How can we reach them?

Hello Friends, 

I wanted to share with you the things that are going on in my heart over the last several weeks. Our time here on the reservation has brought more loss than we have ever experienced in our lifetime.  We have lost friends and 3 pets (tragically) .  We have mourned and grieved with our friends who lost their own family.  We have wept through countless suicides (5 over that last 2 weeks) and tragic deaths. We have never cried out more for our Native brothers and sisters as we have over the last several weeks. Our heart aches.  To hear of 12 year olds, 13, 18 year olds being bullied to the point of suicide but never “showing the signs”, breaks us to pieces. For life to be so sad they think that is the only way out.  God has grown our student ministry almost to more than we can handle, and we are so thankful.  But our heart mourns for those we have yet to reach.  The urgency is so real.  It is our reminder, our push to do more, love more.  For a long time I have been praying for vision.  To see our girls through His eyes, and reach and love them with His great love and grace.  Our teen girls, rightfully so, find it hard to trust others.  So it’s not that easy to just jump into a relationship with them or even hold a conversation with girls your just meeting.  How many times have they been hurt, burned, rejected, abused, bullied?  It makes me angry at sin, and evil.  But makes me more passionate about the gospel and God’s gift of LIFE, RESCUE, REDEMPTION! 

I am reading Francis Chan’s book “You and Me Forever”.  In the first chapter it talks about how when we stand before God, we don’t do it as a couple.  We stand before God in account of ourselves.  I am not riding Matt’s coat tails into Heaven.  I am accountable to everything God has called ME to do.  I want to be faithful in that.  A lot of the time that looks like motherhood.  Teaching the ABC’s and what it means to have good character, how to share, and how to wipe your fanny (yes, I call it a fanny sometimes.…Don’t judge!)  More and more though it looks like phone calls, texts, sleepovers, late night conversations about life, or facebook messages to girls that I care about more than I could express.  They bless me.  I hope to do the same for them.  I want to make a difference in their life.  I want to plant a seed for GOD to do a mighty work in their life.  What does that look like here?  Not what I can put together with my limited knowledge of what they truly need, but what can God use?  What does He have planned?  His ministry is often times different than what we can imagine or organize, He knows all things.  He knows what will reach them, and what will resound with them.  He knows the things that will fail.  I want Him to do this. This needs to be Holy Spirit led.  

The last few weeks all of the girls that we had the privilege to take to Georgia in December lost either a family member or friend to suicide.  That is just the girls that went with us.  2 weeks ago, I was not going to bed until God gave me a vision for the girls in our community.  I prayed for a practical way to reach girls we wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to meet.  Matt and I know the way to be present for our students is to get in the schools. Matt is stepping down from his full time position at the school, but so that we can both be more present if that makes sense.  This will give us more time to reach the middle and high schools, and has opened opportunities to also serve the staff members.  We want to be in every school we can! 

So God painted this beautiful picture of a way that we could encourage, and reach out to the girls all over Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.  A project that would involve them directly in the community to work with each other to create opportunities to stand with each other, love one another, and create a great way to unite teen girls all over the community.  This has been moving quickly, and I have connected with some amazing women who have the know how to get things going in the right direction!  

Next week, yes you have to wait, I will tell you all about our campaign and what we hope to accomplish.  So many of you have asked how you can help in the recent suicide tragedies.  I know change won’t come over night, but if we can impact one young girl, it was worth it.  This will be a way you can get involved. Chat soon? :)

 A teaser..... what does it mean?!! 

2015..what what!!

       I love a new year. I love new beginnings. New starts. I love it all! I get giddy about a new planner, new (old, unaccomplished) goals, refreshed goals and revisited dreams.  You won't believe this but I am sitting in a hotel room...alone. ALONE. This is real life.  I am in Denver waiting to pick up Jacob and Leah from an extended stay at Noni's, Memaw's, and Gigi's, enjoying all the grandparent spoiling. I drove 6 hours from home this evening, and I'll pick them up early in the morning, say a quick 'Hello, goodbye..." to my dad who is flying them here, then flying back to Atlanta.  Thanks to a wonderful granddad who retired from Delta, we get to reap the benefits.  Then I will make the drive back with two precious little kids who have been so well loved by family over the last few weeks.  It is important for our littles to know their family, and we are so thankful they had the time to spend with everyone.

      Ladies, mothers....I know it's almost impossible for you to slip away.  You simply must.  Even just for a quick coffee shop date, long drive, or a Target run.  You must.  It's so hard to have a complete thought some days, much less some intense time of reflection.  So I had 6 hours in the car all by myself.  I listened to music, worshipped loudly in my car, listened to podcasts, prayed, cried a little, and dreamed. Dreamed on God sized things.  Things only He can do.  I thought back on this last year.  All that He has accomplished for HIS kingdom.  I remembered all the little prayers I prayed that He answered. Some that He didn't, in the way I thought anyway.  I thought back on how my husband has grown, how my kids have grown, how I have grown.  So much blessing in one year.  Not all of it was fun.  Not all was easy.

      God has been doing some tweaking of my heart for the last SEVERAL weeks....well months. You know the prayer you pray where you ask God to do something deep in your heart, and show you areas that you may not be truly ready to see, I prayed that.  I have always had big dreams. Big dreams for ministry, and reaching women and young girls.  I have had a heart for women's ministry for about 12 years now.  Knowing that in some way God would use me to reach and encourage other women.  I also knew that He was waiting on me.  Waiting on me to GET out of the way!! He is still waiting, haha! Honeslty, and unfortunately, I can count on one hand the amount of goals I have reached and actually accomplished. They may be small goals, but goals that I set out to reach non the less.  Something I am terrible at is discipline.  Even to wake up at a certain time, have a routine, schedule, finish a book, little things that add up in the scheme of things.  It sets a pattern of...well not reaching goals, not growing, going about life in survival mode.

      I friend of mine has a motto for each new year. Lauren, I hope you don't mind me mentioning you :)  I love that!  Something you can remember that sets the tone for your year.  This year, and every year, I hope to live intentionally.  As a mom, where sleep is unpredictable, there are days that I wake up simply to look forward to bed time.  Am I right?! What are the things in that day that I miss out on because I am so ready to be done with the next thing.  I want to live with intention.  Being in the moment.  I want to have intentional relationships.  I want to be intentional in growing, setting goals that mean something and accomplish something!  I want to have an eternal mindset, and not miss simple opportunities to share the love of Jesus.

      I have taken this sweet moment of quiet serenity to dream about what this year holds.  We are having a growth spirt in the ministry in Pine Ridge.  Entering a new season, at new levels in our relationships in the community, and stepping out in faith, everyday.  We can NOT be effective in ministry, or simply in loving others if we are not dependent on Jesus.  He is shaking and making things happen, and sometimes there are growing pains that come in a big time of growth.  We are dying to self, refusing to remain in the same position.  We are seeing our lack, our selfishness, our shortcomings, and having to daily give them over to someone greater.  People, if He can use us, He can use you!! He is just asking for you to be available.  We just said "Yes" to this amazing journey, and we will never be the same for it.  This year, be intentional.  Imagine what could happen if you say "I will go..." or " I will do this or that".


Better late than never...Cheers to 2015!! Bring it on.

Do what where we are planted?!?

