Just a short update.  We are going through a blog reconstruction.  Check out Jackie's Story and the Frequently Asked Questions pages!

Transitions....

Tonight we began the first of several transition milestones in our lives. I'm not too sure I'm ready for this transition but ready or not, here we come!  Tonight's milestone was Brad's last choir concert in his high school career.  We had a solo that he sang wonderfully and he was so poised up on stage.  As I watched his solo and the rest of the concert, I realized, this is it... The last kid to graduate from High School, the last kid in a choir concert, the last kid to worry about underage curfews and the last kid to make a college decision.  We are really proud of Brad's accomplishments as we are proud of Misty and David's.  Brad will graduate next Thursday night cum laude and attend Marquette University in Milwaukee next fall as a Pre-med student.  Wasn't it just yesterday that he learned how to ride a bike and how to write his name?  Time sure has flown.

Brad singing his solo

We have gotten to know a couple of Brad's friends really well. There is his friend Kal, who all through High School had the same long haircut and about 8 weeks ago, got most of it cut off to donate to "Locks of Love".  I cried when I saw him and his short hair!  I had never seen him with short hair!  Kal loves to run and has a heart for service.  Last year he was the only one of his friends to letter in "Service Learning".  Brad stays at Kal's house when we are out of town.  His parents, Karl and Krisi have become Brad's other parents.  He even has a bed at their house.  This family has been a huge blessing to us.  We know that Brad has a safe place to lay his head and a home full of love to go to when we are gone.  

Kal and Brad with their prom dates, Rachel and Ally

Then there is Alex.  Alex is the kid that hangs out at our house.  He comes here even when Brad isn't.  He calls after major snow storms to see if we need help with snow removal.  Alex is  a swimmer and loves to talk.  If he does not end up in politics after college I will be totally shocked.  He has strong convictions and is not afraid to stand up for them. This is a kid that knows his faith, defends his faith and serves often at his church.  The other thing Alex does really well is EAT!  When he is here we order 2 large pizza's for 4 people knowing that Alex can eat an entire pizza on his own.  And with that pizza he will drink most of a gallon of milk.  

Brad and Alex

As we head into a week with the Baccalaureate Service, final projects, exams and papers due, final transcripts to Marquette University for college, graduation and finally the beginning of graduation parties I will have to keep reminding myself that these kids NEED to move on. Each of them is heading off to a different college in a different area.  Each of them has different talents and each will have a different walk with the Lord, and probably different even from what they look like now.  They will explore what it's like to live without Mom and Dad right there. They will experience good times, great times and really tough times in their lives.  They will all need prayer.  What I need to remember the most though is that as much as I love each of them, they have a heavenly Father that loves them even more than we as parents do and that He will direct and guide each of them as they walk through life.  We can't ask for much more than that, can we?

Follow You Into the Homes of the Broken...

There is a song by Leeland and Brandon Heath that was sent to us today from our new friend, Travis  He thought it described our ministry with TouchGlobal.  And as I watched this video and read the words I felt as if this song was written just for TouchGlobal.  One of the questions we get asked frequently by people we meet with is "So you have no idea where you will be going?"  And we say, "Yep, Where ever a crisis hits we could be sent there."  It could be right back here in Minnesota or across the world.  And this song says it all, "Follow Me into the Homes of the Broken, Follow Me into the world."+

God has called each and every one of us to Follow Him and join Him in His plan.  There is one plan. That plan is to spread the gospel and make disciples of all nations.  When a crisis hits people are left behind devastated and broken.  And in the wake of every crisis a mission field is created.  God has spared the people so that they have a chance to hear the good news of Jesus Christ!  And we are called to Follow Him into the homes of those broken people and to help them not only rebuild their homes but to show them the hands and feet of Jesus so that they can rebuild their lives on the solid foundation of the gospel. So today I ask God to "use my hands and use my feet to make His Kingdom come".

I know you all get pretty tired of us putting into our blog and our newsletters that we cannot go to the field until we are fully supported.  We too have gotten newsletter upon newsletter asking for support from missionaries and organizations.  I know now how that missionary feels now though.  They are so passionate about their ministry and wanting to get out there and be the hands and feet of Jesus that they sometimes forget that not everyone is as passionate about their calling as they are!  That everyone has a different passion.  If your passion is to Follow Him into the homes of the broken, consider how you can do that. Some people are "goers" and some people are "senders".  We are "goers".  We have been called to go and we couldn't be more humbled that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has called us! If you are a "goer" consider a short term mission trip or a work day at a local ministry like Feed My Starving Children or Urban Homeworks.  Go to New Orleans for a week this summer and see the work that is still being done in the homes of the broken.  Or maybe God has been tugging on your heart for a while and you have been considering serving for a longer time in a mission field.  If you are a "sender", find a ministry you are passionate about and be a part of sending a "goer".  You can make an impact in so many ways. Pray and ask God how He wants you to Follow Him into the World!

