Schedule

With most of our moving boxes unpacked and the new home settling in to some sort of order, it's again time to load the bus! And with life at full pace these days, I regret that I have not kept up-to-date with our schedule page.

We are headed out this morning for 8 days in the Michigan area.....which, aside from a quick weekend in Salina, KS (October 19-22...details upcoming) is our last out of state trip until Branson.

Please keep us in prayer -- not only for these opportunities to share together in Illinois, Michigan and Canada, but also as we use this time to prepare Christmas music in preparation for the upcoming new Christmas recording and Branson ministry.

And here's the schedule for this week ---

Sunday, September 28
Bethlehem Free Lutheran Church
202 West Jefferson St.
Morris, IL
9:00 AM

Henry Bontragers Farm
2512 North Shepardsville Rd
Ovid, MI
7:00pm

Tuesday, September 30
Woodhaven Retirement Community
Flint, MI
2:00 PM

Wednesday, October 1
Abbey Park Retirement Community
Grand Blanc, MI
3:00 PM

Thursday, October 2
Marshall's Ranch
North Branch, MI
7:00 PM
#810-688-2525

Friday, October 3
Lighthouse Gospel Church
Port Burwell, ON
7:00PM

Saturday, October 4
Church of God
Midland, MI
Soup Supper 4:30 - Concert 6:15

Sunday, October 5
Cornerstone Baptist Church
Swartz Creek, MI
11:00AM & 3:00PM

Hope to see many of you along the way!

Charissa

Happy 2nd Birthday Charissa!

Is it possible that our sweet baby is already two years old!? And growing so quickly! Every day is such an adventure for our happy girl...from following Alaythia and Nathanael everywhere to doing her best to 'help' in the kitchen. Learning new words and sentences, enduring lots of hugs and kisses, releshing 'storytime' over and over again -- and bringing so much joy to our home -- Charissa, we love you and are SO thankful God gave you to our family! May you continue to grow with a tender love for Jesus!

"You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:11

Moving Day

Our moving day arrived yesterday morning -- and with it came the welcome sight of an army of helping hands. We were so incredibly blessed by so many friends and church family who went out of their way to help us sort, pack, clean, wrap, load, stack, transport, unload and organize our various possessions. Moving is an adventure in itself!

Dear friends -- we don't know what we'd have done without you! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

The stack starts diminishing as the trucks are loaded.

The brave crew sorting out our canning cellar...

...and figuring out what to do with it all!

Trying to understand what is going on!

Creative problem-solving!

Making lunch for the crew

It was an adventure serving the meal with most of our kitchen-ware packed!

Lunch break!

With rainstorms threatening, we drove the trailers to the new house and started unloading. Throughout the afternoon we heard reports of pouring rain just miles from our house....but we only had a quick shower while everything was safely loaded. Praise the Lord!

Unloading into the garage.

We were so delighted to have our friend, Kori, visiting from Florida over the weekend!

Lindsey worked with Ruth so diligently that by evening our new kitchen was in complete working order!

The new fruit cellar

More boxes!

And a tired little girl.

We're now left with boxes to sort through and put away...but the major work of moving is done. We've already enjoyed our first night in our new home. A huge THANKS, again, to you all -- for your help, prayers and encouragement! Oh, how we need the body of Christ!

Our new mailing address --

The Wissmann Family

691 Grover Rd

Milford, NE 68405

Phone --

#402-761-4224 (home)

#402-641-7830 (ministry contact cell)

"I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
And tell of all Your wondrous works."

Psalm 26:7

The Wedding!

Joy! Happiness! Thanksgiving...

...and such a marveling at the Lord's gracious working in the hearts and lives of Josiah and Abi! Bethany has captured over 1,500 pictures of their beautiful wedding day, and we're looking forward to sharing many of them with you as she downloads and edits them. But until then, here is a small glimpse of a few tender moments...

(Check here for a few more!)

The whole clan -- Rehms & Wissmanns

"He brought out His people with joy,
His chosen ones with gladness."
Psalm 105:3

Elizabeth

Happy 19th Birthday Elizabeth!

How special it was to watch our old home videos of your babyhood tonight, Elizabeth! Your gentle, sweet spirit was -- and still is -- such a blessing to our lively home. It has been a joy to see the Lord at work in your heart as you've grown into a lovely young lady. We are grateful for your diligence, thoughtfulness, and orderliness, coupled with your lively enjoyment for physical activity and adventure. You add so much joy to our household! We love you LOTS and pray God's abundant blessings to you in the coming year!

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place." 2 Cor 2:14

Wedding Bells...

...will be ringing tomorrow! And with such rejoicing and marveling at the Lord's working -- as Josiah and Abi become one. We look forward to welcoming our new sister!

Please join us in prayer during today and tomorrow -- our desire is that Jesus be glorified in all that every part of the preparations, ceremony, and reception! We'll be posting pictures soon!

