2008 Can you believe what God has done!!!!

Wow so here we are again on the brink, on the edge of a New Year. You can't help but look back on this year as well as wanting/longing to get a peek of what is to come.

Last year at this time I was with my Family while Joel stayed at the warehouse to work.
This time last year God gave Joel the release for him and I to leave Friend Ships in May and start a new adventure in life and it was ABOUT this time last year that Joel and I got an email from Joi wondering if we were keeping Dynamite:

"Hey Guys! Any chance that beautiful dog needs a permanent home? My brother is looking for a good dog. (A dog that is NOTHING like Buddy!!!) let me know if he is a good dog...you can email me cause I don't check blogs very often! Would love to hear from you! -joi"

Before that email we were making all the plans and arrangements to keep our pets. But after reading that email from Joi the Lord spoke to me saying He wanted us to give up our pets.
I bawled like a baby.

So from January to May Joel and I spent our last few months with Friend Ships in Los Angeles at the warehouse. Making arrangements for our pets, getting the warehouse ready for us to leave, and other odds and ends that goes with closing a huge, life changing chapter in our lives.

It was at Friend Ships I became born again and found what having a true relationship with Jesus Christ was all about. It was a Friend SHips Joel and I grew and matured in our walk with God and it was at Friend SHips that Joel and I met, fell in love, and married. Joel had been with Friend SHips for just one month shy of 8 years and I had been a few months over 5 years.

We left Friend Ships May 1st and gave up our three cats in that same day. Wow what a big first step. Joel and I stayed with my family for 2 and 1/2 months. We volunteered for a Women and Childrens Free Restaurant that provided groceries once a week and a lunch 3 days a week. We only volunteered Friday.

After that Joel, Dynamite, and I went to Virginia to visit our dear and wonderful (ex-Friend Ships crew) friends who love God just as much as we do. During that week visit is when we gave Dynamite over to Dan and Mary. They are the best couple for Dynamite and God was so gracious during this transition.

We then headed up to Canada to spend 2 and 1/2 months with Joel's family and seek God where He wanted us next. It wasn't until September with much prayer and tears and joy that we took Mom and Dad Wendles request to take their 3 churches for 3 months so they could have a time of rest and seeking God.

So that is where we are now. Over three churches (one in Idaho and two in Montana) Our time ends after the 1st weekend in Febuary and as of now we are praying and seeking God what is next for us.

I do wish God would give us a little peek for the year to come but we have options and are praying for God's perfect will for our lives. That we would present our bodies as a living sacrfice and that our words and actions would be pleasing to Him.

SO as you rethink this past 2008 we hope that it was joyful for you with some struggles but above all else you will see clearly where the hand of God has been.

May He, our Lord, richly bless you this year with His peace, joy, and love no matter what you go through. For we are all more than conquerors in Christ Jesus.

Blessing to all,
Joel and Dess

Just before the 3 Christmas eve service.
(I know we look super pale but it was the flash of the camera.
No really. No really really.)

Joel and Flowers

I totally have to brag on my husband. He is the most wonderful man I know. The biggest problem I have is that since we spend every minute of every hour of every day together I tend to take Joel for granted and forget just how wonderful he truly is.

So this week I hurt my back. I have had back pains in the past but this is and was just to painful to do anything. It was so bad that Joel had to put on my boots for me because I couldn't do it myself.

This brought us to the point that Joel had to do the craft fair all by himself and he was more than willing. Telling me if he didn't love me he wouldn't do the craft fair at all especially by himself. And you know what is even more of a heart twister no one bought anything the first day. (As I write this Joel is by himself on the second day of the craft fair)

Then yesterday Joel brings home a dozen roses for me because he loves me and wants me to get well. What a man. I love that guy.

SO this blog is all about Joel and how great he is and how much I appreciate him. Thank You God for my man whom you have blessed me with.

There are tons of other things that Joel has done that are just awww moments but it would take to long and I am sure you would get bored. SO I will keep it short and sweet.

Thank you Joel for being a wonderful man and treating me like a Queen.

