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albino_axe
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Name: c
Gender: Male
Interests: Following God and His will. Learning and growing in the knowledge and love of Him.
Expertise: Screwing up and falling into God's unfailing, and undeserved, grace and forgiveness.
Occupation: Artist
Industry: Art
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
7/15/2004
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| Well, America(ie liberals)asked for it, now they have it. Socialism and Democratic practice will now be the mainstream, with little, though I hope fierce, opposition. God knows, and hey, now we know, we are a bit closer, if not on the brink, of the end.
I hope Jesus comes back soon.
It's a sad day for a great country founded on all things that Obama opposes. We'll see how far God's grace extends for our new 'king' who will carry on the holocaust and slaughter on the unborn, the perpetuation of same sex rights and marriage etc, and will fight to destroy the God given morals that our country was founded upon, reducing it to a weak, morally impoverished, empty carcass of what it was meant to be. The path is set, the clock is ticking. Liberal democracy, democratic socialism, socialism, to dictatorship. Doesn't Obama promise to use such a wonderful, strong political strategy? This will be an interesting 4 years.
Enjoy the new 'historic' president, oh, and all the new taxes and oppressions. Definitely 'historic'.
God, and only God, save(s) us. Time to pray even harder!
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Dear Family and Friends,
We hope that this newsletter finds you all in good health and abundant in God’s blessings in this lovely new year! Much has been happening over the past few months here in York, and we’ve been seeing God’s hand throughout the ministry here and have been experiencing His grace and guidance in new ways everyday. There so much to tell that I am not certain where to begin! We will try to break it all down in an interesting, non-chaotic way so that you don’t walk away confused! 
The semester is going very well. It is a smallish semester with a good group of students who seem to have a real heart to serve and reach out to the lost. The maturity level is refreshing, as most of these students act their age and avoid childish antics. It has been great to get to know them and make new friends, but it is always strange and sad to think that the semester is already about halfway done and once it is over we will not most likely not see most of them ever again. But it is nice to get to meet so many members of the Body of Christ as they pass through on their way along life.
The Coffee Shop in Walmgate has been passed on entirely to Rachel and I and our vision is to keep it open everyday from 10am-10pm mainly as an outreach to the city, but also a place where you can get an extremely fine cup of espresso. We’ve made many refinements and also done some construction within Walmgate, installing some new, beautiful oak counters.
God’s timing on this has been great because there is a couple, Jared and Carleigh Cate, who moved over here right before the start of the semester, and are eventually going to a place called King’s Lynn to start a church, and both of them were once students here in York at the Bible College and while they were in America they ran their own coffee shop in California. So, the timing of them coming, and having so much great experience in starting up a coffee shop from scratch, has been great! Jared has studied espresso and is a very valuable well of knowledge about it and all things surrounding espresso, so I’ve been being trained by him and increasing my knowledge in the field as well. Rachel and I love the coffee shop so much and I especially feel that I am running very much in my lane with the coffee shop. I think that it is a big part of our calling here for the time being.
The other part of our calling has been made very obvious to us the last week: We are going to be parents!!! We have yet to go in for a scan, but our baby will be due in the fall, probably between November and December. Rachel and I are extremely excited about this wonderful surprise and are looking forward to seeing all the great things God has in store for us! We would very much appreciate your prayers for this exciting time of our lives, especially for Rachel’s well being and protection during her pregnancy. She is doing really well, mostly dealing with some morning sickness and wacky cravings, but is very thrilled about being a mom in 9 months.
As some of you may know, we both got jobs at a club called Playspace that is for troubled kids between 8-13 years old. I’ve been working there for about a month and Rachel for about two and half months and it is a good job where we get to try to influence very messed up, rough kids. It is a secular job, so that is a struggle and a very big battle, spiritually speaking, and can be exceedingly draining, but our pay covers our living expenses at the moment and we see little improvements in the kids lives here and there. We are seeking God for wisdom about working there because it seems like He has been phasing it out with Rachel becoming pregnant and having to quit in the not too distant future, and me working in the coffee shop for 40+ hours a week on top of Playspace. So, please pray for wisdom in what to do there, and faith in letting God take care of us with His provision.
We love you guys and appreciate so much hearing from you and feeling your support through prayer! We hope that this is the first of our consistent(my responsibility  )monthly newsletter! We hope to hear from you guys and perhaps see you as well sometime soon.
In Christ,
Caelen and Rachel and Baby(!)
Prayer points:
• The Coffee Shop ministry. That it flourishes and is a place where the people of York, who would normally not set foot in a church, can come and see the light of Jesus in a nice, relaxing environment that encourages conversation and relationship, while enjoying great coffee.
• Rachel during her first(and the other ones too)trimester of pregnancy. She has been very ill, feeling exhausted and being sick everyday. Please pray for her health and for the baby's health and development as well.
• For our home situation, as now that we have a baby on the way we will need a house with a bit more room. We're looking forward to the Lord's provision! He has a good plan and a perfect place!
• Finances, that we continue to have faith and trust in God, not in the arm of flesh. For provision since we are planning on quitting work at Playspace to solely do ministry in the coffee shop and bible college.
