Thanksgiving time.....

Ok, so it is already cold here! And, guess what!?!? This is nothing with what I am about to share, but – we won new snow suits for the kids on ebay for $24.99 each! If you do not know, snow suits for the kids that will do the job here in S.D. are very expensive!!! We have just moved from the tropics & it gets below zero here & we have been praying how to go about the cold with our kids. Then in complete shock, I won a ridiculous bid on ebay. I know that it was and is The Hand of God! Here is my kids all suited up…..now all we need is some snow!



I find it a bit interesting that we have returned to the states – right before the holidays….. Anyway, I start there because I have had such a different perspective on life since returning to America. Don’t get me wrong, I saw God in all the little things in Thailand too. I loved our time in Thailand! It was life giving, sustaining, and changing!!! But, to live life away from many modern conveniences, wow, it just proves that they are indeed – conveniences. Gifts!
So, I continue to thank the Lord daily for the things I feel so blessed. From hot water at the kitchen sink to a drying machine for our laundry. But today I have to add an AMAZING PRAISE report!
Once we got here, within 8 days, Jackson became ill. He had a serious infection that was also overdramatized into a airborne disease by the hospital. Anyway, needless to say after a few doctor appointments, an emergency ambulance ride, a good stay in an isolated private airflow room, including all medications and a breathing machine to take home……it started adding up! If you didn’t know, we don’t have insurance! But, then again we do! We have Holy Ghost insurance! Ha!
The bills starting coming….we couldn’t pay. We talked to the hospital. Then, we got a notice from a collection company over one of the bills. We stood still in FAITH!
Yesterday we got a call….a beautiful call. The State of South Dakota has covered our medical bills! From our prescriptions to our ambulance rides to our hospital stay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank You Jesus! I want to encourage you who are reading. Just when the enemy tries to get you to doubt the faithful Father! Stand Firm! He is Jehovah Jirah – The Lord Will Provide!

The Change is a Hard Reality in Many Areas

Notice new photo's to the right....new slideshow...

As you may already know, my sister in law, Carrie Pruett, is sick with Typhoid Fever in Chiang Mai Thailand. We had been serving with them for about 2 years while we were in Thailand ourselves. Please keep her in your prayers for a speedy recovery. She is on medication & is finally able to rest.

When this happened I started feeling very ..... very .... strange. For lack there of a better explanation. It was a feeling of helplessness. I know I can pray, but I could not physically help. Help by taking the children so that Todd could be free. Help by making meals. All the things we would naturally do like when we were together. So we prayed our hearts out! I share that to explain this "transitional feeling" our entire family is feeling.

It is like you are in the middle of 2 places. You go from being a foreigner to being a citizen. That may not explain it well. But regardless - we are all starting to have feeling about our return to America. It is great in so many ways & we know, that we know it is the Will of God for us, but wow - so different!

Braden still cries A LOT about missing plants, our dog, our house there. He likes everything THERE! He misses his cousins and friends with whom he played with A LOT. He misses his family there (Unlces and Aunts both related and not). He is by far having the hardest adjustment.

Trinity cried herself almost to sleep last night about missing her cousins. She doesn't know why we have to be apart. It is heart wrenching to hear her cry, because it is such a deep cry.

Jackson, well he is by far our BEST at this transition. 1 month later & he misses our home there, but content with today.

Trent too is doing really well, but the reality of not being on the mission field is hard to swallow even in the will of God. He is praying and praying to stay working full time for God.

Me, well I have a very different attitude coming back. A very thankful heart! I am so happy for all the conveniences that we have here & the easy communication with people ANYWHERE. But I do miss the joy of serving there. I miss our team. I miss our dog too.... But more than anyway of being able to actually describe it, it is just this lost in the middle before we walk into what God has before us.

So! I do not post this to be a downer. Really, it is a great day! I just thought I would put in a journal entry about some realities we have had returning to the states. People have asked me, "Do you miss Thailand?" Then I thought, maybe other people returning from the mission field might be able to relate? Anyway, here is my view point about our cross cultural move - 1 month after stepping back onto American soil.

Motherhood, home school, and ministry

Welcome to the maddness~


It has been quite a while since I have posted - sorry! It usually takes me a while to get into my groove once I have an adjustment. Well, I feel like I am getting there. So, what's been going on?

Jax - He is free!!!! Yes, no more being confined to the house!!! No more sickness! No wheezing - complete healing!!!! Woo hoo!

Braden - Still would rather be in Thailand. Still really sad about leaving our dog, Samson. BUT! We are making progress. He does not cry EVERY day about Samson. So, we are using this difficult time as a ministry for him - handpicked by God.

Look! Matching pants :) And yes, it is already COLD here!


Trinity - WOW! The word that comes to mind...LIFE....LOTS OF LIFE! That girl is something special!!!! She is a comedian at about 99% of the time. She has a heart of worship & is singing most of the time worship songs to God. She is such a joy!

Trent - Praying, seeking God's direction in many areas. Already helping out in the church as opportunitites arise. Not to mention, becoming very handy! Trent used to not have a handy bone in his body. But guess what?!?!? He is handy! He even made a table!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check it out:


I don't know about you, but I am IMPRESSED!

