Kendall Explains It All

Family and friends always ask us how Kendall does on mission trips. We thought it might be more fun if we answer this from her perspective instead of ours. We asked friends and family to send us their questions. Here goes!

1. What is your favorite part about going on mission trips? 

Kendall: Well, my favorite part about mission trips is playing with the kids. 

2. What is your least favorite part about going on mission trips?

Kendall: In Africa I didn't like most of the food. I don't like nshima or cabbage. 

3. Why do you think it's important to go?

Kendall: Because Jesus calls us. 

4. What do you look forward to doing?

Kendall: Hmmmm... Well, when I was in the airplane I was looking forward to learning what the kids do around there.

5. Did you like Africa or Haiti better?

Kendall: Both. In Africa, I liked hanging out with my friends. In Haiti, I liked playing games with the kids. 

6. How do you feel about seeing children your age living in impoverished conditions?

Kendall: What does impoverished mean? Well, I feel sad for them. 

7. What do you think about how children in other countries interact with each other and their family members? 

Kendall: In Haiti, the kids would fight over fruit and throw rocks at each other because they were hungry. I haven't seen that happen here. 

8. Do you ever need alone time?

Kendall: Yes, I would go inside and take breaks.

9. Do you like trying new foods?

Kendall: Yes!

10. What country would you like to go to next?

Kendall: Oh, that is a hard question! Let's see... West Virginia.

11. What was your favorite food that you tried in another country?

Kendall: In Haiti I liked the chicken and red beans with rice. 

12. What was your least favorite food that you tried in another country? 

Kendall:  Maheu. 

13. Is there anything that people do/cultural practices in other countries that you wish were part of American culture too?

Kendall: Eat their food. 

14. Would you like to learn other languages?

Kendall: I want to!

15. Which languages?

Kendall: All of them!

16. What are the most funny things that you have experienced in other countries? 

Kendall: Laventa, (in Haiti) was the teacher and you had to do what she said or she spanked you with a stick. However, I had no idea what she was saying. She tried to spank me a lot. I had to tell her pa touché! (Don't touch!)

17. What would you tell someone who is afraid to leave the U.S.?

Kendall: Well, I would say that I was scared to go to Africa and Haiti. I got over it by going to those places and learning that they weren't scary. 

18. What would you tell someone who is worried that they might get sick or hurt on a mission trip?

Kendall: I would tell them to pray about it. If they get sick they should pray to God that they feel better. Sometimes, there are doctors and medicine in other counties that would make them feel better. They could bring medicine with them if the airporters let them. 

19. Can you talk to the children without any problem?

Kendall: Yes, sometimes they understand me. 

20. Is there anything else you would like to say?

Kendall: I don't like how they treat dogs in other countries, but they aren't pets like they are in America.

We're home from Ayiti...

That's what the Haitians call Haiti- Ayiti. I like it better the way they pronounce it!

WOW!! What a trip! We really enjoyed serving the Lord in Haiti! While there our team had the honor of working on a local area in the mountains of Tityanen. We painted a school building and office, worked on equipment in the facilities, built soccer goals, visited an orphanage and repaired bunk beds there, visited a voodoo village and prayed for the voodoo priest, shared the Jesus film in his village, loved on the kids, and built relationships. Joe also got to preach! He preached the main service on Sunday morning and Wednesday night. Written there it looks neat, but it shows no depth to what we actually did. 

God moved in a mighty way during this trip. Some came to know Christ and God was definitely lived out in our team's actions. During our time in Haiti, we were able to really develop relationships with the locals. Some of the team sponsors local kids so that they can go to school.

One of the things we want to encourage you with is a story from what we witnessed. One day while in Haiti, we were able to witness a garbage truck driving down the road with people chasing after the truck, jumping in it and scavenging for food and anything else they can use. This was hard to see but also a great reminder of making sure that we are being good stewards of what God has given us.



As God continues to lead our family to serve Him in the nations, we want to thank you for your prayers and financial support. We are serving Him wherever we are in order to make Him known. Salvation belongs to the Lord!!

If you would like to sit down and talk about the trip. Please contact us. We are putting together a DVD of the trip so you can witness some of what God was up to.