  The whole point of this blog is to give others some insight, and honesty into our journey.  We even have our website named haddenjourney.com (shameless plug) because we are very much on this journey of adventure, self realization, growth in every.single.area, humility, selflessness when you are a selfish being, and it is uncomfortable.  The definition of "journey" is to travel from one place to another.  That has defined us for the past few years.  Traveling, growing, from one place to the other.

This morning has been quite the morning.  A sweet (unsweet) little teether, a whinny (almost) 5 year old little girl, and my oldest who only wants to talk about being in a "real" school with a "real" teacher (homeschooling fail 101).  I don't always love homeschooling, and I struggle with feeling equipped to teach.  It's not natural for me.   Maybe your reading this thinking "this is the greatest thing we have ever done!", I'm just not there yet.  I know we will get to that point, but right now it's not always fun or easy.  Even worse when all your sweet boy wants to do is be somewhere else.  And the honestly comes out, when you want them in another school some days too!!  I don't feel that way all the time, and I know he will get the best education at home, but you homeschool moms...Don't lie and say you love it all the time! haha! It's a huge task, with a lot of pressure.  Maybe I'm just doing it wrong! haha! Maybe it is all flowers and butterflies, and perfect crafts, and perfectly done papers, happy children, and joyful moms. But I'm sure we all have those days.  The other day I posted a quote about being content.  About it being more about us, than our situation or circumstance that make our contentment.  Disclaimer: This is not a pity post, it's a real post that I believe so many of us deal with.  There are people, friends, and family even who don't see us as "being on the mission field".  They view us as just living in the prairie land in America.  Oh yes, prairie it is.  And in America, yes!  But oh so much more.  We still have left our home, easier for Matt than myself.  Only because this is what He has always done, and He is awesome at it!  And he is a man, it's just plain easier. Haha!  We have left the comforts of somethings and gained the comforts of others.  We have grown dependent on the Lord, and our little family. We do love it here, promise.  But let's get real.  The "bloom where you are planted" thing isn't always easy.  There is a moment where God does a work in your heart to throw out any negative, gross thing and replaces it with peace, understanding, and CONTENTMENT.  I appreciate when people thank us, or make comments like "your so brave", or "your so inspirational".  It is encouraging, even if we don't think that of ourselves. But seriously, I have days let me tell you when I am kicking and screaming.  Don't you?  In any arena that we are in, there are days we want something else, something more. What I want to say is, "I'm really not that brave...".  So let me tell you what I've learned.  Even in the last few weeks.

God is our contentment.  

He is our bravery.  

He is our inspiration.  

He is our refuge.  

Our Peace.  

Our straight jacket if we need it, holding us together when we are kicking, screaming, and on our way to the crazy house.  

HE IS!  

He is bigger than our desires.  

He knows them well. 

 And He knows that even though we can't always see it, He has us right where we truly want to be.  I love God's people.  I love the Native Culture and the beauty that surrounds me every day.  But I'm no different than you.  You mom's who feel your "job" isn't worthy all the time, you ministers who don't always want to minister, you women who feel you don't have anything truly for yourselves.  I've been there.  So where do you go from here?  You trust Jesus.  Period.  You trust in His promises that He has FULLY equipped you to do all the things He has called you to.  In my discouraged moments of feeling like I'm not doing enough, or whatever, and I talk to Matt he always asks me, "Ok, where do you want to be? What do you want to be doing?"  And my answer is always, "Here, doing what I'm doing!"  Because that is truly my heart.  My heart, and desire is to be here, ministering, sharing Jesus, and loving His people.  And I'm thankful that God knows my heart, more than I even do.

I'll be honest, while writing this my fear was that the people who think I'm "strong" all the time read this and see that I'm "weak".  Seriously Amanda! That is such a dumb thought.  I mean for real... Who is strong apart from Jesus?  None of us.  If nothing else is seen in this post, I hope you see that I am weak apart from Jesus.  I need Him.  I trust Him, and in some small way, each day He is teaching me.  Refining me.  I know there are ladies, moms, and wives who have been in this place.  So I want to encourage you...He is our contentment.  When we aren't content in where God has us, it is usually a heart issue.  So dig deep ladies, because you are doing the most important job in your home, and I hope that you find contentment in Jesus.

Learning to "Bloom",

Amanda

Grace - Based Parenting

Over the last several months I have joined the Audible community.  The last thing I am disciplined in is reading.  So I joined the wonderful world of audible reading!  I can be driving, cleaning, taking a shower and be diving into a good book.  It narrates the book to me, and I love getting to do other things while still "reading". Talk about multi tasking!!  If you haven't downloaded the app, check Audible out with a free trial.

Teaching my kids the importance of reading has kicked my tail, and I am striving to "lead by example".  To help me get more motivated to read/listen, I'll be doing a monthly giveaway of the book that I read for that month.  If I just feel really accomplished I may even tackle a few books a month, but whenever I finish a book that I feel is worth sharing, I will do a give away.

We are in the thick of parenting.  I mean the nitty-gritty, hand's dirty, worn out, time of parenting.  LOTS of character building, educating, loving, leading, mentoring, and we are learning as parents at every stage.  One thing Matt and I have discussed as of late, it how do we discipline with Grace.  How do we show that there are consequences, yet show them the perfect picture of the Gospel?   God teaches us grace at our weakest, most ugly moments.  He forgives without question, and it draws us closer to him.  We want to draw our children to us, not push them away.   We want to draw them to Jesus, not make them feel they can never live up to certain standards.  So where is the balance?  Because I am not OK with saying "Oh that's fine, try again next time." All the time.  They need to know there are consequences for bad decisions, and for sin.  God knew we couldn't be good parents on our own.  And sometimes I have to remind myself that I was never meant to.  Seriously, I am a very flawed human being.  And to be 'allowed" to parent is a gift in and of itself.  I want to take every opportunity to grow, especially in our parenting.  It is the most important job we have.

I have read a few fiction books, but mostly enjoy reading books that will encourage me in my reality, not take me out of reality in a made up novel.  Not in anyway knocking fiction, I just have to have a really good book to keep me intrigued.   The thing in "self-developement" books is that it allows you to evaluate where you are.  Leaves you with an opportunity to grow.   I need that push, so I like reading things that renew my mind, leave me feeling encouraged, or challenge me in my faith.  That's not to say there won't be some fiction reviews, and if you know a good one let me know!

Grace - Based Parenting by Dr. Tim Kimmel gives you practical ways to teach and show grace.  It points out parenting styles and the ways that it can harm your children spiritually, and emotionally.  The good and the bad.  In this generation, we want our children to love others without judgement, and to show grace to others, but to also know biblical values and standards.  I desire for my children to run to Jesus when they fail, not run from Him. That's grace!  How will they know if we don't teach them?  Grace should be our anthem.  If you find yourself in the same stage of life we are in, read this book.  Read it, talk it out, pray about how God would have you implement this in your home, and be encouraged! We have the best teacher, and we need to seek Him in every area.  Be sure to check out Family Matters website for more great resources.

With that said, who doesn't like freebies?!

So, subscribe to the blog, share my blog with friends, and leave a comment below.  That will let me know you 1. Subscribed to my blog and 2. Shared the blog with your friends.  If you know a mom or dad wanting to find something that works, this could be it. So pass it along!! I will do a drawing and announce the winner Friday, Sept. 26th.  :)

In a flash...