Amy - Home schooling, ironing, staying ontop of laundry, home cooked meals in a fast paced world....preparing lesson plans for both Junior High & Childrens Church! I love it! I love being used :D It is so fun to prepare for sharing the love of God with children and youth & God has given me an opportunity to do that!! Thank you Jesus! As for the home, I think stepping back into a world where things are more convenient that it has given me such a thankful heart. In Thailand daily chores are so much work. You have the heat, and very few of the conveniences that you have here. So with these new found freedoms my goal is to remain thankful & to do a better job of living my life unto the Lord serving my family. Laundry is so much more easy here that I am done so quickly & am actually ironing! I know many moms out there have that down, but this is a new accomplishment for me. I am enjoying the will of God for us right now!!!


This washer and dryer IN PERFECT working condition was given to us as a gift to help us set up a home in America....once again.


Home school....Well, this is a huge deal now. Going into 2nd grade with my kids has been a big adjustment. Right now it is taking us from 9:30 am to 3:00 in the afternoon. This takes commitment from each of us. We do have break in the morning & then an hour for lunch to break up the day. It is just longer than last year! More classes, more time. But hey, the kids are getting smarter! Me too!







Ministry. Well, we have officially taken on the Childrens & Junior High positions at New Life Christian Fellowship here in Sioux Falls. We are excited to get started. There had been a Sunday School class for the kids. All ages in one as the staff was short handed. They were however getting solid teaching! Both Michele & Rita were serving whole heartedly & we hope to be able to follow in their footsteps! So we are excited to put a special ministry together for them. We are going to now have a midweek program for them & Sunday mornings. Sunday morning will now have the childrens program & an age appropriate Junior High program. There is a special need for hands on ministry for this age group for what they are about to walk into. Trent will be heading up the Junior High along with serving in Men's minsitry, assistance to everything Jeff needs, and he will also be doing Prison Ministry.

I will be doing the lesson planning for both. I will be specifically handling the Childrens Ministry, and helping Trent in anyway. There are a lot of opportunities to serve here and I am trying to go slow. I want to say yes to everything, but I know I have to take one step at a time. I am praying about leading a weekly new Christian discipleship for women as well as prison ministry for women. Keep me in your prayers for hearing what the Lord is asking of me. Not what I can do to be busy, but what He is truly asking of me.

I hope this catches you up to date, and I will post again soon!

A thought worthy of meditating on...

God delights to increase the faith of his children. We ought,
instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for
patience, to be willing to take them from God's hands as a
means. Trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats,
are the very food of faith.

-- George Müller



In light of what we have just walked through - this really ministered to me! Jackson is home, recovering & doing great! Thank you for your continued prayers.

As soon as we get Jax out of the "home zone" we will be moving forward with our ministry call. We are really excited to get started with our passion of sharing the love of Jesus!!!

God has been faithful to keep us & just this morning the kids and I were reading Psalms 121. We are really trying to focus on God as our keeper around here. There has been a lot of adjustment & the kids are doing well in spite of it all. Braden would rather be in Thailand & Trinity is so so so missing her family there. BUT! We can trust our God that He has called us here & will keep us. That He is THE GOOD FATHER & His eyes are upon us & we can rest in Him & His plans for our lives.

Isn't that true for any situation we are going through? God's love and His Word applies to us all - ALL THE TIME! AMEN & THANK YOU JESUS!

With love, Amy

Jackson is home!

Wow! What a 48 hours!!! This evening we were able to bring Jackson home. He is home and we are all sooo happy! Thank you for your prayers, and words of encouragment.

The TB test will be complete in the morning, but we know in our hearts that is not the case.

SO! Thank you Jesus! Thank you family & friends!!!

Hello from "America"

I have to apologize for taking so long to write. Quite honestly it has been crazy busy since being here. Days were flying by & it was hard to stay connected without Internet at the house. Then we were blessed to have my parents bring a Uhaul of stuff to help make a home here. Such a blessing!

Then out of no where, Jackson got really sick. He had a cough when we left Thailand, but we just figured it was a cough. Well last night he went into a severe asthmatic attack. It began with coughing & then we took him to an Acute care. They gave him breathing treatments & sent him home. At home we gave another one, and then he took a huge turn for the worse barely able to breath. We returned to the Acute care & they then transferred him by ambulance to Sanford Childrens Hospital.

Once there he was admitted and treated, with little reaction to medication. They then put us in quarantine & have been treating Jackson as if he has an infectious disease such as Tuberculosis.




Trent and I are NOT receiving that! We are believing for a complete healing in Jesus Name! Today Jackson has been able to respond to the steroids and i.v. medications & the Doctor thinks that is a very good sign that we may not be dealing with T.B.

The Dr. may keep Jackson admitted for another day or 2 as Jackson is not breathing at levels he should be without treatments.

Please join with us in prayer for a speedy COMPLETE healing. Also, please pray for Braden & Trinity as they are really upset about not being with their big brother..

Love, Amy