Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I trust you had a wonderful holiday season with your families. Jena and I had a quiet Christmas with Kaiden. We went ice skating at Crown Center downtown and ate lunch at famous Fritz burgers. At Fritz, your food is delivered to your table on a miniature train that runs through the restaurant. On Christmas Eve we left cookies out for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. On the 26th the rest of the gang showed up. A house full of teenage girls coupled with a college boy made for a rowdy week. The kids all enjoyed our annual slide show; a family tradition. Lots of photos and memories. Jena and I have much to be thankful for today.

Things are back to normal at Doulos. There is a newness in the air. Three new Big Brothers have arrived and two new residents in the Guys House. This week and next is filled with training and orientation with our new staff and the new school semester has begun at Shelterwood. Tomorrow one of our girl residents will be graduating the program. Things always change at Doulos, one of the redeeming reasons I enjoy the ministry. Since I started my new role back in late August as Resident Director, over half the staff in the Guys House has turned over. Not sure if that is a good or bad thing but the new guys share my school of thought so it is encouraging have the right people in place to ensure effective and healthy ministry to the boys and their families.

Finally, I had a chance to share this morning in chapel. A few Truths God laid on my heart from the Creation account. First, "the Spirit of God hovered over the earth" indicates to me that God hovers over my life with anticipation of new and beautiful things to come. Second, "there was morning and night the first day." A key phrase repeated throughout the creation process. It reminds me that life is full of "day and night" seasons. Times of

rejoicing and times of despair. Regardless of the day or night, the third point is that man was not created to be alone. We need each other. A great concept but a difficult one to grasp unless we are willing to get up a pursue others as opposed to waiting for others to pursue us

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I deeply appreciate all of your prayers and support. Thank you for making 2o1o a successful year of ministry and 2011 a promising year of hope!