Wow! I've not posted in quite sometime, but I decided a few weeks ago to re-vamp this blog and really start ministering to my friends, family and anyone else that needs a good laugh, a prayer request, a friend or some uplifting time with God.

Let me start with what HAS happened since we moved our little family down from the "secure life"  of Northern California where all of our church friends, family and work were. When we accepted the call that God placed on our hearts back in November 2 years ago, we were told that we "wouldn't stay and would move back, we were crazy and what on EARTH did we think we were doing by bringing the girls down to such an area that is SOOOO close to Mexico" In fact, we are 5 minutes from the Mexico border..I can hop on the I-8 and drive 5 miles west and on my left side is the BORDER that separates us from Mexico! I admit, when we first moved down here, I, too thought that perhaps we WERE crazy, but God kept reassuring us that He was all we needed.....boy was God right!

My adoring husband and closest friend, Sheldon(aka Vick) has been Programming a Christian radio station that until he got here was failing..MISERABLY! This community is desperate to hear God's word and it wasn't happening.  The radio station is completely listener supported and last fall's share-athon was the FIRST time in 16 years that the station MADE their goal and was $6k OVER! Praise the Lord!

Our whole family is involved with this ministry...I do radio spots and sometimes "sit-in" and I am on the air w/my amazing husband in the mornings! Our 2 girls have done radio spots as well.....we are committed to bringing God to this community.

We found an amazing Church home....and it was such a salve after leaving our home church(the ONLY church I had ever attended)....again, God was good....in fact when we were in the process of moving, I went on the internet to find a church...Champion Church "popped" off the screen because I saw that they did a "live nativity" and I said "God that would be an amazing thing to see in person!" God responded..."Cathy, you are going to that church." I remember bookmarking it...when we got here, everyone at the station wanted us to visit their church..and even the community kept inviting us to different churches...I kept nagging and saying"When are we going to Champion?" We finally did...Praise God! Ashley fell in love instantly and so did we....we were HOME...even Nicole, she walked right into children's service and waved at me....AMAZING! I thought for sure she would cry..NOT ONE TEAR!

I started working in retail and I loved it, but I knew that I didn't want to do that forever, I hated working at nights and on the weekends...so I kept praying and God led me to a job at a Christian school, working with Special Ed children and teaching Speech.......it's heartbreaking at times because I see how hard the children are trying to learn....and then I thank God that He gave me 2 amazing children that excel in their studies!

Sheldon is still with the radio station and has asked me numerous times to pray for direction..he works with people that don't have God's vision the way he does..and it gets frustrating! It has gotten so bad at times that he(Sheldon)has wanted to quit...I prayed and God responded to me...He told me that Sheldon is the "bright" light in this dark region..and many people(including teachers at my school and at our daughter's new school)that LISTEN to him and they were doing this before I started working there! This is truly the "ONLY" radio ministry in the area...God needed a man like my Sheldon to run it and keep it going and make it prosper---Sheldon has done that!

Ashley has been singing at our church (on the youth/adult)worship team,,,,she taught herself the guitar and will study music/voice at the local college here.....she LOVES what she does!

Nicole went to school(I homeschooled her last year)and I am thankful and blessed that she and I bonded that way....her new school is a charter school and it is amazing! 

I work with the Children's Ministry at our church w/an amazing Pastor---he has such a heart for the kiddos! We've also ministered in Mexico..I remember the first time I called my Mom from Mexico and she FLIPPED that we took the girls across the border.......we are always safe and secure..I do not live in fear...my parents are still in the dark...I pray constantly that the come to the light........I am not afraid and will not let the enemy keep us from doing His work! Can I get an Amen?

Anyway, it is October again.....we still are here and I believe that we will stay here...we have no plans to leave...God isn't done with us yet.....

I've met many many friends and speakers since being here...that is the perks of Christian radio..I have been able to build amazing relationships with amazing God loving people!

I love the community here...I know why God sent us here...and if anyone needs prayer, please let me know...I LOVE praying for others!

We are in the midst of our Pumpkin Patch..I know, Pumpkins you may say? We are firm believers in Christ, however, we never change the message, just the presentation of it...I met a family last week, they came to see our "pirate" show....we perform a pirate show (lights, fog, pirates, etc)each weekend that delivers the message of "choosing life" and God's kingdom over the "dark side" it's a very effective tool in our ministry,,,anyway, this family has been told "how amazing our pumpkin patch" was and couldn't wait to see it....I was able to talk to them, minister to them and basically love on them..in a "non-threatening" way.....again, God is sooo good and all the glory goes to Him!

