Mexico Prayer Request's (Guest Post)

I am posting an email that was sent out by our trip coordinator, Daniel Osborne



Friends and family,

As we leave for Mexico, all of us on the team greatly value your prayer support. We fully know that we cannot do these things on our own and we need His help 24/7! Below are some specific prayer requests... when He brings us to your mind, please take the time to lift us up in prayer. Throughout the trip, please be praying that our hearts would be focused on Him... that He would open the hearts of those to whom we are ministering... and that He would keep us safe! (Feel free to pass this on to whoever may have not received it... the more prayers the better!)

The people that are on this trip:

Joanna Rust

Hillary Hipps

Beth Magnuson

Christian Logerstedt

Mr. Logerstedt

Alex Poythress

Mark Hutchins

Daniel Osborne

Specific prayer requests:

Currently (Dec 28): Alex and Mark are driving from Texas to Colorado... pray for safety on the roads and a profitable time of conversation. Pray that He would be preparing the hearts of the people to whom we will be ministering to.

Tomorrow (Dec 29): Beth leaves at 7 am for Colorado (driving)... pray for safety on the roads and a blessed time with those she travels with.

Wednesday (Dec 30): I leave at 8 pm for Colorado. Please pray that He would continue to work in my heart to prepare me for the trip... specifically that He would give me wisdom in making safe decisions and be a good spiritual leader. Pray that my time spent with a good friend of mine (Micah) is profitable and God-honoring.

Friday (Jan 1): Pray for Hillary as she flies to Denver, that her focus would remain on Him and that she would stay safe.

Saturday (Jan 2): Joanna leaves in the morning and will stay in AZ with a couple for the night... pray for her safety and encouragement as such things can be somewhat lonely. Also pray that the five of us are an encouragement/blessing to Alex Harris and the others at the wedding. Pray for us as we drive down to AZ all night. Pray for the Logerstedt's as they travel from CA over to AZ that it would be a blessed father/son time and that He would keep them safe as they travel.

Sunday (Jan 3): Pray that everyone arrives on time in AZ and that we catch the bus without issue. Pray that we don't have any issues crossing the boarder and that we can get our FM-T passes with ease and without wasting too much time. Pray that He keeps us safe and guides our discussion as we ride the bus through the night.

Monday (Jan 4): Pray that we are well rested despite the non-pleasant resting conditions and that we will be ready to get going on Monday! Also pray that we all get there safely with all of our stuff. :)

Tuesday - Tuesday (Jan 5-11): Pray for safety as we work on the house and travel to where we need to go. Pray that we would stay united in Christ and that God would give wisdom to each of us guys as we lead the team in devotions. Pray that He would give us exactly the words that need to be said. Pray for safety as we leave for AZ.

Wednesday (Jan 12): Pray that we would all get back safely and back to AZ in time for the 5:30 pm flights. Pray that getting across the border would not be an issue. Pray that we would be a blessing to the missionaries as we leave and to each other.

Thank you very much,

Daniel Osborne (and the team)

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Contrast. :)

Simple fall Beauty......



7 Weeks later......

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Adventures

Greetings to all my faithful blog readers!

I hope this post finds you all warm and enjoying the family togetherness of the season. :)

God has been doing some exciting things in my life in the past few months and drawing together the strings of two dreams of mine.


Over a year ago I sat down with dad and made a list of the things I wanted to do with my life, near the top of that list was going on a short term missions trip. I started praying that God would open the doors and send an opportunity my way if it was His will for me. For about 6 months nothing happened until I read about an opportunity on the Rebelution Forum to go to Sinaloa Mexico and help put the roof on the Coult Family's house. Long story short I leave a week from today for almost two weeks in Mexico! God is so good! I have been continually awed at the precision of His ways and how He has brought every little detail together so perfectly!

Three days after I return home from Mexico (Jan 15th-16th) my church is hosting a Rebelution video conference of which I am the head coordinator. Ever since I got involved with the Rebelution in 2006 I have wanted to bring them to Omaha. When Dad and I went to their conference in Des Moines, IA the summer of 08 I was completely hooked! When Mr.Nelson asked me to coordinate the video conference at Millard Alliance Church I was excited and very nervous. Once again God took my original plan, tripled it, and then sent it far and wide. He provided willing volunteers and people to help me plan. ( I never knew how many details went into these things!)

