With the Christmas holidays and the New Year upon us I am reminded of my Mother-in-Law’s words: “time moves whether we do or not,” which in turn reminds me of words my husband often said, “buy up the time while you still can.” At the end of every year I wonder where the year has gone and 2010 is no exception. With this year-end letter, I will try to summarize how I “bought up some of the time” God gave me.

In 2010, I

Conducted & helped conduct different workshops for Mission Teams and their stewarding churches; conducted Reentry Debriefings for returning missionaries; advised stewarding churches and their mission committees concerning missionary reentry; networked and found resources for stewarding churches and missionaries; conducted fact-finding clinical interviews; conducted mental health check-ups for furloughing missionaries; intervened for missionaries with their stewarding churches; assisted InterMission with their camp, Global Reunion, for third culture kids and their parents; I wrote about the camp experience for Resources, an MRN publication; travelled with Duane & Debbie Jenks to Qingdao and Beijing, China; served as a Counselor and Connection Group Leader in Brazil for Continent of Great Cities’ Continent Care Connections renewal for women; served as a Group Leader, Counselor for MRN’s Missionary Spiritual Renewal for furloughing, returning and returned missionaries; advised, encouraged, mentored and counseled missionaries and mission committees via Skype, email, telephone and Facebook; conducted one-on-one sessions with missionary candidates, furloughing, returned, and returning missionaries; worked with a number of adult missionary kids; offered hospitality to missionaries at different times throughout the year; mentored professional member care professionals and prospective missionary care professionals; and mentored missionaries in preparation for The Hills.

All my children are doing well. The poor economy has affected every one of them, of course, as it has affected so many of you. My eldest son took on an additional job that carried him through and just as my son-in-law’s hours were cut, my daughter, after months of unemployment was offered a job with the Dutch Bible Society. God provided. My oldest granddaughter graduates from ACU this spring with a degree in Social Work. My grandson graduates from Dallas Academy and is looking at colleges. My youngest grand-child learned to swim and to ice skate this last year. She is in second grade. My brother, though often in pain, has been granted his deepest wish for now – to remain independent and self-sufficient.

The holiday season makes me feel cheerful and thankful. I continue to be grateful to be a part of The Hills Church that exists to serve those not yet bought with the blood of Christ and I am thankful I am able to engage in meaningful work with Missions Resource Network. Both have a vision that only God can accomplish. Both surround me with godly colleagues who encourage me and love me. This is also a sad time of year for me. I will have been a widow for 11 years on January 1st. I miss my husband in so many ways, BUT I am grateful for the life God has given me (Eph. 2:10). I feel sooooooo blessed. I hope you feel equally blessed. What an awesome God we serve.

I wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!