Well it has been a few weeks but that is ok. I have GREAT excuses as to why I didn't update this. I was on vacation!! Man what an awesome blessing it was to have an opportunity to be in Montana for Christmas, after being away for the last 2 years!! Although I was severely disappointed with the lack of fresh snow it was awesome! I was able to actually relax on this vacation! Thank you all so much for the fun and encouragement that you gave to me! I came back to St. Croix with a cold and still have bits still floating around in my sinuses and throat but for the most part I was nice and refreshed when I arrived!! I was however a bit disappointed when I was forced to change into shorts and a t-shirt and my tan was extremely faint! I was able to work outside digging this week so i can proudly say my color is returning!!! Things have gotten pretty busy here which is a good thing. I find myself walking around the property wondering when in the heck I'm going to have time to do this or that because there just isn't enough daylight. We are preparing for a DTS team from Jamaica to come on the 18th for a month. So that is keeping me busy as Cherilyn and I try and set up their whole outreach! It should be a very good time not only for them but for us to become more connected in the community and hopefully create more relationships! It is an exciting time to see what God wants us to do and although it seems like such a huge task he is slowly and faithfully bringing more and more opportunity our way!!

I had a great experience tonight while walking back to the base from dinner. As i was talking with my new roommate in the parking lot someone walked in front of us and turned around all the sudden and exclaimed "Hey TJ!" Now I know that is just pretty simple and not all that exciting but I always enjoy those moments when I can be out and run into people I know. I tend to expect it when I am in MT but here it seems so unlikely that I will actually know the people I pass so when it happens I soak it up.

I was also blown away by God this week! I had an awesome opportunity to be waken up in the middle of the night 2:30 to be exact by a friend. And as we talked for some time and then ended the conversation I felt like I needed to pray for them. As I lay in my bed at 3:30 I felt the urge to get on my knees and pray even more intensely. I wasn't to thrilled about getting out of my warm bed but knowing full well that if I wanted to see God move I could spend time on my knees for my friend. I moved down and began once again praying and my mind was completely filled with thoughts and there was just one phrase that kept coming to mind. I tried to keep praying but for some reason I couldn't stop thinking upon this phrase and what it means and so I turned on my computer and began to type out what I thought would be a few lines of thoughts. 2 1/2 hours later at 6 am I finished writing and was completely taken back by what I had just written. I hope to one day be able to share it with everyone but for right now it is between myself, God, and the friends I was praying for because I felt it was directly from God to them. SO AWESOME and I look forward for another opportunity to be used in such a powerful way!