Thank You For Praying For Ryan!!!

Prayers are working. Ryan one of my long time friends from New Jersey has shown much improvement. He is now breathing on his own and he is out of ICU! His liver is better than what it was (even though it is not where it needs to be) and he is starting to communicate with some of his family and friends. He is still having problems with his kidneys they are completely shut down. He is on dialysis and the doctors are going to see if that helps his kidneys any. PLEASE KEEP PRAYING! I believe God is going to do something amazing with Ryan.

OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE WITH OPENED UP PORCH

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE AND AFTER PICS OF OUR HOME IN NJ

Ella Blairs Room Before

After

Office Before

After

Dining Room After

Before

After

Our Room Before (Above) and After Below

Entrance Before

Entrance After

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Dining Room Before (After continued on the next Blog) 

PLEASE PRAY

I just found out this morning that a old time friend of mine was taken to the hospital last night because of a drug overdose. This friend helped me out on my house this past week. His sister found him unresponsive last night but was able to revive him through CPR. He is in ICU and the doctors are checking his brain for damage. Pray that God would have His Will in this situation and that this would be an opportunity for Ryan to experience Gods power in his life. I am praying that this will be a wake up call for Ryan! I believe God has a plan for this man. Thanks!

IT IS FINISHED! (Well at least for now...)

Well I had a grueling 7 days of straight up hard work! We were able to tear out all the carpet in the house, prime all the walls, paint all the walls, fix some sheet rock, (sand, stain, and gloss, all the floors), mow the grass, rip out a large bush, do some minor electrical tasks, and well that is about it. Aaron left this morning to head back home. I am SORE and he says hes not so I guess he is in better shape than I am (Biking must be better than weights.) God is so good! We are ready to move in with a few other things to do once we get in next month. We are leaving tomorrow morning to fly back to LR. Thanks again AJ without your help we wouldn't have been able to complete the things we needed to do. I saw a few people in the area I new and was able to talk to them and let each one know what God has in store for me here in this area. I am really excited about getting up here! PLEASE PRAY! We are needing to raise about 7,000 for windows in the house. The windows that are in place are as old as the house. Can't wait to sleep in my own bed tomorrow night!!!

http://www.tonylukes.com/cheesesteaksong.htm 

Check out this PHILLY JAM!

SUPERMAN ARRIVED TODAY!

Well good ol' Johnson and Johnson (aka Aaron Johnson) arrived today! Hey brought me my new ride for gettin around Jersey when I get up here for good next month. He also helped us A BUNCH today! We were able to finish painting every room but one. We also started ripping out the carpets. We got all of the upstairs carpet out and the carpet on the stairs out. Tomorrow we will get the rest of the downstairs carpet out and begin getting all the hardwood floors ready for sanding. Man I was so encouraged to have him with me! We had a cheese steak today from PATS (that was Aaron's first Philly Steak.) Hopefully if things go well tomorrow we will venture out to South Philly for an authentic "South Philly Cheese Steak." THANK GOD FOR FRIENDS! I appreciate you so much Johnson!

WORKIN HARD

Well day two and I just finished primering (is that a word) the entire house. The people who lived in the house the 30 years before us smoked. All of the walls and ceiling were once white and wallpaper but the over all color through out the house was BROWN. The entire house was stained with NICOTINE. We will start painting tomorrow and hopefully we will have the entire house painted and all of the carpets ripped out bay the end of next week. I cant wait to preach SUNDAY! Hope all is well with everyone. Wish you all were here! 

WE MADE IT TO NEW JERSEY!

We just got into NJ. I am very tired! We all got up this morning at 4:00 am. I already got to talk with an old time buddy of mine from high school. I told him what I was doing here and the first thing he asked me "Could you baptize my newborn baby daughter?" I was able to talk to him about what baptism was all about. He listened and responded "really, thats not what I thought." God already gave me an oppurtunity to share my faith with someone with only being off the plane for about 2 hours. God is GOOD!!