P.S. Jenn is headed to Guatamala in October with an organization that rescues babies from the mountains. Please be in prayer for her. She is still looking to meet her financial goal by the end of this month! If you want to get involved, please contact us!

P.P.S. She will be collecting these items to bring with her. If you would like to donate any of these, please contact us!

Ibuprofen / motrin / advil - tablets, capsules and chewables for children and drops for infants
Acetominophen / Tylenol - tablets, capsules and chewables for children and drops for infants
Antihistamines – Benadryl, Zyrtec, or Claritin for adults and children
Artificial tears
Elimite or Rid (for lice)
Loperamide / immodium (diarrhea)
Calcium Carbonate tabs such as Tums
Miralax (for constipation - good for kids and adults)
Colace / stool softeners
Verucca freeze (to treat warts)
Compound W or Dr. Scholl's salicylic acid pads (to treat warts)
Bacitracin antibiotic ointment (individual packets)
Clotrimizole or other anti-fungal cream / ointment
Hydrocortisone cream
Multi vitamins for:
Adults,
Prenatal,
Children 4 year old + (No Gummy vitamins as they melt in the heat) without iron if possible
Children 2 -3 without iron if possible
Infants


In His Love,

The Hennis Family

7 days until Haiti!

If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.
C.T. Studd

7 days from today we'll be headed to Haiti! To tell you that we are excited would be a gross understatement. As a family, we're so ready to be there and see what God is going to do! We've been doing a countdown everyday. Kendall loves it! As soon as she wakes up everyday she's ready to decorate our countdown paper! 

We're traveling to Titanyen, which is located in the mountains of Haiti. We will be serving the local people alongside Truth Evangelistic Ministries who have been in Haiti for fifteen years serving God faithfully. This trip will consist of building on to a school and fixing up local facilities. In addition to this construction, we will have the opportunity to visit in two voodoo villages, preach, teach, and work in the discipleship process.

While we are there Jenn and Kendall will wear skirts knee length or longer with shirts with sleeves and headbands. Joe will need to always wear pants and then for church a collared shirt. 

Prayer Requests

• Pray for the team to focus on His Power not their abilities.
• Pray for the people to be open to the Gospel.
• Pray that the people will see Christ in everything that is said and done.
• Pray for the Spirit to penetrate this area.
• Pray for the team to transition well into this area.

Jenn will still be headed to Guatemala in October! Please be praying for this trip! She will be there from October 19th- October 25th. While there the team will care for malnourished children at the Operation Baby Rescue center, visit remote Guatemalan communities and perform medical clinics for the villagers and pass out shoes, work at St. Luke's Hospital and Kelly's House, interact with with orphans at the Hope of Life children's home in Zacapa, as well as visit the Feeding Center at a community based around a trash dump. She needs about $2,000 for this trip. This includes all in-country transportation, lodging, meals, international medical insurance, and airport fees.

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer and financial support! We live for His Glory!

In His Amazing Love, 
Joe, Jenn, and Kendall Hennis

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever! Amen!
Romans 11:36

Kendall-isms #3

Kendall: I speak bear. Aren't you impressed?

Kendall: Do you love my outfit? You know how I know I look good in it? I looked down.

{Kendall gets up from a nap and gives me a huge hug!}
Kendall: My hair feels cool after I slobber in it.

Kendall: Today was the best day ever! It wasn't the worst day, because that day would be a disaster. Today wasn't though!

Kendall: Guess what Mom? 
Me: I don't know K, what?
Kendall: Sometimes, I fart when I run.

Kendall: Mom, I had a terrible accident while I was twirling. I broke my ankle on the door knob.
Me: How?
Kendall: {Showing me her elbow} See?

Kendall: Mom, I'm pretending I'm a secret agent! Did you see those bad guys in the parking lot? They're killing flat tires with their swords!

Kendall: Mom, guess where I am? 
I tell her where she is. 
Kendall: How do you always know where I am?!
Me: Moms have super powers. 
Kendall: I don't believe that's true.

{Earlier that night I had looked at Kendall's tonsils.}
Kendall: Mom, I looked in the mirror, but I couldn't see my tentacles.

Kendall: Mom, look at this! What does it do? 
Me: It's a tape deck. It plays tapes. 
Kendall: What is a tape?

Kendall: Will in the morning be tomorrow?

