stop me if you've heard this one...

i just heard a story that really helped encourage me in this time of our fundraising/ministry.

out on a day at sea an officer and his wife found themselves in a terrible storm. she was so terrified and looked to her husband for some comfort or direction. when she looked over at him she realized he was so calm and seemingly not shaken at all by the turmoil around them. she had to ask how he was staying so calm. all he had to do was draw his sword to explain. he pulled out his sword and placed it at her neck. he asked if she was afraid of the sword and the wife said of course not. when asked why she simply said because you are holding it i know you would never hurt me. his response was that he knew who was in charge of the storm and knew He was looking after them.

When i heard this it really helped me to calm my wondering mind about how and when we will get to New Zealand. we are praying strong and having faith that God is in control of our lives and so we need not fear or worry about how He is going to work it out. thanks for your prayers and thoughts for us. i hope this can be of encouragement to you today!!!
may God bless you today

18 weeks and counting

5 1/2 inches
about a half of a pound
ultrasound on the 18th then we will have real pictures of our baby!!! until then this will have to do

super bowl sunday in illinois

well here we are, sunday afternoon in illinois. getting ready to enjoy the super bowl, meeting some new friends, and eat some yummy food. we just got back from texas, were home for two very busy days and then off to illinois. God has blessed us with this new contact and a new church family to join our new zealand team. we are also blessed with a super bowl party and fellowship with some new friends. GOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! COLTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so very glad to have a computer

wow, it has almost been a month since my last post. i promise i have not forgotten you... just a lack of internet for mrs. bowlin. mr. bowlin cannot seem to stay away from it though. the combination of emails and keeping connected with nz and his masters work has kept him staring at and typing on the computer almost non-stop. he did finish his first semester at seminary with all a's. us girls are all very proud of him and try to help him wherever we can to get his work done.

we have been traveling and updating currant/meeting new churches all over the u.s.a. it seems. we had the privilege of attending memorial drive wesleyan in muncie a few weeks ago and are now visiting a few new contacts here in texas. we hope to bring a few more team members into our new zealand team over these 10 days we are here. we are at 50% of our funds needed at the moment and hoping to make some big jumps in the next month or so. josh just turned in a big proposal to help lower our budget this last week. we really are doing all we can while we wait for God to bring in our funding. i love how our friend at headquarters put it when she said we were actively waiting. praying, working on paper work, visas, traveling, speaking, and packing everything we don't need right now, are just some of the things we have been doing in preperation to get back "home".
pray with us that we will have the energy and the connections to continue to travel and share what God has called us to do, and the need for partners in this ministry.
until next time.....

christmas new year update

we have had a great christmas and new year season with our families. it was different because my grandmother passed away this spring so it was the first year without her. it was bitter sweet but very good because last year we didn't have any family around at all (we were in NZ of course.) we have been busy traveling but haven't really raised any support the last few months. the economy has effected us but only in small ways. only one of our churches dropped off but we have had a few pick us up as well. i think the ones who are already on our support team won't be dropping off but to ask a church to take on a new commitment is very hard at this time.
our girls are doing well. they are growing and growing. they are trying to get along and learn to share and play with each other. we did find out a few weeks ago that we are expecting a new baby. we are due july 9th and so excited to add another member to the bowlin family. we do really need to get to N.Z. before our last trimester, so we need your prayers that the Lord would give us the places and connections with people to raise our remaining support.
Hope this finds you well and well Blessed of the Lord. we thank you for all your prayers,
The Bowlin's Josh, Becca, Cail, Averie and Baby Bowlin

all i want for christmas...

look what i found today under our christmas tree!!!! i thought it was pampered chef but i got a even better surprise!

a day in the life...

today consisted of a lot of messiness. i don't know how that happens but some days are just messier than others. to start the day we had a box of rice chex dumped all over the floor by a trying to be independent averie. the middle of the day was fairly clean but they were both in bed. the evening started with noodles everywhere from dinner, green goop from church crafts last night all over the table (shhhh even a tad bit on the floor) and all over cails hands, mommy's shirt and the bathroom sink. while i was cleaning up from dinner and getting p.j.'s i hear the frantic yells from the bathroom "mama averie pooped in the tub...MAMA!!!!" sure enough to my dismay poop in the bubbles. then (yes the messes go on) while i was cleaning up the poopy bubble shower and making messy chocolate rice crispy treats (they were yum by the way!!!) i turn around to see a puddle of wees on the floor from averie. i was really trying to let her go without a nappy for a teeny bit and kept telling her she needed to try and potty. not to mention she just went in the bathtub!!!!! once again while i was cleaning up the wees with a paper towel and my shoe and stirring the sticky marshmallow mess, i hear a tiny sweet little voice calling into the kitchen "poos mommy". i look over to see a worried looking averie pointing at the living room. cail ran to see and oh yes, more mess!!!!! needless to say it was time for a nappy right away and work on potty training another day. i won't tell you about the messy faces after chocolate rice crispy treats but you can imagine for yourselves. anyway there's a day in the life of mommy!!!!!

Psalm 127:3-5 The Message
Don't you see that children are God's best gift?
the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?
Like a warrior's fistful of arrows
are the children of a vigorous youth.
Oh, how blessed are you parents,
with your quivers full of children!
Your enemies don't stand a chance against you;
you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.