Australia Itinerary...

Well, I know it's been a while since I posted... but I'm sitting in class quite bored, so I thought I'd post our itinerary for our visit to Australia in May and just outline a few of the events and highlights during that time... So, here's the deal:

• May 9th (USA) - Clint leaves Indianapolis (IND - HBT) for Hobart.
  
• May 11th - Clint arrives in Hobart, Tasmania to spend a couple of days hanging out with some of his close friends from QLD who will meet him down there...
• May 12th (USA) - Jamie (and my parent's) leaves Indianapolis (IND - BNE) for Brisbane.
• May 13th - Clint arrives in Brisbane (HBT - BNE) for a night out with brothers Jeff & Mitch
• May 14th - Jamie (and my parent's) arrive in BNE
• May 15th - Clint will be speaking at Riverside Community Church
• May 16-21 - Hanging out with FAMILY, wedding prep etc.
• May 22 - JEFF & SHAREE's WEDDING!!!
• May 23-25 - Hanging out with Friends and Family...
• May 25 - Clint & Jamie leave BNE for Sydney to spend a couple days with Clint's brother - Dean
• May 29 - Leave SYD for IND...

Well - I think that about covers it... hope that answers questions for those who've been asking... The really exciting part for us is that added to all of this, my parents will be here in the USA with us for my graduation etc. They arrive here in IND on Wed, APR 27 and then leave on the same day as Jamie to return to Australia... so we'll get to hang out with them for almost 2 wks before we even get back.

We are really excited about all of this - and can't wait to catch up with all of you Australian friends and family... We'll keep you posted as things develop!!!
Love you guys,
Clint.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to you all! It is Christmas eve, which means Christmas day in Australia. We are getting ready for our Christmas Eve service here at the church. This morning we got to hang out together and give each other our gifts.

Clint finished up the semester well. It's so great to know that he only has one semester to go and then he will be done! Yeah! We can hardly wait. Clint starts working full time at the church January 1st and will be speaking Sunday morning, January 2nd on prayer. This is exciting for us and will be even better in May when he can focus fully on Student Ministry! But God is at work in the midst of it all.

Work is going well for me. My office is closed the week between Christmas and New Years so that is a huge blessing - the family will be together and I didn't even have to ask for that time off! The week I go back I will be getting 5 families of my "own" and then I will get more each week from there. I am very excited and a bit nervous. It is interesting talking to parents about being parents when I am not one myself... but the important thing is that I am there to listen to the families and be their encourager and advocate. Many of them have no one to believe in them. So I pray I can be that person.

Highlights of the last two weeks...

• Clint got his long awaited bass! I'll have Clint post about that with a picture or two. He is extremely excited and sometimes just looks at it for periods of time (I'm trying not to be jealous!).
• Alex, one of our high school students, works for the Pacers (For the Australians - that's the NBA basketball team for Indiana). He got us 6th row tickets, center court! It was AMAZING! We will put pictures of that on too... unbelievable. Clint is now fully a Pacer's and Colt's fan!

Tonight we go up to Michigan to be with the Jackson's for Christmas. Josh & Kari are back from Sydney to spend time with friends and family over the holiday season, so we're totally pumped to see them... We are looking forward to having a week away to relax and spend quality time together. It's been snowing so hopefully the roads aren't too bad tonight. Anyway...

Have a great New Year! We hope your holidays are relaxing and wonderful!

Clint and Jamie

A little late...

Well, this was my second week at my new job, so I wasn't on top of posting straight away. The job is going really well, though. I am meeting a lot of new people and loving everything I learn. I will most likely start picking up clients after Christmas and New Years. Currently I am just getting all the curriculum and training that I need to do the job well. Thanks for your prayers!

Clint is finishing up final projects and exams this week and next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. He has done such an amazing job of balancing life, but we will be so happy that he can focus on only one during Christmas break (and then, of course, once he graduates)! God continues to give Clint vision and desire to have students strong in the Lord.

I don't think I mentioned this before, but "we" started a young adults group about 5 weeks ago. Clint is not involved until he is done with school, but a couple of guys from our church and I get together each week with a core group. God is moving and it has been great to get something going since it seems to be a lost age at our church currently. We went through 2 Timothy and now will start another book.

Please continue to pray for Clint and I - especially as it has to do with the Kingdom (here and around the world). I was just talking last night with one of the student leaders in high school about prayer. It is so crucial. I am reminded again that I must be free from the enemies bondage and lies, and be abiding in Christ to have the life He offers. The life of abundance, love, fruit, joy, peace, etc. that Christ offers is possible! May we claim that in prayer and desire nothing less.

Have a great weekend!
Clint and Jamie

Hello again!

Back again this week! We are off to a good start! I thought I would write today since tomorrow I start at my new job and do not know how the day will be. Thank you, in advance, for your prayers as I adjust and learn a lot.

