It is amazing! Performers can come out at half time and disrobe, and there is hardly a whisper heard about it. Talk about a mothers love for her son (before and after he is born), and all hell breaks loose… literally. Hell does not like messages of hope and life, and it is showing in the media, in the feminists, and the liberal left. All these people who are crying out against it have not even seen it yet!  We have to remember though, that they are not the enemy. For our war is not against flesh and blood, and these poor souls are confused and deceived. Lord, open their eyes to see The Truth, and The Truth will set them free!

All the controversy is around a commercial by Focus On The Family.  Some information from Focus is below.  The actual commercial won’t be available until it airs during the Super Bowl.  A handful of private individuals put up the money for the ad, and Focus’ general fund was not tapped.  God bless you Focus, and God bless America!

- John

Marriage | Parenting | Online Communities | Media Center | Family Store | Support Family Ministry Focus Action Update™ Feb. 5, 2010 This week: The whole country is talking about the sanctity of life, thanks to an upcoming Super Bowl ad featuring star quarterback Tim Tebow and his mom. Dear Friend, By now you’ve likely heard about what’s been called the most controversial ad to appear in the Super Bowl in many years–a Focus on the Family® spot featuring Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother, sharing a message of “celebrate family, celebrate life.” For the past two weeks, major television networks, news outlets and even Saturday Night Live have jumped into the dialogue. We’ve been accused by a few organizations of being anti-woman, intolerant, divisive, and spewing hate. But what’s most amazing about these charges is that they’re based entirely on conjecture–none of our critics has yet seen the ad! (Beginning on Sunday, after the game, you can access the ad on FocusOnTheFamily.com.) In responding to these charges, Focus President Jim Daly has had the chance to share the true message of this ad in interview after national interview–and the sheer volume of coverage for our message of celebrating family and life has been worth far more than the cost of the ad itself. Besides that, the media, in covering the controversy, has conveyed many more details about the difficulties surrounding Tim’s birth than we’ve been able to put in one 30-second ad. From the beginning, our goal has been to stimulate a discussion about the beauty of life and a mother’s determination to bear that life. Wow, is that conversation ever happening. This week’s Focus Action Update™ online video discusses the Focus on the Family Super Bowl ad. We’ll tell you what inspired the ad–and how God miraculously provided the resources to produce and air it. Go here for our special report on the Super Bowl ad. A “win-win” already! The Super Bowl is the single biggest TV attraction of the year. What better way to reach what many estimate could be 100 million people with a life and family-affirming message? People seeking help with their marriages or children will see a message of hope during one of the biggest family gatherings of the year. Please join us in prayer this Sunday during the Super Bowl that those people who need help with their families will contact Focus via our toll-free phone number, (800) A-FAMILY (232-6459) or visit FocusOnTheFamily.com. I also hope you’ll forward this message on to your friends so that they’ll know to watch for the ad and know why we aired it. For faith and family, Tom Minnery Senior Vice President, Government & Public Policy

On November 28, there was a party helping Missionary Mary Ballenger celebrate her 70th birthday. Mary is a Missionary to Africa and is the Academic Dean at the West Africa Advanced School of Theology (WAAST).  It was a very nice time giving honor to this fine servant of God who has dedicated most of her life in His service.  Click HERE for more information on WAAST.  We love you Mary!

Click the picture to see more from the party.

Sherwood Pictures announced their next movie this evening.  “Courageous” will be the fourth film that Sherwood Church has made.  The previous three films were Flywheel, Facing The Giants, and Fireproof.  Each of Sherwood’s movies has a solid Biblical message that is relevant to today’s culture, and the professional quality of each successive film gets better and better.  Our family can hardly wait for their next movie, “Courageous.”

- John

I travel around the beautiful state of Montana for on my job. I enjoy taking pictures of beautiful or unusual things along the way.  At one of my stops, there were quite a few bushes around covered with small ripe plumbs.

I spotted this one off in an area by itself.  When I saw this little bush, I though it had a very spiritual concept behind it.

Its job is to bear fruit.  Not to look pretty, or hang around other bushes that are bearing fruit, but to do what it was created to do… Bear Fruit!

In our walk with the Lord, do we bear fruit?  Is it our life purpose to bear fruit for the kingdom?  Or, do we like to look pretty, hang around those that also look pretty… even in church?!

¹⁵“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Matthew 7:15-20 (NIV)

What kind of fruit are we producing?  Do we live our lives like the false prophets, full of show, but inwardly dead? Or are we bearing good fruit for the kindom?  Are we the real thing? Or when it is all over, will be be thrown into the fire?

- John

The annual student led “See You At The Pole” event is scheduled to be held Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at your local school’s flag pole.  Take a stand for your faith in Jesus Christ by gathering with fellow believers and praying for your school, teachers, and administrators.  They really need it.  Millions of studends will be attending this event.  We need it!  America needs it!

