Mount Ida - Burden Is Light-a ??

Yesterday we participated in an unconventional Timberline tradition. Each student is required to wake at 2am and hike the 12,000 foot Mount Ida in pitch darkness. We enjoyed a time of reflection while watching the sun rise near the peak and then summited a couple hours later.

This activity wasn't just planned for torture purposes (even thought at times it was torture - think 30 degrees plus whipping wind chill!) or physical conditioning (even though our muscles are a little tight today!). During the sun rise we were taught about the burden of sin. As an application activity, we wrote our personal sin-burden in chalk on a large rock and hiked to the peak while lugging our sin in our pack. This was a great time of meditation and prayer. Later, we left our sin burden and representative rock at the summit of Mount Ida. With Him our burden is light and we have the God-strength to lay down our burdens through the victory at the cross. Awesome!

This morning we studied the book of Ezra and had a two session Hebrew lesson of the beginning of Genesis. God's Word is rich and we are so excited and blessed to be daily digging into the Truth that is life transforming.

Thankful and Blessed!

This is the week! Chris and Tina begin school on Wednesday and are very excited to have a set schedule. We spent this last weekend with our dear Beckett friends at Family Camp at Camp Elim and were blessed with good teaching, fun playtime and great family time of hugs, dancing and chatting. God ordered this time for us to connect and energize as a family before beginning our schooling. Thank you Lord!

While we are on the topic of praise. Let us share a few big victories with you!

- Praise God! We have raised about $15,000 in on-time gifts and only have $7,000 remaining to pay for our school in full! We not only met our September 7th tuition deadline but exceeded it by $3,000!!!! Some of our financial needs remain ($7,000 for school and about $1000 in monthly support) but we are so encouraged and trust the God who brought us here.

- Georgia and Reese are doing well in school. Reese is on cloud nine with her own desk and enjoys eating lunch and having recess with her older sister. Georgia is enjoying her new friend Abby and is in the "Dolphin" learning group. According to Georgia, Dolphins have a lot of hard work but she thinks she is up for the challenge!

- The renters for our Highlands Ranch home are settled in and seem to be very good renters! In fact, they asked if they could do some additional upkeep while staying at our house. God met this need exceedingly, above and beyond what we could ask or imagine!

Keep praying! We aren't there yet but are surely blessed by a God who knows our needs and a family of believers that are walking by our side.

Love and Blessings!

Chris, Tina, Georgia and Reese