And just like that summer is done and the new season begins.  We had a wonderful summer!  We had the privilege of serving beside some of the most genuine people you will ever meet.  We also got to spend the summer with our full time staff with TeamEffort Missions, and we were very thankful to have Matt's sister, Laura, to help with Noah and everything that comes with getting camp going.  Our life looks very different in the summer.  We throw routine out the window and camp schedule takes over.  It is pretty amazing to meet so many people, from so many places, with the same heart to serve.  It paints a beautiful picture of the gospel when so many people come from all over to share the same love.

Now we are getting into the wonderful, LONG season of WINTER...bleh.  Matt is so excited and I'm well, more excited than I was last year.  So. Much. Snow.  I love the relationships we are able to build in the winter.  There is a lot of one on one discipleship, and practical ministry like providing firewood, cooking dinner for other families, bible studies, and mentorships.

We started school on the 20th and so far so good.  Even though it is just about a week in.  Thankfully we are able to join Classical Conversations, which is a homeschool community that meets once a week.  We are stoked to meet new moms, and new friends for Jacob and Leah.  It will be a little bit of a haul, but we are getting errands done while we are in town as well.  It will be a great opportunity, and it will be so nice to have some help with teaching.  We looking forward to connecting to a community we can relate to, and partner with other moms and little ones.  One thing that the Lord is teaching me is that He hears me.  He hears the little details of what my heart longs for.  I have prayed for community.  A community of other moms, in the same boat, in the same season, with the same values.  He heard me.  He gave us peace about joining Classical Conversations, and lead someone to pay for everything we needed for the tuition and our curriculum for the school year.  The creator of the universe heard my small request, and gave us the desires of my heart.

It may seem like a small thing, but spend the winter in a cute little cabin with LOTS of snow and you will appreciate a little community! haha!  We have wonderful friends here at our church, they are family, but it's so great to have other moms to lean on during this homeschool journey that takes me oh-so-out of my comfort zone.  I know some of you can relate!

We have a Women's weekend coming up next week and we are expecting great things! Our first ever Women's Event of this size.  We are having a group of ladies come from Texas to help.  I know it will be a great time of growing spiritually and in our relationships.  It's easy to get disconnected from one another when life gets busy.  We hope to build strong relationships so that we can support each other, and build each other up when life gets tough!  I will be sure to update you after the weekend!

Please be in prayer over our Women.  Pray over our ladies coming to help that we would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and our agenda would be out of the way.  Pray that they would be open to hearing the Word.  Pray that we would be able to minister to all who come and meet their needs.  Pray for God to have his way!

Thank you all for reading this scattered, infrequently updated blog :)

Gently leads....

This is a crazy season for us, but SO welcomed after the long winter we had.  This is a time where our schedule is overwhelming at times, but at the end of the day we are filled and refreshed.  We get the wonderful opportunity to spend time with believers from all over the country that share our same hope for the Lakota people and it reminds us of the joy it is to serve the native people.  One thing that has been strong on my heart is Isaiah 40:11 "He tends His flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs in arms and carries them close to His heart.  He gently leads those with young."

 

Gently.

 

Gently.

 

The word keeps ringing through my heart. I know this verse well, but lately this verse has dwelt in my heart like no other time.  Not because my days are miserable, or agonizing by any means. Simply because it is becoming an anthem for me.  When I picture this, I don't picture God, as our shepherd, hurrying us along.  Trying to make it to a deadline, or out the door, not rushing or pushing us.  I picture Him gently placing His hand in ours and in the most "gentle" way walking with us.  He is a God who is justice. A God of mercy.  A God of patience.  And all of His characteristics are so perfectly balanced,  not one is greater than the other. Man... let me just say.  He has been gently leading me in the sweetest of ways.  He gently speaks to my heart.  He gently reminds me to be patient with my children or to ask them for forgiveness in the times that I mess up (humbling).  He gently whispers in the moments that are loud and chaotic. He gently gives me peace when I am searching for it.  He gently stokes my spirit to be more intimate with him.  He gently calls to me when my days are so busy I don't take the time for him.  He gently shows me how to love His people.  And He gently draws me closer to him. 

 

You know those moments, when regardless of how your day went, or how long your night was, when you are holding your baby and you just burst with love and joy in the gift of children?  God. Does. That!  We bring joy to him.  He looks on us with JOY.  Painful Joy. Know what I mean? Had those times when you feel your heart could explode your so happy?  Not just for mothers or parents, but anyone who has experienced joy.  Good Joy. Soulful Joy!  He feels that towards you. 

 

God knows my heart. He knows ME.  He knows my struggles, my sins, my heart cry.  And He comes to me *gently* and restores me. Gah.  My heart is so overwhelmed. He is so good. So sweet. So tender. Mothers, He KNOWS us. He knows the struggles, the frustrations, the long days, and long nights.  But guess what else He knows...the joys, the victories, the rewards.  He knows the task that sets before us to pour into our children's lives with Godly truth and foundation. He knows we need Him. He knows we can't do it alone. And He gently leads us. 

 

My prayer for you is that this beautiful word would become real in your life.  That we would let Him lead us.  If you haven't heard the word "gentle" enough in this post, let him gently restore your life.  He is so Worthy, capable, and willing to do so.  He created our "job", let Him give us wisdom in doing it well. 

 

Cante Wotecela

 -Lakota for "gentle heart"

 

Bathroom Addition - Part Uno

     I really do love blogging...and the whole reason for starting the blog was to show you a glimpse into our life here in Pine Ridge. So I am doing my  best to be more consistent.  This post makes me so very happy!  If you are one of the few HUNDRED people who have passed through our home here at Chanku Waste Ranch, you will be so excited to visit, and stay with us again this summer!

 

 Before we welcomed Noah, Matt's family came up to help do a room addition for the big kids, Jacob and Leah!  Until them they had a small like 10 x 10 room (maybe), room enough for a dresser and bunk beds and not much else. We are so in love with our little Log Cabin and I have been so thankful to have a very attractive handy man living here with me! ha! Then, when the kids and I were in Georgia over Christmas, Matt did a remodel to our little kitchenette by adding a hanging pot rack, dishwasher, new cabinets, and more counter space.  I wish I had more before and afters to show you but that was an after thought. But again, those of you who have been here and stayed with us will appreciate this all the more. Before the kitchen redo. I had NO upper cabinets, hardly any counter space, no dishwasher, a single bay sink, and no storage space. It started to become a pain with our growing family. So once again my sweet man did his thing!

 

   So...low and behold...He truly is my favorite person...is doing a remodel on our closet/pantry/bathroom area.  What does this mean? A PANTRY....gasp! Let me say that again.... A PANTRY!  A full bathroom!!!  Yes, we have only one full bathroom and it's in our bedroom which is inconvenient with having people stay with us in the summer, and just plain taking a number is not ideal. So we are adding a second full bathroom! I can hear the angels singing!  And adding a small closet for Matt's clothes as well. Log cabins don't have closets?! Its true which has made it a little more interesting. My clothes are in the kids' closet. Yep, 5 people using ONE closet. Yikes!

 

So I will be posting pictures in sections. I didn't grab a raw before picture but if you can imagine, we had a closet, a large shelf unit as the pantry, a deep freezer, misc kitchen storage, a half bath, AND laundry room in one small area. So...I'm a little giddy with excitement!

 

 

This is after we moved a lot out. To the right is our half bath with our ONLY built in shelves for storage.

 

This is a tiny glimpse of our little storage area and half bath. Soon to be PANTRY!  I think if I make it really BIG everytime I say it, you'll get the point that I'm excited.

