More Exciting News!

Yep, you guessed it! There is another baby on the way! We are so grateful that another little blessing will make its way into John and Chelsy's precious family in June. John and Chelsy, we look forward to seeing you love and nurture this new little one. 

Truly, children are a blessing from the Lord.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above..."

James 1:17

Announcing 2020 Winter Tour Dates!

We're excited to be hitting the road once again in a few days! We'd love to see you at one of our concerts. Here are our dates for January (in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina). To view the complete schedule, just head to the Tour Tab on our website.

January Dates

3… Lighthouse Baptist Church —Springdale, AR, 7PM
5… Eden Mennonite Church —Inola, OK, 6PM
8… First Baptist Church —Stratford, OK, 7PM
9… God’s House Ministries —Guthrie, OK, 7PM
10… Prague Community Center —Prague, OK, 7PM
11… Pleasantview Mennonite Church —Hyrdro, OK, 7PM
12… Star Baptist Church —Keota, OK, 10AM
12… Trinity Christian School —Paris, TX, 6PM
15… Berry Freewill Baptist Church —Berry, AL
17… Bethel Baptist Church, Hartselle —AL, 7PM
18… Linden Community Center, Linden, TN 6PM
19… Linden Baptist Church —Linden, AL, 11AM
19… Orrville Baptist Church —Orrville, AL, 6PM
22… Way of the Cross Chapel —Brooksville, MS, 7PM
24… Coosada Baptist Church —Coosada, AL, 7PM
25… The Tabernacle —Gadsen, AL, 6PM
26… Way of the Cross Baptist Church —McDonough, GA, 10AM
26…Harvest Baptist Tabernacle, Jonesboro, GA, 6PM
29… The Florida Shindig, Melrose, FL, 9Am
31… Foothills Fellowship —Westminster, SC, 7PM

Merry Christmas!

Today we are celebrating the best gift ever given! During this season, let us take time to stop and reflect on all Jesus has done for us. It should be our goal to bring him glory, praise, honor, and adoration in everything, for He is worthy!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Grandbaby #5 is on the way!!!!!

We haven't posted in a while, but this post was surely worth waiting for!!! There is another baby on the way! Wallace Bradford Bontrager will be an amazing big brother to the little one joining their family in the spring of 2020. We can't wait to see the joy this darling package will bring to their little family and our big one. The Lord is so very good!

"The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad"
--Psalm 126:3

Live from Kentucky!

This week, our family traveled to Covington, Kentucky to participate in the National Bible Bee. Along with about 300 other contestants, Hudson and Rebecca, (the two from our family that qualified for Nationals)  were tested on their knowledge of 1 Peter and over 800 memory verses.and recited 15 passages.  On Wednesday and Thursday (starting at 9:00 a.m. EST), you will have the opportunity to watch the semi-finals and finals take place via livestream. The rounds will include inspiring scripture recitations, difficult written questions, and intense buzzer rounds!

To watch this exciting event take place, click here

Hudson and Rebecca headed to take their tests! 

There are a few people that are excited about his week!!

For more information on what the Bible Bee is and how to participate, click here

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Psalm 119:105

October Birthdays

Yes, it is November, but it didn't keep Mother and Hudson from having birthdays, and it won't keep me from posting about them! Enjoy this post, even though it is a little late!

52 Years: A Tribute To Our Mother

Our dear mother turned 52 on October 14th.  

One thing we all appreciate about her is her faithfulness to her home and family. While many other mothers were consumed with friends and work, our mother saw the importance of diligently teaching and training her children "while they sat in her house, walked by the way, laid down, and rose up." (paraphrase of Deuteronomy 6:7)

She didn't just teach us math, change our diapers, and cook us food. She daily taught and modeled to us what it meant to live a life glorifying to Jesus. Mother even used ordinary activities, such as baking cookies together, pulling weeds in the garden, or singing in the living room to teach us important truths. 

During the different intense seasons of the Bible Bee, mom supported and encouraged us.

She sacrificed her time (and still does!) to listen to may hours of verses, and let us spend time studying and memorizing God's Word instead of doing all of our normal chores and work, which meant that she had more to do!            

Whenever she gets a chance, Nana is hugging, kissing, and putting love into her all her little grand-babies! 

Mother, we are forever grateful for all the effort you gave to raise us!!! Through the midst of rotten attitudes, blow-outs, snotty noses, and restless nights, you just kept on guiding and directing us in the ways of Jesus. We are products of you and Dad's training, love and prayers!

We love you!

Happy 14th Birthday Hudson!
 (Lets just add that he must have eaten a LOT of turnips to be 5 feet and 7 1/4 inches tall and weighing 121lbs! He officially passed up all the ladies in the family and is now working on #operation-pass-up-Taylor! Hudson is unlike one of his other brothers, who even at the age of sixteen, couldn't quite tip the scales at 100!)

Hudson, we love your spunk and zest for life. You aren't afraid to just go for those long jumps on our hay bales, when your little sisters haven't quite yet mustered up the courage to do so. You put energy into your work and your play!

Hudson is always up for an adventure or a sword fight with a brother!

Hudson adores his nieces and nephews!

We are grateful for the responsibility he takes in burning the trash at our house. 

Hudson puts his whole heart into everything he does, including memorizing and studying for the National Bible Bee! 

His brothers are his best friends!

We love you Hudson and can't imagine life without you!

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

Family camp

We would love to share some of the highlights of 2019 Homeschool Family Camp, which is always a much anticipated event of the year for our family. A family camp, we enjoy encouraging sessions, edifying conversations, lots of time for relaxing as a family, delicious food prepared by camp staff, uplifting worship times, unlimited opportunities for physical exercise, and much more!

 

This year our theme for family camp was, "Where 

There Is No Vision the People Perish".

Throughout the morning and evening sessions, the famlies were encouraged on how to have a vision for their family, why we should have a vision, and how to pass it on to future generations. 

Like grandfather like grandson!

How many can you fit at one table?

All the baby love!

The epic game, "Mighty Mighty Scoop Noodle Challenge", is a camp favorite.

Helping grandpa!

Family camp is a wonderful place to come away with your family and be refreshed! 

So many friends!!!

The "Arm Wrestling Competition" is a very real, very competitive, very loud, very animated, and very thrilling hour (or two).  

Who knew that memorizing Scripture together could be so much fun???

The Word of God has always been the foundation of Homeschool Family Camp.  Here a large group of young people spent time together doing a Bible study. 

A new feature for this year was the "Bible Challenge".

Music is a very special part of this camp!

More friends.  

We would love to see you there next year!!!!! 

"Where there is no vision, the people perish..."

Proverbs 29:18