January Newsletter

Happy New Year! We hope your Christmas celebrations were blessed and that you are ready for all God has in store for you in 2013. Our family said goodbye to 2012 and welcomed the new year with anticipation. We have no idea what the rest of this year is going to look like for us and that is a little scary. But God knows and we trust him.

January 29th, John will undergo a two level fusion in his spine. We have prayed about this for some time now and feel that there really is no other option. John’s mobility and ability to do daily tasks, even as simple as putting on shoes, has decreased and his pain has increased. At this point all of his energy and strength is expended at work and by the time he gets home, all he can do is recover for the next day. As much as this has caused us to grow as a family and in our relationships with the Lord, it has also been difficult on our family, probably in more ways than we even realize. Ethan is 10 and needs his dad to keep up with him, wrestle with him and do the things that dads do.  This is so heavy on our hearts as parents especially when we think where John will be at next year if something is not done.  It is exciting to see God open the doors for this surgery and we are confident he is leading us down this road whatever that entails. Over and over, we hear wonderful things about John’s Neurosurgeon and feel that is another confirmation of God’s leading. The recovery is what we are most apprehensive about but again, we trust in the Lord. John will be at home recovering for two to three months and then hopefully fully “recovered” by six months. Obviously he will not regain everything he has lost, but he should have more mobility than he does now and a lot less pain.

Before John ‘s surgery, he and the crew at Expeditions have been working hard to get the new cabins up and going. Boilers are heating, water is running and bunks are built in half of the cabins and the rest should be ready by the end of next week. A few warm days here are likely to throw a hiccup in our winter activities but you can be praying for more winter weather. It is a big part of our winter ministry.

Expeditions is already compiling a list of light-duty jobs for John to do as he eases back into work. We hope this will happen sooner than later so that Expeditions will not be shorthanded for too long. We just aren’t sure what it will look like as John resumes working but we desire to serve Expeditions in any way possible. Your continued giving and prayers are greatly appreciated and vital to us, especially through this difficult time.


PRAY for the Doctors and Nurses that will attend to John. Pray for steady hands and clear thinking. And pray for peace for our family as we approach John’s surgery and long recovery.

PRAY for Expeditions as they finish the winter season short-handed and for much needed winter weather!

THANK YOU  for your continued support through your prayer and financial gifts. Checks can be written out to Expeditions Unlimited with our ministry number “02103” in the memo and mailed to E11844 County Road D L Baraboo WI 53913.