God is Good

Hello!

It's been awhile since I have sent out an update so I thought it would be a good time to send one out now. I have asked for Chris to write down everything he has been doing in prison, but he has been so busy that he hasn't been able to sit and make up a schedule. Basically he has become very involved in several Bible studies, church, a class called "Authentic Manhood", and another class that is an introduction to ministry. He spends his free time playing Axis & Allies with a group of guys and when he goes out to yard time he makes sure to spend time exercising. They play a lot of sports there, but he does not have a pair of tennis shoes, so he's had a hard time getting into a lot of the games. Right now he is just walking around the yard several times to get his exercise in.

We had some positive news from our appeals attorney. I cannot tell you exactly what he found, but he found that Chris' constitutional rights were violated and if the judges agree with the findings we will be able to either get a new trial (re-try the two counts he was charged with), or they will completely drop one charge. It's a fairly big deal and we need lots of prayer over it. Also we need prayer that the attorney will find information on the second charge that will be useful in clearing Chris' name. We know that nothing will completely clear his name, unfortunately. With these charges once you have a finger pointing at you it doesn't matter how innocent you are, someone will believe you are guilty. It's very sad.

I'm not sure if anyone is interested in an update on the girls and I, but I will go ahead and include one just in case... Hannah just turned three and I bought a book, "Guess How Much I Love You" for her and her daddy to read together. The words of the book are on their way to Chris and he will be able to read the book to her over the phone. She is growing up so quickly and it saddens me that Chris is missing this. She talks with him on the phone and she recently told me that she thought daddy was at Costco. lol.

Bethany is eight and has really been trying to figure out why her daddy is gone. She has such a hard time understanding why this would happen to him. Today she told me that she thinks that prison should be part-time or like work...then he could come home at night. She has been doing well outside of this subject. Recently I was able to give her a few lessons with Mary's horse trainer and I was so amazed at how well she was doing. This girl is afraid of everything and to see her leading a horse without fear was pretty incredible. I'm hoping that someday I will be able to give her more consistent lessons.

Mary is going to be thirteen on August 5th. I have seen her grow so much over these past few months. She has been taking horse lessons once a week and it is saving her. It is not easy for me to save the money for her lessons, but it feels like it's a necessity. Before she began her lessons she was really going off the deep-end talking about all sorts of negative things. Now all she can talk about is her future career as a "hippotherapist" and how many acres of land she would like to have. She wants Chris and I to live on the land with her to help her with her ranch. Fine by me! :o)

I have two classes left until I receive my Bachelors in Ministry. It has been a long and hard road. I'm already talking with my advisor about continuing on to my masters degree in preparation to teach at the college level. It is something I have talked about for years, but never felt smart enough to do it. I'm realizing, though, that it's a passion of mine and I need to trust that God will meet me when I am feeling inadequate. In the meantime I am still watching my friend's girls three days a week and I'm still doing the placenta encapsulation. I'm trying to be very tight with my money so that our needs are covered and every so often I can give in to wants.

What we need now is:

Prayers for the attorney as he finalizes his research and turns in the opening brief.
Prayers for the judges who will be reading over this brief.
Prayers for Chris as he ministers to fellow inmates.
Prayers for Chris as he may have to go into surgery soon for a hernia he was born with (on his belly).
Prayers for me as he goes through this because it is killing me that I won't be at his side.
Prayers for the girls. They have been expressing to me their sadness a bit more than usual.
Prayers that our bills will continue to be met and that there will be an influx at the times I need it. (I am the only one putting money on Chris' books and trying to purchase packages for him so that he has what he needs. This is a huge burden on me, though I do not want him to know. He already feels like a burden and I want him to know how much he is cared for.)

I am putting together a package for him in the next few weeks. These packages are through approved vendors and he only gets them every three months. He needs shoes, food, etc, in this next package. He has also requested an art package so that he can try to earn some money by making greeting cards. If anyone is able to help me to purchase these things he needs please let me know.  At this point I'm unsure of how I am going to afford what he needs and I am praying that this need is provided for.

We are all having a rough time emotionally right now. Prayers over our family would be so appreciated. Personally I feel broken today. I don't know how I'm going to do it all, but I have to believe that as I follow what God sets before me that He will honor my faithfulness and provide for ALL our needs...emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I know God is good and I cannot wait to see what He is going to do with our lives.