Man it's COLD outside!

I am sitting here in a Caribou coffee shop wondering why I have even ventured out in this frigid weather.  We woke up this morning in Minnesota to -10 degrees with a windchill of -35!  Now for those of you that live in New Orleans that lived last week with a chilly 40 degrees...you ain't seen nothin' yet!

Here are just a few things that some of you Southerner's may not even know exist!  We have what is known as "HEAT" that is a gas additive you put in your gas tank so you don't get what is known as "gas line freeze".  Some of us actually have gas tank heaters on our cars where we can plug them in to keep them warm so they will actually start!  Heated seats are the most coveted thing in your vehicle and Caribou and Starbucks coffee are the most popular places to be...even moreso than normal!  Your winter survival kit consists of a full tank of gas (in case you end up sliding into the ditch on a frozen road), a wool blanket, "choppers" ( leather mittens with wool liners), a warm scarf, a half a bottle of water ( you don't want a full one because it will explode from the cold), high energy snacks and a shovel.  We have what is known as black ice on the roads.  That is frozen exhaust condensation...and it is virtually invisible so you don't even know if you have hit a patch until it's too late.  And oh yeah there's ice fishing!  Yes, you drive your car, truck, atv out on the lake, drill a hole and put a heated ice house (ice houses are for those people that can't hack the REAL cold!) on the ice and fish through that hole.  Sometimes you have to take a small scoop and scoop out the ice that has formed on the hole.  And if you are really lucky...yes it's all luck not skill...you will actually catch a few fish.  This winter ritual in Minnesota is what most northern's look forward to when it's -10 outside!

You may ask...why do you live THERE?  Well it's simple.  Our family is here, our friends are here, our church is here and well up to now this is where God could use us to the fullest.  And then there is the obvious question...Why are you leaving there?  Your family, kids, friends, and church are there why would you leave?   The answer again is simple.  Because God has asked us to.  Because He has now told us that He can use us to the fullest somewhere else.  We will be moving to just north of New Orleans, LA hopefully in June of this year.  We will leave it all behind, yes even the subzero winter temperatures to follow the call that God has on our lives.  After our move we will train and learn how to best help people after their lives fall apart following disasters and crisis all over the world.   We don't know where that will be or how long we will be there but we know that God will protect us, sustain us and guide us through it all.  If He can protect us from the cold of Minnesota....He can protect us from anything.  And for that we are forever grateful.

Praise God for His Sovereignty, His Love, His Grace and yes, even for cold winters in Minnesota!

Blessings to you all on this cold Minnesota evening!
Jackie

Tis The Season...

As I went through my day today I was reminded several times that this is the last Christmas season, at least for a while,we will be in Minnesota. The last Maple Grove E Free Women's Christmas Dessert I will decorate a table for, the last Spectrum High School Christmas Concert Brad will sing in, the last winter in the cold (well that's not such a bad thing) and the last time I will decorate this house for Christmas.  A season of lasts is what I thought about.

But then as the day went on I thought about the new beginnings we are going to experience in the next year.  The first summer on the field serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Brad's first year of college and our granddaughter, Analise's first year of school.  Walking into a new church for the first time again and all those people I have yet to meet for the first time.  And that permeated my thoughts later in the day.

There is a time and season for everything.  Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is "a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance".  The time to tear down will probably be the first disaster we respond to and a time to build will be that first home we are able to put back together for someone...but first we need to break down our own home here in Minnesota and then build a new home in Louisiana.  We are not literally building a home but it takes more than bricks and mortar to build a "home".  Anyone that knows me knows that "a time to weep" could be about anytime!  But I imaging the weeping this next year will be tears of sadness as I say good bye to so many friends in Minnesota when we move.  And a time to laugh..well that will be the times of remembering all the good times we have had and the joys that the Lord has brought into our lives.  And a time to mourn.  We will mourn our "home" in Minnesota.  Not the bricks and mortar home but the home that others have built through their friendships that really have been our safe haven for years.  And a time to dance. I will be doing the happy dance when I see people complaining on Facebook about the first snow and how cold it is outside!

In all seriousness, we all have seasons in our lives that are good and seasons that are bad.  Jesus Christ was sent to this earth to bridge the gap between us and God the Father during all the times of our lives.  We all make mistakes and go through difficulties.  How awesome is it that we can all receive the gift of Jesus' saving grace from our Father this Christmas season or in any season of your life?  Have you received and accepted that gift?  Is it your season to mourn or is it your season to dance?  Experience the joy that is Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior this Christmas!  Come dance with me!

