It will be our first Christmas in our new home. We chose to take a huge leap of faith two years ago with out fully knowing the outcome to restart our lives over as a family with a big move. Last Summer we put our house on the market and this Spring we bought our home. It’s crazy to think that last year we were celebrating Christmas in an Airbnb and this year we are stringing lights on our garage and blowing a up a penguin in front of our home. This year we have focused on settling in while the boys continue thriving in their homeschool journey being in baseball in the Summer, doing the home depot work shop with Peter once a month, being in the Awana program throughout the school year, doing the reading programs at the library, free events at the library, and of course play dates with their neighbor friends and new friends. They have been loving their Sunday school after they go to first service while we are in a parenting class. Peter found a job that is sometimes only four days a week and only sixteen minutes away from home. On the days he is home we go down town, the beach, do some yard work or a park. We are so thankful and blessed.

Merry Christmas and Blessings,

Echols Family

Peter, Mihaela, Jason (6), and Logan (4)

We know the blog has been quiet for some time now and it will remain that way. My passion for writing hasn’t changed. My life has. And right now it is busy. I miss writing. I do and there are times I wish I had the energy for it. But for now I am learning to embrace the busy short season I am in. We had our second baby in May. For those who have been following me on my personal pages and the few posts on the blog you will see we became a family of four very quickly. Our boys are eighteen months apart. Each day is a gift and we are exhausted, learning, and transforming. I hope to share more on the blog what these past two years have been like but the details will remain quiet for now.

Our year has brought us both challenge and adventure. The challenge of figuring out this whole family thing and raising our babies and the adventure Peter’s job allows us to have.

This fall we went on our first work trip as a family in San Diego and lived there for a few months. We had the amazing opportunity to have the boys meet and see two of their aunties a few times. Jason celebrated his second birthday at Birch Aquarium. Logan’s second zoo was The San Diego zoo.

Each day our boys are showing more of their personalities and their interests. Jason is our tender hearted, fiery, sweet, smart, boy who loves his baby brother “Lolo”. He is always trying to find ways to include him with splashing in the bath, going on walks, reading books, and making him laugh. It is so sweet watching the bond start at such young ages.

Logan is our go getter, determined, laid back, strong, independent, smiley, hunk of love. Everyone is always commenting on his size. Everything about Logan is big and that’s what makes him so great.

I could go on and on about how much I love my boys and the adventure we are having but then I’d be up all night with this key board or a baby. That is our life right now. Tending to babies and the very little time that we have we try to make it for each other.

Where to begin….2017 was filled with many unpredictable events. 

This year we learned a lot about God’s provision and how we can have joy in every circumstance. 

-February: we got our little pet bunny, Duke. He was my Valentines day gift. 

 -May: we decided to slowly begin our adoption journey through foster care. 

-June: we had another huge success in blessing Samiton with the Ultimate Frisbee tournament. 

-The Summer was filled with a fun trip to Minnesota and Kauai for our second anniversary. We were also able to take a Montana trip in the Spring and a Pullman trip in the Fall. 

-This fall we are beginning our second year of Bible school,  continuing in the youth ministry and Peter is doing drums on Sundays.

-October: we had a fun time setting up the Trunk or Treat event together, blessing the community for Halloween. 

-December: was the fifth year of Christmas Project Hope. 

-We are ending the year off with taking in little blessings whenever the foster care system needs us. Peter is continuing his job as a welder at the shipyard and I have opened my schedule to full-time ministry and nannying for Norah. 

When the year began we never expected our year to unfold like this. But through it all we have fallen more in love with each other and the Lord. 

Merry Christmas, and many Blessings to you from the both of us,

Peter and Mihaela Echols 

 

On June 3rd, 2017 there was another huge success this year for our annual Frisbee Tournament! Although we only had five teams this year Samiton was funded 1,628 for him to go to college. We are amazed at God’s work in this years tournament. This year we had a few changes: trophies, t-shirts, we had room for three fields, but kept it at two,  and Samiton got to do a personal thank you to all the players on a video. 

 

“At the end of the day our goal is to help Samiton, our brother in Christ, by this tournament. The comradery and attitude from the players was almost all positive and encouraging. Whether we have five teams or twenty-five teams we are all in for this day. This year had its own setbacks and struggles but our God is bigger than it all.  ” -Peter

The winning team (Kung Führers!) 

It take us about six months to plan one day to impact Samiton’s world. Even with less teams we saw smiling faces all day.  We as staff were more prepared and planning went more smooth. On the day of we prayed, set up and had breakfast before the event. Thank you all who came and donated, because of volunteers and teams we are able to bless Samiton. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmckMTaxSTI&feature=youtu.be

My Doctrinal Statement of Faith Concerning The Bible

The Bible is the Word of God and is infalible, innerant and immutable. It is inspired by God and God alone as the authors were guided by the Holy Spirit to write the words of God, and yet keeping their personalities and styles of writing. It is comprehensive and complete, historically accurate through internal and external proofs, grammatically accurate, and unique in comparison to any other religious article.

-Peter Echols

Bible School

Courses to contenders

This October Peter and I be going to Bible school!

Contenders Discipleship initiative is a free two year Bible school that gives Biblical education while mentoring students for full time ministry.

I never thought of even going back to school. But when we were told it was for FREE and it is two years of indepth Biblical education we could not pass up the opportunity.

“I’m looking forward to having a schedule for reading my Bible and growing spiritually as couple and as a wife.” -Mihaela

“I’m looking forward to how indepth it all is and for all the training. I will be very equipped for ministry and would like to grow in that area.”  -Peter

Please be praying for us on Monday and Thursday nights we will be in class.

 

Interested in going?  Contenders

We have too many things in our lives and too many directions we can be pulled. Where do we start to line up our priorities? What things mean the most to us in the end?

In this life as Christians our first priority must be Christ and the relationship that we have with Him. Yes our very first which means it comes before our marriage, friends, work, hobbies, etc……Some would argue otherwise but the Bible makes it very clear about where are priorities should be.

As I write, the word purpose seems to be intertwined tightly with priorities. If we don’t have a purpose there is no need to make priorities. You must have a purpose first.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you were once not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1st Peter 2:9-10

Peter is reminding the Jews who believed in Christ and were scattered throughout many parts of the nations that they are God’s people. And just like Christians who are scattered around the world today our purpose, because of His great mercy is to glorify Him. This now leads us to prioritize our life accordingly.

and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

1st Peter 2:24

A Godly life isn’t only for certain people it’s for everyone. If we make Christ our top priority we can:

*Grow and walk in righteousness

*Die to sin

*Become more and more of a godly friend, husband/wife, father/mother, etc

*Pursue and love the Lord more and more each day

*Give everything we have sacrificially for Christ

*Be an effective evangelist in all ways and forms

So with all of that in mind is our priority Christ and the time we give to him?

Or is it just Sunday from 9 to 11?

When you wake up in the morning what are the first things that come to your mind?

 

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