Modest Swimwear

In a day and age when you can't tell the difference between under garments and swimsuits, it's sure nice to know there are others out there helping us to keep our daughters covered and modest and still have swimwear! I went on an internet hunt to find such a place and we found Julie's swimsuits to be exactly what we were desiring. Meant To Be Modest is Julie's website where you can order a custom made swimsuit that is beautiful enough to wear the the grocery store and the girls said as they swam today the suits were incredibly comfortable and so much fun to swim in. For us modesty has become an important lesson we teach our daughters and our sons. Here's a great definition of "modesty" from Noah Webster himself found on Julie's website:

"Modesty ~
…synonymous with
chastity, or purity of manners. In this sense, modesty results from purity of
mind, or from the fear of disgrace…unaffected modesty is the sweetest charm of female excellence, the richest gem in the diadem of their honor.

Noah Webster
1828 American
Dictionary of the English Language

Elizabeth's Piano Recital

Elizabeth's Recital from Donna Hebert on Vimeo.

Jonathan's basketball team video and receiving trophy

Jonathan enjoyed his year playing for the Ossippe Valley Christian Schools boys Varsity basketball team. He had some really good games and they almost took the championship. They were 2nd. Jonathan is #7 in all the videos. He is 1 of 4 homeschoolers. The rest are students of OVCS.
At the awards ceremony Coach Gardiner had some nice words for Jonathan as well as award him the Best Defensive Player Trophy.

Our precious Kiara

Please pray for our daughter Kiara. She had a seizure today at the eye doctors appt, never has had a seizure before, the ER doctor had an ECG done which revealed an abnormal, enlarged middle part in her heart which is what they believe caused her to pass out and seizure. Now we have to see a cardiologist and pediatric neurologist. She's fine right now. Will keep posting as we find out what's going on.

Mission Good Friday 2009

We were very blessed to take part of Tony Miano's Mission Good Friday (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=778483179#/event.php?eid=156081235275&ref=mf) yesterday in Portland, Maine. Being April, Maine is still cold and not many people out so we were a little nervous as to how this would work for us here.
But God prepared the way before us!

I am currently leading the Way of the Master Intermediate Training Course at our homeschool group to a group of teens and one young man, Daniel, wanted to come out with us. I didn't think his parents would let him join us so late at night as we went after our Good Friday service. But Daniel called and told me his parents said he could come so off we went to pick up Daniel at 8:30pm EST. Praise the Lord for such wonderful, willing parents!

We decided to head into Portland as that is where people would be, but as we arrived there were no people in site..dead, looked like a ghost town.

We headed over to a little park and found a close parking spot, which is unheard of on a Friday night in downtown Old Port!

We bundled up as the weather was supposed to reach 27 degrees and headed over to the park benches where Daniel jumped up on the bench and loudly read Matthew 26. There was 1 gentleman who sat and listened a little before getting up to leave.

My son Jonathan then jumped up and read chapter 27, again, no people, just a few folks walking very fast to get to their destination.

Jonathan finished and Elizabeth jumped up on the bench and she read chp 28. Again still no people. But we were praying that maybe there might be an open window in one of the many buildings so we pressed on.

We decided after the reading to walk around the area and tract folks. My twins as usual were tracting anyone they could find!

We stopped at the side of the road where there were 3 benches and we realized this was the place to stay as folks were walking this sidewalk to get to their destinations, so I jumped on the bench and started reading Matthew 26-28.

I hadn't gone too far into chp 27 when a group of teens came and started talking to Jeff. We didn't grab anymore pics after this point as we were all talking to someone! PTL!

Then another man came over, Andrew, and I was able to speak to him, a hurting man who was broken by his decisions that have kept him away from his children, led him through a divorce etc. I shared the full law and Gospel with Andrew and he was very thankful.

No sooner had Andrew left when I noticed my daughter speaking to a young man. This mans name was Seth and he was an atheist, but a very polite one. Seth and I spoke for a long time, I answered all his questions, the usual questions we hear from professing atheists. Seth's countenance began to change before our eyes! His eyes filled with tears as I told him why we have a Good Friday and why Jesus had to die. He went from being an atheist to ending the conversation saying I had given him a new perspective on the things of God and he would truly seek this out. I went to shake his hand and instead he grabbed me and gave a hug and said thank you so much. We gave him an invite to our church's Easter service which we're offering a free ham dinner after the service. Please pray for Seth! He was so humbled and really searching. I pray he e-mails us or shows up at our church.