"The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing."

Zeph 3:17

The boxes...

...have started to pile up!



Many thanks to you for your prayers -- and our local friends for so many nice boxes! [smile]

"How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!
Therefore the children of men put their trust
under the shadow of Your wings."
Psalm 36:7

Our New Home

"And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you,
because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:
"Blessed shall you be in the city,
and blessed shall you be in the country."
Deut. 28:2-3

The Lord gave us this verse eleven years ago, in 1997, when we knew He was calling us to move from our acreage to the heart of Seward. While city living was much different than the rustic rural life we'd grown accustomed to, we have thoroughly enjoyed and treasured life in our current home. The quiet bustle of small town life has become a fun part of our daily lives and with a kind and generous land-lady, we could hardly have asked for a nicer situation. God has been so good to us here!

But seasons of life change. And for our family, these seasons are changing rather quickly these days! Due to the settling of an estate, our current home will be sold in the near future and we have been praying for the Lord's direction regarding housing for our family.

To make a long story a bit shorter, our offer was accepted on this home -- located near Milford, approx. 12 miles from our current home. We close on the house this Wednesday and have set our moving date for Tuesday, September 23th, the week after Josiah's wedding.

Please keep us in prayer as this obviously means we have some huge days ahead to accomplish all the sorting, de-junking and packing that living in a house eleven years requires -- besides final wedding preparations.

We look forward to what God has for us in the coming days! Stay tuned...

Pictures of our new home. We'll be sharing more (plus interior pictures) after we close on the house.

Family Camp

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."

Mal 4:6

Last Thursday we returned home from our second annual Family Camp held at Village Creek Bible Camp in north-eastern Iowa. And we returned rejoicing -- and very humbled and blessed.

Let me explain...

To be perfectly honest, with the upcoming wedding and our big move (stay tuned...) we were a bit overwhelmed and feeling like the last thing we wanted to do was to pack up and head to camp for a week!

But we had committed, so we headed over. Purposing to rejoice in this opportunity. Trusting that God had a reason for us to be at camp.

And each day the Lord ministered to our hearts in a special way. From the morning chapel times, to the evening sessions -- and all the times in between -- we were so blessed and encouraged! Encouraged to see the young families fervently seeking the Lord together. Blessed to experience the fellowship of the saints upholding each other.

Now our cup truly overflows.

Once again we learn that you can't out give God -- and in our weaknesses HE is strong!!!

Tender moments

Mighty, mighty, scoop-noodle challenge!

Run, Susanna!!



Sunny days


Andrew led worship every day


We learned Proverbs 2:1-6 together




The Lord really blessed each of Daddy's messages during the evening sessions. It's always so encouraging and challenging to hear the Word of God!

We really enjoyed working with our dear friends, the Bontragers. We love you guys!




"...to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children..."

Help Wanted!

Help Wanted -- Wissmann Enterprises (Dad's business) is currently looking for strong young men to join the work crews. Striving for a Christian-based work atmosphere, we need men who are hardworking, have good attitudes, and are eager to learn. Mechanical experience is preferred, but not necessary.

Please contact us if you are interested in this opportunity!

Bridal Shower

As we look forward to a dear sister-in-love joining our family, we are enjoying the special pre-wedding traditions as Josiah and Abi prepare for marriage. Exactly one week from tomorrow a new household will be established!

We rejoice with them as they've found a sweet little house in a town only 10 miles from Seward. Being so close, we hope we'll get to see them often! [smile] We praise the Lord for His provision for them! We'll be sharing more of their long-term goals as they get settled into their new life together.

And as they prepare for housekeeping, we greatly enjoyed a bridal shower hosted by our church family last week. Here is a quick glimpse of the evening --

Abi's mother shared one of their family's special traditions.

We sang a song Abi specifically requested to be sung at her 16th birthday party -- over 5 years ago. Little did she know how the Lord would so beautifully lead her 'tomorrows' to include Josiah!

Mom shared a devotional -- paralleling the glorious beauty of God's design for marriage to Christ's love for us, His church.

The delicious, dainty foods! A huge THANK YOU to all you kitchen ladies!

Home decor!

A Bosch! Oh, the happy chef!

Our girls enjoying time with Abi's sister, Julia.

"I will bless the Lord at all times,

His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

Psalm 34:1

It's Here!

It's with great excitement that we announce the completion of our latest project, "Let the Rocks Cry Out." Recorded this Spring, it includes four original songs, many of our personal favorites, along with often requested songs such as "Daddy's Song" and "Charlie".

Our prayer is that this recording will be a blessing and encouragement to you, lifting your hearts in praise to the Lord.

The CD can be ordered online here. Or you can download a printable order form here to purchase via the mail.

*Please contact us for our bookstore rates when purchasing in large quantities!

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing to You among the nations.
For Your mercy reaches unto the heavens,
And Your truth unto the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

Psalm 57:9-11