Click the picture to go to the SYATP web site.

We enjoyed a fun time together on Sunday evening on August 30th as Neighborhood Assembly of God Church celebrated our summer picnic.  We totally stuffed ourselves on hamburgers, hot dogs, polish dogs, and more goodies than one is allowed to imagine.  We had super fellowship with those we love, and there were lots of games, blowups, and activities for kids of all ages.  There was even a creek to wade in to cool off.  All of this happened at the Kleffner Ranch, which has one of the largest (if not the largest) old barns in the United States.  Click on the picture to see a slide show of our fun evening.

Click the photo to see more from our fun picnic.

John

We made our second annual trek to Downpour Festival in Great Falls, MT  on Saturday, August 15.  Katie, Desire’, and Ana went with our church’s youth group on Friday.  The weather was very very cold and very rainy; but the presence of God was very very warm, and the title “Downpour Fest” was quite appropriate in both the physical and spiritual realms.

On Friday, the youth say KJ52, Sanctus Real, and Decyfer Down.  On Saturday, we were blessed with Among the Thirsty, Lincoln Brewster, Plumb, Brock Gill, and Casting Crowns.  WOW!

Here are some blurry pictures.

Alia was born with congenital cataracts. She had the lenses in her eyes removed when she was a few weeks old.  Ever since then, she had to wear very thick glasses to compensate for her eyes having no lenses of their own.  We tried contacts for a short while, but they proved to be too difficult.

We have been waiting years for her to get big enough to have surgery so artificial lenes could be implanted in her eyes.  That time has finally come.  On Tuesday, Aug. 11, Alia had a new lens implanted into her left eye, and a week later, she had her right eye done.  When she is all healed up, she will still have to have glasses, but now they will be ordinary ones like yours and mine.

We praise the Lord for the wisdom He has given our scientists and doctors to be able to do this.  Even a few years ago, children born with this problem grew up nearly blind.

Part of our family’s tradition, is to go to Glacier Bible Camp for our vacation. This year, camp started on July 3rd and went through July 10.  We had a very good time.  Here are some snippets and pictures of this year’s vacation.  Click your Internet Browser’s “back” button to return here after viewing the slide shows.  Enjoy!

John

Click the picture to see more of our 4th of July.	We spent July 4th at Ashley Lake, near Kalispell.  We had lots of fun with lots of friends and lots of relatives.  The kids got plenty wet, we did plenty of boating, we ate plenty of food, then we watched plenty of fireworks.
Click the picture to see our fireworks.	After the fun day, we set off a bunch of fireworks.
Click the picture to see more of Ana's Honor Star Crowning.	On Monday, July 6,  Ana and several other girls were Crowned as Honor Stars. Each girl spent a couple of year meeting several requirements that include a lot of Bible reading and memorization.  Great Job Ana!
Click the photo to see more from the fun NASCAR parade.	On Wednesday, July 6, the camp had a parade.  This is about the third year for the parade, and it has become a fun part of family camp.  This year’s theme was NASCAR.  Here are some of the imaginative entries.
Click the photo to see more of our relaxing evening with family and friends.	Bible Camp is always a good time to relax with family and friends. On Thursday, July 9, we had some of both over to the cabin.
Click the photo to see more of our fun at Lion Lake	Our last full day at camp was Friday, July 10. We enjoyed a bit of time at Lion Lake, a small lake near Hungry Horse lake.  It has become part of our time at camp and enjoy getting wet here most every year.
Click the photo to see more from "Spoon Lake"	Spoon Lake A few years ago, we stopped by a small lake (pond?) on the way home from Glacier Bible Camp, to stretch our legs.  While fiddling around, one of the kids found an old spoon.  We took that spoon and buried it at the base of a certain tree, and christened the lake “Spoon Lake”.  We though it would be fun to check in the future to see if the spoon was still there. This year, on the way home, we did stop once again at “Spoon Lake”.  After searching under the wrong tree for several minutes, we picked one last tree before leaving.  Lo and behold, there was the spoon.  It was full of pitch and took some time to clean it off.  We got some pictures and once again buried it for a future visit. Where is “Spoon Lake” you ask?  We can’t tell you; you might go and find our bit of treasure.

On a very starry night, love was in the air!

Thirteen years ago today, on a cloudy night (actually early morning, or last night after midnight), on the dock at Ashley Lake, near Kalispell, MT, the Lord parted the clouds for a brief moment just for us.  I dropped on my knee, took Carol’s hand, and nervously asked her to marry me.

With each of us in the other’s arms, God’s glory shown with the heavens ablaze.  It was magnificent!  A short time later, the clouds again closed up the sky.

Thank you Carol for saying yes; and I would do it again in a second!

I Love You Carol,

John