Surviving the Blizzard!

Hello Friends,

Sorry for such as long time in between updates. It’s been a little busy around here especially as we try and survive the crazy winter storms. I’m sure a lot of you saw our beautiful city on the national news this past weekend and somehow we did make it through unscathed.
The blizzard sure was a crazy one! We got about 3 feet of snow in two days! (see pic below) As much as I loved the snow since I have never had a winter with snow it really is starting to get old. The snow is also driving Jane crazy cause there are no mountains ski on. Well, there are “Ski Mountains” here or more like ski hills. There are a couple “hills” about 45 minutes to an hour away. We have seen one and all you can really do is laugh. If you try and take it seriously you will just get depressed, especially if you have had the incredible privilege of skiing Mt. Warner in the one and only Steamboat Springs!
Jane has been busy with her job and trying to keep progressing on her future music career. Jane has been such a blessing for the Ambassadors ministry mainly helping to get the ministry organized, not just here but in our offices all over the world. One of her main projects lately has been making up an entire updated database of every missionary we have in every office across the globe, and making a Cleveland office updated directory. Both of these are much needed and everyone is very excited and thankful that Jane is working so hard on completing this task.

Jane is also so excited because she was asked to sing a solo for the Easter service at our church. She gets to choose her own song which she is not sure about yet but she is pumped to be able to sing again. Jane’s parents got her a mini “recording studio” program for her computer that gives her the opportunity to record the songs she’s writing. She has been writing and recording songs and they sound awesome! She is really learning a lot and I’m really lucky cause I get to hear her sing all the time and I love it!
I am excited to we are less than one week away from official check-in to training camp! We started training everyday last week so it’s nice to start getting into it a couple weeks early and maybe get a head start on some of the guys that won’t be showing up until next week. We have been training about 2-3 times per week for the past couple months and it’s been really good. I’m excited to come into this training camp and pre-season already feeling relatively fit instead of coming in and having to work to get fit. We even have a pre-season scrimmage this weekend, and we have exhibition games lined up almost every weekend until our first regular season game. So we are hitting the ground running. We also have a big pre-season tournament the weekend before our home opener. We are hosting the tournament and playing against the Columbus Crew and Rochester (a USL 1 team). So we should get some high quality competition and some good exposure for some of our players including myself. I’m really going to work hard to try and get some trials at the end of our season with some MLS squads. We feel God that is the way God is leading us right now, but we are still praying and thinking about going over seas after the season. As of right now the only open doors God has shown us has been here in the states with the MLS but we will wait and see what happens this season and how the Lord works. Please be praying for the upcoming season and the plan that God has for us.
As for my work with the churches, that is still going great! As we get closer and closer to the season we are getting busier, but we have locked in 7 different partnerships with local churches in Cleveland. The City Star players will be putting on 7 different clinics at those churches throughout the season. The point of those clinics is to encourage the church to reach out to their community and introduce them to sports ministry and the ways they, the church, can use sport, specifically soccer, to share the gospel. It is very exciting! We are getting a great response and it’s looking like we are going to have a lot of kids at each clinic.
Jane and I are also still going to the City Mission and playing with the kids and also teaching them Bible stories. Last week, I had the opportunity to share with the kids and I shared the story of Jonah being swallowed by the big fish. The kids seemed to enjoy the story and the looks on their faces when I started talking about Jonah being swallowed by the fish and staying in there for 3 days was really funny. I told them that God is always watching out for them and He will always want to use you if you are willing to listen to Him and obey, not be scared and run away like Jonah did. Please pray that the kids took at least something about that story and can use it in their lives. And thank God for speaking through me and enabling me to connect with those kids. Also thank God for Jane and the amazing woman role model she provides those girls. Jane is the only girl that goes with and it’s so awesome to see all the girls just absolutely adore her! She is such a blessing to them, and it gives them the opportunity to try and braid a white girl’s hair!

