Dear family and friends,

This Christmas season has been markedly different for us this year.  Though we have felt more intimately connected to the profound blessing of Jesus’ birth since losing Judson, the last three years could be characterized by a need to just push through and simply endure the holidays.  However, this year there has been a genuine joy moving in our hearts.   We are grateful.

Jessie is obviously one of our greatest sparks of joy!  We are in awe of this little person whom God is allowing us to pour into with love, grace, truth, hope, and more.    Looking at life through her eyes every day is a blessing beyond words and we are so proud of the little girl she is becoming.

 There have been many things happening in our family since our last update – some exciting, some encouraging, some challenging.

One of the exciting things is that we have decided to move forward with incorporating the ministry of Judson’s Legacy as a non-profit organization.  We have been hesitant to pursue this endeavor, partly because it pushes our comfort levels, but also because we have wanted to be certain God is fully in it.  As we have been asking the Lord to direct and guide our next steps (in multiple aspects of our lives) it seems this is one area where we perceive we are being called to move forward in faithfulness and confidence at this time.  All the structures are in place, I have met with the lawyer, and we will be officially filing in January.   We know God had his hand on Judson’s life, in his death, and has called us to share his story, so we trust God is in this and want to move forward with open hands, allowing him to lead while also asking him to bless our efforts.

One of the encouraging things is all God has been doing with the film Judson’s Eyes.  This is, in fact, one of the catalysts that has prompted us to move forward with Judson’s Legacy.  The Lord is clearly in this project, completely outside anything we have done, and people’s lives are being affected for his glory.  At the beginning of October we were thrilled to be present when the film won best documentary at the Pan Pacific Film Festival.  Some of our first efforts with Judson’s Legacy will be to make the film more widely available. 

Furthermore, Drake and I had the privilege of being guests on KAC Media’s show “Upper Room” to discuss the documentary along with Peter.  You can watch the interview here:

One of the challenging things is that we received a Notice of Trustee’s Sale for Jan. 6^th taped to our front door last week indicating that our landlord has allowed our home to go into foreclosure.  There is potential for the sale to be postponed but the amount of time we have left in this home is now uncertain and out of our control.  God had been graciously moving our hearts toward the possibility of a move for other reasons, but having it come about in this manner has been very emotionally taxing.  Many of our most tangible memories of Judson are tied to this home and letting go will be a very tearing process. 

If we come to mind, would you pray for our housing situation? We are asking that God might provide us a great place (even if it requires us to down-size), with a lower rent, in an excellent school district for Jessie, at just the right time (whenever that might be).  And most of all, we are asking him to uphold our hearts through this process.

Today, Christmas Eve, we celebrate.  We celebrate the birth of our precious boy six years ago and the blessing he continues to be.  And tomorrow, Christmas Day, we celebrate.  We celebrate the birth of our beloved Savior who entered our suffering to redeem our broken lives and give us hope. 

Tidings of comfort and joy to you all,
Christina (on behalf of Drake too)