Hello All! My friend, Pam at Pam's Perspective blog "tagged" me with a fun challenge : ) This is neat because it is a totally random tag game.

Basically the game is like this:
~Open your first photo folder
~Scroll down to the 10th photo
~Post that photo and story on your blog
~Tag five friends to do the same.


This photo was taken in December 2006 by my husband in Monrovia, Liberia. He went on a mission trip with Stonegate Fellowship a church from Midland, TX. Read about the trip HERE (scroll down to the bottom of my Liberia Label). This photo is of the school children in uniform at The Greater Love school and orphanage in Monrovia. Kelly was very blessed by this trip and as always came home with a renewed perspective and love for the world. God is so good to show us his world and all his creation. He loves his creation so much and these beautiful children made in His image are the apple of his eye!!!! Thanks for tagging me, Pam : ) It was fun too think back to what was happening in our lives back when this photo was taken. If you are reading this and have a blog and want to play this tag game, I tag you. I don't have time to tag specific people, but please play tag with us : ) God's grace to you~

Hello All! I just wanted to let you know we are all alive and well : ) I hope every one's 2008 has had a great start. We are beginning to plan the year as far as Kelly's vacation time. It is fun to look forward to a new year filled with fun family times. So far we have gone all the way between camping in Northern Michigan to taking the Amtrak train to Northern California, where Kelly is originally from. Who knows what we will use the time God has given us for, but it is fun to dream. As we get closer to paying off Kelly's medical school loans I become more excited about the medical mission opportunities in our future. I am most drawn to Kenya currently. We have missionaries from our church in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. Kenya has also been in the news recently because of the recent Presidential election and massive riots.

For now we look ahead into 2008 and plan our year. We know that only God knows what is ahead and what will be accomplished in our family this year. I look forward to seeing what direction you and your family go as well this new year. We will be praying for you and for God's will on this earth in 2008. I am so glad God has given us today!! What we do today affects tomorrow, for good or ill. Let us all remember that as we embrace God's plan for us in 2008. Love you all- Crystal

Hello All! Well I am sorry for my long absence in bloggerland. We have been very busy preparing for school and life after our return for Texas. I must say we are currently seeking God's direction for our family as far as international service. We had some sad news while at Mercy Ships. The family cabins on the new Ship the Africa Mercy are only equipped for families with four children or less. So we know by the time we hope to be able to serve we will most likely have five children. We made a commitment long ago to God and to whoever he brought into our home that we would at least adopt twice. We feel this will be a huge blessing for us all, but especially for Luke and his future brother. So this is where we are. We are now praying and asking God what his direction is for us. Please pray for us as we seek his will and we look forward to the school year beginning, baby Hope's birth and life as a family of six. September 4th is a big day for all the Briden girls(except maybe Hope), Grace will start kindergarten, Faith will begin three day pre-school and mommy will turn 32 years old : ) What fun we will have! God Bless you all and have a blessed Labor day weekend. Love, Crystal

Hello All! Well summer continues to slip away. It is hard for me to believe we are already in August!! Time flies when you are feeding and caring for little people : ) This next week, Thursday, we are off to Texas. I already hear many of you saying " Texas in August, are you nuts?" First let me reassure ya'll, we are sane. The main reason for our trip is quite exciting for our family. We will be attending a week long "Introduction to Mercy Ships" course at the Mercy Ships international headquarters in Texas. Mercy Ships (http://www.mercyships.org/) is a not for profit Christian mission organization that sends large hospital ships to various countries in the world in great need of medical care. We have long been praying and asking God to show us if this is where we should serve in Mission work. We are thrilled to get to Texas to learn more about the process of life as missionaries on one of these ships. We hope this will give us more clarity as far as where to serve. Will Mercy Ships be a good fit for our family? How does life work on a ship for a family six, possibly seven by the time we are ready to commit to serving ? How do you walk away from life as we know it and trust God to provide even the most basic needs? How do you do your laundry?

We know many things about the ships. The largest and newly renovated "Africa Mercy" has surgical suites and a fully functioning hospital. The ship also has a library, hair salon and school for the children of long term volunteers. But after this week long course we will learn so much more. I can't wait!!

