a new generation

the other day in the car i was making the girls listen to mommy's music instead of the usual kids songs (i can only take so many of them before insanity starts to set in). as the next song came on klove i realized it was one of the girls favorite songs. for some reason they love matt redman's "you never let go". i told them their song was coming on and when it was about to start the chorus i said "o.k. girls oh no you never let go" as i looked in the rear view mirror i saw one of the most awesome sights i have ever seen. here is my 3 year old, head tipped back, eyes closed, singing at the top of her lungs

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me


my eyes filled with tear without even a moments notice and my heart was so full of God's blessing. this new generation that josh and i are given the responsibility to train up is now beginning to see God. of course i am not sure how much of that song she really understands, and how much of her closed eyes head back comes from what she has seen at church. but......she is seeing it she is hearing it and she is experiencing God at the age of three. this really brings to mind the words in mark 10

13-16The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.

i hope today not to get so caught up in my daily worries to forget how loving God can be simple enough for my daughter to understand and handing over my life can be as easy as throwing my head back and singing at the top of my lungs. thanks God for the example my children set for me.

waiting

"when our plans are interrupted, His are not.
His plans are proceeding exactly on schedule,
moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable)
toward to goal of true maturity" (romans 12:2)

elisabeth elliot

prayer requests

just wanted to ask for a few extra prayers for our family this next few weeks. josh is on a plane as i type headed to new zealand. he hasn't been there for a year now and really needed to reconnect on that side of the world. i am 34 weeks this week and that means taking care of the girls has been about all i have gotten accomplished each day. we all miss daddy when he is gone and the girls seem to know mommy is tired and try and take advantage of that sometimes. we are enjoying the sunshine and the paddling pool though so that should get us through the next two weeks while he is gone.

please pray for...
`josh's safe travels

`the formation of a national youth board in new zealand (to take the place of the coordinator who just resigned)

`trip to the south island to scout out a place for new church plant. this will be the start of a new district of the wesleyan church

`the national convention, josh will be leading a seminar for pastors about the third culture church and a seminar for youth leaders about effective youth ministry.

`mommy's sanity while daddy's away

`a safe and happy ending to this pregnancy (but not till josh gets back for sure!!!!!)

mother's day photo's

garden

well it looks like we will be spending another summer here in northern indiana u.s.a. (mixed feelings about this) we are trying to make the best of where we are and let ourselves settle a bit wherever we are and no matter how long we will be there. i think this is the best way to live our lives at this point, not knowing what is around the corner half the time. for some reason i am recalling a wise bit of wisdom saying we should be content in all situations...

Philippians 4:12-13 (New International Version)

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

so with that said we are planting a garden and hoping we can keep up with the weeds long enough to enjoy the produce. the girls "helped" me this morning (for about 10 min and then found the barbie car and puddles! much more exciting!!!) and it turned out to be an enjoyable experience. so gardener i must become for a few months. if our neighbors in new zealand are reading this they must be cringing at the thought. they saw way more weeds and not very much produced at the bowlin house (well maybe children but...). they are wonderful gardeners and were so good at sharing we didn't need one of our own.

anyway hope you are enjoying this warm bit of weather and watching the seasons change. it always reminds me how our God really is in charge huh. i wouldn't be able to make all the beauty around me or make anything grow very well for that matter hahaha!!!!!

so prayer requests for this month.......
our garden (may God be in charge and not me so we can actually eat out of it!!!!!!!)
our lives (may God be in charge and not me so we can actually accomplish something great for Him)

prayer requests

~our funds level is still at 54% and we are praying in the rest of those funds so we can get back to new zealand.

~we need $45,477 faith promise a year to get us on the ground. that would take 100 people giving $50 a month. pray we can find those faithful people to join our team.

~our visas were denied do to the pregnancy. now we will wait on baby bowlin to be born in july, reapply and hope to be on a plane as soon as it is safe to travel. pray for speedy return when we can have them processed again.

~josh will be traveling on a scholarship to israel at the beginning of may and then to new zealand for national convention the beginning of june. pray for safe travel.

~i am just starting the last trimester of this pregnancy so pray all will continue to progress as normal and for surviving the heat of my first summer pregnancy!!!!

easter

this is now our second easter here in the states and another year of making easter dresses for my girls. ( fun fun) it was a great day with our church family here and a yummy lunch with our family afterward. the sunny day made wonderful pictures. although we cannot believe how big our little girls are getting they think they are running the house and grown ups already. this little boy on his way better be tough huh!!!