BGEA Picnic

Almost two weeks ago, I (Kelly) was able to attend the "Staff and Family Picnic" for the many branches of Billy Graham's ministries. Brenton was busy so my friend, Heather, from The Cove went with me. We figured we would have a girls' night since the guys had other plans. It was such a peaceful evening with the crowds of people.

Prior to the picnic, Heather and I toured around the animal cages nearby and died laughing at the bears' antics to get food. It was like being around a ton of adolescents; tongues out, feet up, belly rubs, and animals running around the enclosed area. All except for the lone bear in the back exhibit who must have gotten in trouble.

At dinner Franklin Graham addressed the staff stating that his father was going to attend, though with age they asked that we respect his presence. Billy Graham spoke briefly mentioning that his eye-sight was failing and that he would be turning ninety this next month. It was a honor to be in his presence; a man of great respect.

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Just a few words about our new friends at The Cove. At the end of last week, I walked into my cubicle to find a small gift bag filled with cards. I was delightfully suprised to see all the women round the corners into my cubicle minutes later. They decided to throw Brenton and I a gift card welcoming in place of a house warming party. Later I found out sweet Heather was the mastermind of the operation. Though thanks to all my supervisors and co-workers who were ever so sweet to offer the myriad of gift cards. Brenton and I are set up for next year!

Getting Connected

Highland Christian Church

We found a church home and small group! Both Brenton and I grew from the church we were attending previously, but never quite found the means to connect. During our move to NC, we committed to find a small group and stick with it, regardless, this time around. We were blessed yet again.

Week one, we visited a very weloming family of Christ, it was just a little too far away. Week two, we tried a church recommended to us, though it was a little more charismatic than we are use to. Week three, we attended a Baptist church that was well seasoned, but just not for us. Week four, we attended Highland Christian, a church that meets at a bar downtown Asheville. We were a little skeptical, but greeted with a breath of fresh air. It felt like we had arrived home once again. The church definitely makes outreach a priority, and is grounded in it's values. The last four weeks, we were invited out with different couples. Again, the key word is "connect". The last two Sunday evenings, we attended get-togethers at the pastor's (who is a humble servant of our Savior) home to learn more about the church's vision and core values. Two weeks ago we walked into a small group that we fell in love with almost immediately, thinking back on the handful we attended previously, though never found a connection.

I have to make a disclaimer that in writing this post, I almosted hesitated in writing that we are now attending church at a bar. Yet the Holy Spirit quickly convicted me. Shame on me for being too concerned about others thoughts when we now have a chance to be a part of the Lord's ministry through such an exciting means. Praise be to Jesus for allowing such a church to be planted in the heart of our mini "San Francisco".

In closing, it has been a true blessing to "belong" and "connect" in so many ways. We've enjoyed the many random outings, a dinner with Montreat's Adult Club, dinners with sponsors of Montreat's soccer team, a house warming gathering for a co-worker at The Cove, and the many other random encounters. Random to us, though I know the Lord has planned each one. I, again, want to give Him the glory for these gifts since I have not not always been faithful in doing so.

The Testimony of Robert Roger's

Just this past week I (Kelly) finished proofing the bio of Robert Rogers, the worship leader at the current conference for The Cove. Every time I read the bio I was overwhelmed with Robert's story. It is the most beautiful testimony. Thursday before I headed out, I was told about Robert sharing during devotions the next morning. Everyone was overwhelmed, somber and, yet, blessed as we tried to focus on work for the following seven and a half hours. The testimony and picture are pulled from the website for Robert's ministry (www.mightyintheland.com). Robert has shared his story on a number of tv shows, written a book about his journery, and has now begun a ministry helping orphans and special need children all around the world.

The Night of the Flash Flood


I was blessed to have tasted true love with Melissa for 13 and a half years of what many called a fairytale romance. Only, this was real. God arranged a divine appointment between a city boy from Cincinnati and a cute country girl from Kansas in the middle of downtown Boston, as I played piano at a sidewalk café in March 1990. Melissa gave me a 5-dollar tip and always said, "That was the best 5 bucks I ever spent!" Our first date was at Friendly's Ice Cream and our last meal together was at Braum's Ice Cream (in Wichita) - sweet bookends to a fairytale romance of what can only be called "true love."...