 

 

Part 2 coming tomorrow! Mr. Handyman is working on if after work so we can have it done before the big kids get back from their family visit from Georgia.

 

<3

Noah Luke - 6 Months!

     I can hardly believe it has been 6 months...I haven't been blogging much and want to get better. I am not going to remember all the details of this journey and this is a way I can look back on it! Noah's story is special. But what little new life isn't!  When we found out we were having our first little baby boy, Matt and I had 2 names picked out, Jacob Matthew and Noah Luke. Obviously, our Jacob Matthew is 7 years old. When we were expecting Leah, we waiting to find out the sex of the baby. TORTURE! But in the end, I'm so glad we did. What an amazing thing to be laboring and waiting for the "It's A...."! So we had once again Noah Luke or Leah Hope.

 

     Matt and I had talked about another little one. I knew one more would be perfect, and I didn't want them too far apart. (Jacob is 7, and Leah is 4) So we had a nice gap. We talked about it and BAM! haha! Matt and our friend Jake had been in the North West Territory and the last day we had phone communication, I found out I was pregnant. I didn't want to spill it over the phone! So over that few weeks he was gone, I held it in...Kinda :) We had a girls trip in TN with a few of my Best Friends and could not hold that in! So, the kids and I made shirts for the big announcement once we picked them up at the airport. Jacob had a '#1", Leah had a "#2" and I had one on that said "Count our blessings...#3"! He said "ALL READY?!!" He is a Hadden after all!

 

    I was pretty sick, so I was leaning towards a girl. I gave Matt free range on the names. I wanted him to name this baby all on his Own. Of course, he still loved Noah Luke but had picked out Karis Joy, if we had another girl. Still love that name! Karis, means Grace. And we were in a HUGE life change and so dependent on God's Grace, it was beautiful name. A few weeks after Leah was born, I kept having dreams of a little boy, Noah.  I knew that one day we would have another boy but wouldn't dare admit it after just having a baby. I couldn't even think of that! Lol.  But of course, looking back, God was giving me a glimpse. All this time, when we were expecting our first son, we had Noah in mind. If only a name, but I know that God knew, and there was a reason that name was always on our minds.

 

     I know that God is blessing his children all the time. But blessing you with children, with life is such an amazing thing. When you understand the importance of shaping a human being, what a high, and often overwhelming calling.  I can't tell you how many times throughout the day I say to myself that " I love this life. I love my children..." Even in the trying times, In the exhausting times, in the times that test your character and self- control, let's be honest... you can't help but be thankful. I love being a mother, a parent, even when it hurts or is hard. It's so worth it. And I already get a little emotional when I think of the day they will be on their own. I know, I know. Matt and I have often joked that we will be empty nesters at like 45, since we got started so young, which will be amazing. After all, your "goal" is to raise young men and women, with Godly character, to be successful in life according to God's standards and not the worlds, to have healthy relationships, to Love Jesus and experience Him for themselves not because we "say so", but seriously, after being needed and depended on for 20+ years...there is surely going to be some adjusting. You must be laughing...all this spill because Noah is 6 months! hahaha! But it causes you to do some reflecting for sure. I have never been so emotional as I am as a mother. When it comes to my children and Christ, I'm just an emotional puddle. Maybe not openly, but leave me to my lonesome and it get's me every time!

 

  All that to say, I am in love with Jacob, Leah, and Noah. I am thrilled to the core to be their mother, and thankful to my husband who is a wonderful partner in this journey and MORE IN LOVE with him than ever. For those of you with children, you know this feeling. For those of you yet to have children, if I hear any of you are expecting soon...don't be afraid if I cry! Because I will rejoice with you to tears for sure. It is the most amazing thing in life outside of our relationship with Jesus and our husbands.

 

Gah....I'm not crying...or am I? :)

 

 

In celebration of this wonderful little Man who was made and known to God before he was formed in the womb, Happy 6 Months babe!

 

 Brother and sister lovin!

 Talkin....and drollin!

 

 

 

See that sweet new tooth??!! Show off :)

 

<3

 

March Update!

Hello Friends,

It is always a blessing when I sit down to write the newsletter and think of how many of you have lifted us up in prayer in the last month. The ministry God has us here for would not be as strong if it were not for you supporting us in so many ways and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I found out over the weekend that I have not been getting in emails to me if the sender was replying to an email I had sent. Another one of the little annoyances from the hacker that messed with my email back in January. I have the problem fixed now that I am aware of it, but if you have tried to reply to an email I sent I have not received any of them so please resend them, just know that I have not intentionally ignored you.

In Philippians 4, Paul talks about being in many different seasons knowing what it is like to be full or to be hungry, being down and discouraged or abounding in joy, out of this comes some well known verses, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and " My God shall supply all my need according to His riches and glory." Paul was busy with His calling

.

 

W

hen you are busy with God's calling and purpose there is not any place you would rather be. There might be places that sound easier or more desired from our own selfish hearts but in reality I know that I am exalting Jesus right here where He wants me to exalt Him and that is where my joy comes from, that is when my joy is fulfilled as John the baptist puts it in John 3. With that I know that I can do all things and bear all things through Christ who gives me strength and grace no matter the season of life I am in. Because it is out of a heart of being right where God wants me to be, planted next to the source of all good things I can know without a doubt that God will supply all of my needs according to His wealth and His glory.

I have been looking at finances in scripture and this is really the first point - knowing and believing that God is the source. I challenge you to think about where you are, are you close to the source?

Things here have been busy, Amanda has been teaching Jacob and Leah. Jacob is really coming along really well in his reading and Leah is doing well with her letters and numbers. Noah is full of giggles and is learning how to do his best at scooting and kicking. 

Rob and Michelle will be on the road for 6 weeks in NY and VA speaking at some churches out there continuing raising their support as well as visiting family. Mike will be out of town on the rd in KY for most of March so that will leave a lot of the church duties and services to us. Pray for their traveling safety. 

Our wood burning stove has been such a blessing, I don't know what we would do without it through this cold winter, but one thing we have learned is that when it is really windy (Which if you have been here you already know, is pretty frequently) we have had a hard time getting the smoke to draw up and when it gets real bad it will fill our entire little house with smoke, so if you have received a letter or something from us and it smells like a campfire, that is why. It gets really frustrating when you think you get all the smoke smell out and it happens again the next day. I have tried all kinds of things people have recommended to me with nothing working, until a couple of weeks ago I tried something different that a local guy told me about and it seems to be working pretty well right now so we will see how that does. We will have to wait for one of those nights that you feel like the roof is going to come off before we will know for sure.  

I ask you to pray for our church family here, life is hard on a reservation, it is even harder when you are surrounded by sin and there is warfare going on around you in your homes and at your schools constantly. There are a lot of hurting people around us, pray for grace to keep our eyes on Jesus.

If the Lord puts on your heart and you would like to know how you can help with some of our church families and some specific needs that are present in their homes (for example… we have a single mom who has not had running water in her home since the end of last summer) please feel free to ask, there are plenty of other needs to be shared.

Our food pantry has been really starting to take off, we have a lot more to grow and learn in that area but we are going to trust the Lord in how we operate and give according to His store house through His leading.

We had a family who lost their home and everything they own in a fire last week, praise the Lord we were able to bless them with a whole pickup load of blankets school supplies food and baby stuff. They have 6 young children please keep them in your prayers as the Lord is working in their lives through this devastation.

 

Just to keep you in the loop - if you, your sunday school class or church would like to help keep our pantry stocked with canned goods clothes and baby supplies, please let me know  and I might be able to further guide you in some ways to do that.

