Happy 8th Birthday to my sweet boy, Bradley!

Today we celebrated my baby boy's 8th birthday. What a fun day it was for him, one he will never forget. He started his day with his best friend Austin. John took them to Austin's Park and Pizza where they played mini golf, rode bumper boats, rock climbed, played video games, hit in the batting cage, ate pizza, etc., etc., etc. What an awesome time they had together. Then, John took Bradley to Build-A-Bear, which has become a birthday tradition for our girls and now for our boys. This was Bradley's 1st time to go so it was extra special. He's been planning since January which animal he would get and how he would be dressed.

After that, they came home for supper. Bradley chose chicken-n-dumplings for his birthday meal, Yum!! We ate, opened some gifts, sang Happy Birthday, and then enjoyed birthday cake. Hope you enjoy the photos of Bradley's Big day. Oh yes, he also got a new Longhorn t-shirt from Papa John, some new swim goggles from his brother, and an MP3 player from his dad, sisters, and I.

Bradley and Austin cooling down on a bumper boat ride!

Soaked!!

Bradley dressing his puppy in a Dallas Cowboy uniform. It even had a helmet and cleats! Too cute!

Bradley and John at Build-A-Bear with his football dog "Max".

This year, Bradley wanted a simple cake that he could put his Lego creations on top of. I thought that would definately be easy for me. He built this pirate ship, shark, and treasure chest. They made great cake decorations!

Happy Birthday Bradley! I love you and I'm very proud of you! I'm so thankful God gave you to me.

The Young, The Old, and Between

My day started with a 10 a.m. appointment with 7-year old Kacey Stewart. This beautiful 2nd Grader to be wanted to visit with me about becoming a Christian. (What a great job I have to be able to get to visit with children about the most important decision they'll ever make in their life). After about 45 minutes, Kacey left my office with a helpful book to help her continue on the journey to becoming a Christian. It won't be long, Kacey. God is working in your life.
Immediately following that appointment, I had to go make an unexpected hospital visit to another beautiful child. This one; however, is only 2 years old and has cancerous tumors on her brain and brain stem that are terminal. Unless God miraculously intervenes (and I know He can), little Amber Rendon will leave this earth for her eternal home very, very soon. Would you please pray for God's best for Amber and for God's sufficiency and strength for parents Virginia and Art and the extended family? Thanks.
I made it back to the church just after 2 p.m. for our first "Seize the Summer Service Project" with our pre-teens. After some team-building activities, we went to DQ for a quick blizzard fix and then on to the Pflugerville Care Center to play bingo with the residents there. All of them elderly and many of them hurting, it was a time to love, encourage, teach, learn, and play. What a blast it was to help these beautiful senior adults in an afternoon game of bingo. We were able to escort them from their room and back to their room. My 'tweens did a great job as did my Children's Ministry Assistant Kristie LaGrone.
Here are a few life lessons God reminded me of today: (1) Children are precious to God. (2) Life is valuable to God. (3) Life begins and ends with God. (4) I am very blessed and have much to be thankful for. (5) I am not in control. (6) When all I can do is pray, praying is enough because God is enough. (7) Pre-teens love ice-cream (and other assorted DQ treats). (8) Senior adults are serious about BINGO! (9) People all around me are in great need. (10) A person's greatest need - young, old, or in between, is Jesus. (11) I am helpless to help people in need on my own; but I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. (12) It is more blessed to give than to receive. posted by John

Happy Father's Day!

We had a great Father's Day! We started our day with a Celebration service at our church. We've been anticipating the completion of our new Worship Center, and Sunday was our 1st service in our new building. What an amazing time of Worship it was.

We came home to a yummy lunch that was waiting for us! Gotta love Crock Pots!!! After lunch, the kids gave their Daddy some new board games that he loves! One of them, he's not played since he sas a kid. It's fun getting to teach our children the games we played when we were little!

Here's the proud Daddy before church!

I love this photo! Look at the smiles on all their faces!!!

Daddy with his new gifts!