All this time Jeff was still speaking to the group of unruly teens, one who was a professing Christian, goes to a prominent church in the area, and yet she was swearing, saying Jesus had to have sinned because He was human and she said the Bible isn't true, and yet was still saying she was a Christian and she was offended that we questioned her Christianity. One of the other teens was so intellectual, but asking ridiculous questions. It seemed a wasted time but as we know, we can't ever know what is going on inside their hearts and what God is accomplishing for His purposes. Jeff pressed on and gave them the full Law and Gospel. There was one teen, Kayori (something like that) there that after I pulled the 2 unruly ones away, Jeff said Kayori became very humble and receptive to hearing, his mouth was stopped and the look of conviction was there. Please pray for this young man Jeff as Jeff said he was a different young man towards the end.

We were out there for 2 and a half hours, half frozen but rejoicing in the seeds that were sown and knowing that His Word was loudly proclaimed to a very lost and dying world!! It was an amazing night! To God be the glory!

In Memory of Jim

I made this video to remember Jim. I hope it blesses you and inspires you to be out there, not looking back, keeping your hand to the plow...Jim was an example to us all. May we go and live as he did...a Living Sacrifice.

In Memory of my best friend, fellow evangelist, Jim Jones.

I wanted to write up something, but Tony Miano did such a wonderful job I am pasting his blog here.
Jim was truly a best friend and I will miss him greatly. While I am rejoicing that he is home with his Savior, the One he boldly proclaimed, my heart grieves as I think of his precious wife and daughters. I know that God is taking care of them and yet, I still am so sad to have such a loss. I love you Jim and I miss you already tremendously. What a legacy you have left behind. See you in Heaven my brother.

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The Lawman Chronicles-Tony Miano

The biblical street evangelism family has lost a faithful brother in the Lord. Jim Jones (Grant Pass, OR) was killed yesterday in a bicycle accident. Jim was 40. He leaves behind (but in the faithful hands of the Savior) his wife, Kelly; and his two daughters, Willow and Holly. Please keep the Jones Family in your thoughts and prayers.

Jim was an Internet service provider, by trade; but his passion was proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jim's close friends often joked with him about his name, since he shared the same name with the infamous cult leader. But everyone who knew Jim knew that this Jim Jones sought to glorify God with his life and to love people with the Gospel.

As Jim would say, he "reclaimed the name." Yes, Jim, you did--all for the glory of Jesus Christ. You did.

Jim led an evangelism team in his area. In his most recent newsletter, Jim wrote:

"It's still amazing to see how people will just stop here in downtown Grant Pass and let us talked to them about the things of God. "

Jim was already well-known in biblical street evangelism circles when I was new to open-air preaching. Jim was a front line warrior for the cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His passion and leadership inspired other Christians to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus Christ.

While Jim will be sorely missed by those who knew him and served the Lord with him, those same people also know that God is good and sovereign. God does cause all things to work together for good (Romans 8:28).

May the good that comes from such great loss be that many with whom Jim has shared the gospel over the years (particularly those in the young, Gothic subculture for whom Jim had great compassion), upon hearing about his death, will remember the gospel he proclaimed to them and then repent and believe that same Gospel. May the good that comes from such great loss be that Jim's brothers and sisters in Christ will, in his memory but for the glory of Christ, preach the Law and the Gospel all the more.

We'll miss you, Jim. But we will see you again, one glad morning; as we worship the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorious presence.

I will close by sharing a video of Jim doing what he loved most--proclaiming the Law and the Gospel.

Evangelism, Wife, Motherhood and the Kids

"How do you do it? Where do you find the time? What does your husband think of your mission trips? You think it's safe to take your kids out street witnessing?"

Since our involvement with biblical evangelism I have heard these questions time and time again. So I want to take some time to address these questions and I hope that as a result of all this I can encourage other Moms who are struggling to find the balance between motherhood, raising the children, homeschooling and the Great Commission.