By the way...there is still room to register for the conference and we would love to have you! It is $10 per person at the door and you can RSVP to: omaha2010rebelution@gmail.com . If you would like to come but cannot afford the fee just let us know and we are happy to offer assistance. :) (*shamless plug..I know I know*)


God has been so good to me this year and as it ends I am excited to see what lies beyond the sunrise!

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I love you, Babe!

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Random Photo of the Day

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To all my friends that I love (you know who you are) and the members of the "blahblah sisterhood" ( you know who you are) <3

I miss you....

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Captivating

Another picture that makes me catch my breath.

Look into his eyes; what do you see?

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Practicing For Politics

Dung flingers...





Project: cleaning out the old chicken poo..er..coop.


We considered applying for sainthood, but unfortunately they were out of halos.






Thomas Edison moment:





Puts a whole new meaning to the phrase: "If you've got any poo... fling it now."





Sometimes I look at us and all I can think is... wow... (take that however you like)



If only she knew....








John was helping Leah fix the fence and his run across the pasture to get her something was just so adorable!




Tada! Us!

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This amused me to no end...

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Baby it's cooold outside...

When I went to pick mom up from the airport I came up this hill and all this was packed full about 15 ft high. That is when I turned around and took another route. :)




On my way I went through a few passages in the drifts that were barely wide enough for me to fit. The snow came up on both sides to the top of the mirrors on the big van...



Town :)





I am so blessed to have 3 wonderful hard working gentlemen around here to go out in the frigid temperatures and blade the lane!



And a wonderful sidewalk shoveler!









Ahhhhh I love the sight of that on weeks like this one!


Dont'cha all want to move to Nebraska!

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Family Fashion Shoot

When it comes to deciding what to wear for weddings there is no constructive fashion critic better than dad! He also took the picture for us... Thanks Dad! <3

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Repost from 7/27/08

"Good people are wonderful to have, but a person who makes you laugh can not be lived without.

Remember that when you think you bad things about yourself."
-Sarah Hutchins

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Vintage

"It is easily overlooked that what is now called vintage was once brand new. "

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No one freak out

I am working on launching the new look for my blog but I accidentally reverted the old look to the original. Gotta love the domesticated child trying to be a nerd.... :-\
I am sorry about the poll text; I cannot for the life of me figure out how to change the text color... so if you need to see what it says, highlight it ;-)

Stay tuned for the new (and more awesome) look! :D

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Introducing

Our newest feature


"Quote of the Day"

My goal here is to post one quote each day that was particularly excellent, witty, brilliant, or just plain amusing! Mainly I will be quoting family, but really, anything that I come across and is worth passing along could show up. ;-)

The quotes will appear on the top right of the page and eventually will have a link below where the archives are stored.

I am going to try to post one each day but don't get mad at me if I forget! Just look at it this way; if I do not post a quote it is because our day was very boring or VERY exciting. ;-)

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Mr and Mrs Michael Hipps

November 28th 2009

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Excuses Excuses Excuses

My computer power cord accidentally got taken to Massachusetts in the wedding blur... all my pictures are on my currently battery dead computer.
I will blog, facebook, and everything once my power cord returns... :-)

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Republican Harvest Party

To all my political peers -- Y'all would have been so proud! After years of badgering Hillary Hipps aka "Miss Unpolitical" participated in a political event and loved it!

The fact that one of my very best friends in the whole world was part of the "make-it-happen" committee" may have had something to do with my diving in to help serve and take pictures at the Republican Harvest Party.
After scooping thousands of pounds of coleslaw (or so it seemed) and attempting to direct people by looking cute the real action began with the arrival of the Nebraska State Governor- Dave Hineman.






Promptly after the meal and salute to the flag the speeches began. I found it amusing that the Veterans carried both flags and guns that they used in their presentation of the colors, and no one even batted an eye. The SS guys did not even mind, but legend has it they were armed to the teeth, so I am not surprised.







I think it was the best group of speeches I have heard since the Rebelution Conference. I listened spellbound as our Governor and Senator explained the health-care bill so that I finally understood it. When our senator got up and begged us to call their offices and let them know what we, the American people, think about the decisions at hand, I was hooked.













This is our awesome bunch of people! Not pictured are (Sarah Hernandez, Nathan Eckstrom and Grace Eckstrom)

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A prayer

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."

-Psalms 139:23-24

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Sisters <3

I love them!

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My blog in words...

I thought this was unique how it sorted the words I use the most on my blog. Very interesting.. Thanks Wordle!

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John Piper

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Musings from my heart

"Why do we go with the flow Or take an easier road? Why are we playing it safe? Love came to show us the way Love is a chance we should take..."