Kendall: Mom, I don't want you to get old! Then you won't be able to go on any more adventures with me!

Kendall: You know why you always have to be the queen? Because you're tall and a mom. Plus you're smaller than Daddy.

Kendall: Mom, I need toilet paper! Don't come in here though! It smells like plants! 
Me: Girl, that does not smell like plants!

{Joe went fishing today and got really sun burned.} 
Kendall: Wow Dad! You look hot! 
Daddy: That's inappropriate!

wheels on the bike

For Christmas my girl got a beautiful new bike from her grandparents. She absolutely loves her bike. For a six year old it translates into new freedoms with new opportunities. 

Like becoming an expert at jumping off her bike right before it crashes to the ground. "I'm okay Mom! I'm okay! I just jumped off." I didn't know I was raising Evel Knievel. I should have seen this coming though. We always say Kendall should of been born with a helmet. The kid has no fear. 

Or scouting for onlookers to view her bike riding triumphs. "Did you see those boys Mom? I know they saw me riding my bike. You know they thought I looked cool!" I am getting glimpses of what she's going to be like later. I'm not ready for that yet. If she could wait until I'm like 50 maybe my heart can take it then, ya know?

Today, the thing that brought her the most joy was putting a Barbie bike on her handle bars so she could ride around with Elsa. I feel like I might have needed a degree to get the bike on said handle bars. 

As I watch her riding her bike around with the little Barbie bike and her anchor tights I know for sure these will be the easy days. The days when kissing her boo-boos still works, Barbie bikes make me "the best mom ever", or playing secret agents in the neighborhood while the neighbors look on confused. 

It's going by so fast. This motherhood thing is ever evolving. I feel like once I master one stage and have gained the wisdom it procures; she has moved on to a new stage and we start all over again. Who keeps wiping off the game board? 

As she continues to grow she's only going to get more freedoms and opportunities. Time keeps rolling on kinda like the wheels on her bike. I'm not sure what's to come. I hope it will be more about Jesus and less about drama. Until then, I'm just going to try to enjoy the days while I still know the answers to her questions and have the solutions to her problems. Like, "What is a tape?".  If you don't know the answer to that question you won't find it here. I've decided to only explain that once, because it makes me feel old. Mmmkay? 

Kendall-isms #2

Kendall: Gracie {our Great Dane}, you can't come outside to wash the car because you don't have your bathing suit on!

Kendall: I had a racy dream last night.
Joe: You better not have! 
Kendall: You know Dad, it was about people racing.

Kendall: You know how come I fell asleep? My eyes were blinking and my ears closed. I was tired.

Me: Kendall, you know who decides when you watch a movie again {meaning me}...
Kendall: Yeah, Dad.

Kendall: Mom, let's go swimming in that water fountain! 
Me: Fun to think about, not to do. We'd probably be arrested...
Kendall: Well, we could run when they come. I'm pretty sure I'd make it!

Me: Kendall, I'm so hungry I could eat you up!
Kendall: Don't eat me! Lets eat Grandma!
Me: We can't eat Grandma she doesn't have any meat on her bones.
Kendall: Yeah, cuz she's old.

Kendall: Mom, I totally look better than you!

Kendall: Mom, did you see that guy smoking? I held my breath when we walked past him, because I didn't want to get drunk.

Kendall: Mom, you're the boss because your hair is the curliest!

Kendall: I wish they made Lucky Charms with only marshmallows. 
Me: They do for special people. 
Kendall: Who says I'm not special?

Kendall: It's unbeliebable!

So this morning Kendall made blueberry muffins and I helped her. 
Me: Kendall, you did a great job! 
Kendall: Yeah, and my outfit is awesome! 

(We were watching Kendall's caterpillars make a cocoon.)
Kendall: Oh no! The caterpillars butt just fell off!!!!!

Here we go...

Gearing up to go, again! 

Tambo, Ecuador and Hope of Life, Guatemala

 Hi friends and family! We've had a busy start to our 2015! Joe's still in school full-time and keeping straight A's! Jenn and Kendall continue to homeschool. We've had many speaking engagements about our time on the mission field since coming home in August! Including one on Thursday {4/9} so if you would join us in prayer for that we would be so grateful! Here's a few of the other things we've been up to!

