Seasons....

Hello!

Hope you all had a wonderful summer.  We always enjoy the sunny, gorgeous Montana summers.  This one was a bit of a blur with a new baby!  We had a great time visiting in Houston and introducing Beckett to our family and friends there.  Jason spent part of his summer staffing our Summer of Service school....this is like a DTS, but only one month here and one month of overseas outreach.  It is also open to high school and college age students.  It was wonderful to see the students learn how to use interests in music, dance, and sports in missions.  Jason also did quite a bit of soccer coaching with students in the local community this summer.  

For me, it was honestly a pretty sleepless and difficult summer.  While I was so enjoying my sweet boy,  I never imagined all the emotions that would accompany the transition to parenthood.  Jason and I both felt the ups and downs of all this transition - and I think it is all intensified when one is so sleep deprived.  I often have felt like my days and weeks go by and I don't know what happened or what I got done.  I'm sure many feel this way when going from a packed schedule full of more tangible accomplishments to caring for a sweet infant that is full of demands.  This was one of those things that was really hard for me, and as I shared my heart with the Lord one day, he encouraged me so much with something I want to share with you.  He reminded me of Psalm 1, particularly the part that talks about the righteous being "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season."  I felt that he was reminding me that fruit comes in seasons - sometimes, we are in a season where the fruit we are bearing is very visible, and other times, it is winter and it looks like nothing is happening.  We can't measure what we are "producing" and we may not see results, even though we may feel like we couldn't possibly give any more.   This can feel so frustrating, and can feel like we are not good enough.  But I was comforted in that moment to trust him in the process, and to trust that the investment I am making is so worth it, and will "produce fruit in season."  He even reminded me that trying times produce valuable fruit in my own heart, and that I am never alone as I walk through those times.  

Beckett just turned 6 months old....I can't believe how he has grown and how fast that went!  He is full of energy and such an inquisitive, aware little guy.  We are having a lot of fun with him these days as he gets more and more interactive and seems to do something new each week.  I hope some of you can meet him!  We love visitors and welcome you to come anytime if you can make the long trek out here!

Thanks again for all the love and gifts you all have poured out on us as our family has expanded this year.  We are so grateful for you all and feel blessed to be supported and cared for even though we are far away.

Beckett is growing up so fast!

Summer went by way too fast.....does this tempt you to come visit?  :)

Our family at a wedding this summer.  

Thank you thank you!

Hi everyone! 

It has been a crazy few months and I'm sure most of you have been keeping up with us on Facebook, but here is a little update about the Goodfellow family! 

First of all.. We wanted to just say thank you for the overwhelming amount of gifts, cards, and kind words that people have given to us and our newborn son Beckett.  It is such a privilege to have community and friends who care so much.  We love you.  

And that's not even all of them! 

We are doing well as a little family unit.  Beckett is sleeping well at night and is as cute as ever.  

"Hello!" He says.  

Jason is actually switching departments and will be over our sports ministry here in base doing both local( coaching, working with high schoolers, and college students and involved in whatever else he can get his hands in on).and overseas( hoping to lead both staff and student teams overseas to use sports as a vessel for Jesus to work).  So that's a big change as well as having a baby.  Erika will be a beloved full time mom and continue to pour into lives of young girls here.  So before we go on for too much longer.. That's what is happening in our lives lately.  We love you and are blessed to have so many in our lives that love us.  

If you have any questions on how to support us or pray for us, please email at jl06goodfellow@gmail.com, or Erika.goodfellow@ywammontana.org

Jason, Erika and Beckett.  

WDTS '14 on outreach!

I'm a little behind on writing...I guess that happens when one is pregnant, tired, and busy.  :)  For us, the most exciting recent thing happening is that we have sent our students off to bless the nations!  We have three teams that are currently in Thailand, Czech Republic, and Costa Rica.  Obviously these are three very different cultures, but God has been faithful and they have had some incredible opportunities so far to serve and to lead people to Jesus!

The Thailand team has mostly been building relationships with University students so far through a cafe ministry and English camps.  Relationships and time spent together are very important to Thai people, so they have had a great time reaching out this way.  They are now working at a home for children and single moms affected by AIDS.

The Czech team has also been building relationships in a country that has been broken by war and Communism.  They have been involved in some sports camps and city evangelism and are excited to love on hurting people.

The Costa Rica team has been doing a variety of things....helping out some local farmers, and going door to door to give out Bibles and to share God's love with people.  They have seen 7 people give their lives to Jesus so far!  Jason will go to do a pastoral visit to that team next week....please pray for safe travels and that he is able to bless and encourage the team and leaders in their ministry!

I would love to join him, but I get to stay here because I can't fly internationally this late in pregnancy.  :)  I am getting a bit tired and uncomfortable, but I am still grateful for such a healthy pregnancy, and we are so excited to meet our little boy soon!  Thanks for praying for us, and please keep our 3 outreach teams in your prayers over the next month or so.  We are proud of them and know that their lives are still being transformed as they learn how to give away what they have received.

Mini outreach Spokane

Rapping her testimony

The girls dance at the cafe night. 

Parents in need distributor. 

Jake(one of the students) sharing his testimony at a youth group. 

Hey everyone! Just wanted to give an update on our time in Spokane, Washington for our "mini-outreach."  It went really well! We helped in all kinds of ministries there, including speaking to a youth group about missions, sorting and packing baby clothes for a parents and children in need distributor, and packing and sorting food at a food bank. We held an open mic night/cafe night and invited people from the community, and talked to people about God in malls and on the streets/stores, as well as pray for those we met. The whole school enjoyed getting to use what they have been learning and experiencing in class.  God was amazing to provide so many opportunities to share himself with people through us! It was so good to go  (personally one of my favorite weeks in DTS) and good to come back (home sweet home after the craziness).  Thank you again Mountain View Church for hosting us! We are grateful that we could partner with you in the awesome work you are doing. 

Love to you all! 

Jason and Erika

Happy New Year!

We are a bit behind on blogging....but I guess I can chalk that up to pregnancy and preparing to lead a DTS at the same time!  I am feeling so much better now that I am in my second trimester, for which I am very thankful!  We hope you all had a very merry Christmas and that your new year is off to a good start.  Jason and I spent a wonderful and relaxing time in Houston with my family and friends over the holidays. We felt SO blessed by all the love and generosity we were shown there....including 2 beautiful baby showers!

Jason went home to SC for a few days to spend time with his family, particularly because his Granddad was ill in the hospital.  He was so thankful for that special time together, as his Granddad passed away on January 1, just a few days after Jason left.  Granddaddy was so loved by his family and we are all missing him now.

The Winter DTS that we are leading started on January 6, so we had a quick turnaround.  We are grateful that God sent us this group of students and are really looking forward to what he will do in their lives during their time with us.  Please keep them and us in your prayers over the next few months!  We are thankful for you all and your care and involvement in our lives.

Jason and I got to go to the Nutcracker ballet in Houston!