Power outages and computer freeze up......

I am on my third try to update..... It's been far too long! My first attempt was zapped by a power outage and the second --- the computer froze and I just finally shut it down. :-( Now I feel like all my news is too old to go there anymore.

Our Christian Youth In Action training camp went from very stormy (and not the weather) to very good. That update is going to have to come by word of mouth...... too long and too much...... And it's all over and things ended on such a positive note that we aren't concerned anymore about what the devil tried to do. He failed --- God's plan won. So we will just leave it at that!!! Two from our group --- Ethan and Bobby---- stayed for the second week and went out as groups for Five Day Clubs and VBS. They said they "want to do it again next year!!"

We can home to an email asking if we would do a "service of Hope" at the Alcohol Treatment Center -- for 12 adults. We didn't really feel prepared nor adequate to work with adults... But Ed said "use the same format as you did with the teens".... So we agreed to do it. We were blessed in wondrous ways again. Eight of the twelve prayed to receive Christ as their Savior. The four women asked for Childrens' Bibles for their little ones at home......so those are on order. We talked to Ed a week later and several had reported what had happened in their "highlights of the day." So they are receiving more materials from Ed and discussing the need to find a good Bible believing church.

Our Overisel Youth Group has arrived in fine shape. They left in a storm (and that WAS the weather).....actually they left the morning after all the rain....and arrived late Saturday night. I won't tell about what all they experienced yesterday --- will leave that for them ----- but it was a big memory maker I am sure!!!

Today is a beautiful day and the group will be going for their "work" at the Juvenile Detention Center. It should prove to be a wonderful experience!!

The country side is in glorious array!!!! The pastures all so green....sometimes brown is the shade -- but not now. The rains have been a blessing. The ranchers are busy with haying.

Thank you for keeping everyone and everything in your prayers.

Gary and Barb

So very cool!!!

It can be so neat going into the JDC to visit with the kids on a Sunday afternoon. Today we really only had 2 kids to visit --- ones that had previously asked Christ into their hearts. So we said -- "send in anyone who would like to visit with us." One young man came in carrying a Bible -- like the ones we give out....but we knew we hadn't given it to him. He said he found it in Booking and he was lonely and depressed and so he picked up the Bible and started reading in the Psalms. The Bible also had a sheet in it that we had handed out with "helps" of where to find certain passages - like .....if you are afraid...or angry....or lonely , and so on and he said he liked that. I guess that first appearances made us think - a hard case......but what a different view you get - once you get to talking to someone. We really shouldn't just assume things by what we see on the outside! We were blessed by getting to know this young man just a little bit in the 20 minutes we had.

Well, it has been raining lightly for the past few days....did get about 1/2 inch the other night, so that made the roads a mess again. Now today - right now -- it is pouring down rain. (The ranchers are VERY thankful - the rain is needed badly!) We are glad we are back in for the night......HOWEVER, tomorrow morning we need to be out bright and early to take some kids into Mission for a Basketball, Running Camp with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.....could be very interesting...anyway for the first 3 miles of dirt road.

Then on Tuesday morning - earlier yet -- we will be heading out for our week of CEF training with the young people from the Lakeview Church. We will be there thru Saturday.

Thanks for keeping all of this....JDC, CEF, FCA, and US :-) in your prayers .

Gary and Barb

A Place to do Bible Study!!!!!

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10........."Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."Psalm 27:15

Barb and I have been searching and praying for some time for a place to have a Bible Study with kids that have gotten out of the Juvenile Detention Center. We looked at the Veterans Building in Rosebud but it's kind of out of the way and they want $50 a night.

I thought we should get ahold of Ed Parcells and see if he had any ideas. We could not get ahold of him and gave up after a couple of tries. Last night Pastor Tom called and asked how our search was going. "Nothing so far.....we need someone who's favorable toward us." Pastor Tom started to give a few suggestions and then mentioned the name "Ed Parcells" ---- I said, "did you say Ed Parcells?!" Yes! Now with a different phone number we called Ed. He said he has been trying to get ahold of us but had lost our e-mail address and phone number. He was glad we called because the kids that get out of the JDC are still on probation and need to go thru a 12 week program with part of the requirement being "Spiritual Development".

That's us!!! Ed said he would fully endorse our program as the spiritual development requirement. (They could go traditional, or AA....) WOW!! God works in wonderous ways. The program should start in a couple of weeks and that works for us because next week we will be gone to CEF Training in Atkinson, NE.