Loved by Jesus and Joel,
Dess

Joel with Smokey the Bear (My brother-in-law, Forrest in the bear suit)

My Dozen Roses (I just couldn't help trying to capture their beauty in the snow)

A piece of pie can bring peace!!!!

Greetings to ya'll,

Since writing the last blog so so sooooo much has happened in events and what God is doing on the inside of Joel and I.

Captain Jake was able to come up and preach at the three churches. He was our guest speaker so we took him around to each of the three churches. Joel and I did everything but the message and it was wonderful!!!! The message was off the hook and it was nice not to have to preach on Sunday. I love being fed the word of God. Joel and Jake had a great time with "GUY/MALE" bonding. Joel and I also took Jake around our cabin to show him the sights and what this part of the country had to offer. Thanks Jake for such a wonderful time. He will be (God willing) back in January to do another round of preaching at the three churches.

Being over the churches is a stretch for Joel and I. WE have never done this kind of thing before, EVER. It really is overwhelming and mind blowing at times but with God leading and guiding us we can look back on each day and see where the Hand of God was in each situations. WHICH IS AWESOME!!!!!

One of the things that makes me chuckle, laugh, giggle and is a challenge all in the same breath is that in Clark Fork across from our church we have a baptist church. Rumor has it they don't like us, which I find fun, funny, and a challenge to kill them with kindness. I love it I love it I love it. I wave to them and say good morning in a very girlly high pitch voice. (Not to make fun of them, I feel if I were to do it in a serious voice and they were to not respond I would feel rejected. I am being very serious on the inside with wanting to greet them!!!) Some have greeted me back very suprised. Others have turned the other way.

The other day was so much fun. WE (the church) after service put up Christmas decorations. on the inside and kind of on the out side. WE put up the tree on the inside and Mary, Joseph and Jesus on the outside. A man from the church started yelling at us or "evangelizing" Saying we shouldn't worship a Catholic holiday, and we shouldn't go to bars and he was going to sit there and preach the gospel to who would ever listen. Well being we were the only one's on the street besides him my guess was he was preaching to us. Hehehe so fun, RIGHT? Me being the adventurous one and wanting to conquer with kindness I went inside grabbed a piece of pie we had had from "fellowship" time and went out to give it to him. Every one else had gone inside by this time. I really didn't know what the man was going to do. He could have thrown it back in my face or threw it on the ground and stomped on it. All of these scenarios were playing in my head as I approached him. I said "Hello sir would you like a piece of pie" He looked at me smiled and took it. Just before I turned away to walk back to the church he said "Thank you and God Bless you" I was so pumped you wouldn't even believe it. A few minutes later both Joel and I got in our car to leave and the man and I waved at each other and said Good bye to one another. I was loving it. Thank you GOD!!!!

Other things have happened with the three churches. Joel and I both felt really really really strongly to start a prayer meeting at each church. We find it so important to cover the church, the people, our loved ones, community, and anything else on our hearts in prayer. There have been a few who have came out. One woman had never been to a prayer meeting and asked what happened at a prayer meeting so we explained it to her. It really is great to pray as one body with the saints!!!

We had a death in the church. A lady lost her life to Cancer. That was really hard. I cried and cried. I don't really want to go into details or talk about it but God is good and has been speaking peace over me as Joel and I mourn. Please pray for her husband as he grieves over her death.

Bible studies have been good. We have homework every once in a while. Last homework we had was "Do good people go to heaven" "Did Jesus sin" "Is questioning/doubting God sin" You know even when Joel and I have answers to the questions we like to have homework so everyone can go and study the bible on our own and seek out God. I love it.

One last thing to praise God for. I was really wanting some girl friends that I could talk to that I knew and they knew me. I prayed to God asking for this and within 30 minutes if not less Kippin my best friend called. We talked and I felt better and over a course of a few weeks I have had at least 5 girls from around the country who I know through Friend Ships email or call me saying that God had put me on their hearts or that they had been really wanting to talk to me. Thank you God for providing what I need when I need it. Thank you for answering prayer!! You are a good and awesome God!!!

Well that is it. The following pics are from being in Idaho and from our "American" Thanksgiving we had at my parents place. I love family. It is so good to be with loved ones.

