Seasons of Change

      Change. One word, with so many meanings, feelings, and thoughts. The change I’m talking about can’t be bought or sold, borrowed or bargained. No, this change is the type that finds itself smack in the middle of our everyday lives when life shifts, whether for better or for worse. Often times, people either embrace or resist change. Why is that? Is it because we lose some sort of control? Or perhaps some inner rule that “this is the way it should be”? Or is it simply because we fear what “change” may mean for us, personally?

       When I think about change, I think a lot of the Biblical stories, especially King Solomon. He was a rich, wise old man who made mistakes and still sought the Lord.

      “A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.”

        Talk about change! With that whole list, Solomon’s life must have been constantly changing. And...it probably was. You see, change is not bad or something to be feared. It is part of life, something to be embraced. If we are resistant to change, how can we step into the next place God wants us to take? Or say, sorry, I’m good where I am? Think of what we could--would--be missing if “I can’t deal with anymore change” came to fruition. I think life would lost some of its luster and excitement, and we’d grow complacent, perhaps even comfortable with where we are. Would life as even keeled, routine and unchanging really be desired?
         Jesus himself, didn’t have that. His life was a constant change. One day he’s loved, the next hated. One moment Peter would die for him, hours later, he didn’t know him. He changes the lives of people each day. Their life becomes different from how it had been. Jesus reached out and changed the social standing of a woman by healing her and a man by curing his leprosy. Jesus met them where they were, they were open to change, and he used the circumstances they were in to radically turn their lives around. He did that for me, and God can definitely do it for you.
         God changes the hearts, minds, careers, and lives of people every day and it is our hope that some of these people will be changed while at Discovery Minsitries this year. It can be scary up on a climb, on the zipline, backpacking through woods, laying under the stars listening to “creepy” sounds that seem right next to your tent, or being away from everything “comfortable”.  In those moments, God speaks. God can take those moments to refine and define who you are, where you need to go, and who He wants you to be. He asks us to say “Yes” to being changed.

         “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” Are you willing to let God change you this year? The choice is yours.

Fall 2014 Update Letter

       This summer was a crazy and fun summer! It was over well before I knew it! During the summer, we were busy and rarely had time to do consistent follow-up; however, we have been praying earnestly together each day for God’s provision and guidance in our work at Discovery Ministries. He has proven Himself faithful time and again as we are at 80.6% in regular support!! We literally only need $178.00 a month now to be fully supported before January 1^st! 

We are confident that God will provide, as He has been, in His time.We had many groups and we both got to work with groups at different times, even getting the opportunity to do group initiatives together! That was a really awesome moment and experience. I (Emma) got to co-lead a six day recreation expedition for a group from Indiana with Joel (picture at left, Joel’s in red and I’m in blue). A recreation expedition is a trip that is mostly led by the instructors. This group, age 11 to 18, actually wanted more challenge so we led what Joel and I called a hybrid trip. We taught all the skills and the group was in charge of getting to destinations, making camp and dinners. I was encouraged on this trip as I had a year of programming and a recreation expedition under my belt. I really felt like I had skills, insight and confidence in co-leading to offer the students and Joel. God blessed Joel and I with spiritually hungry students who were eager to learn and really wanted to grow, even when they didn’t enjoy all the benefits of being in the wilderness.

          I (Robert) feel like I held down the fort pretty well this summer, and I was even able to update and improve some of the processes here!  I have been gearing up to learn more about the office now that the summer craziness is over.  Gearing up has included participating in a series of meetings in part to help redistribute office responsibilities amongst the staff, trying to match up responsibilities and giftedness.  Some of the prospects we’ve talked about so far have been really exciting!

          All-in-all, we are settling in to the off-season well and are enjoying the changing of the seasons.  I am working in the office full-time, thanks in part to the one time gifts!  Emma has been moved to Staff Trainee and works part-time for DM learning Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, so she can work on DM’s newsletter.

          We went on a scouting trip with the ministry’s staff to Colorado and enjoyed hiking, camping, and rock climbing in the beautiful land out there. We also traveled to Iowa on a support raising trip and to see Robert’s family. It was wonderful to spend time with family and friends.

          Please stop in and see us some time! We would love to hear from you!

                Grace and Peace,

                Robert and Emma Halbach

Praises:

·         A house that feels like home.

·         Good people to live and work with.

Prayers:

·         God to keep providing supporters.

·         For us to build relationships within the community.