                       Closing on this bad-boy Thursday!

PICS OF THE FAM

Cuttin Grass

Cheese

Easter 08 in Jersey

My Baby Girl

CHIGGERS!

UHHHHH! I cut the grass and I got CHIGGERS! This is one little bug (or whatever it is) that I will not miss down here in Arkansas!!! Itch, Itch, Scratch, Scratch

MOTHERS DAY

What a great day I had with my wife and my beautiful daughter. We went to Kentucky MBC and listened to an excellent sermon by Danny Heidelburg (youth pastor there). After services we went to Chrissys Mi Mi's (AKA in the north as grandmother) and had a delicious meal with all of her family. Ella Blair enjoyed riding in the wagon and picking "flowers" a she calls them (dandylions AKA WEEDS). Ella Blair and I also spent time this afternoon playing Hide and Seek outside. I am really looking forward to our trip to New Jersey this week. Please pray for us as we travel. I've attached a picture of my two lovely ladies taken on Mothers Day. Holla!!

A VERY RELAXING DAY!

Well even though I couldn't lift weights this morning I did get outside to cut all the grass on the church grounds at Kentucky MBC. I feel like that is the least I can do since the church is so generously allowing us to stay in their parsonage (rent free) until we make our final trip to Jersey. My daughter wanted to help this morning so we got on the riding mower and mowed father and daughter style. Ella Blair is growing up so fast! She is communicating with not just one or two words but sentences now! Her speech therapy is doing wonders! Sunday we will be spending Mothers Day at Kentucky MBC and having lunch with Chrissys family. Monday will be my lat day as a Case Manager and Thursday we will be in New Jersey closing on our house and meeting with a builder to get all of the 31 windows replaced. I will be preaching in New Jersey that Sunday and painting, painting, and did I mention painting all of the following week. Hope everyone has a good weekend! Man I really like not having anything to do today!!! Holla at a brother!

WHY DOESN'T MY BODY WORK LIKE IT USE TOO??? Don't answer that!

Well this morning I got up as I always do at 5:30 am to do my daily session of weight training. I put my weight on my curl bar and began working out. About three sets into my work out I went to put the bar down when I felt one of my lower back muscles (draw up just like a window shade). Needless to say I was at the doctor because of a pulled muscle in my lower back. I guess I have to take a break from liften for a week. Anyway on a more positive note I am looking forward to a fun filled weekend with no traveling but just precious time with my family. But NO LIFTEN man thats soooo not cool. Hope everyone has gotten their wives something special. There's my blog for the day AJ! (LOL)

NEW ABA WEBSITE

Here is the ABA posting website for those who don't have it. (http://abanews.info/)

FINAL SUNDAY

Wow! A great end to a great nine months of deputation! Good times in Hot Spring County and an AWESOME experience at Sharon MBC in Benton. Lots of positive talk from Brother Richard Hamlin and the people at Sharon about picking up The Jersey Plant with monthly support! We also received a generous love offering from the people at Sharon! This will be of great help in helping us with relocating to New Jersey in June. God is so Good! It is great to be in His Will doing His Work! How was everyones Sunday? Holla at a Brother!

DEPUTATION COMES TO A CEASE...

Well, this Sunday is the last Sunday doing deputation (Hot Springs in the am and Big Sharon in Benton in the am). Just got our tickets to fly up North on the 14th to close on our HOUSE!!! Really excited about spending time the rest of this month with my wife and daughter. I am also going to be ending my career as a Case Manager for Arkansas Counseling Associates in about 2 weeks (WHOOO HOOO). It's been a great job but it has also worn me out emotionally, mentally, and physically along side of deputation. The one thing I have learned the most during my time on deputation is the importance of belonging and being a part of a Church Family. I can't wait to get up NORTH. All are invited for cheese-steaks at my house the 1st week of August. 

Steve

Just Getting started.