WE love ya'll very much and miss all of you that are far away from us. May God richly bless your day. And know that Jesus came to give us life and to give us life in Abundance!!! Amen

God's love through Jesus,
Dess

Joel and I

My Sister Tammie, Mom, and I

My Nephew Dean and I

A Video that will touch your life!!! It did mine!!!

I just got a video from YOu TUbe that made me bawl. It is really deep and touched my life. Watch it because it will touch your life too!!!


I love ya'll,
Dess

Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY

Update Smup-date

Hello Hello,
Things here have been going really well. Just to update ya'll. Our two bible studies that had homework went better than I ever thought they could or would. The first one we had was the one that was studying "Can we use our culture (Such as rap music or dance) to spread the gospel?"

SO I started out really studying. I found all these neat things to talk about in bible study BUT then I went to the Lord and He showed me a whole other thing. God showed me that I was very hurt by what had been said about me in bible study. That I needed to apologize and be honest with him. God also showed me that I was just looking up things to prove the guy wrong who had hurt me. The only scripture the Lord gave me was in 1 Samuel 16:7 "The Lord does not look at the things that man looks at. Man Looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Wow that was an EYE OPENER BABY!!! So when I went to bible study I said just what the Lord and told me to. Things really turned around. Even to the point of the guy mumbling fast and quietly after much discussion "Well I don't believe rap is completely bad" Joel, I, and the other lady just starred at him mouth open and everything. Since then the bible study has been soooooo much fun. God's ways are for sure better than ours.

Then came the next bible study. Our homework "Is suicide okay if you are terminally ill and have been sick and in pain for a long long long time" Hm DO you know what?: when I went to study I thought the bible would be more black and white than what it was. It doesn't say about suicide. It is all interpretation and what not. I was blown away. SO all of us came to the table blown away. Most of us that believed that suicide was bad, no matter what, came back with scratching our head and saying it is personal between you and God. The lady that believes suicide is okay didn't come back with any new thing but it is still good to go back and check the scriptures.

One of the things I was most most most excited about was a different lady said I have never studied the bible so much in my life trying to find answers. I squealed with delight. That is the whole point of the "Homework" that we search and seek God that much more. That we ask the Holy Spirit what He thinks and what HIS ways are. Oh it was such a joy to hear that.

So I still came away with believing suicide isn't the answer. I read the book "Same Kind of Different me" And it totally has me believing that even if you are on your death bed and can't move and what ever else God can still use you for His glory. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord Praise the Lord and Praise the Lord. But that is just me, you will have to find the answer for yourself. But the scripture I came away with from this whole suicide thing is in Jeremiah 10:23 "I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps."

Other than that things are going really well. Joel is working hard on chores Dad wanted done outside, like burn piles. Today Joel did a few and at the end of the day we roasted hot dogs, marshmallows, and snickers on the fire. It was fun.

We have also been picking apples in my parents two apple trees. HENCE the picture at the top of the page. I took that pic. Joel liked it the best and I am quite excited about how well it turned out.

Also my parents live on a game preserve. So we feed the deer, pet the deer, and even kiss the deer. Here is a pic of Joel feeding a buck. It is really fun here.

So that is it from us. We are taking each day as they come and making the most of it as we seek our Lord and Savior. I also wanted to update you on how the two bible studies went.

We love ya'll and pray God's blessings over you, over your friends, and over your family,
The Butlers

"JONAH" . . . . and other things of God!!!

I don't know which stories to start off with first or end on. So many things are happening with so little time to really think about it all.

Lets start off with the 3 Churches and Joel and I. As of Sunday we are offically the Lay-ministers. I don't have a dictionary definition for Lay for those that don't know but to my knowledge (and you can CORRECT me DAD BUTLER) but Lay-people are those that are not ordained or have not gone to school to be a pastor/minister. It is those that are in the church and step up to be a minister when there is not an "offical" one around. My parents for example are lay-ministers as well but have over the years become ordianed by the bishop.

Any way we have started the journay for these next three months of ministering to the three chruches. Can I tell you I already started to freak out. There is just a ton of stuff to lean on God for, to pray about, and to think about. I already feel over my head with one older gentlemen at one of the bible studies. (He just comes to our bible study because his church doesn't have one) Get this: He doesn't believe in dancing, whether to the Lord or other wise (uh-oh), He thinks Rap music is from the Devil (my own words) but he doesn't think we can use the culture of Rap or that kind to reach young people because it is not biblical.

