Christmas Cards

Dear Family and Friends

What for a privilege. One of our neighbours visited us and said: "Wow you are very popular", because they saw all your Christmas cards.
We just wanted to say a BIG Thank You to all of you who were thinking of us during this Christmas time. Below you can see all the cards we received and me writing lots as well.

We are thankful of knowing that people are thinking and praying for us. Thank you very much for your friendships!

Time has been busy: I have been poorly over the last few days … again. This is the second time in 2-3 months I’ve caught a cold. Andy had one the other day, so I guess he probably passed it on to me. Welcome to married life, smile. Right now I am resting a bit…, writing this at the same time. I still can only do things for 2 hours or so and then I am feeling tired again.

I read this Verse in the Bible: Deuteronomy 2:7: The Lord your God has blessed you in all that you have done (in all the work of your hands). He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything….

I am thinking about life here in France. Our time here hasn’t been very exciting. Seems the same every day: get out of bed, have breakfast, take the books, go to class, study, go home (glad that we don’t have to go fare, especially during wintertime) cook, eat, study some more, go to bed. Everything seems so repetitive. (Exceptions: Our weekends away).
Again the Israelites come to my mind. Not quite sure if wandering around in the desert was very exciting for them. But it says in Deuteronomy Chapter 8 it says: God gave them manna every day to eat. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. What an amazing sentence.
For me personal, despite the monotony I do see God’s blessings, he has bestowed on us. Little things, but still big enough to recognize his hand in our life and to see He is with us. Also when I reflect on the last 2 years: getting married and joining BMS 2009, finishing IMC this year and moving to France, God indeed has blessed us very much.

So sometimes our present circumstances can cause us to forget both God’s blessings and the commitments we have made to Him.

I have to remind myself, that sometimes preparation time isn’t the most exciting time ever. It is a time of discipline and hard work, for the things which lay ahead of us…. Living in Africa, speaking and communicating with people. This is our first tool which we get equipped with - here in France.

What else has been happening: We have written a few tests over the last days, did some packing and started already to sort out some stuff we are taking back to Germany.
We will be leaving tomorrow to take the train from here to Germany to spend Christmas with my family. The time will be used to say Good-bye to my family; because this will probably be the only time I will see them before we leave for Africa. Please pray especially for this time, that God will be present during this time. Also I am still praying that my Mum and Brother will receive Christ... what more could I wish for as a Christmas present from my heavenly Father.
Time will be busy with doctor appointments and sorting some stuff out (what to take for Africa). We need wisdom for that as well.
A few days before New Year, we will fly to England to stay with Andy’s family over New Year. It has been always a tradition in his family to celebrate his birthday on the 1st of January.
Shortly after, we are flying back to France to start school again. Please keep us in your prayers.

Again, thank you very much for keeping so faithfully in touch. We wish you all a wonderful Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.
Don’t forget: You won't be hearing from us until the second Saturday in 2011. Until then “À bientôt".
In Christ Your missionaries Jutta and Andy