Hello from snowy Wisconsin! What's that I say? Snow? Yes. We've discovered that Wisconsin hates me. Therefore, everytime me and my southern blood show up, there's snow. I digress...

April and May are filled with travels for Corey and I. This month we headed north. We decided this time, instead of a quick and convenient flight, we would take a fun and adventurous road trip! There's no better way to make fun memories than a good ole' trek across the country. Not to mention, this is no vacation time and the convenience of driving yourself is always a bonus.

So we arrived on Saturday and had a great Easter with Corey's family, celebrating birthdays and Resurrection all at the same time. Monday, we took off for northern Wisconsin where AIM will be sending short-term trips to minister on the Indian Reservations. There's an amazing couple that has lived there for 35 years, planting 3 churches, a school, and a camp. We toured these great facilities and as we walked around each building had a story. Every thing they have - church, school, dorms, all of it - was built by volunteers. The director explained that they do everything on faith - as God leads, we follow, trusting Him for the details. Because they are on a reservation, they cannot borrow money to build or start anything. We were amazed at the great facilities they had, all with no debt. Praise God!

From there, we headed back out of the woods toward southern Wisconsin where we stopped in with Joe and Jessie. I randomly met Joe in a God encounter I talked about here. Since that first meeting, we have kept in touch and they have become invested into Corey and I personally and our ministry. Monday night we met with them and their home fellowship and had a great time sharing where God had taken us in the past year and how He is moving in us now. We love every time we get to see Joe and Jessie. They are the kind of people who REALLY care... who invest deeply into others and seeing God's Kingdom come everywhere they go. Their house is always a place of refreshment for us.

And now we're back at Corey's family's house. For the next few days we'll spend time with family, friends, ministry partners and donors. Later this week we're meeting with a pastor who reaches out to international students in Wisconsin Dells. Who would've thought there's a little pocket of nations up here in the frozen tundra? Learn something new every day...

We'll speak at Corey's home church on Sunday for a little bit and then it's off to Chicago.

Adventures in Missions and the AWANA program have a strategic partnership and we will be going to the AWANA Regional Conference to share with youth, volunteers, and pastors how short term missions can be a strategic part of their discipleship process. We are excited to hang out with friends and other staff members and for the doors God may open up for more projects this summer!

And then... at the end of next week, it's back to the warm, beautiful South where we'll spend a few weeks and then it's off to Texas! But more on that another time...