Mama: Hi sweetie! Did you have a good sleep?
Levi: Yup!
Mama: Did you have any good dreams?
Levi: YEAH!
Mama: Do you even know what a dream is?
Levi: Nope! 

Sometimes we get enthusiastic about things that we barely even understand, no?

I’ve been loving Levi’s passion lately… most of the time. He is a normal two-year-old, learning to spread his wings a little and exert his independence everywhere he sees an opportunity. Sometimes this is entertaining and endearing; other times it’s draining and frustrating.

It’s helping us all to grow and learn, that’s for sure!!

Judah’s little personality is coming out more and more too. He’s discovered his voice (WOW, this boy has a VOICE!) and he’s constantly babbling or shrieking or squealing. He’s loud when he’s happy… and he’s loud when he’s not. One thing is clear, when he has something to say he makes that desire known to everyone.

A little prophet in training perhaps?

Just how will our passionate little men grow to shape the world one day?

Time will tell.

If there’s one thing we know for certain right now, is that there’s never a dull moment! Not in our family life, nor in ministry either.

Some events just passed:

• January 29 – Levi turned two
• January 30 – Judah turned four months
• February – We just closed on the property adjacent to our YWAM base, and have converted it into accommodation for 50 students.

Some events coming up very soon:

• March 1 – Ryan turns 38!
• March 4-10 – Ryan and Adriel co-teach for three combined DTS, all while camping out bush and rooming in a hot tent with the kidlets! (Ohmygoodness, pray for us!!)
• March 11-17 – Ryan heads to Perth for the Presidents Gathering, a gathering of leaders from YWAM’s largest training bases from around the world. (Adriel and the littles will stay home.)
• March 25 – Our 4th wedding anniversary.

Some events for later this year:

• July – Visiting America for a few weeks
• August/September – Family outreach to Papua New Guinea
• November – Visiting Sydney for a week

It’s a massive year for us in terms of commitments, ministry, and family life. We’re having to learn to trust God on a whole different level for our finances as our needs have grown and our support hasn’t.

Our biggest challenge:

We’re still saving for a larger family vehicle. Things were rolling and seemed to be picking up momentum with our savings and donations until about November, but then in the last three months we’ve had very little movement at all.

We’ve managed to continue saving a little toward the car, but in all honesty it’s hard not to become discouraged when the bank balance is growing so slowly and our hatchback is literally exploding from the seems.

You can imagine how two car seats and a double stroller alone take over our little car!! Every trip to the grocery store is a lesson in patience and self-control (and gratitude that we even have a car at all) as we stuff groceries on the floor under car seats and on our laps. Not only that, but we’ve had to put around $2000 into the car for repairs just during this last year. (And ohhhh, it’s difficult to use our “new car fund” money to fix our old car – boo!)

We are convinced that God’s spoken to us about a new (gently used) vehicle, but it can be difficult to remain in a position of faith when staring at the towering mountain before us. (Cars are nearly double in Australia what they cost in the USA.)

Our mountain currently takes the shape of a car, but we also see the mountain range beyond– three international plane tickets to America, three international plane tickets to Papua New Guinea, as well as some outreach fees to live on board the ship while we serve.

I grew up in the mountains. I love the mountains. But at times like this it’s easy to long for the plains!

What we really need:

Probably what we need most right now is some encouraging words and faith-building affirmation. To be very frank, it’s hard to deal with this stuff alongside our “normal” challenges in parenting littles and thriving at home while also helping to lead a ministry of 100+ staff and 70+ students. Both Ryan and I are dealing with different fears and anxieties as we continue to learn how to “cast our cares” to Jesus to carry. We desperately need your loving support as we lean into God during this stretching season.

A close second would obviously be finances toward some of these expenses. At some point, we just need to see these needs met.

We understand that it’s all a matter of perspective. We’re aware that many people have much bigger mountains they’re facing right now compared to ours; each person’s own mountains are real and scary and important, no matter how they measure up to the next guy’s.

We’re humbled every time we see God’s creativity in meeting our needs and showing us kindness when we’re struggling. And we’re pretty sure He wants to include people that love us and care about us (and our work) in the process.

Life is exciting for us… and even though we don’t quite understand how this year will even be possible, we’re trying our best to give an enthusiastic “YEAH!” just like our beloved two-year-old does.

Now, can we boldly and humbly ask that you consider how you can encourage us today? Maybe you can pray for us and ask God for a specific word of encouragement, story, or scripture to pass along to us? Maybe you feel led to give toward our car fund? Maybe you have air miles you’d like to donate?

Or maybe you’d just like to send us cookies and tell us everything’s going to be ok?

Leaning and trusting and learning-as-we-go,
Adriel & the boys xx

Levi at two years old.

Judah at four-and-a-half months old.

Celebrating Levi's birthday. (We sang "Happy" about five times... it was a BIG hit!)

(Sorry about that last photo showing up a weird size – too long/skinny. I’m having trouble trying to get it formatted right and after 10 minutes fiddling, I’ve decided to leave it!)