This has been years in coming for us as many of you know. It is the beginning of a dream, a young man's dream to become a Physician to serve God, a wife's dream to respect that dream and support her husband, our dream that our children will learn to self sacrificially love and give of themselves to other's through this experience, but most importantly God's dream to mold us into the people he wants us to be. I hope you know that I do not boast of any of this. This is all God's work in our lives and family. He alone is magnificent and merciful. I am blessed every day by just knowing he would want little old me to be on his team. I see now that when God gives you a dream or a desire you can't assume it will easily fall into your lap. But, just because it doesn't easily happen doesn't mean you should abandon it either. God is so amazing to us!! I ask for your prayers please as we begin this exciting journey. One last request for me, a Northerner for generations, pray that I can withstand the West Texas heat : ) May God Bless you all - Crystal

We spoke to Kelly today via the Internet. That is so cool! It was the last time he thought he could call us before he will fly out of Sudan. Please continue to pray for travel safety. He will leave on Tuesday morning Sudan time to head back to Uganda. He will spend one night in a hotel in Uganda and then Fly on to Belgium. In Belgium he will have 4 hours and then he will he fly to the Windy City. Lastly he will drive home from Chicago to Muskegon. We can't wait for Daddy!!! He is truly my hero and I am so proud that he choose to serve and love people in this way.

If you call on Thursday evening we will not be answering the phone as we will be having family time with Daddy. In his latest email he spoke of worshipping in a Sudanese church and of the battle raging in that country. I am amazed at the world God created, but there are many times I long to see heaven. I think of the horrific things that are happening to our brothers and sisters in Christ in Sudan and I long for heaven. I am excited to think of the day when we the body of Christ come together to worship and live as one. No more war, no more hate, only love, only truth. I know that the day will come because our God is faithful and he keeps his promises. He said he was going to prepare a place for us and he would return to bring us to God the Father. May we Christians win this wicked sinful world for Christ, may we never give up until we draw our last breath. May the whole world know and love Christ ! Please God stop the death and destruction in Sudan!

Have a good night! Crystal

I am so excited to report we have news from Sudan and a picture :) Kelly sent some letters our way via email and we are thrilled to have received them today. Some memorable quotes " We are primarily eating rice and goat. Yes, goat." and "I've been warned no pictures of the soldiers. So, since they have the guns, no pictures." My husband is a smart man and that is why I married him!

I have attached the picture he sent. It is of some of the kids at the orphanage in Liberia. They are holding pictures of our family. Please pray for his continued safety. Gotta Go to bed! Love and Blessings- Crystal

Well, No news from Africa today. I know, "no news is good news", but I still wish I had some news. The kids are actually getting restless as time goes on. Daddy is sorely missed and by more than just me. Grace said tonight at bed, "I miss my Daddy now that he is living in Africa." Earlier today while in Target, Faith, said "look Grace ,that's Africa where Daddy lives" as we looked at a globe in the toy section. So you can see two weeks is a lifetime in our daughters mind.

I am so glad Kelly had this opportunity to connect with God and show is love to others. Kelly lives for trips like this and he is I am sure thrilled to see Sudan. I am so moved by the people of Sudan. I can't imagine living in constant fear for my life. Please pray for the Christians of Sudan as they are being viciously slaughtered. I am so blessed to have been born in the U.S. It is only by God's Grace that I am not in Sudan, Liberia, China or Russia. I often think God knew I couldn't make it in anywhere but here, I would buckle under that much pressure. But thinking of traveling overseas to Africa to share hope and love, that I can do, that I will do. Please if you have time over the next few weeks go to see the movie " Blood Diamond" it is excellent. The movie touched a special place in my heart because of Luke. Most of the blood diamonds sold illegally were funneled through Liberia under the Dictator (President) Charles Taylor. He is and was the main reason for the destabilization of West Africa. Luke is from Liberia and I sobbed in the theatre thinking of how God choose him to escape. God reached down and plucked him from one of the worst countries in the world. God is so good and we are thankful for him, our son, truly an African American.

Well I hope all is well with all those who read this and know you are in my prayers. I thank God for you all!! Merry Christmas- Crystal

One more week until my hubby, Kelly, returns from a short term mission trip to Africa. He has been to Liberia and tomorrow he will head into Sudan. To say I miss him at this point is an understatement. It is amazing how attached you get to someone after nearly nine years!!

We have three kids all under 5 years old. So my hands are full and I don't sit down to often. I love it though and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Now we look forward to a relaxing Christmas with Daddy back home in the states. Please pray for him as they go to Sudan tomorrow. God Bless- Crystal