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Here is a pic of the blizzard! It's a little dark but the snow is up to my thighs and we still got about 6 more inches after that!!

This is a shot of the morning after from our side door of our front yard. Lots of snow, and it was fun but hopefully that was the last of it, we are ready for some warm weather!!

Recent Adventures...

Hello friends!
We hope this note finds everyone well. Jane and I are still trying to figure out this Cleveland weather. It will be cold for a while and we'll get some snow and then all of the sudden it warms up to the 40s and 50s (I know that is not "warm" to some of you but to us it is). None the less we are still enjoying it. We are having so much fun together, and God is so good to us, and continues to amaze us at the ways in which he blesses us.

Jane and I want to update you on how we are doing in the ministry we are working for.

As we have told you, Jane is the assistant for the Director of Member Care of Ambassadors In Sport - in other words she's the contact for all the AIS missionaries overseas and all new applicants. With this job, she is getting familiar with all our missionaries, where they are, what they're doing, and what their needs are. She is also helping with many other clerical duties that are proving to be a huge help. She is loving her job with AIS, and is adaquately filling an AIS position that has been needed for some time. Apart from working with AIS part time, she is writing a lot of songs, which she is becoming good at. She has also become a very good "house wife" as well. I am amazed at her ability to not only do all the domestic things she does, but doing them with excellence - she has become a very good cook as well. :)

I am running all over the place developing partnerships with churches throughout the Cleveland area to work with Ambassadors and the City Stars to do sports ministry. Our team, in connection with Ambassadors in Sport are offering to help the church reach out to their community in a new fun way through soccer. Sports ministry can be so cool, because, as we have witnessed before, parents who normally would never set foot in a church much less bring their kids to church, will bring their child to a soccer camp at a church run by professional players, and just by getting them their we have already planted the seed.
I have been getting some great responses from all the churches I have been to. Some churches have already roughly started some sports ministry outreaches and are so excited to work with us to continue to build their outreach. Other churches I meet with have been searching for ways to better their children's program and ways to dive in and serve their community, and are so excited to partner with us and play soccer! If the community doesn't come to the church, the church must go to the community, and I have really enjoyed helping the local church of Cleveland do that! At this time last year, we only had one or two partnerships with churches, and now we have 7 strong partnerships and 5 or 6 which will probably happen soon! God is good!

Of all the many things we're doing, we both agree that the biggest ministry we're taking part in is helping with the kids at the City Mission. Playing with these kids and telling them Bible stories has proved to be one of the sweetest opportunities we've had. They are always so excited to see us and play with us. They are also becoming more interested in the Bible stories. It is the biggest blessing ever to see the kids listening intently to the gospel being presented to them. Keep praying that the gospel will really sink in one day, and keep praying that God will continue to use us to help these kids. Also, keep praying for God’s protection over them in their everyday life.

*******************

Recently, Luke and I were able to get away for a trip to Washington DC. It was such a fun and needed time. Luke was so great in being willing to go to every museum and monument I wanted to… this trip really reminded me how much I love history. We stayed in a hotel in Alexandria, VA and were able to spend a lot of time there enjoying all the colonial houses. We rode the metro into DC and saw some Smithsonians, the Capitol, the White House, many monuments, and war memorials. It is amazing how much God has richly blessed this country… and we pray He continues. We also went through the Holocaust Museum. What a solemn reminder of God’s grace and perseverance despite man’s horrifying sin… On the way home, we stopped by the battlefield of Antietam. In case you have forgotten :) Antietam was a battle fought in the Civil war in 1862. It is known as the bloodiest day not only of the Civil War, but perhaps one of bloodiest battles American soldiers have fought. It was so humbling to walk through the fields where men died for our freedoms today. What a gift. All in all the trip was great and needed, and served as a good reminder of how much we’ve been given in this country.

Thank you all for your support and prayers! We love you all and can’t wait to hear all the wonderful things God’s doing in your lives. Blessings!

