We love observing Advent around Christmas. It’s been a tradition we started since moving to Botswana. Our church (Providence Church in Raleigh, NC) put out an amazing devotional that families or individuals can walk through and we would love for you to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth with us.
https://www.pray.org/advent-devotional-2025/
We have a few upcoming events if you would like to be a part of them or if we are in your area, we would love to see you!
January 4, 2026 – Enterprise Baptist Church | Littleton, NC
January 13–16, 2026 – State Missions Directors Partnership Meeting | Irvine, California
January 18, 2026 – Liberty Church | Moreno Valley, CA
January 21-24, 2026 – Missions College | Richmond, VA
January 25, 2026 -Mineral Baptist Church | Mineral, VA
February 8, 2026 - First Baptist Morrisville | Morrisville, NC
February 10-11, 2026 – Walnut Street Baptist Church | Louisville, KY
February 22, 2026 - Open Door Church | Raleigh, NC
February 28, 2026 – Bellevue Baptist Church | Cordova, TN
March 8, 2026 - Cool Spring Baptist Church | Mechanicsville, VA
June 21, 2026 - Mt. Zion Baptist Church | Huntsville, AL
July 5, 2026 - Living Water Baptist Church | Longs, SC
 |
The Week of Prayer for International Missions for the #LottieMoonOffering is just a week away, Nov. 30–Dec. 7. Join us along with Southern Baptist churches as we pray for IMB missionaries around the world who are faithfully sharing the gospel. Learn more at imb.org/weekofprayer. #LMCO |
 |
You have a role in God’s global mission. Are you ready to step into it? At Missions College 2026, discover how your everyday life, work, and church meaningfully engage the nations through praying, giving, going and sending. Join other pastors, church leaders, professionals, and mission-minded believers for 3 days of equipping and practical tools that will help you: ✅ Know your role ✅ Grow in effectiveness ✅ Lead others in God’s mission 📍 International Learning Center, Rockville, VA 🗓️ January 21–24, 2026 🔗 Secure your spot at: https://imb.world/3Joj8aO. |
We have had so many amazing opportunities to share what God is doing in Botswana. This past weekend, we traveled to Western NC to our colleagues and friends home church-Bethel Baptist Church in Canton, NC and was so great to connect with them. They have taken multiple trips to Namibia to help reach the Kwangali People group in Rundu, Namibia.
 |
| Bethel Baptist Church-Canton, NC |
 |
| FBC Southern Pines, NC. I forgot to get a picture of the ladies but my sweet friend Brooksie traveled with me for the day. |
It was such a blessing to get to have Julia and Kenna serving with us in the IMBs journeyman program for the last 2 years in Botswana. They wrapped things up and had many hard goodbyes and traveled back to America in October. It was so good to reconnect with Julia the other day when she was in Raleigh. I know the Lord has amazing plans for these 2 wonderful young women.
We gathered with over 2000 N.C. Baptist at their annual Convention in Greensboro, NC. We were able to be at the IMB Booth and get to meet so many people and just say thank you for how they support and send missionaries like us around the world through their Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
We were able to be in Raleigh for Providence Church’s Mission Conference this year. The heart for missions and missionaries that this church has is unbelievable.
Thank you, Providence, for reaching the nations 🌍
We were able to go to Liberty’s Homecoming and got to see Taylor, old friends, and even made it to a football game. Liberty has certainly changed/grown since our time there, but the spirit of the Lord is definitely thriving there which is so encouraging to see ❤️
 |
| Had to grab a family photo of us all together as it doesn’t happen too often. |
 |
| Watching the Homecoming Parade |
 |
| LU mascot |
 |
| Amanda got to visit with her friends from LU days. Hard to believe it’s been 25 years since we graduated. |
 |
| Cutest cheerleader |
 |
| Football game fun 🏈 |
It’s been fun to be here for Halloween and Ellie got to dress up and trick or treat and carve pumpkins
 |
| Of course we had to carve cat pumpkins |
 |
| For school, Ellie decorated a foam pumpkin with a favorite book…she chose ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ |
 |
| Trick or treating with her neighborhood and school friend Daisy |
 |
| Enough candy/sugar for a year |
It was so fun to take Ellie to the N.C. State Fair. To get to experience it with her was a blast 🎡
 |
| 17 years ago at the N.C. State Fair with Taylor |
 |
| Same barn…different child 😊 |
I forgot how much I have missed FALL…the changing leaves, the cooler weather 🍁 Our sweet friends the Craymer’s allowed us to stay at their cabin at Wintergreen and we had the best time hiking and enjoying nature and the beauty Fall brings.
“Fall is proof that change is beautiful!”
"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go”
 |
| Everything is a contest…if you catch a falling leaf it’s 1 point, if it’s RED you get 2 points 😊 |
 |
| We stopped in to see Taylor in the way home. Love she is so close. |