THANKS FOR THE PRAYERS for a place to do this Bible Study!! We know that you have been praying....because God has answered your prayers and ours!! Now keep praying that we give the right message and in an understandable manner.

If you would keep next weeks CEF Training in your prayers - that would be great. We will be a group of 10 -- 7 of us from the Lakeview area (three adults and 4 young people)and 3 from Sioux Falls. And, of course, many other young people from around Nebraska.

Also keep Prairie Light Youth Camp in your prayers. Plans are being worked on. And there are always those many little things that need to be done. We have the Bible Lessons all planned out....the activities planned.....the songs worked out......a special speaker, Frank Love.....the volunteers to help us...... So things are in pretty good shape --- it's those little things.... like remembering the easel, the paint brushes, the glue, the words for the songs, the camera, the flannel figures, the water jug.............and on and on.

THANKS ! we know you are praying!! :-) Gary and Barb

PRAYER REQUEST !!!!!!!!

I didn't go along to JDC last night --- because of my cold. I am getting better!! that is not the prayer request.

Pastor Tom and Gary went and they were really blessed. Five young people prayed to receive Christ!!!

On the way home Tom and Gary were talking about "follow-up" for all of these young people.....there have been 38 just from JDC alone who have asked Christ into their hearts. YES! Praise God for His goodness and love!

We really need to find a building to have a Bible Study for these young people.....a building located in the right area....... (These young people are spread over many miles...) And so that is our prayer request for now....finding the right building in the right area.

Thank you --- we know you are wonderful supporters and great prayer warriors. God will guide us if we seek His will!

Gary and Barb

Beautiful Wedding........May 16, 2009

We can't have the wedding pictures without the SHOES!!! they were a VERY important part of the day.....don't ask me HOW they were important --- just know that they were!!!! Yes!.......the groom, the groomsmen, the father of the bride....father of the groom, and the ring bearer.....ALL wore THE SHOES! Thank you Chuck Taylor!!Clayton and Zoie did their part without a glitch!!! They were adorable ....and I think they both knew it too!!

Tim and Marti beamed the whole day and we thank God for another wonderful son-in-law....it was a beautiful day....a slight bit chilly --- well OK it was down right cold once the reception got started.

But there was a tent with heat inside and so we all got warmed up and the dancing started. They had a totally awesome band---- sorry I don't remember the name of the band but they were good. Marti and Tim looked wonderful together (dad and daughter did too) as they danced -- those lessons paid off!
We had a wonderful time while we were "home" (we really don't know where home is at this point). Our whole family was there for the wedding and we got to spend time with all of our grandkids.....especially getting to know the youngest ones - Halle and Sawyer. And shucks - we know they won't remember us when we see them again.......but when we left we were good friends.

We got back in time to have Release Time with the older group and found out that next week we will still be able to meet one more time with the K-4 graders. That's so neat because we really hadn't said good-bye to them for the summer.

We did get back in time to move some cattle....this morning we moved 300 yearlings..... That age has a reputation to be unpredictable......but they behaved themselves very nicely and the move went good. One day soon we will be moving the cow/calf pairs to their pasture also. That is always interesting ...because when those little calves lose mama --- they sometimes turn tail and run back to where they last saw her. Hopefully we won't lose any of them either.

Gary and Pastor Tom will be going to the Juvenile Detention Center tonight. I came back with a NASTY cold!!! And we don't want to pass that on to everyone at the JDC - so I will be staying home this time. Hopefully I will be on top of it by Sunday because Lakeview church is scheduled to have the service at the JDC Sunday evening at 6:00.

It was also great to see all of our supporters and friends at Overisel. Your prayers are so very important to us. Thank You!!!

Gary and Barb

Sign off until we get back to SD.

Decided this was a rather interesting picture...........

JDC tonight and then we will pack it up and head out in the early morning hours.

We probably won't update again until we return from our Michigan trip. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers and thoughts.

Gary and Barb

Andre' and John.....

Well, Andre'(Youth Pastor) and John DeNeef have left for home. It seemed to be a VERY positive trip for them.....He's planning on taking the youth group out to minister to the young people at the JDC for several days in June. Andre' left very excited. And we are excited as well. They will be traveling straight thru to Michigan so we would ask that you lift them up in prayer.

Of course, no trip is complete without checking out the ranch life and Andre' had a good time there as well.

We will be leaving tomorrow morning (Friday) and hope to arrive in time for a bridal shower for Marti on Saturday afternoon. Prayers for that trip would be appreciated also.

Thank you! Gary and Barb