·         Patience for us as we continue to learn to be married and work together.

·         God’s vision for the new year at DM.

Some fun happenings...

Robert and I have taken to being outside more and more as the days are getting cooler. As we were running the other day around camp, we noticed some mushrooms around a stump and so of course we had to investigate! As we inspected closer, we strangely found two gnomes chilling among the mushrooms as well! The tree beside this stump was gorgeous, not sure what kind it is, but it sure is beautiful! We went running, took pictures, went squirrel hunting, and then came back for a relaxing day.

Robert went hunting again that evening. He killed his first squirrel and he is pictured with his 20 gauge shotgun. He fried the little rodent the next day for lunch.

We are loving our house so much! I am hoping to get pictures up soon(ish) as we get my piano. I am so excited to get my piano to Serenity!!!! I have missed playing SO much...and am looking forward to being able to play again. :)

We also went to a wedding last weekend to see two of our good friends. Austin, the groom, is the son of Peter, the officiator of our wedding. It was special to get to share that memory with Austin and Leah. They had a fall themed wedding, and it was beautiful!! Such a fun time with friends and adopted family. :) Ben and Ruth are close friends of ours and it was fun to hang out with them and we also stayed with them that weekend. It was weird, this was the first weekend we've had in Joplin together since getting married. So we spent the time meeting up with friends and it was really great.

The Greens and Halbachs (Robert lived with them before our wedding).

 My wonderful husband and I!

Ben and Ruth with us...LOVE these two!

So Ben and Austin are cousins. So this is the four of us with the happy couple! 

Serenity

So I've not posted lately, but a quick update on life...it's been busy and crazy, but we are doing super well and God has continued to bless us and show us new things each day.

    We named our house Serenity, and so far, it has totally held up to it's name. :) We love our house and have enjoyed getting to make it our own and feel "at home" when we are here. We have been getting ready for Fall and invested in three mums that took up residence at the front door.  

         

Our Harvest Gnomes; Robert and I saw these and instantly fell in love with them. We are pretty quirky people and so these totally fit with Serenity. haha...our neighbors tell us frequently, "So your gnomes...they're creepy!"

      After living by our door for about a month, we decided they needed to be planted and also decided to do some landscaping out in our front yard. This is the result, and I LOVE it!!

    So since I last posted, we have finished up an awesome summer with DM, gone to Colorado with Discovery Ministries on a scouting trip, gone to Iowa on a support raising trip and to visit family, I started working part-time doing in-home care for a neighbor and part-time with DM as a staff trainee, Robert has been working full-time at the ministry and we have reached around 81% in regular support, and celebrated 6 months of marriage! So much in a short time! We have loved it, and while it's been challenging support raising, God has continued to prove Himself faithful and a true provider. 

One of my gardenias decided to bloom. The house smells beautiful!

I am drinking Chai. :D

    God has been very good to us in our first six months of marriage and we really do enjoy being married and getting to spend time together. We have enjoyed watching some TV shows such as Person of Interest, Psych, Firefly, M*A*S*H, and the occasional Jane Austen (yep, he enjoys them!), playing a video game together, reading the LOTR: Two Towers, playing catch with our baseball caps on, weeding/working in our flower beds, playing games (our lastest obsessions are Munchkin and Rummikub) and cooking together as well as spending time with our friends. God has continued to bless us with working at DM; we love it so much! Even when it is frustrating, we are growing and seeing God moving in this side of the kingdom. 

      I am learning InDesign for our newsletter as that is the primary focus for me this fall as well as programming when available and working on little projects in the office. I have been reading the book and watching some videos on youtube about InDesign and am getting slightly obsessed with it's awesomeness. :) 

  

    Until next time, may God grant you grace and peace this day!

Adventures in Colorado!

       So we went with Discovery Ministries to Colorado on a scouting trip for leading wilderness trips out there with another ministry. It was an awesome trip and we got to do some incredible things!

We went rock climbing one day and that was a blast! Plus I got to see Pike's Peak from a distance!

Hello Pike's Peak!

Here are some shots of us climbing! Beautiful rock!    

     As we were driving around looking at Rock climbing areas, we also checked out 11 Mile Canyon, but didn't have time to climb. I also enjoyed taking pictures of the interesting flora and fauna! :) The first picture is Indian Paintbrush.We spent a whole day rock climbing and being shown some of the beautiful country. Colorado is gorgeous! we backpacked two days in Lost Creek Wilderness and that was a breath taking adventure! We hiked 17-18 miles in two days with 4 kids 10 years old and under! It was so much fun though!

