July is in full force . . .

Greetings everyone,

It seems as though a couple weeks have just flown by and summer has definitely arrived. The past weeks have been quite eventful for the Whetstones and these next couple weeks will be full of new experiences for the Lighthouse youth group.

Tim, Danielle, and Natalie helped lead a soccer missions team to Italy over the past two weeks. Not only was the trip full of adventure from beginning to end, but it was absolutely full of the Spirit. The Lord enabled the entire team to not only accomplish a great many manual labor tasks at the Catania Church of the Nazarene, share some testimonies at a couple church services, participate in a number of friendly soccer matches, bar-hop/prayer walk, and win a small soccer tournament, but also share life together with young and old Italians throughout Florence and Catania, Italy.

It was truly a beautiful time learning together, living together, and loving together as best we could for the glory of Jesus Christ. As we took in sites, smells, sounds, and most definitely some amazing foods, we grew together through both easy and tough times. Thanks be to God for His faithfulness, strength, and above work in, through, and often times in spite of us. Grace and peace to all our friends and new family in Italy.

The 4th of July was most likely one of the longest for those of us who returned from Italy that day. The nice 31 hour day was spent travelling back to Nashville, TN. Not only were there record breaking marriage ceremonies on July 7th, but there happened to be two whom our small church families have ties to. Congratulations Jesse and Jane Washkau; and Curt and Beth Luthye.

Finally, we want to remember our youth as they are beginning to celebrate with thousands of other youth through the country at the national Nazarene Youth Congress in St. Louis, MO. Let's keep them in our prayers that above everything, hearts and lives will be changed for His name sake.

Grace and peace to you all.

What does it take to be a missionary?
Does one really need to leave there own backyard?
Who is our neighbor?