Monthly Archives: September 2014

Oklahoma Weekend 1

Yes, we are still around…no, we did not forget to blog on the rest of our trip. The right combination of time and internet access was rather limited so I am reporting once again from home sweet Minnesota.

After our time in Kansas we headed down to Oklahoma for the first of two weekends we would be there. Dad is the only one who has spent any time here so it was nice that we could all go as a family.P1080394On our way down from Kansas we stopped in Oklahoma City to visit the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Dad had been there before and was wanting us to see it.P1080402

talking to a "real live cowboy" security guard in the western town

talking to a “real live cowboy” security guard in the western town

old-fashioned troublemaker storage

old-fashioned troublemaker storage

After the museum we continued down to Stonewall where we would be staying with the Hawkins from Blue Baptist Church. It was so good to see them again! (Blue Baptist was the group we served with in La Plant, SD, earlier this year.) The next day there was a “singing” we were a part of at the church. There were three other groups there as well, so it was almost like a mini-music festival.

Higher Ground

Higher Ground

April Davis

April Davis

happy to be eating?

happy to be eating?

tuning

tuning

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singin’ in the south

The Hawkins came up and joined us for “I’ve Never Been This Homesick Before”…we did several reprises with Mrs. Hawkins playing up a storm on the piano and Mr. Hawkins and Jonathan singing their hearts out. That was the funnest part of the evening!

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so much fun

Sunday morning we felt right at home at church with everyone we have gotten to know since last year in South Dakota. Those children of God know how to sing and lift their voices in praise to Him! We shared a number of songs in the morning meeting and then Mr. Hawkins shared from 1 Corinthians 13 about love. At the invitation time number of people came forward to pray and respond to whatever God was doing in their hearts. Please pray for the unsaved who heard the gospel over the weekend, both at the music night and at the church meeting.

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“Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

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…serve the LORD with gladness;

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…come before His presence with singing.” Psalm 100:1-2

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Mr. Hawkins

by special request, "I've never been this homesick before"

by special request, “I’ve never been this homesick before”

Dad was really enjoying the sweet tea, a beverage almost unheard of in northern Minnesota. He was really happy when some of the church ladies gave him a big mug of it to take on the road!P1080634

Before we pulled out for Texas Mr. Hawkins treated us to breakfast at a really tasty restaurant. Our time in Oklahoma was rather brief but we pray that God brings fruit from the ministry we were able to be a part of.

Stay tuned for our Texas adventures. God had something planned that we never saw coming…

Kansas + Haskell

Hello from Oklahoma! We are on a three-week trip to the South, to sing and share here with some others whom we have been able to minister with in South Dakota the past two summers. We would really appreciate prayer for this time.

We are a week into the trip and hopefully will be able to keep you updated a little bit. So, a recap of this past week…

We started off the trip by going to a Labor Day church conference in the Twin Cities. Our friends the Kramers were so hospitable in hosting our family for the weekend. At the conference we were able to catch up with a few friends, meet new people, and hear many messages from and about God’s Word. We also were asked to sing a few songs for the gospel meeting one night, which came as a surprise to us but we took it as an opportunity God had given. Sunday night after the conference we headed over to another family’s house for some fellowship, mostly inside, and soccer, in the rain. It was a great evening. Um, we don’t have any pictures from the weekend, but trust us, we had a good time!

Monday we headed out for Lawrence, Kansas, where our friends the Morris’s hosted us for three nights. Day one in Kansas Mr. Morris took us on a tour of his mission field, Haskell Indian Nations University.
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the football stadium

the football stadium

an inside view

an inside view

"ussie"

“ussie”

Mr. Morris heads up the Haskell Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and that night was the second meeting of the school year. They open the meetings up to all the students, not just athletes. God brought out enough people to total over 60! Mr. Morris does the teaching, but it was encouraging to see other young people who were taking lead as well and helping in different ways. Haskell FCA meets at Indian Avenue Baptist Church, strategically located just across the street from Haskell and founded by Mr. Morris’ father. What a ministry this church is to the campus!P1080346

playing charades

playing charades

the music team

the music team

singing praises

singing praises

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Mr. Morris shared from the Bible

Mr. Morris shared from the Bible

we broke into small groups to pray

we broke into small groups to pray

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newly-met Christian family

newly-met Christian family

visiting

visiting

Mrs. Morris made us wonderful meals. One night we helped her out by peeling potatoes along with her mother-in-law, Miss Olelah. Miss Olelah and her husband were the first missionaries to Haskell. She is a well-known and respected elder on campus, still shining for Jesus.

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Miss Olelah and the potato team

Yesterday we went from Lawrence to Pomona, where we stayed with our friends the Hendersons who are very gracious hosts. We were able to share a couple songs and also about what God is doing in our ministry at the prayer meeting in their home, and of course the fellowship was greatly enjoyed! We left their house feeling blessed again.

the Hendersons, minus two

the Hendersons, minus two

Please keep us in your prayers. This coming week we will be heading down to San Antonio where Dad has a meeting regarding The Storyteller. We are looking forward for what God has in store for the next two weeks!P1080357

Lake Itasca 2014

It seems like not that long ago I was writing about the 2013 Lake Itasca music festival, and now here we are with the festival come and gone this year already. And since it’s been a month already, only eleven more months until the tenth annual! We are so blessed each year to be a part of this ministry to families.P1080282

Dad did emcee work

Dad did emcee work

...and had people laughing

…and had people laughing

Mama, the faithful "Snack Shack Queen" with cheerful workers

Mama, the faithful “Snack Shack Queen” with cheerful workers

the Wissmanns' musical theater highlighted the story of Martin Luther

the Wissmanns’ musical theater highlighted the story of Martin Luther

we enjoyed listening to Southern Raised

we enjoyed listening to Southern Raised

Our grandparents came from South Dakota for the week…it was so special to see them since it had been a year! They drove up here on a three-wheeler, and of course Grandpa gave us all a ride.DSCN9718 DSCN9724

Mark your calendars for next year, the first full weekend in August. You will be blessed by the Lake Itasca Family Music Festival!P1080287Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Psalm 98:4