Hello everyone at home in Indiana! How is CFC? The Lord is taking care of Phil and I. Here are some updates just to let you know what's going on with us:

**The Lord, in His grace, is teaching and growing us in Him. He is so AMAZING: patient, wise, gracious, loving. What thrills me is the system of eternal joy and life that He designed.

1. God is ultimately holy and beautiful and worthy of all glory.
2. He gives us the desire for HIM, and then we do desire Him, and then we worship Him...
3. ...and find that experience (interaction with the God of Life) to be so much more intense and joyous (because of who God is) than anything in the world that it-- the worship of Him-- is what we want to do more than anything else! But more than that, we enjoy God Himself. And He gets glory from us desiring Him and worshiping Him! It's a cycle-- what a gracious God to have designed it that way!

**We have been so blessed with "family" out here (though it doesn't take the place of family and friends back home, y'all.) We have some wonderful friendships through church, and enjoy fellowshipping and learning at the weekly Bible study we attend. We've just started on Judges. (I mean to put some pictures up soon!)

**We love Whole Foods! (Organic/local foods grocery store.)

**Phil's preparing to go back to school to finish his degree, probably a B.A. in Illustration. He's working diligently on his drawing skills (the Lord has blessed him with a talent there.) We're also working together on our design skills (he's reviewing, I'm learning.)

**Yes, of course, we love the ocean, and the "cool heat", and the environmental awareness... It's not the Midwest, and that area still has a special place in our hearts-- mostly you. (And I still miss my RAIN!)

**We love you and miss you!

The pursuit of joy in God is not optional. It is not an "extra" that a person might grow into after he comes to faith. It is not simply a way to "enhance" your walk with the Lord. Until your heart has hit upon this pursuit, your "faith" cannot please God. It is not saving faith.

Saving faith is the confidence that if you sell all you have and forsake all sinful pleasures, the hidden treasure of holy joy will satisfy your deepest desires. Saving faith is the heartfelt conviction not only that Christ is reliable, but also that He is desirable. It is the confidence that He will come through with His promises and that what He promises is more to be desired than all the world. [Bold font my own.] (Piper, 2003, p. 73.)