Erin and I are both looking forward to living in Oregon. We will be living in or near Keizer, OR while we spend time as a married couple outside of full time training with New Tribes Mission. We plan to be very involved with my home church, Keizer Community Church, and find full time jobs to start saving for the next part of our training to become missionaries. The next phase of training is referred to as the MTC (Missions Training Center). This training center is in Missouri. You will be hearing more about that as it gets closer.
    Erin and I have decided that we are going to ship all of our stuff out to Oregon rather than rent a u-haul or sell everything then buy it again in Oregon. It doesn't look like it's going to cost much to ship, especially compared to the $2,000 a u-haul would be.
    As our time here gets shorter and shorter it is hard to think of all our relationships we have made here with some awesome people. In December we're going to be saying goodbye to people from school, from our church here, and from our college group. Some of these people we truly may never see again until we are with Christ. It's going to be hard, but I guess there really is no better meeting place, huh? On a positive side I will again be back home with my family. Getting to see all of the exciting changes with my nieces and nephew. I'll get to spend time with my dad and brothers in the great wilderness of Oregon.I'll get to take Erin backpacking. These are just a few of the highlights...

    Erin has been working a lone star for about a month now. Praise God! She was able to get a job with little experience and just a few months of time left here. Erin was looking for a job in anything but the food business when we first got back to Jackson. After some time, many applications, and only one interview she decided it was time to start looking elsewhere. Her distaste for working with food came from a bad experience of working at O.C.B. where it was hectic and unorganized. Fortunately this job at Lone Star has been a different experience. While it is high paced, it is organized and more manageable.
    I have no 'new' news about myself. I am still at New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson, MI. I just started my second to last block for the semester and my time at NTBI! I can't believe it has already been two years. The time has gone by so fast. I have learned so much and feel like I have only begun in my life process of knowing God from His word. Graduation will be on December 18th, just a month and a half away! There are only 10 people in my class so it will be a small graduation. The small number isn't because of how hard the program is or strenuous but because not many people start there training in January like my class did. I am very glad I did though! I feel as if I know my class better than I would in a larger one. There was also more opportunity to interact with the teachers during class. My time here has been a great blessing.
   
Please continue to pray for Erin and me,

Grace and Peace

    Well, we are back in Jackson, MI and are settling in. It only took a couple of weeks to furnish our apartment by borrowing and goodwilling. It has all worked out and has come together nicely. While our plan was to live on the basics for the short time we are here it turns out that we needed more stuff than we thought. It is just that too, stuff. From pots and pans to dressers. We need it; we just don't want to move it! Our intentions were to not accumulate much so we could move easily. We're trying to come up with plans for moving right now. Any ideas? Let us know!

     Finding a job isn't easy in Jackson. It is even harder when we will be here for such a short time. God has been good and has been giving Erin work a few weeks at a time so far. With all of the applications she has filled out the only work she has gotten has come through word of mouth from friends here at school. We are able to see God's hand in all of this. Please pray that work would keep coming.

     School is going well! The only class I have right now is Hebrews for two hours every day. It has been a great experience learning all that Christ is and what He is for every believer. I am in awe with every new truth from God's word.

     We both want to extend our thanks to everyone who gave us gifts during our wedding and all of the help we received. It has been a great blessing as we put our new house together.

Alex and Erin