... Here are some reacent pictures from DC and also Christmas...

In Old Town Alexandria, VA

In the Washington Mall...

Chinatown WWII memorial...

Battlefield of Antietam

Christmas with the Melvins!!

Cross country skiing in our sweet 80s uni-suites!
Melvin & Kiely kids together again... minus two
Sledding!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from the Williams! Jane and I have had a very busy and exciting 2007 with lots of firsts. Looking back we are amazed at the ways God has been so gracious to us and how He has blessed our new marriage.

We celebrated our first Christmas back in Steamboat Springs with Jane’s family which so much fun for us. They got tons of snow, which made for some amazing skiing! We were able to go skiing a couple times, cross-country skiing behind Jane’s house, as well as sledding. Sledding was a blast and it was especially fun because we went out to Saddleback Ranch where we got married. They have a big hill with a nice tow-rope so you don’t have to walk your tube up each time. We also enjoyed some hot chocolate in the cabin where I got ready with my groomsmen before the wedding. Spending time with the Melvins was such a blast. Sam and Sharon were also able to come to Colorado which was so much fun to hang out with them. Jon and Sophie totally spoiled us with lots of great meals and fun games to play! Daniel got a Nintendo Wii for Christmas, which provided a lot of entertainment. We really enjoyed being with the Melvins for the Christmas season.

Some of the entertainment followed us back to our apartment because my parents got us a Wii too! We love our Wii and have already invited some of our friends over to play.
Cleveland is still treating us well. We are still getting used to the weather though. When we left Cleveland for Colorado there was lots of snow on the ground and when we got back it was all gone and not too cold. The next day it snowed 6-8 inches! After about a week of that weather it has now all melted away with temps in the 50’s. Today we set a record with a high of 67! What is going on?? Cleveland is so weird!

Both of us are still staying busy with our jobs and enjoying our time getting to know more people involved in the ministry. Jane is still writing more songs and pounding away on her keyboard trying to improve her piano skills. She was able to sing at church again this past Sunday. It was fun for her to keep singing each chance she gets. I am starting to slowly begin my training and preparations for the upcoming season. I am ready to start playing again and very excited about our season. I still have some time since guys won’t be showing up until March, but I want to start early and be ready to go by March.

We hope that everyone had a wonderful and blessed Christmas and New Years. We are so thankful for all of our friends and family and for all your prayers and support!

Be sure to check out some cool snow pictures and some of our amazing honeymoon pictures below!

Stay tuned for some amazing Steamboat snow pics!

Enjoy!

Back in Cleveland, Fun time in the snow!

more playing in the snow...

This is our walkway to our apartment! We got about 6-8 inches of snow in one day!

Honeymoon Pics!

Hello Everyone!  Jane and I were sitting in our apartment the other day staring outside at all the snow that has fallen recently and we started remembering back when we were snorkling along some of the most beautiful beaches in the Virgin Islands on our honeymoon.  It would be nice to be back there right about now...  Anyways we thought we would post a few pictures so anyone that hasn't been able to see them yet can see how fun our trip was! 

Stay tuned for a new update and some snow pics from the holidays!

Overlooking a town in St. John

Sunset off St. John

Luke and Jane right after lunch in the shade of some fruit trees.

Crystal clear water at Hawks Nest Bay

Kaneel Bay, St. John, one of our favorite beaches!

This is the view from the balcony of our condo... so nice!

Cruisin in the Safari bus...

The Bike Ride

It was quite muddy!!

Jane and her new bike!


Luke and his new bike!

A great trail that runs right along a river

One cute couple!


Check out our new update below...

We are Thankful...