So far this year we've continued to develop the Children's Ministry at Crosswalk Community

Church. Doing lessons with the kids on Sunday and teaching missions on Tuesday nights. We've had so much fun! We even did a bake sale for The Mercy House {a maternity home} in Africa! They raised $350! {Picture of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake!}

We also went down to Port Canaveral and took part in Walk for Bibles! We love that ministry! {Picture of us in front of First Baptist Church of Cape Canaveral}

This past Sunday we did a 5 station Walk with Jesus with the kids at church for Easter. It was a blast! We took them from Jesus being falsely accused to the Empty Tomb. {Picture of Joe with the Cross}

The other picture is of Kendall wearing a chitenge from Zambia to hold her "baby" while she plays! 

In June, we are planning to go to Ecuador. It will be June 26th- July 6th. We are going to try to bring Kendall this time. We will be ministering to the same people as we got to minister in October of last year. While there we will be teaching {Old Testament}, working on infrastructure projects, and reaching rural villages. The amount we still need for our family of three for this trip is $3,500.00. This includes everything that we are going to need: airfare, lodging, food, equipment, materials, and most importantly the vessels to carry the message of the Cross.

In October, Jenn will be heading to Guatemala with World Help. World Help is a faith-based humanitarian organization serving the physical and spiritual needs of people in impoverished communities around the world. She will be there from October 19th- October 25th. While there the team will care for malnourished children at the Operation Baby Rescue center, visit remote Guatemalan communities and perform medical clinics for the villagers and pass out shoes, work at St. Luke's Hospital and Kelly's House, interact with with orphans at the Hope of Life children's home in Zacapa, as well as visit the Feeding Center at a community based around a trash dump. She will need about $2,000 for this trip. This includes all in-country transportation, lodging, meals, international medical insurance, and airport fees.

We’re once again honored to ask that you take a part in these trips and the furthering of the Gospel and to expand the Kingdom of Heaven. The ways to take part in these trips is to pray and when we ask pray, nothing is going to be accomplished in our own strength, we need the Power and Voice of God. Another way to partner is if God lays it on your heart after praying is to donate. All donations are tax exempt and taken through Crosswalk Community Church. Their address is 77 N. Carpenter Rd. Titusville, Fl 32796. Please put Hennis Family Mission Trips in the memo line. If God leads you to give could you send us an email that you did so for our records? We would REALLY appreciate it! We thank you for your time and consideration and look forward to hearing from you!

In His Love, 
Joe, Jenn, and Kendall

Kendall-isms

This girl. 

I can tell you a million things about her. 

I love all of them. Even the ones that drive me crazy. Most likely because I see her daddy and I in those habits.

She sees things in rainbow colors and not just in black in white. She sees beauty in people that many times I overlook simply going about my day to day tasks. 

She stops me to look at the "flowers" {weeds} in our yard. She stares at them and makes remarks about their shapes and colors. She notices the details and the small things. 

She keeps us laughing. We've dubbed them Kendall-isms. I don't know where she gets it, but it totally makes sense to her. Here are a few of the ones she's used lately. 

{Joe and Kendall were looking for shells at the beach.}
Joe: Don't pick up that shell Kendall, it's ugly.
Kendall: Daddy, don't call God's creation ugly!

Kendall: Mom, can you make me a PB&J sandwich? I would but I'm a bad steward of the jelly! Last time, it was on me and the floor. It was not good!

Kendall: Mom, can you stop getting older? I won't like you older. I like you now while you're gooey and snuggly.

Kendall is reading to me today and all the sudden stops. 
Me: Kendall? Where are you girl? 
Kendall: I'm thinkin about movies and Cadbury eggs...

Kendall: My face is sticky because I poured my face into it. {Cadbury egg}

Kendall: Mom, you're eating carrots and hummus again?
Me: Yes.
Kendall: Well, I like carrots. Especially sweet ones. They help you grow! Does hummus make you grow?
Me: Yes.
Kendall: What's in hummus?
Me: Mostly garbanzo beans.
Kendall: I don't want to grow that much.

Kendall: Man, that guy looks old! He looks like he could be Vice President or something!!