I discussed our Jesus is Born nativity that takes place at Christmas...we perform a "live" nativity...and last Christmas my family was a part of it..not just sitting there WATCHING...we were DOING it!

I guess I should close for now.......peace and prayer to all my friends that are out in the "BIGGER battlefields" you know who you are.....I promise to keep this blog updated.....take care

Until next time!

I can't believe that it's November already! We have been in AZ for 6 months now! We SURVIVED the heat and are looking forward to cooler weather. So much has happened in my life these past 6 months that the holidays are going to be "very different" for me and my family this year.

My parents are visiting for Thanksgiving and I have to work the day AFTER and that whole weekend. I work in retail so naturally that is the case! What is a downer is that they are driving (15 hrs)from No. Cal to visit on that Tuesday so they won't get here to LATE(MY ONLY day off)next to Thanksgiving,,,and then they are going back that Saturday! I am hurt by this because I found out that they are FLYING to where my brother is living (IN GEORGIA)w/another woman...yes, he left his family earlier this year and moved in with another woman and started a WHOLE NEW LIFE! My SIL & kids are still hurt over this....

Anyway, they are flying out on December 19th and staying until December 27th! How fair is that? I mean, I haven't seen them in MONTHS and I get to see them for maybe 1 day? While their son that "dogged" his family they are "happy to spend" a whole week with him and his "fiance"....Do I sound bitter? Yes, I was initially....then I discussed this with God....and my husband...my husband wanted to know what God said to me.....

This is what God said "Cathy, I love you and I am all you need. Be grateful that your parents are going to make this journey to see you and your family, regardless of how long it will be. Your brother needs them more than you do in y our life, remember you have ME!"  When God spoke that to me, I felt HUMBLED! He is ALL I WILL EVER NEED!

Yes, I love my parents, but I'm not being  a baby about this, I will enjoy what time I have with them and not complain.   Thank you Lord for helping me to see that!

November blessings to all!

Catherine

Winds of over 112 MPH are roaring through the mountains areas of San Diego county. What is incredibly sad is that we just visited that area a few weeks ago! I've lived along the coast and we've experienced wild fires before, they aren't fun!

We are currently living in AZ and we are 2 hrs east of San Diego, we have had high winds since yesterday blowing through here and it's been awful (Breathing wise)for us! I know that these winds are blowing west and it's not helping the fires at all.

Take care all of my friends and family that are in the area...our prayers are with you all.

God has called my husband to Program a Christian radio station in AZ. We are going to move down there the beginning of June, 2007. We are VERY excited! My oldest is excited because we were planning on homeschooling this next school year and she's excited about what God has in store for her and for our family.

It will be hard to leave our church family, but I am praying that God will lead us to the RIGHT church in Yuma and that we are able to become a part of something incredible with a new church!

I miss my friend Mary so much but I am more at peace with it. I know that she is no longer in pain and that she is truly in a better place.....

Prayers for myself, I just finished costuming and making props/sets for our Easter play and unfortunately I injured my shoulder! Silly me---I thought I could LIFT heavy things! LOL But I am in pain, and trying to grin and bear it.

Once we get moved I will devote much more time to my business (Blessed Toys)and get a network going down there!

Until next time......

In His Love,

Cathy

 A very good friend of mine has passed away and is now in Heaven. Her name is Mary and not only did we work together, we were friends. I am completely stunned by this. She wasn't sick until last week when she couldn't breathe and her husband took her to the hospital. They thought it was a blood clot in her lung. On Sunday, I called her home expecting to get her answering machine and I got her instead. She could barely breathe at that time! I was shocked that the hospital had released her! What WERE THEY THINKING????

On Monday she was rushed back to the hospital because of breathing problems and they discovered that she had several blood clots in her lungs....yesterday (Wednesday) she knew that she wasn't going to make it and requested that her husband tell everyone for her good-bye and to sign papers to not resusitate her (DNR)if she got worse.....

I was out walking this morning when a fellow co-worker and other good friend called to tell me that she had just passed away earlier.

I talked to her husband and he said that she had told him yesterday to tell me that she "loved me and would miss me and loved my girls!"

I am so saddened by this tremendous loss, she was a bright spark that has now left my life.