Hello again! I'm sure all of you have been anticipating our next update and I know it's been a while so here it goes…


First of all, thank you to everyone who was praying for Jane and her job search. The Lord has once again shown us how faithful He is,especially when we trust Him and His timing. Jane is now an employee of Ambassadors in Sport! We are both very excited about this, andwe're seeing more and more how perfect of a fit it is for oursituation. It provides a more flexible schedule and gives Jane the opportunity to pursue her music and work with Luke in the area of his ministry. Jane's official title is Human Resources Coordinator. She is an assistant to the Member Care director and her job is basicallyworking with all the "members" of AIS. She is very excited aboutthis, as she will be working with missionaries all across the globe atthe different national offices including Czech Republic, South Africa,Kenya, England, and Australia. This is a part-time job so Jane will be maintaining a part time job for her dad as well.


On another exciting note, Ginny Owens is performing a Christmas Concert at our church in a couple weeks. Our church choir isperforming 3 songs at the concert as well and Jane has been asked tobe the soloist for all three songs. She is very excited to startsinging and performing again, which she hasn't been able to do sinceshe left Colorado. Luke has settled into his job and is staying very busy. He is in middle of working on partnering the local churches all over Clevelandwith the City Stars team. The churches will partner with our team by doing church day camps with the pro players and participating in "church nights" at some of the Stars home matches where some players and coaches will share and give theirtestimonies after the games. Luke is very excited about working withdifferent churches around the area and learning a lot about businessmeetings and the inner workings of the church.


We were able to go down to Texas for Thanksgiving, which was a realtreat! All week prior to going to Texas we were hearing reports of sunshine and temps in the 70s and 80s, which we were pumped aboutcause it's just been rainy and cold here. So we fly into San Antonioonly to find out that the weather followed us. It wasn't quite ascold but it was rainy. Nevertheless, we had a blast! The food waswonderful, especially the fried turkey which was expertly prepared by Chef Peter, Chef Luke, and Chef Cody! It was fun to see the familyand hang out with them for the first time as a married couple. We are so thankful for both our families! God has blessed us tremendously with two loving and very supportive families.


We hope you like the pictures of our biking exploration of one of the many hike/bike trails around our house!


Blessings to all and thank you so much for your prayers and support!

The Beginning

Hello from Aurora, OH! We've unpacked every box but are still in the process of hanging things on the walls. Our apartment is beginning to feel more and more like home. The fall has been absolutely beautiful in Ohio. We've never seen color like this before. :) Luke and I get out as much as we can to either play a game of tennis or ride our bikes. We better enjoy this as much as possible 'cause we heard it suppose to snow soon...

Luke is becoming more acquainted with his job and is enjoying it more and more. He has some incredible opportunities for outreach. Right now his jobs consist of creating/overseeing a website for PSM (Pro Soccer Ministries), being the "player liaison" for the soccer missionaries overseas, and developing two outreach programs, one through churches around the city and the other with the inner-city kids of Cleveland. These two outreach programs are in association with the pro team the City Stars. Even though these outreach opportunities are in the beginning stages, they are none the less promising and very exciting. On the side, Luke is the assistant coach of a U-12 girls team. He is loving this as well.

I am primarily working part time as a nanny for a family with 4 kids. They are a great family and I am very blessed to be able to hang out with the kids. Including being the "adult" around the house, my jobs includes literally driving them around everywhere from piano lessons, to Burger King, to football practice. I am also job searching right now, which, anyone can attest to, can sometimes be monotonous and discouraging. However, through this and many other things, God has really been teaching Luke and I to become more dependent upon Him for our jobs and life. It seems like learning dependence upon Christ has been the theme for Luke and I thus far. And one thing that has been so encouraging for us to learn and remember is that "He [will] work in us what is pleasing to Him" - Heb 13:21. What a relief to know that not only does God give us the passion to please Him, but He gives us the tools to do so as well. He Himself will bring about what He wants from us - what an amazing God we serve.

We are getting more "plugged in" to the community here. We are so thankful for the people here working for AIS. We are blessed to see and be a part of the passion everyone has to reach others for the Kingdom. The relationships we have already formed have richly blessed us, and we are so excited to get to know them more as time goes on. Thanks for your prayers and support. God Bless!