You can imagine how the first bible study went with my parents. There was head butting and what not. I made a new rule in the bible studies, one I learned from our womens bible studies on the ship. If two people can't agree about a subject that is the homework for the week.

You know it really isn't bad that he doesn't believe in those things at all it is when he tells me I am "LESS of a Christ follower" or that "I don't really love Christ" because I do those things or believe those things. That is when it hurts and that is when I struggle. SO pray for me. I need God's wisdom but most of all GOd's love in my heart and forgiveness to love on this Man.

The second bible study wasn't sooooooooo bad (we have three, One for each church) I would like your input. I have until Next Wednesday to study. So a week from this wednesday. We couldn't agree, therefore it is our homework. It is Suicide; is it biblical. But We are going deeper than that. When you are terminally ill and are in so much pain is suicide okay. I said no, the older ladies said yes. I have a disadvantage being that I am young and have a limited prespective for I have not lived a full life and never been ill to the point of wanting to die. So any biblical points of view would be appreciated. I read the book "Same kind of Different as me" And it made me feel even more that suicide is wrong. Read it. It is a great book/tesimony.

Any way I feel over my head but at the same time called to what we are doing and know that it is almost good to feel over my head because I will lean on My Lord and Savior that much more. And I have and gotten some answers that even blew me away from Jesus.

Okay on to a more fun subject. JONAH!!!! Hehehe

Last week my dad came in with a Fish he just caught from the Lake. It was a beautiful fish. My little child came out when Dad brought it in. When I was growing up we would go fishing all the time. My dad being the biologist taught me how fun and fasinating the insides of a fish really are. Did you know that even when a fish is dead that the heart beats for a while after. And that you can see what the fish had for his last supper by cutting open his stomach AND you can see if the fish is a girl by knowing what her eggs look like on the inside. SO much fun I tell you.

When Dad brought up the fish I started being like a little kid again with my biologist dad. I first asked him to cut open the fih so I could see if the heart was still beating. It wasn't. I was a bit disappointed I wanted Joel to see. My next obeservation was that the fish had eggs. They are this pale yellow color. But my next question, which was the funniest of all was what did this fish have for it's last meal. My dad looked at the stomach from the outside and said "it looks like a menow" I was excited and watched my dad cut the stomach open. You wouldn't believe what happened next. Out popped a craw fish or a crawdad or a mudbug (as the Louisianians would know it) and it was ALIVE!!! He looked around stunned and shocked. I mean who wouldn't. I can only guess how Jonah felt when he was spit out of the whale. So we called him Jonah. I was so excited that I asked Joel to come with me so we could set this pour guy free in the lake. I was really suprised with the deadly bacteria in the fishes stomach that Jonah had survived this long. But dad explained it was his exoskeleton that probably kept him alive. Or for all of you: that is his hard shell on the outside with his soft body on the inside. We as humans have it opposite. Our skeleton is on the inside and our soft body are on the outside.

Anyway the following pic is Jonah. Isn't God great for such suprises as this.

We love ya'll. Please pray for us as we continue to walk out this life and our salvation with Fear and trembling.

LOVE LOVE LOVE,
Dess

God and his beautiful work!!!

God is doing Crazy things ya'll!!!

It has been crazy since Joel and I have been back. We have been preparing to take on my parents three churches for the next 3 or 4 months. AND on November 1st Joel and I have our first Christmas Craft Fair where we will be selling the jewelry that we have been making. We have about 150 necklaces. I am super pumped. Also in December 12 and 13 we signed up for another Christmas Craft Fair.

But God topped it all off with two events that still have us in awe. So my parents decided to have a week at the condos in Montana. They have been asking if Joel and I would go. Mom and Dad wanted to spend time with us and to go over things needed for the churches as well as things around the house while they are gone off and on. Joel and I were going to stay a week but my oldest nephew had his last TACKLE FOOTBALL game that I really really really wanted to see. Joel and I stayed Sunday evening until Wednesday morning. On Wednesday morning we headed to my sisters house which was 4 hours away from the Condos.