There is always needs in front of us as we expand our horizons.

As always your gifts and prayers are a beautiful aroma and a sweet smelling sacrifice to me and to the Lord. I thank you for all you do for us. May Jesus ever be exalted among people groups in SD, the USA, North America and all over the world. Lets continue to work at seeing Jesus come back full of majesty.

Learning to serve the Lord in all we do, 

Matt, Amanda, Jacob, Leah and Noah

Things to pray for on our behalf - 

Our serving families - Haddens, Brennans, McIntoshs, Tomkinsons,  Mauws, Martyns.

Sharps Corner Church

All the functions of camp as we are starting to get ready

Our teens here

Pantry to continue to flourish and be stocked

Continued support for the church and ministry here

That Jesus would be exalted in our home

February Update!!

Hello Friends,

It is only February and it has already started at being a very full year for us, there has not been any slowing down. We are hoping to get in a little routine around our house here before summer is here and we won't have time to think.

Amanda has been very busy at the house keeping up with Noah who is starting to squirm all over the place and jabber and laugh about everything while teaching Jacob and Leah at home. If any of you are not aware she (Amanda) is my rock. She keeps us all in line, challenging me spiritually taking care of everything in our home, she is looked up to by so many people, she loves Jesus.  (and is really pretty doing it.) I am very thankful for her and don't sing her praises near enough. The role she has taken on in this journey we are on is so very important and a necessity to do what God has put in our hearts. Moms/Wives - don't ever think your calling is not as great as whatever your husband is doing.

We had our first teen weekend at the camp the first weekend in January. I thought it went great. We had 21 through the weekend. The theme was Restoration - How God restores us right where we are in whatever condition we are in. He makes all things new. I have seen the teens grow a lot over the last year. We have been having issues with so many of the younger ones wanting to come and be a part of teen night, as much as I would love to have all of them it is not right for the older ones and we don't have the resources to reach them right yet on this particular night. As of late we have been having over 20 teens each week. I believe God is raising up a new generation of young people here who want more in life than just what has been handed to them. It is really hard to get out of a place in life where all you have been handed in life is abuse and told that there is nothing here for you, so many of them want to check out and are crying out for help and love by cutting themselves or medicating themselves with a drug to get through the day. I see this in very early ages of 10 years old and some even younger. I say this to say - Pray for the young people on Pine Ridge, Pray for Amanda and I to have wisdom in pouring into them with our words and actions. Satan has a stronghold in our young people here and it is time we take it back.

I just got back from the Northwest Territory, Canada a few days ago. We had a great trip. We had worship meetings in the evenings and did some construction projects during the days. On Sunday we baptized 7 people and just really saw the Lord moving in so many hearts there. We were in the town of Rae which is home to some of the Dog Rib tribe. We were working with a pastor Missionary there who has been there for 20 years. It is so encouraging to see what God can do when we are faithful to what He calls to. There is a great group of people there who love God and have a great sense of community and fellowship along with a burden to see more of their people come to know Jesus. You might know this already but I want to share with you something I have learned in my travels over the years - Jesus changes people, any culture, any place, any economy Jesus makes all things new and gives purpose and reason to life. He is the giver of and the very definition of life. I am grateful for pastors and missionaries who are faithful to preach the gospel even when there is no fame or glory for themselves but rather all for Jesus. It is easy to want and desire for God to elevate us and have a big church with all the trimmings in life, but the reality is God wants us where He will be most glorified, how much do we want and desire for God to be glorified? God put me wherever will bring you the most glory. John the Baptist got it when he told His followers that his joy is full when Jesus is increased. Is Jesus increasing in and around your life?

This coming weekend I will be teaching on finances at our church. I don't know that I am the best person to be teaching on this as I have always had the idea that if you have it you need to spend it. However I can share a lot of my failures as illustrations as well as share how faithful God has been to me. We either believe that God is  trustworthy and provides our needs as He said or we don't. Most of the time our actions show we don't trust the Lord. I am grateful that God is patient with me as he constantly teaches me this as He provides in ways I could have never dreamed and it is always when it is needed. As our vision grows our ministry continues to grow, with that so does our need. God has met every one of our needs and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so. My dad has always said "Whatever God orders, He pays for" - so true.

Thank you for everything that you guys do for us, we are surrounded by wonderful people that loves us and pray for us. I want you to know that it does not go unnoticed and we are so very grateful.

Learning to serve the Lord in all we do,

Matt, Amanda, Jacob, Leah and Noah Hadden

PS.

If you do not want to receive this newsletter any more or would like to add a different email please let me know, I am working on this area of ministry for us and it is not easy for me. I am not to good at writing and definitely not good at the real technical stuff. Hopefully by next month I will be changing the way this is sent and will have the website functional to make it easier to check out pictures and the way you can give toward certain projects and such. 

My turn!! :)

Wow, what a whirlwind of the last few months!  What joy it is to say we are healthy, blessed, loved, and overwhelmed by God's goodness! Since the last update, we have welcomed Noah Luke into our family and it has been so much fun! The kids are at such good ages and enjoy him so much.  When your "baby" isn't much of a baby, when you do welcome a little one you appreciate the small moments so much more.  We have enjoyed seeing him grow and the different stages, and so enjoyed the big kids loving and playing with him.

Right now, the kids and I are in Newnan, Georgia with our family missing Matt as he is in South Dakota.  He had to return for work and to be back with our church family.  We are enjoying the time spent with our family but do miss our home and family in South Dakota. We are so close to our families, and the kids are loving playing with cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, and friends.  Our kids are 5th generation kids! They have a great-great grandmother, 3 sets of great grandparents, 2 sets of grandparents, and as  many of you know LOTS of aunts, uncles, and cousins!  The Hadden Family lost their grandmother in September, but we are so glad Jacob and Leah were able to know Maw Maw.  So for us, it's important that they have relationships with their extended family and that we make that a priority for them.

While Matt was in town we spoke at Lisbon Baptist Church in Fayetteville.  I got to meet the ladies Sunday school class that has been emailing us, sending cards of encouragement, and praying for us.  The following Sunday we had the privilege of speaking at Forward Church in Sharpsburg where my parents and some of our family attend.  Man were we blessed! Matt spoke, and I had the opportunity to lead in worship with my cousin Caitlin whom many of you met this summer. The anointing was amazing and we were so encouraged.  It's hard to leave Pine Ridge, you feel you are leaving things undone or that there are things that need to be taken care of, places you can minister. But knowing this first hand, coming back to a church who has a heart for the Natives and the Kingdom, and chooses to just love and encourage you, energizes us to head back with a refreshed sense of urgency and vision. It's so important that we take that time, and we are so thankful for all the church families who have taken us in so beautifully.

We have been blessed with a wood burning stove from a family in Mississippi. And boy have we needed it! Matt returned and was welcomed by 6 degree weather, and if any of you have experienced the South Dakota wind...you know it's brutal!  We are so thankful, our units weren't keeping up the the temperatures and we now have an alternative way to heat our home. 

In the coming weeks, we are going to celebrate Matt's 30th birthday (old!!), the Birth of Jesus, and Jacob's 7th birthday!  For me, I love birthdays!  I love to pour into someone on their birthday, especially my kids and husband.  It's a day we celebrate the birth and the gift of them coming into our lives.  We celebrate all the Lord has done in and through them, and it's encouraging to hear people say that have been impacted by you in their life. It's a day that is all about them. Some may say it's a selfish holiday (Matt, haha!), but every now and then it does need to be all about them. For Jacob, I want him to know that in all the ministry, and busyness, He is our priority, and I look forward to celebrating HIM on December 31st!

