empty nesters

Greetings!

What are David and Kelsey up to now a days (I'm sure this is running through your mind since you decided to check out our blog)? Well, that's a great question, I'm so glad you asked.

We are officially empty nesters at the age of 23 (I'll go ahead and say it since my bday is August8:). Our two interns for the summer left on Tuesday. It was sad to see them go, they had been with us since May 10, and truly became part of the family. The students were really sad to see them go as well, they did such a great job connecting and building relationships. As David and I were driving back from the airport, I started to think how grateful I was that ministry isn't dependent on an individual. Ministry is all about Jesus. People come and go, but if ministry is done biblically, then no matter whose in a particular ministry, all of the focus is on Jesus. Yeah, sure, it is ok to miss people when they go, but ministry has to be all about Jesus. Never about the person. Paul picks this point up in 1 Corinthians 1:12 "I follow Paul" another says "I follow Apollos", and another says, "I follow Cephas", and still another says, "I follow Christ". Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?... No matter where you are at, I encourage you to keep focused on Jesus. Pastors/leaders will leave, they will fall, they will fail, but when ministry is about who it should be about, then all get blessed! Unsure of what the new season entails, David and I are excited to uncover what God has in store for all of us at HMC.

Couple of newz pieces (shout outs):

David and I are officially an aunt and uncle to Bella Cosette Bonacic. Congrats Pablo and Christina!

My dad's bday is this Saturday!

David and I are about to celebrate our one year anniversary (august 1). Maybe we won't be considered the newly weds anymore? We are finally taking a little vacation around the island August 2-6! Finally!!

Well, school has started or is starting next week for our students. That means we have been trying to do a lot with them. Friday and Saturday of last week I spent with a bunch of girls at the Harris Farm. Tony (dad) and Lyndsey (daughter) planned a whole getaway for the girls. We played with baby animals (horse, goat, cow), went to the beach, and went and explored a lava tube. It was such a great time of fellowship and bible study. David and the guys went night diving, and hung out around the house until Sat night where they joined us for food, worship, and games. Yesterday (Wednesday), we went to Kapoho tide pools with some students. It is probably the best place to snorkel and hang out in the water. Needless to say, I'm a bit burned and hurting this morning.

Well, more adventures to come. Please continue to pray for us and send us an email in how we can pray for you.

David and Kelsey

I'm weary, I'm broken, I've cracked my heart wide open- Saving Jane

Aloha friends and family,

A little love from our casa to your casa, and an update from David and I too. That's always fun. Hmm...shall we start with the love?

Pretty cool that Jesus loves us, huh?

However, we christianitize God's love for us starting when we are wee babes in our mother's arms in the church nursery and we hear the tape player project the oldie song of "Jesus Loves Me". It then continues in our elementary years, when the answer for every question in Sunday school is "Jesus" and we are rewarded with a piece of candy for our trained efforts. Oh, no my friends, it doesn't stop there. In Junior High and high school we are patted on the back for our effortless Christianese response to life issues when talking to mentors and leaders in our lives, when in reality our hearts are questioning the very thing that has been engrained in us from our mother's womb: Jesus loves me. When is the last time you have taken time to truly ponder the meaning of Jesus Loves Me, You, Us, the World? When we hear that profound and awe inspiring statement, we tend to stifle a yawn and hold back from rolling our eyes "yeah, yeah, I heard that before". But my friends, can we ponder those three words this week...and if time allows, your response would be such an encouragement to me (kelsey.poole09@yahoo.com).

Update from David and Kelsey:

Last week was a pretty busy week for all of us. Moving into the house has allowed us to have the students over, and 4/7 days last week we had lots of students at our casa...which we loved. We've also had a student living with us going on 8 days now. Truly he is now part of the family along with our two interns Nate Hickox and Andrew Staal (my promised shout out...woot woot). David took about 20 students to the top of our Volcano, Mauna Kea, last Wednesday. Pretty cool to be at 13,000+ feet in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

My event of the week was learning to kiteboard...yesterday. My first out of many lessons (I go back next Tuesday). I spent about 4 hours learning to body drag with a 15 meter kite...whoa brah, there's choke power in dat ting (my pidgeon for the day). I also went night diving for the first time. I have to say, not my thing, I'll let David and the guys do it. Too cold, too wet, too eerie for me.

Well, we could use some intense prayer. David and I, especially David, have taken some beatings. Some hard ones and some good ones. But ultimately, it hasn't been fun and i see it wearing on him more and more each day. He hasn't been himself, and it is hard watching that. We plan to take some R and R the first week in August, it is very very needed for the two of us. Pray that God reveals himself in Big ways and brings light and clarity in a very confusing situation. There are many fingers pointing, and many opinions to the root of the problem...but we want God to reveal His solution.

I'm really at a point of brokenness and sometimes I feel beyond repair, but then I remember Jesus Loves Me.

