Tag Archives: levi

Ain’t no mountain high enough??

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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 is two

Levi at two years old.

judah is four-and-a-half months

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

celebrating levi's birthday

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!)

Take a bite

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A brief family & ministry update in bite size pieces.

{two of levi's current favorites - music (as always) and his new bike! thanks to freecycle for the cute trike, and thanks to ryan for transforming it into levi's new "captain america" tricycle masterpiece!}

  • Ryan is leading the Youth Street DTS with a fabulous co-leader and two other solid young leaders. They are a really grounded school and very wholehearted about pursuing God and serving youth. It’s a joy to watch them grow, and many of them would like to continue in youth ministry beyond the school in some capacity, which is a huge encouragement to us.
  • Adriel and Levi’s teaching trip to New Zealand was fantastic and refreshing. Although keeping an 18-month-old entertained through eight hours of travel and transit was no easy task, the week was totally worth it. Teaching went well (the subject was “Identity in Christ”), God was obviously on the move as we explored God’s original design for us and dealt with hindrances to walking in fulness of life with Him. We also enjoyed some special mommy and son time alone before baby brother comes bounding on the scene.
  • We are a third of the way to our fundraising goal of being able to purchase a new family-sized vehicle! We’re thrilled with the progress and with people believing in us enough to help make it happen. (Would you like to help? We’re still looking for $1000 contributors, or those willing to donate any amount!)
  • Within a matter of weeks we were given a brand-new iPad and laptop computer. The iPad has been an awesome tool for work, especially going in and out of meetings and the classroom (as well as a great way to help keep Levi quiet during prayer meetings – heh heh), and the computer was funded by a supporter only 24 hours after Ryan’s old one bit the dust. We’re so grateful to these two generous supporters for helping to keep us up and running and connected.
  • Adriel has just over six weeks to go until baby brother’s due date and things are progressing well. We’re all so excited to meet our little man and begin to see what his place in the world will look like. We have two top contenders for his name, but haven’t made our final decision yet. Still more prayer needed in that regard, but we’re confident that God will help us name him aptly and give him the best start in life possible. We love our little one so much. (Please pray for a smooth labor and birth for Adriel and bubs!)
  • Recently we’ve both been able to teach on “Relationships” on two different DTSs – Ryan on the Pacific DTS and Adriel on the Youth Street DTS. We unpack what it means to be in good relationship with God, parents, others, and romantic relationships. Teaching is an aspect of ministry that we both enjoy very much and it is a blessing and privilege to be able to help disciple young people in this incredibly important subject that spills over into all aspects of life.
  • Levi (18 months old) is hilarious and so dang smart! He has around 30-40 words now and we’re pretty sure he understands every single thing we say. He is exerting his independence and will on just about everything, and though it can be a parenting challenge at times, we are so, so grateful that he is growing into a boy who will have a firm resolve and won’t be easily swayed. Our job is to help hone that into a quality that will help him stand firm for all that is righteous and pure and loving and kind. We’re so proud of him and so in love with him.
  • We’re preparing to host all sorts of family and friends over the next couple of months and we couldn’t be more excited about it. Here’s who’s coming: Our pastor from Engadine (Sydney), Ryan’s parents, Adriel’s parents, Ryan’s sister and family, a friend from America, a good friend/supporter from Sydney, and another couple of friends from our church in Engadine. It will be a joy to have these loved ones with us as we morph into a family of four.

Thanks for your prayers as we are in up to our ears in life and ministry and transition and change! We’re very much in need of Grace and so aware that it’s impossible to thrive in this season without our Sustainer and Rock… or without our loving friends and family cheering us on. We love you and we appreciate you!