We also had John's dad here with us on Father's Day! John got him this football magazine and a big box of Coca-Cola!

Father's Day reminds me how thankful I am for several people. First, I'm so thankful for my Dad, Don Brown! Thank you Dad, for the investments you've made in my life. I love you!

I'm also thankful for my husband, John. I'm so glad you're the father of our children. You are a great daddy and I thank God for you! I love you!

Vacation Bible School - Boomerang Express

Last week, we travelled on the Boomerang Express to Australia and had some VBS fun!!! We didn't really travel to Australia, but that was our theme for VBS this year. What a great week we had together as a church family. We had lots and lots of children come (close to 300 I think). We also had about 8 children come to know Jesus as their Savior for the 1st time. We serve a BIG God and we thank Him for an amazing week of Vacation Bible School!

Here is one of the extremely handsome guys we had in crafts! And yes, I'm proud to call him mine!

And here's another handsome young man who came to crafts. I'm also proud to call this one mine too!

Brenna is posing for the camera at the closing worship ralley!

Bathany coloring her boomerang during preschool crafts!

My "Goofy" children after family night!

Catching up with Brandon & Bradley

John posted earlier this month about Brandon & Bradley's 5 year anniversary of being in our home. Here is a photo of them with their balloons their Daddy brought home on June 1st. They were so surprised to get these. John found this huge #5 at the party store and knew it would be perfect for this occasion. He also got blue balloons and a baseball balloon for Brandon, and red balloons with a soccer balloon for Bradley. We are blessed to call them our sons. I still find it hard to believe that they have been mine for 5 years! They are growing up so fast!

Here is Bradley participating in Reader's Theatre on the day of his awards assembly.

Bradley with his sweet teacher Ms. Wilson. This is his certificate that he received at his 2nd grade awards assembly.

Brandon receiving his certificates from Ms. Ballew, his 3rd grade teacher.

Brandon drew this hippo picture for a contest the 3rd grade students had at their school. In case you don't know, the hippo is our school mascot. The winners of the contest, got their pictures on the cover of the yearbook. Brandon's drawing came in 2nd place and was placed on the back cover of this year's yearbook. Pretty cool, huh?? Brandon is very detailed and particular about his work, and I guess it paid off. We are extremely proud of him! I was a very excited Momma when he came home and told me his picture won!!! Way to go Brandon!

Brenna's Preschool Graduation

Well, it's hard to believe that Brenna is already old enough to graduate from preschool. Her graduation from WeeOnes was the end of May. What an amazing little girl she is and we are so proud of her. She had a great year with a great teacher. Ms. Robin, Ms. Sonya, and Ms. Kim were so good for Brenna and I think she is more prepared for Kindergarten because of her time in preschool. Thank you Lord for Godly teachers who take their time to invest in the lives of my children.

Brenna receiving her diploma from Ms. Carrie (our preschool director)!

Here is Brenna marching in.

Brenna with her sweet friend Lauren!

Here are Brenna's certificates, photos, etc. Lots of great memories!!!

Splash Day

Well, I'm a bit behind on my blogging, so I'm going to back-track a bit and catch you up on a few fun things that have happened in the lives of the Woods'. The girls finished their preschool year with Splash Day. What fun it was! Here are a few photos of Brenna and Bethany playing on the water slide.

Weeeeeeeeeeeee!

Cute Bethany sitting on the edge of the slide!

What FUN!!!

Brenna with her sweet friends waiting to slide!