1. How Do You Do It?

First off, I don't "do" it, but the Holy Spirit enables me to be a witness. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 Notice in this verse who enables us to be witnesses. The Holy Spirit! Of course I can't do it. My flesh struggles with it all the time. I struggle with not wanting to go out to witness and also mostly struggle with fear. But...What is this fear really? A fear of man? Fear of their opinion of me? Why do I witness? For His glory alone! If I am not out there for His glory then I am better off staying home. What a privilege it is to be a witness for our Savior! I see every witnessing opportunity as a time that is spent glorifying His precious name. And of course, the person I am speaking with hears the wonderful, beautiful message of the Cross by which they can be saved! He is glorified in this!

Through the godly teachings of Way of the Master Ministries our family has been equipped to be a witness and preach the biblical Gospel to the lost anytime, anywhere. If you have never heard of Way of the Master I would highly recommend you to get acquainted with them. But as with anything else in our lives, whether it's motherhood, raising children, how to homeschool and being a witness, it's much better to be equipped and ready and we can learn from others. As Ephesians 4:11-12 says, "It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ". Way of the Master has done this for us in the area of evangelism. I love how they put it, "Arm any soldier with a feather duster and push him into the heat of modern warfare, and he's not going to be very courageous. However, if you give him state-of-the art weapons and teach him how to use them, those weapons will give him courage!""Hell's Best Kept Secret" will put a state-of-the-art weapon into your hands. It will give you courage. Simply go to Hell's Best Kept Secret" or watch the video if you prefer.

2. Where Do You Find The Time?

I always like to say that what we do is called "lifestyle evangelism". What I mean by this is simply we see everyday as an opportunity to be a witness, whether it's our postman, UPS dude, Fed EX dude, the lady at the cash register, the Walmart greeter, grocery store cart boy, the baggers, our neighbors, gas stations and more! I don't have to "find" the time to witness, but the witnessing always is in front of us. Have tracts ready so that you can hand them to the cash register person, or the bag boy. Say hello to the person pumping gas next to your car and hand them a Million Dollar Bill and tell them their car looks like a million bucks! My twins LOVE handing out tracts to people. If I don't have one ready at the grocery store they are digging through my purse for my wallet to get that Million Dollar Bill ready!
I tell my kids, "Let's go to the grocery store to hand out some tracts and while we are there we'll grab some groceries" You don't always have to engage people one on one to say you have witnessed to someone. Many people have been saved simply through a sound, biblical Gospel tract.

The great 19th century preacher Charles Spurgon said:

"I well remember distributing them in a town in England where tracts had never been distributed before, and going from house to house, and telling in humble language the things of the kingdom of God. I might have done nothing, if I had not been encouraged by finding myself able to do something ... [Tracts are] adapted to those persons who have but little power and little ability, but nevertheless, wish to do something for Christ. They have not the tongue of the eloquent, but they may have the hand of the diligent. They cannot stand and preach, but they can stand and distribute here and there these silent preachers ... They may buy their thousand tracts, and these they can distribute broadcast.

"I look upon the giving away of a religious tract as only the first step for action not to be compared with many another deed done for Christ; but were it not for the first step we might never reach to the second, but that first attained, we are encouraged to take another, and so at the last ... There is a real service of Christ in the distribution of the gospel in its printed form, a service the result of which heaven alone shall disclose, and the judgment day alone discover. How many thousands have been carried to heaven instrumentally upon the wings of these tracts, none can tell ...

"Let each one of us, if we have done nothing for Christ, begin to do something now. The distribution of tracts is the first thing."

What an awesome way for us mothers to show our children how to be a simple witness through the use of Gospel tracts! So get those Gospel tracts ready and start handing them out together as a family! The most important aspect of using tracts is to be sure the message is Biblically sound. Does it open up with the Law (Ten Commandments) and warn of judgment day and hell? Does it preach the cross, the resurrection, repentance, and faith? Is Jesus presented as the answer to life's problems (the popular "happy gospel") or as the Savior from sin (true, Biblical Gospel)? A tract with a Biblically sound message does not guarantee that every tract from the same source is also sound. Be discerning and examine every tract prayerfully before using them! (http://www.gospelreport.org/tracts.htm)
For good, sound, biblical Gospel tracts please visit Living Waters or Custom tract Source.