...We lived in the San Jose bay area for 5 1/2 years and moved to Kansas City in 1997. Melissa gave birth to our 3 oldest children (Makenah 8, Zachary 5, Nicholas 3) and we adopted Alenah Wenying (age 1) in January 2003 from the Hunan Province of China. We were married nearly 12 years and were hopelessly in love with Jesus, each other, and our precious children.

We decided early on to make God a priority in our family. We made family our first ministry. God honored that choice and was always faithful. Many trials stretched our faith, including the 92 total hours of excruciating labor to bring our first three children into this world, the exhausting efforts to care for our son with Down Syndrome, two miscarriages (1 nearly fatal tubal rupture), our special-needs adoption of Alenah from China, and even the choice to tithe faithfully while Melissa stayed home full-time with our children.

Life was never easy and money was never plentiful, but God was always good and family was so much fun. Perhaps our special-needs children taught us to appreciate the little things in life so profoundly. We treated family moments (and pictures) as something sacred to behold and treasure.

Eight short months after returning from China with Alenah, we were returning from a wedding on August 30, 2003 in Wichita, Kansas (200 miles from our home in Kansas City). We had just finished our last ice cream together. An hour later, with four sleeping children in the back of our minivan, we were caught in a flash flood at night on I-35 and were washed off the highway by a raging river 6-feet high and hundreds of feet wide. After kicking out the driver’s window, three of us were instantly flushed out of the van. Our three youngest were still buckled in their car seats. When I was drowning with my family underwater in the darkness, I could literally sense the peace of God assuring me that they were all going to Heaven and that it was all going to be OK. There was no pain. There was no fear. I continued to simply trust God. Somehow, He pulled me above the rapids and over to the shore. It’s a miracle I’m alive.

By 3am, they had found our minivan a mile and a half from the highway, upside down, with my three youngest children still inside. By 10am, they had found Makenah a half-mile from the van. It wasn’t until the third excruciating day that they found Melissa – two miles from the highway in a retention pond.

I was the only survivor. Even as I identified each of their cold, wet bodies, I had peace through the pain and tears – because of Jesus. He conquered death and removed the sting. In the worst moment of my life, God’s presence was the sweetest it’s ever been. From the first to the last ice cream, God blessed our family with sweet fillings and a life of “No Regrets.” His purpose through me is not finished yet. I believe I miraculously survived and am alive to tell the remarkable testimony of hope and God's grace through tragedy. God can bring beauty from ashes. There is peace through Jesus. God is still good, all the time.

The hope, peace, and comfort of God are available to all of us. It’s up to us to make a choice to receive His free Heavenly gifts. Today, accept Jesus’ Resurrection gift of eternal life. Trust him, and have peace.

...God is still good, all the time.

Robert says he is experiencing love again with his wife, Inga, his son, Ezekiel, and now the child Inga is expecting.

Nature's Finest

The story begins with a gorgeous sunset laced with trees and framed by mountains. Brenton and I have been taken with the landscape daily. We love spending time on our sweet porch in the evenings and Lexy loves to run free. Who doesn't love freedom? We've taken time to hike up Look Out Mountain and browse around Montreat's moonlit campus. Every morning begins with a drive in the mountains and every evening ends with the sunset.

We are just waiting for a black bear sighting now. We have heard numerous stories about the black bears coming out in Montreat, Black Mountain and Swannanoa. A few days before I started work at The Cove, a black bear circled around our administrative building. I've also driven by a wild turkey and her babies a number of days. Just yesterday, I had a fawn following on my way to The Cove's gate house. He was precious and skittish; which way do I go? Half the time I can't figure it out myself, the poor deer!




Our goal for the weekend, when Brenton is not involved with pre-season, is to make another homemade Blackberry Pie. The best ever; that is if you add a crumb topping! Last weekend, we found endless amounts of blackberry bushes on Montreat's Black Mountain campus. We collected a small tub full and barely made a dent in the load of bushes. Sadly our pickings are getting few. Brenton said the sun is now drying the ripe fruit out. We'll see what's left.




And for the Grand Finale of "Nature's Finest", a dog with diapers. Lexy has begun her first heat which, we learned today, will last for three weeks. Amazing, but not in terms one would wish for! We woke up on Sunday morning to find our poor girl shaking; it was all too new, for her and for us. So, after church, we made a stop by Pet Smart to get doggie diapers that are outrageously priced. And boy are we in for fun. The XL diapers won't fit our half grown lab. It's time to clean, clean and clean. Thankfully, we have found true entertainment in the diaper pictures; the ladies at The Cove surely had a good laugh during a mid-week break.