Reynolds' Update

Most of you reading this have received our latest newsletter. (If you haven't, but are on our list, or would like to be, please shoot us an e-mail.)
We wanted to give you another quick update and some very specific ways you can pray for us. We have received many phone calls and cards. Many thanks to all of you who have been lifting us up in prayer faithfully! We have felt God's presence!
As you know we have been on a roller coaster ride this fall. Since we are busy trying to juggle a work schedule and fundraising, we don't have much time to ponder what has taken place over the past few weeks. In a way that is a good thing. We still need lots of prayer.
As you pray would you pray for:

1) Continued peace and healing after Jennifer's miscarriage and discernment for the future

2) More church and individual appointments
We have quite a few gaps in our schedule and we NEED to fill them

3) Our funding. Please pray that our ongoing support would be raised by the Spring

4) For World Gospel Mission and its staff. They are having major technical difficulties that are affecting us all.

5) For our health and spiritual growth
Jennifer has been having back problems

We want to lift you up in prayer too. Please feel free to send us your prayer requests!

As always we have a lot to be thankful for:

1) Good friends who call, send cards, and make us feel loved!

2) Wonderful churches and supporters who are behind us every step of the way and who continually encourage us

3) More time together as a couple as we travel and enjoy evenings and weekends together

4) God's strength and endurace

5) Meeting new people and seeing new places

Several people have asked us. "Can we do anything to help?" There are many ways you can help besides financial support.
One major need we have is more appointments. If you don't live in Kentucky that is fine. You could give us a list of people who might be interested in hearing our story. Or you could host a "fiesta" for us where we can share our story. Maybe you have a small group or Sunday school class that would be interested in hearing what we will be doing in Mexico. We also would love to speak at your church. It doesn't matter if the time period is for 5 minutes or 45 minutes. Get creative and let us know your ideas. =)
As the time approaches for us to leave we will have all sorts of little ways people can volunteer to help us out. If you are interested in buying something that would help us in Mexico we can provide a list of ideas via e-mail.

Once again, thanks for all you do!
J and J

Southern Hospitality

Boy did we experience Southern hospitality this week! We spoke at Fort Valley UMC in Georgia on Sunday morning. A friend from college is the youth pastor there, and we enjoyed staying with him and his wife. In addition to the warm response we got from the church and the mission's committee, we were blessed by several people who had us over for meals or took us out for lunch. We had a great time getting to know people in Fort Valley ans spending time with friends. People were very generous to us and even dropped off groceries at our friends house for us. Wow! This week of encouragement was just the week we needed after last week. In addition to the kind people from the church, we met a Mexican couple who we enjoyed eating with on two occasions. They were kind enough to have us over for a traditional Mexican meal before we left. Our time in Fort Valley was a sweet one and we are enjoying Atlanta currently. Thanks for your prayers!
Josh and Jennifer

Life isn't fair

Life isn't fair. That was my dad's favorite thing to say to me and my brother growing up. "Life isn't fair." How true that statement is. I don't think everything can be explained and I know God doesn't will pain and suffering. I know I didn't have this miscarriage because God wanted me to. Still, God is the healer and comforter. He is the only one who can help me deal with the pain I feel deep down inside. Yesterday, the healing process began and I'm thankful for it! Today it dawned on me what I can learn from this difficult situation. Before I found out I was pregnant I was not ready to assume the responsibility of motherhood. I was just too plain selfish. We had planned on starting our family in a year, but the thought of it scared me. I didn't want a little baby to come and wreck what I had going on. Josh and I have a good thing going. Why change it? But after the surprise of the little one that I thought would be born in April, the world seemed right. I am now prepared to be a selfless mother and love a little child more than I ever thought I could. If anything, I can take that away from this hard time. Praise God!
Jennifer Rebecca

Grief

Now we know what it is to grieve, to really grieve! This week we found out that our little baby is no longer developing. Yes, Jennifer miscarried. We are feeling heartbreak and the complete let down after having a joyful 3 months. Words cannot express what we are going through, but God is good and has blessed us with many friends who have helped us this week. Thanks for covering us in prayer! After a minor surgery this morning, Jennifer is recovering and health wise feeling okay. Tomorow we will still be going to Georgia and we will be there for the week. If you think of us please pray for peace, for healing, and someday that God will give us a healthy baby. Also, pray for safe travels and that our support level would continue to grow!
Walking by faith,
Josh and Jennifer

Tonight we attend Bluegrass Youth Ballet's Dia de los Muertos /Day of the Dead ballet. The evening was a good time for us to grieve as the ballet is about death.
Here are some words to song from the ballet. They are appropriate!

(Translated)
Dios Nunca Muere/ God Never Dies
Traditional Mexican Folk Song

The sun dies on the mountains
With the light that agonizes
Because life in a hurry
Brings us to die

But it is not important to know
That I will have the same
ending/ Because I have the relief/
That God never dies

I will leave the country I loved
the land that saw me born
But I know that later I will enjoy/
The joy and peace that in God I will find

I know that life begins
Where it thinks
That reality ends
And that God never dies
And that it moves me
If you look for His blessedness

I know there is a new light
That it will reach
Our loneliness
And all of those who die
Will start to live
In eternity

Wesley Chapel UMC, World Missions Sunday

Today we gave the mission's moment at Wesley Chapel in Jessamine County, KY. One of our good friends is the pastor there. The congregation was warm and friendly and they took up a nice love offering for us. Ben preached on being the body of Christ. We are all a part of the body of Christ and we each have different gifts. Ben reminded us that we are connected with the whole body of Christ all over the world. Wherever we go we have family because the body of Christ is there. As we ponder leaving everything we've ever known and taking our brand new baby to Mexico, the message was a helpful reminder that we will still be part of the wonderful body of Christ. We each have a role to fill in being part of the body of Christ and doing world evangelism. What part will you play?

Lexington Emmaus Gathering

The Lexington Emmaus Community has been a part of Jennifer's life since she was little as her parents have been very involved in the Community. In high school Jennifer attended a Chyrsalis weekend, and while Josh and Jennifer were dating Josh went on an Emmaus Walk. Those weekends made a big impact on our lives. We are thankful for the way God used those weekends to help grow us into the people he wants us to be. Tonight we shared about how those weekends prepared us for missions and our future plans in Mexico. This community has meant a lot to us over the years. We are thankful for the chance to share our calling with them!

Falls Creek, Pennsylvania

From Michigan we headed for the small town of Falls Creek Pennsylvania. There we took part in Smithtown Community Church's annual mission's conference. We had many adventures while there. We stayed with a wonderful couple who owned their own animal hospital. The first night we even got to witness a surgery on a dog who had been hit by a car. Our random adventures included waking up early to go see an elk herd, being on television, and going to see the famous ground hog, Punxatawny Phil. One of the biggest highlights for us was being at the conference with one of our good friends, and fellow missionaries, Zach Motts. Being able to spend time with him was a major blessing. Smithtown Community Church was a fun place to be, and once again everyone was welcoming. We truly felt at home with the people from the church. Of the many great moments we had there over the several days we spent with them, one of our favorites is when one of the children in the church handed us a small bag of pennies his great grandma had given him. After thinking about what to do with these special pennies he decided he would give them to us, the missionaries. Wow! His pennies are one of the most special support gifts we have received. He truly gave from his heart! Thanks Evan for putting a big smile on our face and reminding us to give sacrificially.