So Much To Be...

Thankful For!

What a year! We hope you are well, and that you, too, have much to be thankful for. We’re foremost thankful to God who is our Father, our Hope and our Redeemer. And we’re thankful for friends like you who have carried us through 2011!

As most of you know, 2011 has been the year to walk out the vision God gave to start a new church in Galesburg….and thankfully we’re not walking it alone! God has connected us with a great church planting organization (Converge), a great local church (Bethel), and a great  pioneering team of people who have been committed to the idea of church for people who aren’t in church. Together, we are now in our second month of leading Fields Church!

A resounding theme of Fields Church is that everyone is on a spiritual journey, whether they realize it or not. Our focus has been helping people evaluate their journey and move forward on it. Sounds like all fun and games, right? It’s been the best of times. . . and the hardest of times. God has been teaching us to rely on Him in deeper ways. Personal challenges involving extended family medical issues, death, depression, pregnancy, support raising, and spiritual warfare have kept us in a constant state of dependence upon God. We are thankful that He is the author and finisher of life, and during the trials He is faithful and active.

This week Mark had the opportunity to talk and pray with a woman who placed her faith in Jesus Christ. As a single mom, she has many worries in this life. Yet she’s now settled her eternity and is connecting to a church family where she can thrive. Seeing lives changed never gets old!

Seeing lives born doesn’t get old either! Our son, Corban Mark, was born in August bringing our kid count to five. Having a baby in the house again keeps us smiling and sleep deprived! Claire, 10, enjoys reading, drawing cartoons, and being the Big Sister. Twins Luke and Caleb, almost 8, loved their first year of baseball on the Cubs team, are hooked on The Magic Tree House books and fill the house with laughter and loudness. You’ll find Lydia, 4, wearing a dress everyday. She has loads of personality and loves to perform for anyone who will watch.  Our children are a blessing beyond measure and we treasure them.

To catch a few more pictures of our year, check out robinsonmoments.blogspot.com and www.fieldschurch.com. Please let us know how we can stay in touch and pray for you. We wish you sweet times over Thanksgiving and Christmas, and may God surprise you in 2012!

Thankful for you,

Mark & Jody

Claire, Luke, Caleb, Lydia, & Corban

Fall

Hey there! I know it's been ages. And I don't really think you want to hear the excuses. But I decided to take a few pictures, and since I'm not breaking out the scrapbooking supplies anytime soon, I've gotta put the pics somewhere.


So, here's us at the pumpkin patch. Our first post-hospital picture of Family of 7.

I know Corban appears asleep in his carseat. Don't let that fool you. He did start sleeping in his carseat this week, but not for the first 9 weeks of his little sweet life. Hearing a newborn baby do that "wa-aah,wa-aah, wa-aah" cry in the backseat is no fun. No fun at all. So, I pretty much haven't gone anywhere or done anything since he was born.

Except the pumpkin patch.

Because my parents set up shop there. My dear Mama "put up" over 700 pints of goods this summer. Salsa, jam, jelly, salsa, pickles, salsa and more salsa. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyy. Yum.

And they sold all that yumminess at the pumpkin patch in the little town where they live. Plus caramel apples & apple cider. Double yummy.

So that was us. The one day, about a month ago, when I left my house. (Well, that's not really me. That's my mom, my daughter, and my friend, Gyovanna.) But I was there. too.

Okay, I'm exaggerating for comic effect a little bit. I have left my house a few more times. Especially to go to church. You know what church I'm talking about? The new church in town....Fields Church! Led by the most handsome pastor you've ever seen. I mean, he is really good looking! Dare I say, Hot?!

But that's not usually why people go to church, you know? Just to see the hot pastor. Usually they go because they're interested in spiritual journey. Starting where they are and looking for God. So, hey, if that's you: come to Fields Church. It's probably pretty different than anything you've been to before.

I kinda like to call it CoffeHouse Style. We eat, drink coffee & juice, sing to acoustical music. We're age-integrated which means you don't deposit you're kids in a nursery or class. We worship all together. We're by no means a perfect church. But we've got a handsome pastor AND a genuine goal to help people on their journey to God.

That's what's going on with us.

And I might get out more now that the little bubby can sleep in the car. But the "wa-aah, wa-aah, wa-aah" was really cramping my style.