So, as you can see, it's not about "finding the time" to be a witness, but changing your perspective of your time. Is our time here on this earth only to live life, clean the house, laundry, homeschool, paying the bills, etc? I don't think that for a minute! Who says we can't do it all? We can! Because He enables us to be a witness! Before anyone shoots me for saying we can do it all, I want to encourage you to really sit back and look at your priorities. Do you have time to watch tv? Movies? Be on a computer? Go to the beach? Go on a field trip? Be on the phone? Read a book? If you said yea, of course, Then you have time to be a witness for Christ! What's your priority? Or WHO is your priority?

To be continued.......feel free to comment!
To see recent evangelism pics of our family visit our Photo Album

In Remembrance of Princess Gemma

Our friends, Kevin and Liz were blessed with a beautiful baby girl they named Gemma. Gemma graced us all with her beautiful face, big beautiful alert eyes and just the miracle of her life. But her life ended on August 8 at only 1 month old. Words cannot express our grief for Kevin and Liz who waited patiently for years to conceive and have a baby. Gemma's funeral service is this Wednesday at 2pm at our church, Harvest Bible Chapel. Please be in prayer for Kevin and Liz, for Pastor Bill as he shares the gospel at the funeral as many unsaved people will be there. Here's a beautiful picture of Liz and Gemma before her passing.

My 3 girls birthday today!!

Today is Elizabeth's 14th birthday and Kiara and Kayla's 7th birthday!

It's hard to believe that the twins are the age Elizabeth was when they were born. It doesn't seem possible!

Here's recent pictures of the girls at Angie's wedding.

A Fun Day At The Beach

Since it was so beautiful today the girls and I decided to walk to the beach. Here's a silly moment on video with me singing the Cupid Shuffle for Elizabeth to dance!

Kiara and Kayla's Jazz and Hip Hop Routines

In this first video, the girls are dancing to the Finding Nemo's Wipe Out song. Kiara is pretty much leading the whole crowd! We were cracking up! At the end Kayla is on the left trying very hard to keep her leg up!

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Here's the last routine the girlies did, to a KJ-52 song called, Coke, Fry and A Cheeseburger. Scroll a little bit forward, like a minute as first it's KJ trying to order and coke, fry and a cheeseburger. The girls were on the right side..you can tell it's them because they have the same hair...imagine that....at the end they are both posing, Kayla stands up, Kiara knelt down. Oh and both the girls during the free styling part did the "worm" and Kiara did a stall! Very cool!

Last Years Dance Recital

Last year we were all involved with the Christian dance studio in our area, Eternity Dance Center. Donna did a number to a very powerful sermon mix, the twins were in hip/hop and jazz together and Kayla did a clogging routine and Jonathan danced his very first hip-hop routine. He was a beginner and did so well!

In Kayla's clogging, she is the one on the very right..smallest one on the end, curly short hair. She was simply adorable!!

Jonathan is the boy with the black and white hat on in the front. He surprised up with the "rubber band" dance movement when they go off to the side, he kinda does this back flip thingie!

Then of course, Donna is the one with the really long dark hair preaching at everyone..haha...enjoy! Donna is also the scary masked person on the left. Jeff said I looked funny speaking with a mans voice..oh well! lol...

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Here's Kayla's Clogging

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Jonathan's Hip Hop

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Here's Donna's Sermon performing arts number..scroll to about 2:46 secs as Crystal played a sermon first before our routine started...

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Donna's Silly Clogging routine! Dancing..err..clogging to the 80's with Apologetix parody songs! All lyrics are Christian lyrics to these old songs, so please don't pass out!

Joshua is 17 today!!

It's amazing how time flies..to think 17 years ago today I held this precious little baby in my arms. And now, he shaves and has acne! What happened!

Some news about Joshua's 16th year:

*Graduated 10th grade with CLASS
*He started 11th grade with CLASS
*He played softball for our church softball team
*He started his very fist job at Funtown/Splashtown as a ride operator
*He took Drivers Ed and got his permit. We're still working on the 35 hours driving so he can take his final exam.
*He came with me to Okinawa, Japan for 3 weeks on a missions trip.