So this is us right before heading out for a two day backpacking trip covering about 18 miles!

This is one of my absolute favorite shots! Panoramic!

     Robert and I at a beautiful overlook. You could see for miles up the canyon. So Robert's backpack was his dad's that he got when he lived in Alaska. Robert has used it and really likes it. So fun fact: those shorts I am wearing I've had since I was like a sophomore in highschool; they ripped on the trip. Thankfully I had a pair of jeans!

Me and my best friend!

   On the last day in Colorado, we were there a week, we went to Cottonwood Pass. We were going to go picnic at Cottonwood Lake, but due to the cold weather, rain, and the long hike, the kiddos weren't up for it. So we drove up to the pass. The picture of Rob and I was taken about an hour before the next. Storms roll in quick!

So this was at Cottonwood Pass at 12,126 ft! Incredible!
It reminded me of Scotland!

      These are some other pictures from our trip. Good friend Leah and I, some pictures from Bueno Vista, CO, the bike race that we watched in the pouring rain, Jake getting his arm patched, and a fairytale mushroom. This trip was super awesome and I am excited to see what God has in store for the ministry next! It was super good to get back home though after a week of high altitudes and adventure!

This was the highest Robert and I had been on land!

Happy Day!

So exciting to see some of our first wedding pictures. This one is already a favorite. Alathea Photography (http://tabbyodle.zenfolio.com/) did our photos. They were a blast and did such a great job! 

Married, Moved, and Ministry

April 2014

Dear Friends and Family,

     Greetings from Eminence, MO! We are finally here at Discovery Ministries! After our wedding on April 5th and honeymoon in Ponca, AR, we are settling in at our house! This has been a long awaited move and we are excited to finally have some roots and a place to call home.
     Robert began work on the 21st and has enjoyed getting to work and also be in a place he loves. He's adjusting well and is excited to learn more at his job as office manager. He's been encouraged with the staff's love and excitement as they've been anticipating him coming. So far he’s been doing the day-t-day tasks in the office, from answering phones to processing donations and deposits for programming. The ministry has some work for me (Emma), part-time, the first week of May cleaning and prepping the camp for summer. May 18th is the kick-off day of staff training for the internship. I am very excited to join the ministry again this summer, disciple and teach others about Christ and how to meet God on new levels as they are challenged in their faith. It is crazy and exciting that I am back at DM for the summer. I didn’t think I would be here again last summer, even though I definitely hoped and prayed I would be. I think it’s amazing that God knows the plans for us before we can even fathom them coming into existence!

    We love our house and are settling in and love that it feels like our own place. Our house is beautiful, very relaxing and comfortable. It has two bedrooms (master and guestroom), a bathroom, a big living room, a nice sized kitchen and dining area combined, a small screened in porch in front, and a deck on the back. We don’t really know what style to classify our house; it’s just very us: slightly old fashioned, colorful, and fun. In the evenings, we often weed the flower beds and have enjoyed discovering new plants and doing this together. We both find it relaxing after a busy day and enjoy burning the weeds and leaves together right at dark.
  We are also in the process of visiting churches to find a church home and see where God is opening doors for us to become part of the community.
    
    While we are not fully funded, we are excited to say we are getting there! We have raised 38.8% of the regular pledged support we need to raise!! We are thankful for each of you that God has led to partner with us in prayers and in financial support. Support raising has been hard and long for us; often discouraging, but God has been faithful and keeps reminding us that his timing is perfect. God is working in the lives of the staff and preparing the hearts of the interns and campers that are going to be coming this summer. We, along with the Discovery Ministries, believe God has great plans in store for the ministry this summer and year and we are expecting Him to do wonderful and great things. We already anticipate telling you about them!
     We would love to have you visit the ministry and our house if you can, so please don’t hesitate to call (319) 391-3555 or email us, rehalbach@gmail.com, if you have any questions, want to visit or anything! We will be praying for you and ask God to bless your life and those in your families.

            Praying with Expectancy,

        Robert and Emma Halbach

·         Pray for us as we learn and grow together as a couple.

·         Pray that God will continue to reveal his plan and will for us at the 
   ministry and in the Eminence community.

·         Pray for the interns that are preparing to join the ministry this 
   summer.

·         Pray that Discovery Ministries will walk in the Spirit and disciple 
   campers this summer to know God deeper and to be challenged to grow.