a God-thing

(picture found online...did not take this photo.i just thought it gave the exact idea of storm lake.)

We've been doing alot of thinking, praying, talking, discussing, praying, and more praying.With so much prayer, and so many answers, it's kinda crazy that almost 8 months ago, we moved here and knew absolutely no one and nothing about Storm Lake, and here we are today, watching God's hand work in our very own personal lives. i think it's about time I introduce you a little to Storm lake, Iowa.

1. Storm Lake is a wee little town in Iowa. This is the main street of Storm Lake. Strangely enough though, this is one of the bigger towns in the surrounding area...

2. Outside this wee little town are acres and acres and acres (and more acres) of farmland and fields. I can't tell you yet what is being grown in the surrounding area, but the field beside our house is a corn field, and I'm deathly allergic to it.

3. there are two distinct smells in Storm Lake...and it's kinda gross, but it's a part of this town, so here ya go. the first smell on one side of town is, well, cowpoo. (or pig poo? i don't really know which one, nor do i really care to find out the specifics of the fertilizers in the fields. haha.) the other side of town smells like raw chickens...or raw meat? there are two factory plants in town and one is Tyson and the other is Sara Lee, both butchers, packages, and ships meat.

4. Storm Lake is very recently a diverse town. the past ten to twenty years brought diversity to this town, so it is a very new situation for every one here. I guess you could say, as a married couple, we looked quite unique in this lil town:)

5. Storm Lake surrounds a lake, haha, which is the actual Storm Lake. it's the beautiful part of storm lake:)

Now, if you asked me if i liked the literal town itself, well, I can't say I love it. it's not beautiful like the carolinas, it's not exciting like the fast-paced citylife, and there isn't really much to do here. I guess if I was honest, i would admit that I've had a hard time adjusting to small town usa. But what I find is neat about Storm Lake is that God is working in this lil town. And not just working, but working in this town. Like it's more than evident and clear, especially in our lives and watching things change, unravel, and open with opportunities that comes from straight out of the blue. The kind of opportunities that only GOD could provide and open for us, and that we can point at and say, "this is a God-thing, because only He can do this."

I can't wait to be able to share these things with you.

Spring for the Brandenbergers

So much is changing in such a short amount of time that it's kinda unbelievable.

You can recognize that God is at work when He answers prayers in a way that is somewhat...unimaginable.

As the season is changing outside, the lives inside the Brandenberger home are changing, and many things have been unexpected.

it is definitely comforting to know that God is in control and He knows what He is doing.

because we are trusting only in His guidance.

Pressing on...

summer flowers:)

the blue sky and the brown dead grass inspired me to make some bright colorful flowers. after making them, I brought it over and gave them to a lady who just had back surgery:) it brightened up her home with the vibrant colors:)

I started with scrap fabric:

bunched it up and sewed it together.

wrapped the bottom with a green or brown pipe cleaner.

and ta-da! summer flowers:)

finished product that i brought over to Ms. Norma:)

happy weather

1. the SKY was blue and gorgeous today

2. Hubby and I went on a walk together, hand-in-hand

3. tried and loved a local pizza joint (we love personally owned pizzerias,which is so much better than chain restaurant pizzas)

4. Started getting into my project.

Spring is a-coming! I can feel it and it's exciting!

Good News Club

(Red Skittle Rush- my team)

Ryan and I have a neat opportunity to serve with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Their Good News Club has permission to be INSIDE the public school immediately after school. Last season, they advertised and got over 100 kids signed up-they even had to turn kids away because they did not have enough room or leaders to handle that many kids. This season, they limited it to only 3rd and 4th grade, and wow, can i say how cool this opportunity is? We have 43 kids signed up, and this is all happening within my work place. I can't even describe how unbelievably neat it is to be allowed to share my faith inside the public school with some of my OWN students. (I received permission to be involved with it, because it is after school hours:))

Ryan, Dave, and his wife are putting together Noah's Ark:

Here are all the students together getting ready for the lesson.

MBI team-camp week

Pray for the last couple days of camp week in the Philippines. This is an INCREDIBLE week of ministry, pulling teenagers from the slums and bringing them to a beautiful campground to meet their physical needs (food, bed, safety, and fun) as well as minister to their spiritual needs. lives are changed during this week and so many of them come to know the Lord!

this sweet gal came to accept Christ as her personal Savior-and wanted to get baptized to show her profession of faith.

this year, there are 2 camps this year-God is working in the Philippines!

Rainy mopey days=project days!

I'm realizing more and more just how much I hate to be lazy. I'd rather be exhausted and busy with stuff to do, than lazy on the couch with nothing to do. So, I guess you could say with the dreary mopey days we've had lately, i've been going a little crazy. I'm fighting a cold, couch, and headaches, which doesn't help much either-oh well, gotta keep moving anyways.

Saturday mornings, I seem to automatically pop up at really early. i try so hard to sleep in since it's the one day I can, but I can't seem to do it! So i get all my cleaning and cooking done, and I have to say, I love my early mornings of quietness and bliss, complete with my Bible and coffee (which just seem to go hand in hand quite nicely!) by the time my husband gets up, I'm able to serve him a hot breakfast of sausage, eggs, rice, and juice; and have the bathroom, kitchen, and living clean. Only when things are clean, can I relax.

Sitting on the couch only works for me in these two situations:(1) early morning when i have my cuddle blanket, my Bible, and my coffee, and (2) in the evening with my husband after all the dishes from dinner have been washed, the kitchen has been cleaned, and the floors and bathroom are clean. Only then, can I enjoy an evening on the couch-and even then, i need to be doing something. (sometimes I wonder if I was ever that ADHD kid that I seem to have to put up with every day now:).

Which brings me to the point of this blog post: projects. I love to come home in the evenings and relax after a long day, but like i said, i can't keep still without doing anything for a long time. I like getting things accomplished, so it works for me to keep my hands busy when I'm relaxing. I went to a store in Souix City called "Hobby Lobby" which I had never heard about til i moved here. I think my sister ilene would go crazy in there. It's the nicest and biggest art store I have ever seen. I have never been on to do art projects, but art seems to be calling my name recently. I purchased items for 3 projects I have in mind-and i'm so excited to get started.

Maybe I'll blog about them, maybe I won't. We'll see. I guess it depends on how i think they look:).

this is kinda how the days have been...muddy, dreary, and wet. Oh well, we still have a thankful heart:)

good parts of the last week:

1. Waking up and spending time in the Word.

2. Having a the perfect cup of coffee with my favorite creamer.

3. Supervising these cool cats at Adventure Club

4. Having the snow melt and be washed away slowly by the rain

5. Slipping my feet into my running shoes after work to burn off some calories at the gym.

oh, theres so much more to add to this list! but i just realized what time it is, so i gotta hit the sheets, otherwise I'll lose track of time and it'll already by morning!

on my heart-the children of the world.

Jesus Loves the Little Children,

All the Children of the world,

Red and yellow, black and white,

they are precious in his sight,

Jesus Loves the Little Children of the world.

[Jesus Loves the Little Children]

[all the children of the world]

{Ukraine}

[red and yellow, black and white]

{Philippines}

[They are precious in His sight]

{Chicago}

[Jesus LOVES the little children of the world.]

{Storm Lake}

they need to know the love Christ gives. Jesus loves YOU!