Blessings,

Jackie

Sharing our Blessings

We just finished up with Thanksgiving and most of us probably went around the table 

and said what we were thankful for. Well, all those things are blessings and they are 

given to us by God. When we really think about it there are a lot more that we didn’t say 

at the table. I know for me I could go on for hours. When we look at the rest of the 

world we are a very blessed nation. As I read the Bible it tells me we have been 

blessed so we can be a blessing. In Gen. 12:1-3, God asked Abraham to go and I will 

bless you and through you I will bless all nations. We are part of that blessing and we are to use it to bless all peoples but we must go to do that. Then I read on in Matt. 28:19 where Jesus gives us a mandate that all of us should follow. “There for go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching 

them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Here we see go again, so right now all of us should be in one of two stages, either we are being discipled or we are discipling. Where do you fit in there and how long does it take to make a disciple? Jesus took three years, so we need to be on the move. Go. 

Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice  and because of that we can have a relationship with 

God. Since then we no longer have to take our sacrifices to the high priest to be 

forgiven. That in itself is a huge blessing. As a matter of fact sacrifice for us is only mentioned 

in the New Testament twice. Once in Romans 12.1 “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in 

view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-

this is your spiritual act of worship.” Again in Philippians 4:18 as Paul was traveling 

around doing ministry work the people were supporting him and Paul says their gifts are 

“a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.” Though we do not need to 

sacrifice for our relationship with God we do need to sacrifice ourselves and our 

resources to carry the gospel message to others. Our Blessings. 

This doesn’t means to give what we can afford or to serve if we have time, this means we look at what is a true sacrifice and give out of our blessings not just our abundance.

Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light.” 

Jackie and I are so blessed that God has brought us from darkness and made us light. 

We have chosen to sacrifice our lives to him by serving with TouchGlobal so we  can 

bring the gospel to those in need in the wake of disaster. In our experience, we 

found God when there was no where else to turn and someone was there  to share Jesus with us. We need to Go. We need to pass the Blessing.  God just keeps pouring his Blessings on us since we have decided to Go.  I challenge you to Go spread your blessings that God has given you so they can see what Jesus did for you and that you are blessing them because Jesus blessed you. 

Ask and you shall receive!

The Passer house has been alive with activity this month!  If you are following our newsletter you probably read that we are getting our house ready to put on the market at the end of January.  We had an amazing young lady come in and donate her house staging services by giving us ideas for paint colors, light fixture changes, furniture rearrangement and a mini bathroom makeover.  The Lord provided the finances for the changes in the form of a nice tax rebate and we were all set to go!  

With Jackie directing traffic in the background (most unsuccessfully I might add), Rob began the task of changing out light fixtures and tearing down wallpaper.  I'll let you ask him which of these he enjoyed more!  A request was put out in our last newsletter for help for Rob in painting the rooms that needed to be done and low and behold the painters arrived!  The front entry hall, upstairs hall, master bedroom, and both bathrooms upstairs were prepped and ready to paint and the crew got to work!  In a matter of a few days all of the areas that were prepared were painted with two coats and rooms were reassembled so quickly it looked like a version of Extreme Makeover-weekend Edition!  Hat's off to Jen, Will, Shari and Katie for the time they took out of their lives and their painting skills to accomplish the task at hand.  Our friends are absolutely amazing and we don't know what we would do without them!

Below are a few action shots of some of the crew working!  We praise God for such humble servants!

We'd also like to give a BIG shout out to all of those that visited the hospital, our home, fed us and prayed for us over the last month.  Jackie is going back to work on tomorrow, 11/1 and is healing up quite nicely!  Your prayers and support are so much appreciated.

We also want to welcome everyone that has joined our Ministry Partnership Team and thank them for their support!  We are currently at 23% of our monthly support committed and 48% of our start up costs already given!  

If you have been thinking about joining our team but would like to hear more about our call and what we are doing, shoot us an email at rob.passer@efca.org and we can set up a time sit down and share our hearts with you.  Maybe God is tugging on your heart to just join the team!  You can just hit the TouchGlobal logo under the "Donate online" button on the right and you can give online or go to 

http://www.efca.org/give-serve/ways-give for other giving options.  Be sure to include 1670-Passer on any donations made.

Please keep all of those affected by Hurricane Sandy in your prayers.  There is so much clean up and rebuilding to do and TouchGlobal will be among those helping.  Pray that the light of Christ can show through every worker that God calls to this field and that the people can see that their only hope is in Jesus.