Also, we are sending out Christmas cards and if you would like to receive one and are not already on our email or contact list, please message us!  We would love to add you!

In the spirit of the season, and the gift of Jesus, take time to love on one another.  To give more than you receive and to pray for those that are missing family or loved ones during this time. We look forward to updating you again in December!

With love and thanks!

Amanda

 Jacob and Matt's brother, Nathan!

 

 

Jacob and his cousin, Isaac!

Leah and her cousin, Ansleigh who is only 6 weeks younger!

Matt and I also had the honor of celebrating our best friends wedding, Jake and Nicole!  This is the first time in YEARS all of us friends from Highschool have been in one place :)

 

Matt's parents with Noah!

Noah is getting so big and changing everyday!

Our Snow White!

Family game night with my mom, and their cousin Ashlyn!

Angel.

 

November Update from Matt

Hello friends,

I am so thankful for so many things. I know it is easy to start saying how thankful we are because it is that time of season and then be so very forgetful of how blessed we are as soon as the dust settles from the holiday season, but I truly am thankful for so many things and pray I never lose sight of all the grace and blessing God has poured out on us.

We have a sign in our house that a friend gave to us that says "Look at what love the Father has lavished on us", it is a constant reminder that we are so loved and nothing can ever separate us from that love. I don't know at what point in the Christian faith that the message of the gospel and the mission of the church strayed away from the fact that God loves us so immensely that he gave His son Jesus to die for us. The Bible says that when we lift Him up He will draw all people to Himself. This should be the heart cry of every missionary, church and believer that we would live lives in such a way that lifts the Name of Jesus up and allow Him to draw people to Himself. the more I grow in my walk with the Lord the more I realize that it is all about Jesus and that I am usually not doing God or anyone else any favors by straying away from that.

A few weeks ago we left SD and headed to GA for a dear friends wedding that our whole family had part in and was able to see our families while we were there. Along the way we stopped in Memphis and had stayed with wonderful friends and I was able to have some dental work done that I have been in need of for a little while. I am grateful for dentists and doctors that use their skill in ways that glorify God in other countries and in the US. I am back in SD while Amanda and the kids are still in GA until Christmas. I will fly back for Christmas and then head to Chicago for a youth conference and then we will head home. Pray for grace while traveling and for the youth conference I will be speaking at, I am super excited about the opportunities God has opened up for us.

In just a few weeks we will have our first weekend getaway for the teens. It will be December 6th - 8th. I will be able to take 30 local teens and have a weekend at the camp where they will come in on Friday evening and then go home on Sunday morning. It will be a fun time and also a growing time. We want the kids to be able to come at no cost to them so that money is not a concern or reason to why they would not be able to come. The theme will be "Great escape to nowhere" - how God restores us right where we are. It will cost roughly $35 - $40 per person to do all the things that we would like to do with them over the weekend. if you would like to sponsor a teen feel free to let me know or you can donate to YES (address at bottom) put teen camp or Hadden family in memo.

One thing I have been super encouraged by is seeing more of the teens and the kids coming to church on Sundays. It is such a blessing to be able to see the kids outside of school and them run up to give you a hug, or even when i got back to work the other day they were in the halls excited to see me and I excited to see them. It has been great over the last few months being able to build relationships with a lot more of the kids.

I am excited for the holiday season for all the ways that God can use us to be a blessing to so many families here. Last Saturday Rob and I helped pack over 200 boxes with all the fixings for a thanksgiving dinner for 10 people. I also have a list of families that need firewood that we have been working on getting them set up for a little while to meet those needs. God has promised to provide all of our needs according to His riches and I choose to believe that because I know of His faithfulness. He never goes back on a promise, I am so grateful for a great God who proves Himself over and over again.

I pray the Lord keeps you all safe through this season and that your hearts are truly filled with gratefulness and that you go about glowing with the presence of the Almighty resting on your lives.

I am grateful for each one of you and how you continue to bless us with your generosity and kindness.

Learning to serve the lord in all we do,

Matt, Amanda, Jacob, Leah and Noah Hadden

A friend of ours has been faithfully working on a website for us - if you would like to go check it out or donate there or keep up with more pictures and such I want to begin using it more for you guys to be up to date more and be able to see more through the technology God has given us. I do not think it is %100 but hopefully will be within the next month or so. Check it out and feel free to give me any feedback on how his can minister to you better.

www.haddenjourney.com

Things to pray for:

The families that work in our ministry

That we would lift the Name of Jesus up constantly

A tractor with a front end loader.

The teen weekend coming up

The families that are faithful in our church

A generator for the building

September Update!

Hello Friends,

I know I say it every time , but it is still hard to believe how fast time goes by. I cant hardly believe it is nearing the end of September. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our son Noah, it is so hard to believe that 9 months have passed. A lot has gone on in those months that has kept us very busy.

Amanda's due date is Sept 29th, pray that everything goes well and that God would give her and I a peace through the delivery and early stages.

God has been so good to us.

We were able to finish up camp last month, that relieves a lot of time because of everything it takes with groups coming to help and have the kids everyday. It is still a joy and honor to be able to see the children everyday and be able to pour into them.

Amanda and I were able to take Jacob and Leah to meet her family in Missouri for a week of rest and fun to get away for a bit before the start of a new season. It was much needed and we are grateful to have had the chance to do that.

My parents and some of my siblings were able to come up, along with some longtime friends from GA, to help us close up the back porch of our house to make a little extra room for the kids before baby Noah comes. It was like extreme home makeover and we were able to get it all done in a week. Mostly because my dad is a work train and doesn't know how to slow down, of which I am very grateful for. We couldn't have gotten it done without the help we had. My mom and the ladies spent most of the time cooking and cleaning, they cooked enough food to last us more than a month and freeze it so all we would have to do is heat it up to take that load off of Amanda. 

With the new season starts a new era of ministry. When we first wanted to come up here Pastor Mike Brennan had said "Winter will be your hardest time here, there is more ministry to be done in the winter than any other time of the year." I can very much see that in the off and on time we have been here in the winter months. It is different up here in the winter. All the "white vans" are gone, all the "Wacitus" (white people) are gone and there is such an opportunity to serve. The food pantry we worked on during the summer to be able to have a place to store food, personal hygiene products, baby supplies and clothing is in the process of being stocked to be able to last us through the winter. This is something we are really praying about as a team and ask you to pray with us to be able to discern the best way to show compassion through our pantry ministry. True love and compassion is usually more inconvenient show than what we are willing to do. The Lord has really put this as a burden on my heart the last several months. It is so much easier to give one of the hundred people that come up to you and ask you for money because their mom or dad is in the hospital and they just need a few dollars to get the gas to be able to go see them in Rapid (This is an everyday conversation being here) There are a few things to think about here - one is, I don't have enough money to hand out to everyone even though they think I do. Two - I see what they do with the money and it is more than likely not for gas to see a relative in the hospital but rather to get a fix for whatever their vice is. So do you push them away and tell them no as nice as you can? Or do you take the opportunity to say I am willing to show you that I love and care about you and I don't have the money to give to you but rather begin to ask for discernment from the Holy Spirit to truly show that person the love of God. This is a whole sermon, so there is a lot I could go into here but I hope this presents you with some of the challenges we face here in this area of ministry. By the way the answer the Lord gave me one day is - I don't have any money but I have got some time, "let me drive you to rapid to see that relative." You are meeting their need and showing you care while not feeding their habit causing them to stumble. Most of the time they say "no can you just give me the money" and you can Identify them as "takers" - The inconvenient part is when they say "OK that would be great," I'm like "man, i really don't want to take an hour drive there and an hour drive back, that is really inconvenient for me but it is an act of true compassion.