One day in school we learned about Turkey. In Turkey you can buy a drink called an Ayran (eye-ran), which they can buy at McDonald's, is 2 tbsp. of plain or Greek yogurt in a glass of cold water. So we made it. 
Kendall tried it. 
Kendall: "Give me a break. That's disgusting!"

We ran into a little boy and his family that Kendall sometimes plays with. He was struggling to remember her name and gave his mom several variations which included "Candle". 
Kendall: "I don't know how it's hard to remember my name. I've remembered it my whole life!"

Kendall: Don't worry Mom! I brought extra clothes in case I need to be more fashionable.

Kendall: Hey Mom, when I'm older do you want to go hunting with me?

{Kendall LOVES animals...}
Me: You know you will kill animals when you go hunting right?
Kendall: Mother, I was not talkin about that kind of hunting. I don't want to kill God's creation. I was talkin about treasure hunting. I think there's treasure at Bruster's...

My favorite though is when she says, "Mom, I'm so boring!" I always get a good chuckle when  I hear her say it. What she means is that she's bored. I've tried to explain to her the right way to say it, but she doesn't get it yet. So for now, it's just funny! 

Where the Mean Things Are

It was a regular Tuesday night at church teaching kids about missions. All the kids where running around like crazy playing, including our daughter Kendall. All of sudden she ran to me. She hugged me tight as tears spilled over her face. She was telling me something, but I couldn't understand the words coming out of her mouth. When it finally was comprehensible she told me her friend was mean to her, had pushed her, and said she didn't want to play with her.

Ugh. Drama. It's the worst.

I wanted to retaliate for my girl. I wanted to pick up a battle that wasn't mine to bear.

I had two options. I could follow my flesh and take the low road. Which only results in breeding more drama. Teaching Kendall to take the low road.

Or, I could take the high road. Which is hard, not well traveled, and not what I wanted to do. But Jesus would.

But Jesus. 

I don't want to teach Kendall to be like me. I want to teach her to be like Jesus.

Not long before Kendall's tears I had spoken to a child who had ripped a chair out from underneath his brother. My response was Philippians 2:3.

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

Now it was my turn. 

So I told her to pop a squat. 

First, I gave her the bad news. This would not be the last time that someone was mean to her or would hurt her feelings. There would definitely be more pain and tears, because the world is full of sin and sinners. 

But Jesus has overcome the world. {John 16:33}

Then, I gave her the good news. Now that she knew what it was like to have her feelings hurt she could choose how to respond. She could choose to be a good friend despite how her friends treat her. I told her the Bible says that a friend loves at all times. At. all. times. {Proverbs 17:17} That doesn't mean she has to play with someone and continue to be treated that way. It does mean she tries to fix things with them. If that doesn't work bring someone with you, like Mommy or Daddy. {Matthew 18:15-17} Above all to remember that Jesus loves that person just as much as He loves you. So treat them that way.

And some days I have to remember that advice myself. Okay, some days it's more like hours and minutes.

Save the drama for your llama. Not your mama.

Love like Jesus.

                                                                                              

Happy January!

We hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year (so far)! As a family we are really excited about 2015! Last year ended with us really busy! We got back from Africa in August. Then, in October we headed to South America. Joe started his seminary extension courses. We started a new program about missions for kids at our church. 

In December, Kendall made and sold crosses to raise money for Mercy House Kenya. We heard there was a
12 year old that was pregnant in their program. I shared this with Kendall and she wanted to help! In one month she raised $186! Thank you to everyone who helped her! You can read more about it here: http://www.mercyhousekenya.org/node/601.

January has been busy so far too! We started a new homeschool program that Kendall loves! Then yesterday, Joe started his regular seminary courses again at the Baptist College of Florida.

God has continued to work and provide us with opportunities to serve Him in different parts of the world.This year we will be taking part in three mission trips so far! As a family we will head to Ecuador in April and June each for a week at a time. The other  trip will be Joe going to Indonesia. We are asking for you to partner with us in prayer and if God leads for support. These trips will be focusing on sharing the Gospel, preaching, teaching, construction, and building up Kingdom workers for further ministry. 

Thank you for continuing to be a part of our adventure with God!

In HIs Love,
Joe, Jenn, and Kendall Hennis

Contact us:                                                    
Email: hennisfamily@cfl.rr.com                  
Blog: thisgracelife.blogspot.com

Donations can be sent to:
Crosswalk Community Church
77 N. Carpenter Rd.
Titusville, Fl 32796
Please put Hennis Family Missions in the memo line.  