20 years

Father's Day 20 years ago - June 18, 1989 - to be exact. That was the day I surrendered my life to God to follow His call into ministry. I didn't know what exactly that meant at the time; I just knew that was His call for me. I only had one viable answer to His call - obedience. I had come up with every excuse to that point why I couldn't, shouldn't, or wouldn't. No excuse would suffice. Only yes. My college major changed from numbers (accounting) to people (ministry). Because of His call, I've had the joy of serving four different churches full-time and reaching out to people with the Good News of Jesus in seven different countries (USA, Canada, Mexico, England, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Australia) on four different continents (North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia). I've traveled through four different schools (Kilgore College, East Texas Baptist University, Southwestern Seminary, and Southern California Seminary). To think about the numerous people who have encouraged me, invested in me, helped me, prayed for me, and believed in me on this journey overwhelms me. To try to name them all would be impossible, so here are the few I can think of: Margaret Rhodes, Betty Berry, Don and Marie Page, Tim Snowden, Wayne Gooden, Dorothy Acree, Merle Moreland, Johnnie Henderson, Allan Thompson, Dr. Don Potts, Dr. Bob Utley, mom and dad, Dr. James Pierce, Jerry Campbell, Robbie Wooten, Diana Jennings, Don & Doris Bearden, Don & Diane Brown, my wife Jennifer Woods, Eric Luptak, Kevin Preston, Michael Julian, Michael & Helen Young, Neil Thornburg, Chris Moore, James Dawson, Gary Newman, Jerry Newman, Andrea Jones, Carl Glaze, Mike Westbury, Brenna Dossey, MeMaw and PaPaw, Greg Bell, Erik Roddy, Alex Hamilton, Carla Early, Paul Rotenberry, Alita Hacker, and my children (Brandon, Bradley, Brenna, Bethany). This list could go on and on and on. Thank you from the depths of my being to these family members, teachers, pastors, professors, counselors, judges, attorneys, mentors, co-workers, deacons, friends, students, and children who have helped shape my life. Someone wiser than me once said that God does not call the equipped, but He equips the called. I'm so glad. I'm so grateful. I serve a great big God. O God, help me to remain faithful to Your call - wherever you lead, whatever the cost, for however long. Help me to pour my life into others just as so many others have poured their life into me. I am honored. I am humbled. I am yours. Give me 20 more years and beyond to follow you, serve you, and lead others to do the same. posted by John

Mission: Ecuador

In 1956 Jim Elliott, Nate Saint, and three other commrades adventured into the jungles of Ecuador with a heart to reach the Auca Indians with the Gospel of Jesus Christ - because they had never heard. They gave their very young lives doing so. Their story and the rest of the story that follows is captured in two movies The End of the Spear and Beyond the Gates of Splendor (also in book form). Now these Indians are believers. Their story, in part, can also be heard on the album "Declaration" with emphasis on the song "No Greater Love" by Steven Curtis Chapman.
And today, 22 friends of mine (teenage students and adults) from East Paris B.C. in Paris, TX are leaving for an 8 day excursion to Ambato, Ecuador and beyond to continue the journey of sharing the Gospel there in Ecuador. You can keep up with their journey beginning today through the end of next week. Please check out their Mission: Ecuador blog and pray for them. http://epstudentmissions.blogspot.com posted by John

Facebook - Take Another Look

Facebook is a social networking website that boasts over 200 million persons that are connected to it. That number has more than doubled from 100 million just since last August. WOW! In less than 10 months, the number of people "Facebooking" is up to 200 million. And it is only four years old, having started in 2oo5. When I heard that statistic, it got me to thinking. This week in our Vacation Bible School, themed the "Boomerang Express" (Australian theme), I am responsible for, among other things, the Missions Harbor each day. That is where we teach the children (and adults) about how God is at work through missionaries in this country and around the world reaching people with the Good News of Jesus. When I heard that Facebook touts 200 million plus persons as a part of its network (and growing), I thought of another number as it relates to missions. 8 x 200 million is 1.6 billion - that's the staggering number of people on the planet that have never heard the Good News about Jesus - that He loves them, died to save them, and has a plan for their life. 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 says that "...we are His ambassadors..." That means it is my job, responsibility, and privilege to make Christ known to those who have never heard. How are we doing? Facebook numbers are growing; we don't want this number - 1.6 billion - to grow. Maybe we should take another look at spending so much time facebooking and a little more time proclaiming Jesus to those whose faces represent names that need to be written in another kind of Book - the Lamb's Book of Life, which is only filled with names of those who have trusted Christ with their life as personal Savior. Are you networking because your name is in this Book? God help us. posted by John