Last fall when his renters left, Jesse decided he wanted to remodel his house and sell it as a flipper. He worked on it until late March when it sold.
Jesse and Anna are renting an apartment in Kansas City. Their plan is to do that for a year. They wanted the experience of living in an apartment and felt like the first year of marriage would be the best time. They will also use that time to see where they would like to eventually buy a house. They decided they wanted to join a church in Kansas City that they like.
Jesse moving his things in
Mary helped Jesse move his things in–special time for them before he got married
We will miss having them right here in Leavenworth, but they plan to come back for Sunday family lunches and other family events, so we’ll still enjoy seeing them and having them around.
The newlyweds!
“The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof” (Psalm 50:1).
Happy Father’s Day, Dad! We’re grateful for you and your faithfulness to the Lord Jesus and our family. You love to share Christ and look for those opportunities, you’re quick to serve, you invest in dads’ lives as God opens the doors, and you are an amazing role model for your sons and grandsons.
As the five brothers (Nathan, Christopher, Joseph, John, and Jesse) grew up, you taught them valuable life skills that established them for successful manhood and fatherhood. They truly have reaped from your investment!
We girls (Sarah, Anna, and Mary) also have learned so much from you, and we’re grateful for that and your never ending love for us.
A special Happy Father’s Day to my brothers: Nathan (w/6 kiddos), Christopher (w/6 kiddos), Joseph (w/3 kiddos), and John, the new dad to 2 kids! What an incredible heritage.
I love this picture of the future generation (and three more have been added since!)!
The Maxwell Family
“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).
We’re excited to announce the arrival of Elliot Rex Maxwell to Chelsy and John yesterday morning, June 19th. Everyone is delighted with this gift of life! Elliot’s an adorable bundle of snuggles.
Chelsy’s labor was super fast, and both she and Elliot are doing wonderful.
For those who like the little details, Elliot weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces.
Congratulations, John and Chelsy! We love you and are excited for your family of 4!
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalm 139:14“
Last week, we Maxwells pitched in for a blitz-Gigi’s-yard-and-Christopher’s to put down about a hundred bags of mulch. Christopher once again coordinated the effort. Although we were almost two months later than normal, God gave us an incredible evening with cooler temps and a north wind! Many Maxwells descended upon the yard, filling it with laughter and fellowship. It was beautiful to see some of the littles work alongside the adults.
It only took about an hour to get all the mulch down, and we ended with a pizza party.
We love you , Gigi!
Love, Sarah
This lil’ munchkin was adorable, toting around the empty bags.
“Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” Psalm 104:23-24
Just when do boys learn to enjoy work? When do they learn how to do tasks and chores that men do? When do they learn how satisfying a job well done is?
We have sought to involve our sons in projects as they grow up. (Preparing Sons to Provide for a Single-Income Family goes into that extensively.) Working together times include opportunities to teach skills, and have wonderful fellowship–a win/win.
We have been helping Christopher’s family more lately and Dad has been able to include Joshua in some of his projects. Here are some recent examples.
“For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.” Psalm 128:2
We know it’s been awhile, and we have an update for you from Anna Marie! Happy Monday, y’all! Love, Sarah
Hello Everyone,
What a delightful week Christopher and I had that last week of May/first of June! We are so thankful for everyone who helped that come together! We’re so blessed by the help from both of our families making this time of chemo out here possible—Christopher’s mom doing school with the children, Anna and Mary helping with meals and “life” for hours each day, my dad driving me for chemo and Vitamin C IV’s, my mom and sister caring for Simon Peter… the list could keep going! And then for Anna and Mary to completely take over with our children (right after Mary experienced her foot injury!) for just over a week was a tremendous gift. Among other things, we especially enjoyed a day trip to the Mount Rainier area where we honeymooned, and once again had a delightful time sitting and talking by a lake not far from the cabin we stayed at. Nearly ten years has definitely seen a lot of change in our lives!
When I wrote my last update, we didn’t know if chemo could resume right away or if my blood levels would be such that we would have to delay for a week. As it turned out, there was a week delay (combined with the week delay when I was in the hospital). We were disappointed to have the setback, but also thankful for my oncologist’s caution. He switched me to a different medication to boost my white blood cells since for whatever reason I was not responsive to the first one they had me on (which is probably why I ended up in the hospital with neutropenic fever).
The new medication is working great. My blood levels were such that I was able to resume chemo treatments on Tuesday, June 2nd; and then rather than decreasing following chemo, the blood counts continued to climb and looked great last Tuesday, June 9th. Praise the Lord! At this rate, if all goes smoothly, my last treatment should be July 14th. It will be great to be HOME; but meanwhile, God is giving me opportunities and through them, deepening my walk with Him in this season of chemotherapy and quiet rest.
Mary made a beautiful plaque as a wedding gift for John and Chelsy with a line from C.T. Studd’s poem—“Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
I thought the plaque was beautiful; and as I thought about it later, I realized what a foundational truth that is in all of lifeparenting, schooling, etc. I found the full poem (will copy below), printed it, and began reading it to the children frequently at breakfast time. (It’s really sweet as they all like to chime in on the “chorus” saying “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”)
Fast forward a couple of years and here I am, twice a week in a clinic with other people battling cancer. The hope and joy and testimonies of the brothers and sisters in Christ I have met there is a tremendous encouragement to me. But the hopelessness of others is a grief that is waking me up to the fact that, by allowing me to have cancer and be in this unique position, God has, in a way, sent me as a “missionary.” (And really, aren’t we all, in whatever place God has us right now?)
Just last Tuesday, a newfound friend (who is battling stage four pancreatic cancer) and I were talking about the opportunity cancer presents to share Christ. She expressed the same sentiment I have been feeling more and more: cancer brings into full view the reality that “only what’s done for Christ will last.” As she and her husband say frequently, “Everything else is going to burn.” It gives us quite a platform to share from, and we want to be making the most of every opportunity to make Christ known to others.
Christopher and Simon Peter
It starts in our own hearts: having a soul that is quiet before Him, content with what He has given us, believing the Truth about Him as laid out for us in His Word—such as, He is always good, always in control of all things, always will give us the grace we need, etc. Over the past few weeks, I have been doing a Bible study titled Quieting a Noisy Soul that has been a huge blessing to me as I am seeking to quiet my heart. It has been my habit to easily be stressed, frustrated, or worried about things that are a daily part of life as a homeschool mom; but the reality is that stress, frustration, and anxiety stem from a heart of unbelief (rooted in pride). God is glorified when we can approach the pressures of life with a quiet heart confident in HIM!
I am grateful for all your prayer support! Whether that the chemotherapy would be effective and that God would protect me from any long term side effects, or that I would have a meek, quiet, and peaceful heart, or that He would use my feeble attempts to share Him with those who are, quite literally, perishing—thank you.
Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way; Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart; Only one life, twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done; Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat; Only one life,’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears; Each with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score; When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep; Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn; Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne; Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”; And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”; Only one life,’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
— extra stanza —
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last. And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be, If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee. -C.T. Studd
Love, Anna Marie
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (1 Corinthians 3:11-13).
The Maxwell family and ministry blog of Titus2.com.