Everything Else

Since my daughter turned 6 she has a new anthem. It goes something like this, "Mommy, when I get older will you help me/ teach me/ show me...", and then lists whatever she would like to know how to do. At the top of her list to date is learning how to make sandwiches, buying an Alaskan husky, finding a husband who loves Jesus, helping her build a house in my back yard, and teaching her to be a good mom.

Unconsciously, I always knew she was watching me. The way I always watched my mom. I could of sat in the bathroom for hours watching my mom put on her makeup, pick out an outfit, listening to her phone calls, or read her books. Mostly, I watched how she handled the situations that came with everyday life.

Now, it's my turn. I could say Kendall's requests are small, but really they aren't. Okay, the sandwich and the dog are small. The other ones are life changing. The only way to teach her those are with my life.

Sometimes, it's not pretty. The moments when your anger flares, you have word vomit, or patience is at a minimum. You start the day feeling like June Cleaver and in a few short seconds you have more in common with Cruella Deville. So, you're not skinning puppies but it certainly feels like it. You're probably nodding your head at this point. You know those moments. I feel like anybody can teach on the mountain top. When it's easy, care free, and somewhere Julie Andrews is singing. The days when everyone has model behavior, good manners, and the house smells like freshly baked treats. What about the valleys? The temper tantrums, personality clashes, stubbornness, and half a box of Fruit Loops is in the dog bowl. The days where your tempted to think they have more of your husband's personality and habits than your own. It's in my lowest parenting moments that I can show Kendall the most.

Where there's wrong, I can ask for forgiveness.

Where there's hurt, I can show kindness.

Where there's close-mindedness, I can give perspective.

When there's anger, I can show humility.

When there's pride, I can be humble.

Not to say I haven't or won't mess up. I pray that she remembers what I do after that, because I can't uphold an image of perfection. The cracks will show through eventually. Nor do I try. There was only one person who was perfect, and He died on a cross for the whole world.

I'm going to mess up, but in everything I do I can always show her Jesus. My part is to show her how to respond to real life situations from Jesus's perspective. Even if I'm using my worst examples. If I could attain perfection she may never realize her need for Jesus.

She doesn't need to see a facade. She needs me to be real, and in love with Jesus, her daddy, and others. In that order. 

I'll do my best. 

For everything else there's Jesus.

In His Love,
Jennis

Rebuilt

I feel like I should preface this next statement by saying I am pretty emotional in my normal circumstances. Meaning at home in normal everyday I'm emotional. I've never cried more in my entire life than when I was in Africa. I felt like in three months I cried more than I have the rest of my days combined. Near the end of our trip I asked God what was up with all the crying? He responded that at one point I had asked Him to break my heart for what breaks His. He did.

We left for Africa broken from ministry and a recent miscarriage, but clinging to the hope that we have in Him. When we got there God told me there wouldn't be anyone to hold my hand through this experience- except Him. Be ready. 

Africa changed so many things for our family.

Our perspective was now skewed from our American culture. We learned a new and stronger dependence on God. As a family, we relied and leaned on each other more than ever without our normal cushion of family and friends. We watched our five year old share the Gospel and wash feet. We embraced a love for people greater than our comprehension. Spending time with people and just getting to know them with irrelevance to time was crucial. Showing them God's love and their importance and value to Him. While also learning that no matter where you go people are people. We are all just broken and in need of a Savior. The message we take is the same no matter where we go. 

We loved the people, the place, and the ministry. It truly is the dream job. We went to Africa thinking we were going to the field right after that. However, God called us home for the time being. We felt as a family that God wanted us to finish our commitment of Joe completing school, then we would go back to field, and finally returning home for Joe to be a senior pastor. Taking family mission trips every year so we don't get too comfortable until we go to the foreign mission field.

I was sad to come home- I won't lie. What I was sure of though, was that the same God that called me to Africa was the same One that was now calling me back home.  

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD." 

Isaiah 55:8

Going changed our ministry as a family. God rebuilt us in Africa. He redirected our focus. We couldn't be more excited about it. Not to mention what is still to come! 

Beauty from ashes. 

