Happy New Year

Hey Team Africa,
Happy New Year! I won't send a list of names to reveal the people who joined us in fighting on Christmas!! Thanks for your vulnerability! Needless to say, we weren't alone. (I was fairly certain we weren't!) Conclusion . . . we're all real! We're all human. I recently heard a sermon about Jesus coming NOT to make bad people good but to make dead people alive! Think about it for a minute. When I give my life to Jesus, he doesn't take the bad in me and try and make me better/good. Nope, he takes me dead in my sin and spirit, and makes me ALIVE in HIM! I have gone from death to life. This truth has been extremely liberating for me in the last few weeks. It frees me from the works mentality that I wrestle with. I think Jesus doesn't care so much about how "good" I am as He does about how ALIVE I am in Him and let His Spirit be in me?! If I'm letting His Spirit be fully alive in me, then I will do the will of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit and without the works mentality! When I'm worried about being bad or good, it causes me to have the mental checklist, the rules in the forefront of my mind, and then judgment of others increases if they don't follow my rules for goodness! Just plain bondage! I want FREEDOM and LIFE!

Anyway, I hope you are ALIVE and the people around you experience HIS LIFE in you in the midst of your realness. I don't ever want to pretend I'm good or have it all together. . . . because I'm not and I don't. We are on a journey together, friend. Just ask anyone who has to live with us! But I am alive. So I don't have to hide my wrestling and struggle from you. As Hebrews 10:14 says, "For by that one offering He perfected forever all those whom he is making holy." In the spiritual realm, I am perfect forever because of the blood of Jesus. And on earth I am being made holy by the blood of Jesus and His Spirit within me. So let's be made holy together and not be afraid to be real and vulnerable with those we are in community with. Vulnerability frees those around us to be real, to be honest with who they really are and what they really wrestle with. Then, in the safety of true community, we let the Holy Spirit work out those things in us. Often he will use those around us as iron sharpens iron. We love you and consider you our "safe community" to be real with!

My commitment to vulnerability and realness runs deep. I have seen too many very ordinary people labeled "extraordinary" because of their ministry or position. They are put on pedestals and become idols for those who feel a lesser call or lesser commitment or even lesser as people in the Kingdom of God. With Paul, I want to be able to say this: "I don't want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message." (2 Cor. 12:6) Heath may call me pessimistic! I prefer to call it realistic. You could all write of the glories of your week or month and sound stunning (try it . . . you'll be amazed how great your life sounds!!). It may just give you a more realistic picture of how much of life has to be left out when a missionary or minister sends out an update or stands in a pulpit for a couple hours a week or a musician gives an interview, etc. Nope, grass is not greener, I'm not better, and we're in this together! So, be free this year to follow in obedience wherever and whenever the Lord leads! You have what it takes to be a radically obedient lover of Jesus! All you need is the Holy Spirit ALIVE in you! And if you have said YES to Jesus, YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES! Go live it (and take a few people with you)!

Enough of that: Here's a quick update on our kiddos.
ABIEL: Her favorite color is now green (no longer pink). She's a fish and would spend the whole day swimming. But since she can't, she spends the rest of the day reading, doing art, or learning new crafts (sewing, cross stitch, weaving, etc). She's become quite good at naming all the birds who come to our yard to sing, eat and bathe! She LOVES all the people who come through the house and is quite the little hostess! She misses her friends in Oregon very deeply and is excited that we are planning to go back soon. She is an INCREDIBLE little mommy with Eilanna! Makes life a lot easier for me! I can't believe she'll be 9 this year!

JUDAH: He looks like a California boy with his blond hair and dark skin! He too is a fish and has learned to swim here at the pool! He's quite brave and is keeping up with Abiel very well! He is learning to read and driving us all nuts asking us what everything says!! He is so inquisitive and LOVES to learn about anything to try and keep up with his sister!! He is very loving with Elianna and learning how to be friends with Asher. He is a movie man and will quote a whole movie for you if you let him! (Don't!) I can't believe he's almost 6 !

ASHER: He is coming into his own little personality! Watch out world! He's a little parrot and mimics anyone who's talking! He's also coming up with some really clever and cute sayings lately! The other day, Elianna was crying and I told him we needed to go get her before she cried her head off! He said, "Elianna's head comes off?"
Heath asked him to pick up his toys one night and Asher replied, "Jesus doesn't pick up!"
He was playing hard outside and came in to say, "I have a tummy ache in my knee!"
He is now concerned and caring toward Elianna and is very protective of her if he thinks someone holding her is going to walk away with her! He lets me know where she is all the time! He is keeping up with Judah and can wrestle him to the ground! Judah may be in trouble in a year or two! He's adorable.

ELIANNA: She is by far my most high maintenance baby! I think Heath's description of her being our little tornado of Grace was too prophetic! She LOVES to be held and HATES to be ignored (me too but I don't scream about it . . . well, most the time I don't!). She is a princess and wants to be treated that way! She is beautiful and has started responding to us with smiles. She is getting more and more fun as the weeks go by! I can't believe she's already 7 weeks old. She does sleep pretty well at night for which I am grateful. I'll try and get Heath to post some more pictures of her on our blog soon.

We love you all. Happy New Year! It has been said that 2008 is the Year of New Beginnings!
Love in Jesus,
emie for the locke fam

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