The same is with the pantry in different ways that I wont go into this time.

In October we begin Wednesday night dinners and the bike ministry that we have been working on. Next month I will give you more of an update on that.

The building is getting to the place that we can begin music classes and counseling like we had planned originally just have not really had the space to do it. We are still a ways off from having the building finished but it is closer each month with little things (and big things) that are donated. In Oct we have a group coming up to help put in the septic system as well as hang the doors and help with the trim. At the end of Oct we have a group coming up to help with grading some of the driveways for the elderly in the community before winter so that it will be easier to get to their houses and for them to get out easier when it snows. Many of our elderly people are dependent on dialysis every week so this is crucial.

God is doing much in our hearts and we are excited for the new season of life ahead of us. We could never express our gratitude enough for all of the kind notes, gifts, material and financial donations. Many of you are the reason we are able to stay here. i have been blessed with an opportunity of a job to help fill in where we do not have support. It is so hard to get a job here and the Lord just gave me one. I never would have dreamed in a thousand years I would be a librarian but that is what the Lord has opened up for me, so I have been gladly working at it and learning all I can as I go along. I get the privilege to work with a good portion of the children we have seen at camp and it is such a blessing. It also keeps me out of my comfort zone and out of my normal element.

You are all a blessing and I thank the Lord for each of you.

Learning to serve the Lord in all we do,

 

Matt, Amanda, Jacob, Leah and Noah Hadden

Things to pray for:

1. Amanda and baby Noah

2. Matt learning how to be a librarian

3. God would bring the right people our way for us to pour into and disciple

4. That the idea of community would grow in our church

Amanda's Update :)

Yes yes...this isn't old news. I haven't updated in a while! Summer Camp at Chanku Waste Youth Ranch starts up and just about nothing else gets done.  We had a fantastic summer, and had some smaller numbers some weeks but we were able to see more one on one discipleship which was so powerful. He had a few come to know Jesus, and we planted seeds every day. During the summer, the kids get to hear the gospel everyday. And some weeks we slow down on the long bible studies, because the kids have heard, and more times then not, our actions, our love, our life living, shows them more of Jesus then what we speak.

This summer was also our second year as Camp Directors with TEAMeffort Missions out of Jacksonville, FL.  It's a mission organization that just celebrated  20 years of ministry this year! They organize youth construction mission trips. God has used this ministry so much for us personally with new relationships and friends, and also with getting so far in our construction aspect of the Kids Camp. A quick overview of what we accomplished with their help this summer: we built a storage garage behind the main garage, built an archery shed, enclosed the camp side of the garage for camp storage with shelving, accomplished SO much in the Motorcycle Ministry side of the garage, built a stage in the Chapel area and sound booth, helped finish drywall, painted the first coat of paint, painted the trim, built a nice food pantry in the green building beside the church, along with a few other small things! All of that Matt and a few other TE staff leaders organized while camp was going on.  We would not be where we are in the building without the servents of TEAMeffort Missions. We are so blessed by their ministry and all the groups that came from all over the country to serve our people. 

On a personal note, Leah this year was not stop at camp. Last year, it was a good day if she stayed to til lunch time. Which this year, has really been much more of a mild summer, heat wise.  We definiatly had hot days but nothing like last summer. At the end of the day, it was a challenge to get her to come back inside to rest.  Jacob was in his element!! He thrives in every area.  This year, we had a lot of chances to teach him examples of leadership.  Sometimes, our little ones get separated out because they are missionary kids, but the reality is that they are in the heart of ministry as well.  They go to camp everyday throughout the summer, and they get tired and overwhelmed just like us.  Matt and I were so proud to see our kids setting examples, and leading while still being kids. Jacob and Leah both start school on the 9th.  Jacob is in first grade, and Leah will start pre-k.  Sharing with a friend of mine, I stated that this school year is all about GRACE!! Adding a sweet little baby, traveling and speaking, I do not have unrealistic expectations of how it will go.  We will do what we can, and lean on Jesus!! haha! 

We are reaching 34 weeks on Sunday with our pregnancy.  It seems like it has flown by, but at the same time...now it seems time is slowing down for sure!  It is amazing how God designed pregnancy and allows us to bond with Noah even in the womb.  God is creating a love between us and him like no other. We get excited thinking about the changes, and the new things He will bring into our lives, and also enjoy thinking about how he will so much enrich our lives even more.  A few weeks after Leah was born, God gave me a vision of Noah.  I knew we would have one more son one day.  I know that God knows the beginning and the end, and everything in between, but it is so amazing to catch a little glimpse of that and be reminded that he holds every piece of our lives and weaving even the smallest details together. As with Jacob and Leah, I can't wait to see what God has in store for Noah and how he will impact the Kingdom.  I pray that our kids are always eternally minded. 

Matt has made some changes in his health over the summer.  He has decided to be intentional about his health and over the summer lost about 40 pounds total. We have been so proud of him! It's so neat to hear Jacob choose salad over something else with the reasoning of being more healthy like daddy.  "Things are caught by kids, not taught." Matt is leading by example and it has been a joy to see.  I am so thankful for Matt, we are celebrating our 8th anniversary on Aug 20th, and reflecting on where we have come from is overwhelming.  God has been so gracious in our marriage. I have seen so much growth in Matt over that last few years, and seeing him thrive in this ministry it is so evident he was designed, created, and called for this. God gives us the grace to grow in our marriage everyday and I am totally excited for the rest of our lives! Matt enriches our life so much and I am more proud to be his everyday. 

This week, which is why our blog is being updated, we are enjoying a vacation with our family in Branson, MO. My sister came up from Texas, and my mom and dad, brother and his new bride came up from Georgia.  Leah and I are heading down to Alabama for our cousins wedding then heading back up to South Dakota. After that we welcome Matt's family and some dear friends of ours to help build our room addition and get ready for Noah's arrival. Then we just get to rest, and be together as we wait for baby.

God has been providing in every aspect of our ministry.  He has been so faithful!  We don't even have time to question or grow concerned with how we will do it, He just does it! It has been so awesome to see that. We have no doubt he will continue to grow our faith as He follows through with His promises!

Most importantly, Thank you all for your prayers! I wish we could thank you all individually.  Your financial support has been a huge aspect of us being here, and we are so grateful!  It takes the body of Christ to carry out ministry, and we could not do it without the obedience and support of the body of believers.  Thank you over and over!

In the coming weeks, we will have a website that will tie all our social media, contacts, updates, ect in one place and we will let you know that as well.  We love you all and are SO thankful for each of you in our lives!

Amanda <3

End of Summer Update!