This past week has been wonderful! Julie (Jamie's sister) came on Tuesday night and we got to hang out with her. Joni and her boyfriend Mike came EARLY Wednesday morning. My parents and our good friend Regina joined us on Wednesday afternoon/night and my mom's parents came on Thursday! So, we had a ton of fun with a lot of people around! We all stayed at a hotel a few miles from our house and very much so enjoyed the pool, hot tub, and rooms we had! It was such a blessing!!!

Clint worked a lot toward the beginning of the week and then was able to relax for the second half. We were blessed to have Julie stay with us for the rest of the weekend and we had an amazing and relaxing time with her. It was great to be around family for a few days!

We love you all and it means a ton that you care about our lives! God continues to grow and teach us in life. Continue to pray that He would fill us with His Spirit and that we would experience Him in new ways. Pray also that we would love others and strive to live for God's glory.

Think of you all often!
Clint and Jamie

So sorry...

Well, it has been a long while. We are so very sorry! Clint started the blog, but his load has been too heavy and it has gotten neglected. All to say...I am going to take over for a little while (like the rest of the school year).

Okay, as an update of the last month or so...

• The retreat that was talked about in the last update went really well. Brian Bradford and the worship team did an amazing job and really led everyone closer to the Lord. Every student that came made a decision to join in on the revolution that God is doing in our world! We want to be a part of whatever God lead's us to!
• I (Jamie) actually finished my undergrad. degree (for good now) and started applying to jobs within my field. I start a job through Indiana University school of nursing/Healthy families of Indiana called the MOM's project on Monday, Nov. 29th. I'm really excited about this! It has been amazing watching God bring it all together. I will miss the people at Maggiano's where I was waitressing, but it will be so great to see Clint more and do a job that I am super passionate about. The job is working with new and/or young mom's and teaching them parenting skills as well as some life skills. I will keep you all updated to how it goes and thank you for your prayers as I begin next week.
• Clint had the opportunity to go to the Willow Creek preaching conference and then recently to North Point Community Church in Atlanta. These were great vision stretching times and Clint is very excited about all that God will do as the church prays and obeys where God leads (I'm excited too).

That is the short of it! This week is Thanksgiving and my family (except for Josh and Kari, of course) will be down here in Indianapolis. We are staying in a hotel and are all very excited! A little bit longer and Josh and Kar will be with us too and then in May we'll be in with Clint's family!

We love you and miss you all! Thanks again for your prayers and I really will try to update you all each week! Thanks for your patience!

Clint and Jamie

Fall Retreat (Oct. 8-10)

... just a quick update to let you know that this weekend we are heading to Kokomo, IN for our Fall Retreat for our High School students. Needless to say this will be TONS of fun! Furthermore we have a guest speaker coming to share and worship team coming from IWU.

This was to ask you if you would join us in praying with/for us this weekend - this could be a "defining moment" in the life of our Student Ministry at Eagle Church! Brian Bradford (Snr. High Youth Pastor from Spring Lake Wesleyan Church) is coming as our guest speaker and will be sharing a series of 4 messages with us along the lines of being a part of a "REVOLUTION"! We are really excited about how God might use these messages to change the hearts, minds and lives of our young people. The basic message is that God started this REVOLUTION a long time ago, but now is relying on us to continue and further it along... However, the BEST part about all this is that not only is He relying on us, but He actually BELIEVES in us to do it! He believes that we can actually become like Him and play a significant role in furthering His Kingdom here in Indianapolis! Imagine what could happen if our group of young people really captured these thoughts and ideas and began to live it out... ONLY GOD!

So, will you join us in praying accordingly? I will update you further on living at "Home and Away" really soon... Be Blessed today!
Clint.

All good things must come to an end...

Good Morning - hope you are all doing well! I know, we have been really slack lately at keeping this updated... we won't let it happen again (we hope)!

Well, things just keep trucking on for us - it's hard to believe that we are already almost through the month of September! Jamie is still working at Maggiano's and LOVES it and spending any other spare time she has catching up with some old school friends, studying etc.

Clint is now in FULL swing back at school (already 2 full weeks gone) and is only just starting to fully adjust to the added load, and new schedule... Last week he played bass on the worship team for the IWU Fall Summit (Spiritual Emphasis Week) which was a really great experience and kept him even more busy than normal. Clint has a really BIG month (or 6 weeks) coming up in October - we'll post some specific events, dates and prayer requests next week...

Being that all good things must come to an end, our Senior Pastor, Kerry Bowman has now returned from his 5 month sabbatical, so it has been really fun to re-connect with him and his family... hearing all the stories, what God's stirring in his heart etc. It is even more exciting to discover that much of what God has been teaching Kerry over the past months is similar to what some of the rest of our Church staff have been sensing also - God is Sovereign! More to come next week... till then - Peace OUT!

Be Blessed,
Clint & Jamie