His favorite things:

Paintball and paintball and did I mention paintball?

He loves his Geneva Bible.

So there's just a few highlights...I am very proud of my boy. He is growing into a spiritually strong young man. He loves talking theology with anybody who will talk. He is talkative!

Here's my boy....Happy Birthday Josh. I love you so much! I am so proud of the young man you are becoming.

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Kissing the PIG!!!! EEEEKKK!!! We visited the fish market and they have real pig heads as they sell the pig heads for eating! Linda and Sherry wanted nothing to do with the pig, but leave it to Edwin and I to gravitate to a decapitated pig! LOL!

Kissy kissy! Snort!

Edwin! The pig doesn't want to eat his own hoof!!!

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Here's some series of Curved Illusions pics. These were such a HUGE hit in Okinawa! Here Josh shows a guy and then he turns around and does it for Josh..and Josh acted so surprised! lol....

Dave's turn!

Edwin's turn!

Josh's turn again! In this pic you also see how the team, including the wonderful brother in the orange hat, Joe from CC, as we stormed around this market place doing the Curved Illusions! It was so much fun!
Donna's Turn!!

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Here's some pics showing folks reading the tracts, including one man who got out a magnifying glass to read it!

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Here's a man named Higa-san who I spent about 2 hours witnessing to at the Koinonia Cafe. With me is Trevor who attends CC and praise God he was there to help me! Trevor was on his way home when he felt a need to one more time walk around the cafe and even though I really didn't know him, I knew he spoke fluent Japanese as he translated Pastor Tims sermon the Sunday before, I reached out and caught his sleeve and asked him to help me. What a miracle from God again! This is why he wasn't supposed to leave just yet! Higa-san has read one too many books in every sect of religion you can imagine. He was asking so many questions and he kept telling me "I don't understand why He would save me...I can understand why He would save others, but not me" Oh how sad to hear him say this! Trevor and I showed him scripture after scripture, and finally we just prayed! Higa-san continued coming to church and the cafe, he was there for every event as well..including the hula outreach we did. Pray for Higa-san to be set free!

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

In this picture you will see a beautiful witnessing encounter with a precious girl named Yui. Yui agreed to do a video interview with Edwin, and I would translate and Josh was taping. This turned out to be an incredible divine appointment from God! When Edwin asked her if she thought she would go to heaven, Yui said matter of factly, No, I am going to hell because I have disobeyed my mother and have given my mother much grief! We were stunned! Edwin continued witnessing to her and eventually I kinda took over as I couldn't translate everything Edwin was saying. To make a long interview short, Yui was so influenced by a Mormon doctrine, she felt there was no hope for her as she was too bad to go to Heaven! I am not kidding you when I say there are so many that have been witnessed to by Mormons in Okinawa! Saints, this shouldn't be! Anyway, Yui was so grateful to hear the good news of the Gospel. She now had hope! She could be saved! At one point towards the end she said to me, "I must pray! I must pray!" We encouraged her to get hooked up to a godly church and we asked her where she lived and miraculously Yui lives in Ginowan City, exactly where Calvary Chapel Church is!
Please pray for Yui! She didn't come to church while we were there, however, about a week after we met her, Edwin saw her near the church and he was able to wave to her. We have this interview on video and as soon as I figure out how to get the video onto my new puter I will upload it somewhere so everyone can see it.

More Okinawa Missions Trip Stories

Here's Linda and I witnessing to what we called a mini-open air with these school girls. Linda started handing them tracts and one girl asked what these were for, so I told them it has a million dollar question, and I asked them all if they thought they would go to heaven and one girl said very confidently Yes! and I asked her why and she put her two hands under her chin and said, "Because I am cute!" I turned and told Linda what she said and we both laughed as that was a first for us! So I started witnessing to them and in the second picture you will see the girl on my right look convicted...well she was! She was very convicted throughout the entire witnessing encounter. Some of the other girls were typical teenagers and laughing and cracking jokes, but this witnessing encounter was obviously for this one girl. At one point she looked like she would just break down and cry.