CHRISTMAS CARD 2011

To our beloved family and friends,

Greetings to you from Detroit! It's a beautiful day here- there is a blanket of snow on the ground and I am cozied up with a little girl next to the fireplace. It is with great joy that I reflect on what God has done in our lives this past year. The Lord has graciously provided us in every need - that's not to say everything has gone the way I wanted- in fact it didn't, but God has allowed us to see His plan is better.

As many of you know we spent 6 weeks in Africa so David could work in a rural hospital in Kibuye, Burundi. That experience was the most challenging thing I have ever done! As I reflect back I am able to see how God worked through our lives in so many ways. The boys were often very sick- Bentley even had malaria- the greatest killer of children in the region. We lived among the poorest in the world- revealing to us the great needs of people and even more so the need for a Savior. God provided us the opportunity to go and see a place that needs more doctors and teachers in the medical school in Bujumbura. We prayerfully wonder if He'll bring us back someday. The trip to Africa changed us- for me it was a wake up not to romanticize poverty, Africa, or being a missionary, but such things are difficult and require complete strength in the Lord. For David, it planted the seed that he has the opportunity and obligation as a physician to help people- whether in inner city Detroit or remote Africa- or perhaps another place- he wants to go where he is needed.

In March we opened the letter every medical student anxiously awaits for revealing to us where we'd spend the next four years. Secretly. I still hoped it would say Phoenix, AZ, but it was no surprise to read David matched his first choice in the Internal Medicine and Pediatric program at Detroit Medical Center. God has provided us with a great church, solid group of friends, and a place to live. We are still in the process of buying this house- but are so thankful to be living in it. We are buying it with our friends Scott and Kristen. We enjoy living in community for many reasons- we don't get lonely, we share expenses, it allows for God to reveal our selfishness thus giving us the opportunity for repentance, and finally it grows us as a family in Christ.

We are continually working to get to know our neighbors and seeking creative ways to share the love of Christ. As I reflect on the people who have joined our church in the past year I am reminded of the amazing transformations that have occurred- people have repented from past abortions, drugs sold/used, men and women have turned from prostitution, marriages have been restored, children are being introduced to a God who loves them, and the list goes on and on. Our church is a discipleship- based ministry so if you are a member you are in a one on one discipleship relationship with someone who is praying for you and walking alongside you as you grow in Christ. With all that encouraging news we are pleading for your prayers as well! It is a battle in this dark city. We see women in abusive relationships, absent men, children dropping out of school, poverty, and lots of generational wounds. We have come across some difficult obstacles lately. Racism still reigns in Detroit. We are a majority white church in a majority African American neighborhood and people are harassed for joining us because of skin color. Also we strive to be a church body that is vulnerable and open about our situations (both past and present) and we find that people are so ashamed of their pasts and current situations that they leave because they don’t want people in their business. These obstacles are greater than we can bear on our own- we need Christ to change hearts. Would you join us in praying for spiritual change in this community? This is God’s city and His people- and our message is that God has NOT forgotten this place. And we long to be part of the change in this small section of Detroit.

Africa and Detroit are reminders to me of Christ's arrival and what that means for us today. We celebrate with great joy the season of Advent as a family. The expectation, anticipation, preparation, and longing for a Savior. This year has really taught us what it means to long for Christ's arrival. We’ve never known hunger, destitute poverty, or disease and living among those who have and do has shown us desire for “all things new”.

Finally, we’d like to introduce the newest member of our family, Lillian Elizabeth. She was born 11.23.11 at 9:54 PM weighing 6 lbs 11 oz. We gave her the name Lillian (Lily) as a reminder from Matthew 6 where Jesus tells us not to worry telling us He clothes the lilies of the field- how much more will He take care of us? Her name was the theme of our lives in 2011 and can be a continued reminder to us to trust in the Lord for all things!
Lovingly,

David, Adrienne, Bentley, Clayton, and Lillian