In His Amazing Love, 

Jennis

Out of the Mouths of Babes

From the time our daughter Kendall was born she was at church.

We made it a priority that as a family we were in church.

•         When she was 10 months old we dedicated her to the Lord.

•         When she turned 1 we started disciplining her using scripture.

•         When she was 2 Joe and I went on our first mission trip.

•         At 3 she was memorizing scripture.

•         At 4 she was praying actively for those she loved when they were sick or needed prayer. Many times reminding us to pray for them.

I don’t say any of this to boast in us or in her for that matter. I say it to boast in the Lord. When Joe and I dedicated Kendall to the Lord in the spring of 2009, we took it seriously. We didn’t want to raise her in church but in Christ.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6

The day before we left for Africa Kendall prayed to receive Christ. Joe told her she had to pray on her own and she did.

She did excellent traveling to Africa. The first couple weeks and over the first expedition Kendall was ready to go home. She wanted to eat garlic bread at Sonny’s, rangoons at Panda, quiche from Caffe Chocolat, sleep in her own bed, and play with her dog. It was a normal adjustment for an American kid. Life was drastically different for her. There were times she loved what we were doing and she would tell us bible stories while she sat in a tree. Then at other moments she would say absolutely nothing to anyone.

The adjustment has been slow. After the first month she stopped saying she wanted to go home. Now she just tells us everyone she misses. At the top of her list is our dog Gracie, her cousins, and her grandparents.

While we were in Sekute we watched as Kendall came out of her shell for the first time in a while. If you want to reach Kendall’s heart you do it through music. She just loves it. She doesn’t really discriminate to any music style, yet. If she can dance or sing to it she’s happy. We watched her open up as she led worship with our translator Concilia. Trying her best to pronounce all the Tsonga words.

Then in the last village of Manono, for our last bible study that day, Kendall shared the Gospel with 30 women and even more children from my lap. There are no words to describe that feeling. I only wish I had been able to record it for Joe. Telling him in words will never be enough.

•        At 5 she was sharing the Gospel in remote African villages and helping to lead worship. 

In case you feel we’re putting ourselves on a pedestal I’ll also share here that when Joe preached at the first Jesus film she whispered loudly for him to not preach too long. She’s a pastor’s daughter for certain…

I’m amazed at all that God has done with this precious girl in her short time on Earth. I am humbled that God chose us to be her parents. I can’t wait to see what God has for her. She is God’s girl.

When you share God’s Word with anyone it never returns void.

Love knows no bounds.

In His Love,

Jennis

Happy Birthday Princess Kendall Vanellope

Today we are celebrating our self proclaimed Princess Kendall Vanellope turning 6! This is the third year we've done this interview. It's always fun to see how she answers her questions. I end up laughing all the way through. I love that she answered in mostly complete sentences this year! You can compare with last years answers here. :)

How old are you? 6

What makes you happy? Um, presents, movies, soda, and playing!

What is your favorite animal? My favorite animal is a cheetah.

What is your favorite thing to eat? Let me think. I would guess, chicken nuggets!

What is your least favorite thing to eat? I do not like peppers!

What is your favorite thing to do? Play and drink soda!

What is your favorite TV show? Pirates!

What are you really good at? I’m really good at arting!

What is your favorite movie? My favorite movie is Wreck it Ralph and Ratatouille.

What is your favorite color? My favorite color is golden with yellow.

What is your favorite song? My favorite song is Can’t Shut Up by Anthem Lights.

Who is your best friend? Kya, Sahara, Sunda, Keiro, and Danielle.

What do you and your mom do together? Um, we play with my ponies at home in Florida.

What do you and your dad do together? Um, we watch movies and have girl time.

What is your favorite sport? Basketball.

What is your favorite team? The Gators.

Where is your favorite place to go? McDonalds! Oh, I mean Universal and Disney World.

What is your favorite book? Green Eggs and Ham

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a parent!


It's been an amazing adventure these past 6 years. She is such an amazing little girl. Her insight and simplicity in situations that should stop her. She's funny, loves music, and art. I can't wait to see what God has for her! I pray that she chases God and the dream He has placed in her heart all the days of her life. Thank you for this sweet girl Lord! We are forever grateful! 

In His Amazing Love, 

Joe and Jennis