• The students here at Bible College. For them to continue to grow in the knowledge of God and have a good remainder of the semester.
• The staff here at the church and bible college. For continual encouragement and joy throughout all aspects of the ministry.
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| Well, how is everyone? In the Christmas Spirit? It sure comes fast, doesn't it?
Anyway, Rachel and I are doing quite well. Rachel got the week off up till Christmas, and then both of us are working until New Years. Hopefully we'll earn some good ol' pounds. Especially after the holidaze spending on gifts! Heheh.
In news:
I am finally getting a replacement Macbook Pro due to the excessive faulty/demonic behavior of my current one. PRAISE THE LORD! I was afraid that I was going to be stuck with it and it was going to just keep on dying for the rest of it's, and my, miserable computing existence. So, as usual, God worked it all out and a very nice(one of the few!..at least in the European division)Apple Tech named Rob, is seeing me through the replacement process. So, that is a very nice Christmas present.
Rachel has applied and been given a job at a great place here in York called PlaySpace It is kind of like an after school club, but it is for rough kids from about 6-12. It provides a safe environment for kids to basically be kids. She will be in charge of coming up with creative projects and activities for the kids as well as just being there to play with them and such. She is so excited because it is both a ministry and a job. I'm quite stoked for her as well.
My search for a job/jobs has been slowed due to the end of semester wave of to-do's with all that goes along with 65 kids leaving etc, and also with Christmas. I have registered online as a Photographic Assistant for the York area, so I am hoping to generate some interest, and possibly jobs, with that. Being an assistant is basically being an apprentice, and I would certainly love to be able to work with any professional photographers and learn from them. Great way to make some inroads to professional photography, and make some valuable contacts. . I check my email with hope every day. I also have a professional photographer friend who has some great studio strobes(flashes)that he is selling, and I am going to see if we can buy them.
The weather over here has turned quite cold. The mornings are frosted and biting, and it has been that signature England gray sky for the past two days, with bits of drizzle. Hopefully it will snow this year! Maybe even for Christmas! Anyway, it is quite cold.
My website is closer than ever to completion...But I still am not certain when it will be totally completed. I am trying to put together my portfolio, but I have a wide range of subject matter, and that makes it difficult. I don't want to end up with a jumbled mess of photos. But still, keep a sharp eye in the next month. It is rumored that Rachel may be creating her own website as well...mmmm...
We are on the break now, and after Christmas, and workign our butts off till New Years, we can sit back a bit more and enjoy the break. The students start to return at the end of January and the first week of February school is back on. So, it's a quick break, but nice.
We do hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Years!!! I read Luke 2 today, and I'd recommend it to anyone, especially at this time of year. It's just amazing thinking about Jesus' birth and growing up...His utter humanity, total divinity and complete sinlessness. He is awesome!
Have a lovely, blessed Christmas!
PS We'll post a Christmas pic of the two of us soon! Oh, and of our little car too.
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| Rachel and I were evacuated from our house for the past few days due to a large gas leak right outside of our front door. The air was 75% gas in front of our flat, so quite bad. The gas company came out and checked it, then it just escalated, by them saying that we wouldn't have to evacuate, then that we may have to evacuate, and on to you have to evacuate and you can't come back in your house till the leaks are fixed and how were you guys living in this house with all that gas?
So, we are hoping that the gas was the reason Rachel was feeling ill for the past while, and now that it is mostly fixed, she will, God willing, start feeling better once we are living back in our flat. They are still working on it and have about 25 feet of the sidewalk ripped up four feet deep. They think that it is mostly contained, but the gas has been seeping into the porous ground right under our flat for so long that it'll take awhile to fully ventilate. So, that is what's new with us!
Love you all!
In Christ,
Caelen and Rachel
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| Rachel and I are at the Barbican House, managing it for our friends while they are on holiday for a week. It's been good, except for the rule that something must cease to work when the owners are away. But it has been nice making the breakfasts and getting it all tidied up. The guests are great too. Some very nice Americans from Tucson, a lovely group of Asians and some very proper, elderly English couples. Good times.
My visa application is coming up on the 4th. We're driving to Liverpool and going for the application in person. WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS! Please! It is a hard, expensive process and we only have one shot. We really appreciate your prayers! We believe that God is going to do something great and we're excited, but also a bit nervous because it is always a bit scary. Apprehensive I think would be a good word. He's already taken care of so many of the aspects of our application and the only thing really left to do is the actual interview and physical meeting. So, we're looking forward to seeing what the Lord brings about. To God be the glory no matter the outcome!
On a lighter note, Rachel and I are doing very well. I'm shooting a friend's wedding on the 30th and am trying to finish and put up my website...finally. I also am applying around town for some jobs. A lot of places are hiring and I'm going to run my resume(CV)to them and see what they think. I'm hoping God will provide me with the perfect one. That could use some prayer too, as it would look very good for my visa application. So, wish me God's will!
We send our greetings and much love to you all and hope to see you soon! I hope everyone is doing well too! God bless you guys!
In Christ,
Caelen and Rachel
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