On our trip to meet my sister Joel and I had been discussing where the best place to get gas was. We had talked about Sandpoint Idaho. But when we hit Libby Montana we saw great prices and to top it off Joel really had to go to the bathroom. Which was pretty odd because I am usually the one needing a pit stop. When we stopped Joel jumped out and headed to the washroom while I got gas.

But the machine didn't want to take my pin number for my debit card. It kept telling me to re-enter my pin. I tried 3 times on the 4th time I was going to tell the machine that my card was a credit card that way I didn't have to put in any pin number. But just as I was about to put my card through Joel showed up I explained what was happen. I then wanted to see if his visa card got the same response. I left him with the problem and decided to go to the bathroom myself. When I came out he was just about done and told me he had to tell the Machine to read his Debit as a Credit card.

After all of that Joel and I were on our way again. I started dazing off about who knows what and all of a sudden Joel said Jokingly at a stop light "There's Janelle" For all of you that don't know Janelle she worked on the ships at Friend Ships with us. We loved her to death and hadn't heard from her or about her in years. Last we heard she went back to her home state Montana to help a friend on their farm. But we didn't know where the farm was and didn't know if she was still helping her friend.

I looked at the woman Joel had pointed out. She had her back to us. "Joel that is Janelle's hair, Joel that is Janelle's walk.'' "Dess when the light turns green, take a good look at her. If you think it is Janelle I will pull over" I think there was more to the conversation like Janelle is from Montana but where or yeah right like that is Janelle but you get the jist of it.

When Joel drove by her Joel was the one that spoke up "That is Janelle" Joel pulls over I jump out and yell Janelle!!! She looks at me for a second to study who on earth I was and then starts screaming. We ran to each other and gave each other a big bear hug. It was so awesome. We just couldn't believe that we were running into one another.

Janelle convinced us to at least come to her cute little apartment that was just 2 blocks away. On the way to her apartment she kept saying what was on all of our minds "What is God doing?" She asked the most funny question that I love and still giggle at just thinking about First: "What is God doing" Then "What were you just talking about before you picked me up?" I giggle just writing that. It was the cutest question ever.

So Joel and I stayed at her place longer than we should have. It was just too good and we didn't want to leave. But we had to get to my sisters to go to my nephews game. It was sad saying goodbye. For all of three of us (Joel, Janelle, and I) it was so refreshing catching up and talking about the Lord. He is so awesome for putting us back together like that.

The next day Joel and I got an email from Janelle saying that she stayed extra long at Mass that day to pray and she had decided to take a different route walking home then normal. She would usual goes a more residental way but she was right on main street of Libby.

Isn't God awesome. I could just see him working it out step by step so that we could run into each other. What an awesome God we serve.

Second coolest thing happened: Usually when Joel and I come to the Northwest we try and make a trip out to Captian Jakes place to spend time with him. This time I wrote and said HE should come see us. He responded and said he would. During our correspondance I got this idea (or so I thought it was MY idea) that Captain Jake should come be the guest speaker at the three churches for a Sunday. Joel suggested I ask my dad, so we did, and got the approval. (Just a side note. Joel and I wouldn't ask just any one to talk at my dad's three churches but we have heard Captain Jake preach on the ship. We loved his preaching. It is insightful, funny, and easy NOT to fall asleep to. Plus He loves God with all his heart. Who wouldn't want him to preach at their church)

I then wrote Capt. Jake and asked and told him to pray. He, in response, wrote: "Does it count if my praying about this offer came before I was given the offer? Yeah, the thought flashed through my mind when I first read your note on my blog, and then I got all excited and told God that if it was His idea, He could have you mention it without me mentioning it. So you do, and I didn't which I'll take to mean that it is - His idea that is. Oh, if only I could just preach for the rest of my life . . . "

God again puts me in awes of Him. Working things out so intricately. I love the way He works.

Well that is my two coolest stories. God is working Ya'll and I am just glad to be apart of it.

The following pic is with Janelle, Joel, and I.

May God Rock your world.

Love,

The Butlers