Hello everyone,
Wow how the time flies when your having fun.
I cant believe the summer is pretty much over. The kids at camp are talking about school and getting ready to start back in just a few weeks.
Kids camp has been going so well this summer. I can tell a huge difference in the respect and the tone from the kids compared to last year, that comes from the trust and relationships we have been working on building. 
Another encouraging thing I have seen this summer is the growth of our teens. Last summer we were having maybe 3-4 teens, this summer we have had over 15 pretty much everyday. For our teen night Amanda and I do on friday nights, we been having 25-30 every week and some weeks more than that. This is exciting because this has been a very hard age to reach in the past and I believe If this younger generation ever grabs hold of the gospel, it will be revival on Pine Ridge.

We have been doing a study on truth with the teens. What is truth? Does it matter? The bible says it will make you free. Free from what?
So much of our issues within the body of Christ today is because we so many times are not willing to embrace truth but rather cling to how we were raised or what we have believed our whole life regardless if it is what the word of God says. This is so hard for the majority of Christians I believe. It requires acknowledging that we are wrong perhaps and then require a shift in our theology.
The Lord has been growing me in this area over the last few months. Do I really believe what I say enough to act on those beliefs or am I just saying Lord, Lord and not doing what He says. I have seen God work so much in our lives over the last year and am amazed that He remains faithful even when we are lacking in our faith. The bible says to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. There is much power in belief, what you believe is the difference in your eternity as well as the difference in blessing or curse in your life for today. I challenge you to do more than just say Lord, Lord but also do the things He says and act on what you say you believe.

We have just 8 more weeks til baby Noah will be with us, and we are excited for his arrival. With this, we also have school starting back for Jacob and Leah. After this full summer we are ready for a couple of weeks in between to rest a little before we go into the next season of ministry here. Next month we will be starting our ministry garage program where we will be working on local cars while teaching some of the young adults how to do this as a practical skill while also discipling them in the bible. We pray this will open opportunity to pour into this age group that we have had a hard time reaching in the past. Pray that God will bring the right young people into this program and give us wisdom on how we are to go about it. So much of this we are learning as we go as well.

We have come a long way on the building. We have got the power turned on and all the lights and recepticals are in and look great thanks to a team of electricians.
We have just got all the walls painted this week and have been doing a lot of minor things to finish it out. Next week we will be hanging doors and start trimming it out.
We are at a place of needing flooring and a septic tank put in to go to the next step of finishing the kitchen and bathrooms. Thank you so much to everyone who has been working with us on the building it is such a blessing and we have already been using it all through the summer with the kids at camp. Many of you have put your hands to work on it, some of you have donated materials that you had at your house or shop, some have donated the finances and some have been praying it through with us. We could not have been this far wihout all of you and we are so grateful.

We hope you are all doing well and look forward to trying to see some of you in a few months.

 

Learning to serve the Lord in all we do,
Matt, Amanda, Jacob, Leah and baby Noah Hadden

 

 

Things you can pray for and also things we are in need of.
1.  A headset microphone for doing children's church
2.  A handheld wireless microphone
3.  Any old motorcycles or cars that can be worked on in the garage for learning
4.  Folding tables for the dining area of the camp bldg
5.  Projector and screen for the new chapel
6.  Septic system and flooring
7.  Cabinets for the kitchen
8.  Monthly support

His Grace Abounds

Finally it's time for an update.  I've waited a while to update on purpose because I wanted it to be real and to really have my thoughts together, so here goes...well everything!  We spent a few months here last year and had such a great time.  We hit the ground running, our schedule was so crazy, we had family and friends visit and work for most of our time last summer, and this time has been different. I am going to warn you, this is not my pity party, this is me being real, vulnerable, moldable, and teachable. 

God gave me the name for this blog "refined by design", for a very real reason.  He knew better than anyone else that this journey was going to take me to places I have never been before, emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  He knew the areas in my life that would be refined according to HIS design for my life. He knew areas I would struggle, and areas that I would excel.  He knew the areas where I would need him most and the areas that I was going to try and "handle" on my own.  He knew every challenge I would face.

We got here the first of March, so going on two months.  We have experienced weather and snow days like I have never experienced before! The challenges of moving and settling for the millionth time, homeschooling, the fun of the first few months of pregnancy, feeling homesick, and just being in a new place takes some time to adjust. With the weather, we haven't been able to do all of what we have wanted to ministry wise, so this time has been more of a slow go.  Last summer, Leah and I flew in and the next day Camp started, there was no time to adjust it was just all in.  So it caught me by surprise when there were weeks where we were snowed in for days at a time.  I had a plan when we moved that it would be so much easier to keep to a schedule, finish school earlier in the year, accomplish my to do list, actually DO a few pintrest projects, read, have a solid quiet time, organize, plan, reach goals.  After all, we can't run out and kill time window shopping or lunch dates, or play dates, and we don't have a schedule packed with social stuff, we can just be home and accomplish things here. But also to my surprise, I was really sick (still getting sick some days) with this pregnancy.  All I wanted was to lay down and keep my lunch in...too much? haha!  I was tired.  I was annoyed. I was discouraged.  I wasn't accomplishing anything. "No one will know if the dishes aren't done, no one will see that I've been in bed all day...so I'll just be here if you need me." was my line of thinking.  Honestly, I allowed myself to believe the lies I was hearing.  "It won't matter, Amanda." But when I noticed my thinking, I quickly realized I wasn't in a good place. I wanted to physically feel like myself again, I wanted to have energy, I wanted to get the things done that I wanted to.  It wasn't the to-do list that I wanted to 'do well' on, that's just what it translated to.

I love the Lord, truly.  I know that this is a time of growth, and all I wanted to do is dwell in my woes, and just "be".  And the things in my heart that I knew were finally starting to overwhelm my flesh...because I let them.  I decided that I wasn't going to dwell in the fact that I am here missing my family, missing my best friends having their first baby, getting engaged, and seeing all my nieces and nephews grow.  I am here to flourish!  You may be like whoa...she sounds like she is weak.  Well then you would be completely correct!  I am weak, and through my weakness I have experienced grace, growth, strength.  I understand that we are called here for ministry, to be used mightily for God's kingdom, but I didn't know that I was one of His biggest ministries. By that I mean, I had no idea I would be the one being poured into.  Not by others, but by Him, by my husband, by my kids. I was the one being taught. I was the one being held up. I was the one being freed.

I have a friend, Suzanne, that posted in her blog recently about freedom. I feel we are in similar places in life. Parenting is hard, pregnancy is hard, sitting still is hard, homeschooling is hard, ministry is hard, waiting is hard, but I know in my heart that when we are faced with new challenges GRACE ABOUNDS ABUNDANTLY!  To be honest with you, our biggest ministry thus far has been ourselves. And through that God allows us to be beacons of light in a dark and dying world. He allows us opportunities to share His mercy, grace, and love. If I could do this life on my own, I wouldn't need grace. But I can't, why would I want to?  When God is pouring out abundant grace?  Please understand when I say this...I hope in areas of my life, I am always weak. I am always seeking direction, and guidance, and that I am always dependent on Him. We live in a world that is claiming to be self sufficient.  Well so far it's not going so well, if you haven't noticed.  We are in need of a Savior. We are in need of His wisdom, and so in need of His grace. 

Yes, I will have blah days, I will be discouraged at times, but I have to know in my heart and believe above any circumstance that in Him I am strong, and I am being refined in a beautiful way.  In all my shortcomings, He is real and alive, and active in my life.  In all my failures, He is stronger.  Over all my fear, He has overcome.  Over my flesh, I am made new. He is so worthy, and I am humbled by His love and patience for me. I am thankful He sees WHO I am, not what I do. I am giddy over His passion for me and His people.

Leaning and learning,

Amanda