: June 27-July 19 (deadline to apply: May 10)

-          Project B: July 13-August 4 (deadline to apply: May 18)

-          Project C: August 1-August 23 (deadline to apply: June 1)

Due to the nature of the work, as well as the conditions on the ground where we will be working, participants will need to be in good overall physical, psychological and emotional health.

Though not required for every applicant, we have special needs that will be considered when processing applications. For example, in order for our teams to be able to work effectively, we need Japanese speakers to serve as translators. Special skill sets related to rebuilding would also be helpful (e.g. you might have students who have worked in construction who you could encourage to go).

Please note that we are continuing to monitor the radiation situation and will not intentionally put anyone in danger. Also, we have invited a number of Japanese churches and organizations to participate in sending with the USCM as well, as they will likely be able to help more significantly with providing translators and other resources that are needed. Therefore, the teams will not be made up entirely of students and campus ministry staff.

As the time is short, please encourage interested students, faculty, volunteers to apply quickly! To apply, direct them to http://gosummerproject.com and have them look for Japan Rebuild: Project A, B and C.

Thank you for participating as we help to rebuild Japan on the foundation of Jesus!

Tommy Dyo

Executive Director – Epic Movement


You can also check out Japan Rebuild for more information.

Abundantly More

I (Kristin) have been studying Ephesians lately and I find myself getting hung up on this passage each time I read through:


(Ephesians 3:14-21)
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.


Its such a familiar passage that I can easily glaze over it and think, 'that was nice' when I finish reading the Amen.  When I pause to really process what Paul is conveying in this passage, however, it literally blows my mind.  I just can't grasp the fact that our Lord's Spirit is giving us strength in our inner beings so that we might understand the reaches of God's love for us more deeply.  What a God we serve!


To know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.  Isn't that a paradox? We've been given a great treasure our human minds just can't comprehend.  I love that towards the end of verse 19, where it says, 'that you may be filled with all the fullness of God', the Greek here actually indicates not just that we may be filled, but that we will be KEPT FULL...over time, God continually fills us with Himself.


Then stack verse 20 in there and try to grasp that God can do ABUNDANTLY more than we can ask or think.  That's more than we can ask or think even with His Spirit giving us knowledge in our inner being.  I'm so grateful that we serve such a great and incomprehensible God who loves us deeply and personally.


Praise God for His GREAT love and Jesus' sacrifice that paved the way for us to enter into this incredible love relationship with the Sovereign Creator of the universe.  May you have a blessed Easter!

Joys that come with spring!

Put away those winter coats because spring has arrived!  I (Matt) would not consider myself a winter person so I have been eagerly awaiting spring and all new opportunities to enjoy being outside.  Here are a few ways we have been enjoying the first warmer days of the new year...

We were able to get out our bikes out from storage and go for our first ride yesterday.  Our tires were flat and it took a little hunting to find a gas station with air that wasn't out of service.  After filling our tires we biked onto the Red Jacket Trail.  It really is a wonderful trail.  Kristin, with her great knowledge of various kinds of vegetation, pointed out all of the purple and white crocuses that are starting to bloom along it.  While biking, we try to guesstimate when the trees will grow their leaves.  I'm thinking between 2-3 weeks.

Unfortunately the flooding damaged one of the most beautiful parts of the trail, an old railroad bridge that has been converted to a trail bridge overlooking the Le Sueur River.  A whole section of the bridge has been removed.  We both hope that they will repair the bridge. 

Kristin and I have also been enjoying our walks on this same trail.  The trail is connected right next to the YMCA and is near to where we live.  We have recently been doing prayer walks together on the trail.  It is very peaceful and a great way to connect with each other and God.  Sometimes when it is hard to focus on prayer, I find a walk to be the perfect remedy.

We hung up a bird house in a tree in our back yard.  This is my first residence with a back yard.  We also look forward to grilling in the yard sometime soon.  Oh grilling how I've missed you!

Lastly, we have had our first opportunity of the year to continue our ritual of walking to a nearby Dairy Queen.  Funny thing, I believe it was after we ordered, the manager said that they and all of the other Dairy Queens in Mankato have run out of vanilla ice cream.  This was a week ago and it was still a little chilly.  I guess when you are anxious for spring a little Dairy Queen ice cream can help convince, if only a moment, that spring has actually arrived.

Well those are just a few of our experiences outdoors.  I hope you also get opportunities to enjoy the wonderful weather!