I have been thinking and praying a lot about forgiveness and love and how they fit together.

I have seen the good side of a loving relationship, yes. However, all to often I look at the hurt side of love.
"Why should I let them in? Why should I let my guard down again? Oh no, once, twice, and y'all expect me to be vulnerable again?! Ha!"
As the age old saying goes: "Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me"
True in a sense of being wise, but then again, not exactly applicable to true love and forgiveness.

¹⁴For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. -Matthew 16:14-15 NIV

We have all gagged on those words at one time or another. In the past I would read that verse, be horrified, and immediately forgive anyone who I was holding anything against. This time it did not even phase me.
Plowing ahead deeper into my bitterness looked like a much easier option and I took it. I ran those words through my head and listened to countless sermons on the dangers of bitterness unconsciously hoping that something would scare the forgiveness out of me.
Nothing did.
I was starting to get concerned!
"Why is my heart so hard?"
For months I have been praying that God would relight the passion for Him that I used to have, why silence?
Suddenly it hit.
Not like a ton of bricks, but like a strong steady breeze.
"You say you cannot forgive, you are right. You are so full of your flesh that you are unable to see anything past the blinders of your hurt. You cannot see Me. You cannot forgive, until you realize the extent that you have been forgiven. You cannot truly love, without Me, the author of love, pouring My love through you. "

I knew it was true.
Of course it was true!

In my meager attempts to let go and move on I had tried in my own strength.
Halfheartedly at that!

²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. - 1 Corinthians 13:2

I am nothing.

Without the Love of God running through me I am absolutely nothing.

The first days were hard. Praying good things for the people who I held the offense against, and daily forgiving them within my heart.

I was awed as I felt the layers of bitterness, resentment, anger, and hurt melt away from my heart, replaced with a heart of compassion, love and joy.

Suddenly I could see a part of their side of the story and my heart broke again, but this time for them.

The renewed love for Christ and the people around has begun to grow again as the passion for He who is everything is beginning to splutter and spark once again in to flame.

There is still a very long way to go and this is just the beginning of the trail.
But it is a beginning!



" I loved once and my heart was broken, I loved twice and you walked away. I will love again but this time not I, but my Everything will Love with an everlasting Love"

"Don't let your lights go down Don't let your fire burn out"






*Quotes in italics at the beginning and end are from "The lost get found" -Britt Nicole

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Bridal Shower

Our dear neighbors, Rich and Lana, put on a delightful couples shower for Michael and Sarah. We had a wonderful time and the opening of presents was a comedy routine! (has anyone else noticed that doing anything publicly with Michael is a comedy routine?)



Guy vs Girl reactions...





I thought it was cute.
:)


Before opening..


Justin won for the most creatively wrapped present, a cooking pot wrapped in the hood of a Nebraska Huskers sweatshirt. :-) Way to go Justin!



After opening (or rather mid way )



Every bow they broke counted as one child they would have... This was the first one (Billy?) :D

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Demure

I don't know why, but this Picture makes me catch my breath, in a good way.

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"Jesus Died!"- Paul Washer

This video was brought to my attention by a friend, and after watching it I was thinking about a concept that he introduced.
He was saying that we should not share the gospel by telling people that they need to make Jesus the Lord of their lives. His reasoning was that Jesus already is the Lord of everyone's lives, whether they like it or not.
True statement once you think about it, but then again there is a difference in that ruling relationship God has, in the lives of Christians and non-Christians.
What is it?
I have a few thoughts but I would encourage you to watch the video and share your thoughts in the comments section. Once I have gotten mine formulated (and I am hoping some of y'all will spur my thinking on by commenting with your thoughts *hint hint*) I will share them on here in another post.
Any other commentary on other portions of His message is welcome. :)



What do you think?

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Fashion!!

I stepped into the great unknown today and entered a fashion event sponsored by Amanda Beth Online

I put on my mid-evil dress the other day and we went to take some pictures*. I even tried to look 'dramatic' in them! :)
I am now supposed to post them on my blog and after sending the link to Amanda, I am entered to win this incredible bracelet. (I think)

It is all just for the fun of it, so here goes!








Dress: One size fits most from goodwill - 99cents
Boots: Mudd - (a gift from a friend)
Knife: Buck 119 - a gift from my brother :)
Horse prop: Vista and she belongs to my gorgeous sister Trina.




*Many thanks to another gorgeous sister of mine, Leah, who took the pictures.

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