New Year, New Focus

DR Trip Sep 2011

I praise God for 2011!

Many things to be grateful for, including, but not limited to:

• Deeper walk with God, more sensitivity to the presence of the Holy Spirit
• Family is enriched--more time with Melissa & children; still need to improve but thankful for the time to spend with them
• Making ends meet financially--always need to be vigilant in taking care of the family. Praise God for food, shelter, clothes, and a vehicle to get around with.
• Learning how to get things done--one thing off the bucket list is a family missions trip. By God's grace, we were able to go to the Dominican Republic (all twelve of us--Chuck, Marge, our family, and Jeff's family). We learned how to honor God, to love one another as a testimony to everyone we met, and to love the people in the Dominican Republic.  This trip was one of the highlights of the year.  The other highlight was the polar plunge on New Year's Day 2011 where we jumped out of our comfort zone and dove into the icy waters of Winona Lake with many others to show ourselves and to ask God to help us go beyond ourselves to honor Him. Because of the polar challenge, we made plans to go to the DR. We made it happen with God's help and provision. 

Polar Bear Plunge 01.01.11

Overall, the Butler family has much to be thankful for. We praise God for His generosity. We seek to honor the Lord more in 2012. May you and your family seek to take the challenge to do great things for God. As William Carey, the great missionary of the past said, "Expect Great Things, Attempt Great Things" in 2012.