Oh, Bush.

"Oh, yes, President Bush. We thank you so much for helping us to wipe out those we hate."
Pray for our country and our president.

My "Rubber Tree Girls"

Before we ever came to Maui, I had a dream about teaching little girls under a tree....it was unlike any tree I had ever seen. I often recalled that dream because it was so vivid and I felt that there was something special about it. When we came to Maui in 2006 to visit and minister at a church, I saw that very tree. It is a rubber tree and it stands right outside of the church! When we were offered a position on staff there, my first instinct was not to go because it was so far away from my comfort zone, yet I knew in my heart that we would be going there. The tree was a sign to me.

We came, and this last year has been such a blessing to us. Now that it is time to go, I find it hard to leave these little ones. Last night, three of the girls came and sat in my lap, sobbing. I held onto them and told them how much I loved them and that we would be back to see them. Their cry made my eyes well up with tears. The dam broke and it was like a waterfall of sweet sadness. There we sat, all sobbing together. I thank God for our time here, even though it was hard for me to step outside of my comfort zone and away from my family. I know that our hearts will always be connected to the people of Maui and we will be making visits often. Thank You, Lord, for all You have done.

Maui School of Supernatural Ministry

We enjoyed a dinner with Earl and Jana, who worked hard to establish the Maui School of Supernatural Ministry. They are very passionate about loving God and seeing people come into relationship with Him. It has been a blessing getting to know people like them.

The school meets in this community center next door to this beautiful, old church across the street from the ocean.

The times of worship are so uplifting. There have been numerous testimonies of healing and even restoration of marriages this past week.

We are so grateful to have a part in this work on Maui.

Enjoying Our Time Here

It is hard to believe that we only have a few days left on Maui. We are making the most of it, enjoying the scenery and seeing friends that we will miss so much.
I captured a couple of moments on film that I will cherish. My husband and daughter enjoy making castles and islands in the sand. My son loves walking on the lava rocks to explore the tide pools and discover the marine-life-surprises that are held in each one.

Genesis 1:10 says, "And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good."
Genesis 2:7 says, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

Difficult Day

(STAINED GLASS IN A CHAPEL ON MAUI)
Yesterday was a difficult day. We told our church family that we are moving back to Texas to look into a new ministry opportunity that is forming in a church there, and to be near family. There were many tears and hugs....I felt quite drained from the emotional roller coaster that took me from tears to laughter to tears, again. When I came to Maui, I did not realize that I was going to become such a part of a family here; almost as if I was adopted. The Hawaiian culture is a beautiful thing and my friends here are some of the most precious, beautiful creations upon the earth. I wish that I could take them all with me!

I remember the night we arrived in Maui. We stepped into our home on Haleakala volcano and I walked through the house, grateful for the blessing of it....then I went into my son's new bedroom, sat on the floor and cried like a baby. I was so afraid and wondered what I had done in leaving all of my loved ones so far behind....over 2,300 miles of ocean and over another 1,000 miles of land. When we began going to the church here, I hesitated in making friendships; afraid to become too attached to anyone because I knew my heart longed for home. During a time of prayer, I felt the Lord telling me to love the people here with my whole heart. I joined the hula ministry and as I began dancing, I found that something that was lying dormant in my heart came to life. I have walked into a deeper way of worship, that brings me so close to God, that my heart overflows; it's really unexplainable. I have walked into friendships that I thought were impossible to acquire. God used my discomfort to make me more rich in spirit, mind, and....well, the body is a different story, as Maui does not seem to agree with my sinuses. Oh, well. All of this to say, "Thank You, Lord. You are so good."

I look forward to all of the exciting things to come. The ministry opportunity in Austin is connected with the ministry in Maui, so we will remain connected and will take trips to Maui regularly, I am sure. As I sat in a leadership meeting last night, I was amazed to see and hear how God has connected Austin and Maui.....He is up to something good.

A Shock for Penny Pinchers

During a recent trip to buy groceries, I thought I would take a couple of pictures that will shock people back in Texas. Honestly, I panicked when I first saw the prices here on Maui, but now I have been desensitized to them. Jehovah Jireh!!
One gallon of milk for $8.29
One gallon of orange juice for $11.99

Holiday Guests

God really blessed our holidays with the presence of many friends and family. Not only do we have a wonderful church family here, but we get to enjoy those from our homeland, as well. Our friends blessed us with a great Mexican food feast! Thank You, Lord.

Pastoral Staff

That sounds kinda scary, doesn't it.....pastoral staff? The reality is: a beautiful picture of shepherds who care so much for the souls and well-being of others, that they lay down their own desires, their livelihood in some cases, and security in order to see the Kingdom of God expanded and declared throughout the world.

Today, I peeked into the sanctuary and saw this picture. My husband, our Senior Pastor, and Youth Pastor (he's a long-time friend of ours) were meeting together. I love the unity that is present. Even when they may not see eye-to-eye, there is honor and respect and the desire to please God. There is hunger for the presence of God. I pray many blessings upon our pastors as they pursue the things of the Kingdom.

How We Treat Our Guests??

Since moving to Maui, we have had numerous guests, which has been a wonderful experience. However, it seems that the beaches are a bit rough on some unsuspecting body-boarding guests. Here are a couple of photos of our guests after visiting beaches with dangerous shorebreak.
I am praying for my sister, who still does not have full use of her arm after 4 months (from her accident at Big Beach). We thank God that she did not break her neck and we thank God that Isaiah (the boy on the board) did not have serious injuries. Isaiah experienced an ambulance ride to Maui Memorial on his very first day of vacation.
When the signs say, "Dangerous Shorebreak," they are not joking.