Our Heart's Desire

Does anyone want to come and put my laundry up? It's been sitting (folded, mind you) in baskets on the love seat since Saturday and I think I'm getting tired of looking at it. I'll put it up when I get done here...

On to more important topics...As most of you that keep up with us know, we are in Louisville while Kenny attends seminary to obtain his Master's of Divinity (MDiv) in International Church Planing. We feel that God has called us to the mission field...in one way or another...and we are in Louisville preparing ourselves for that calling. How? The seminary classes that Kenny is taking give him a deeper understand and theological background to be able to explain and share the Word of God to others (that is a very abbreviated description of his degree). While the MDiv is not required for us to be overseas, it is something that Kenny and I both felt strongly about in preparation for whatever God has for us...We could be in Kenya serving those in the slums, we could be in Russia reaching out to alcoholic moms and dads, we could be in India ministering to a culture that rejects Christianity on a regular basis, we could be in Ecuador helping a farmer with his crops, we could be in the United States supporting missionaries abroad...there are really an innumerable amount of options for us as far as missions are concerned and our prayer daily is that God continues to guide and mold His calling on our lives, so that we know exactly where He wants us and we know that we are in the middle of His will for our lives.

All this to get to this point...we both have a great desire to go overseas...and it has been several years since either of us have been on any sort of international mission trip. So as I was flipping through some of the pictures from our last trip, I thought I might share some of my favorites. These are from Quito and RioBamba, Ecuador in the summer of 2003...


The typical house where an entire family (as in extended...grandparents, aunts, uncles) would live.

My buddy! He LOVED having his picture taken.

A mom and baby working on a quilt...Notice his tobagon...It says Jesus!

Praise and Worship one morning before hitting the streets!

Yes, that is a volcano erupting!

Mezmorized by the students performing a skit.

Learning to play basketball.

On the way to this site, we discussed what we should do if no one showed up...well, the Lord showed up and brought a BUNCH of people with Him! I don't remember the exact numbers we had that day, but we didn't have enough staff and students!

Reading the tracks we passed out...Note the man to the left and his fuzzy pants...he had on pants made of llama!! Cool!!

Waiting for the bathroom...er, hole in the ground.

Heading home for the day.

How can you deny that face? Tonight she will sleep on the floor of the grass hut behind her.

Tending to the sheep.

Staff and students from Week 2...Kenny is dead center, sporting the "I'm traveling" beard and Jana is top right.

While this post has me thinking of options for our future, hopefully it has helped friends and family who wonder what in the world Kenny & Jana moved to Louisville for, have a better understanding of why we are here. I know that God has us in this city at this time for a reason and He is growing and stretching both of us daily...

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

...I'm going to put the laundry up.

...prayer, to be continued...

"Prayer is like the dove that Noah sent forth, which blessed him not only when it returned with an olive-leaf in its mouth, but when it never returned at all."

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

Cultured Alabamians

So, last night we went to see Shakespeare's Measure for Measure at Central Park in downtown Louisville with some of our friends. Each summer the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival puts on the free plays in the park. I thoroughly enjoyed being outside on such a nice summer evening in the company of great friends, but I haven't a clue what the play was about!! They might as well been speaking another language...

As we got in the car to go home, I told Kenny, "I guess I'm cultured now."

To which he promptly responded, "Sleeping through Shakespeare doesn't make you cultured!"

Followed by, "You are from Alabama...you can't be cultured!"

Oh, well! Guess I'll try again next year...

Freedom of Summer

We have lived in Louisville almost two years and I don't think I have yet posted (let alone acutally taken...) any pictures of the campus of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, which is where Kenny goes to school. Below is a view from the Honeycutt Center out onto the Great Lawn (similar to the Quad, for you Alabama fans!!). That is the library in the back ground. It is really a beautiful campus...




The Hill Tour Bus (aka Dad's car) left Birmingham, AL on Friday morning with Mom, Dad, grandparents: Mom Peg and Pop, and little sis, Katie, in tow! We showed them around Louisville a little, including the campus. Then we headed to one of our favorite places...Huber Farm in Starlight, IN...for a little fried chicken!! Katie and I had a little fun on the see-saw before dinner.

We have been enjoying our summer break. Even though we both obviously still have to work, we have no evening commitments, such as class, Bible Study, church, etc., during the summer. We have used our extra time to just relax, work out (Kenny probably doesn't put that in the category of "relaxing"), spend time with friends, go grocery shopping together (believe it or not,we actually have fun), go to a Louisville Bats game or two, cook dinner together, or just have a quiet night at home. After writing all that out, I make us sound like a couple of senior citizens! Ha! We DO still know how to have fun, I promise!

Well, everyone have a great 4th of July! As we celebrate our independence, don't forget what our country was originally founded on...our faith in God. In this time where people are scared to proclaim the Lord's name and share Jesus' love, Kenny and I want to remind you that God has a firm hold on our nation and an ultimate plan for us all. Jesus loves YOU!

"He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God." --Joshua 4:24 (Joshua, the 12 stones and the Jordan)