Signing out,

Kels

"Ready or not, here I come"- Life

Well, here I am again. Sitting in the spaciousness of my kitchen, typing up another passage of David and Kelsey's adventure in Hawaii. I'm realizing life never does stop. In college, you always had an "end" in sight. Halfway through a semester, I recall thinking, well 6 more weeks until the "end". As finals arrived it turned into, one more day until the "end". Now, on the outskirts of college life, I find that there is no "end" in sight. Life continues to keep on rolling, and you take the punches as they come. Breaks don't come as generously and/or freely as they did back then (Here I am, talking like my grandpa and the good ol days:)

Although life keeps on coming, whether I'm ready or not, it always brings new opportunities to grow; growth in my relationship with Christ, my husband, family, friends, acquaintances, or heaven forbid- enemies (growth in a sense of working out issues so relationships aren't severed). So that's where I begin, a quote I believe we all have experienced, "Ready or not, here I come." says Life.

I think I already mentioned that David and I have moved into a house (rental, not quite ready to buy just yet). It is very spacious, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a huge kitchen and living area. We feel blessed, but of course are taking a huge step in faith financially as well. However, I must say that on Saturday we had about 15 students over hanging out playing telephone pictionary, having an amazing time of worship and prayer, and eating great food (if I do say so myself) and we just knew this is the place we are suppose to be in this season.

We covet your prayers as we face the battle against the Enemy. God reminds me continuously, that our battle is not with flesh and blood, but against the Ruler of Darkness. And boy, has Satan been aggressive lately. I tell ya, there have been many tears shed and many "what are we going to do-s" said, however, besides the armor of God, one of our biggest tools we use against the Enemy is love... Loving others. I think Jesus is on to something when He says Love your enemy, do good to those who persecute you (I know, I know you are thinking to yourself..no duh Kelsey, this is Jesus your talking about). But how often do we take those words for granted, or they become the Christianese lingo in our little Christian lives. Truly, Jesus was uncovering the biggest weapon known to man...love...Love counteracts all societal norms and human-ness. When used appropriately (that is with the Holy Spirit) it can soften hearts and reconcile relationships.

A simple four letter word love.

Please pray that David and I will walk in an abundance of love as these battles continue to come our way.

By the way we bought a couch...our first one after almost a year of marriage...I see it as our anniversary present...yes, yes...we are a little over 2 weeks away from celebrating our first anniversary as Mr. and Mrs Poole (hold your applause please, your making me blush):)

And yes, in the pic it shows our washer and dryer outside...it's true...

Again, we always like emails and letters.

You can mail us to our new address:

David and Kelsey Poole

20 W Ohea St

Hilo, HI 96720

or email

david.poole09@gmail.com

kelsey.poole09@yahoo.com

We always love to know that you are alive and well...actually we really like to hear that you are going to come visit us:)

A hui hou,

Kelsey

Lo siento

Hello friends and family,
I apologize for the belated blog post. June was quite the month. Speaking of which, where do I begin?

I left beautiful Hawaii for beautiful Colorado on the evening of June 5. By the way, I do feel very blessed when I get to travel between two beautiful places. My trip to Colorado was great, but wasn't the vacation I thought I'd get. The first 10 days I spent solidifying plans for the Colorado trip David was heading up with 17 students and 6 leaders. I was also able to spend a weekend with my beautiful cousin Haley Black (oops actually Haley Hendrickson, doesn't that just roll off the tongue) helping her prepare for the wedding. A moments pause...a little shout out to Haley, Haley you were the calmest bride, by far, that I've ever met the week before and even the day of the wedding. Andrew and Haley Hendrickson were married the evening of June 20, and what a beautiful wedding it was.

"Ready or not, here they come" was my motto on June 16, the day students arrived. Due to the kindness of family and friends, I had gathered 25 sleeping bags and with the help of my mother in law had prepared a small cabin for 11 girls and a Yurt for 11 boys. ( you may be asking what is a yurt? well imagine with me an alien spaceship, put some bunkbeds in it and you have yourself a yurt) It was a miracle that all the kids were able to fit into such a small space, but we only needed these two housing accommodations for sleep purposes only, and they fulfilled their jobs. The trip consisted of Focus on the Family, shopping at the mall, Penny Arcade in Manitou, team building games, night games, Indoor skydiving, scavenger hunt, homeless ministry ice skating...whew let me catch my breath....breath caught, I'll continue...rock climbing, hiking, pool, horseback riding, mini bikes, elitch gardens and boating. But the highlight of the trip for everyone was the Desperation Conference at New Life Church. God rocked all of our boats, and our students experienced God in a new and first hand way.
I've never seen such change in our students. These students came in with division amongst the group, and left with true unity and love for one another understanding "what makes one tick". Some came with an attitude of I'm-a-Christian-because-I-grew-up-in-the-church and left with a real relationship with Jesus Christ. Some came with a timidity and complacency in their faith and left with a fire of passion and boldness to reach the lost. Sunday, June 27, David and I were praying on our own and came together and felt the Lord lay on both of our hearts Acts 2, specifically the idea of baptism. We presented the opportunity to the students to be baptized as a statement of dying to the old self and living in the new representing what Christ did in their hearts on this trip and 9 students decided that once stepping off the plane in Kona, they were going to be baptized in Hilo at Coconut Island in the dark June 30. From what I heard, it was absolutely incredible.

Please continue to pray for us and our students. Anytime you are working to see Jesus transform hearts and minds, it is a  battle. And we feel that battle each and every day.

Please pray for David and I. This is a new season for me and work, which is scary since we just increased our housing (moved into a 3 bedroom house) and I don't have a consistent job. God provides...

Love you all,
Kelsey