Category: Family News

It’s always exciting to see how the Lord provides just the perfect help at the perfect time. This evening we picked up some good friends, Sarah and Daniel Roberts, from the airport. They will be with us for a month this summer and Daniel will be helping Stephen with video, etc. while Sarah will be helping with some special Bright Lights projects.

One thing we have in common is that we both play harps (except they have 4 kids in their family, so they can play quartets while we can only do trios…[smile] ) We really appreciated Daniel’s help in fixing our harp tonight. He regulated it and fixed some other various problems it had. It sounds a lot better now.

Stephen + the online user’s manual 🙂 helped.

“For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Psalm 100:105

Since my dad wasn’t feeling well last night, I got the job of cutting Stephen’s hair. I told him (as I was cutting) how I really had never done this before and wasn’t sure what I was doing.

December was a busy month! Here are a few pictures of various activities.

One night we went caroling with friends from church. We received so many warm responces like, “In the 26 years I’ve lived here, I’ve never had carolers come to the door!” and “Could you please sing just one more?” We tried to sing the songs that have the clearest Christian message. It was so much fun. I’d highly recommend doing it in your neighborhood next year!


Cousins came to visit over Christmas


It’s a great thing when your grandpa discovers you like dark chocolate.


We’ve been spending quite a bit of time at the Bright Lights / ministry building. It’s looking good and we are encouraged! Here our friend Dave is adjusting a tile he just laid.


Stephen gave the sermon at church one Sunday in December. He spoke on Christophanies, climaxing with the incarnation. This stack of books was sitting outside his bedroom door…. 🙂


Our Bright Lights Christmas party was a special time. Lots of the older girls pitched in and decorated, planned a skit, sang a special number, and prepared encouraging thoughts to share. The younger girls dressed up fancy and seemed to really enjoy themselves.


Serving peppermint hot cocoa

Yesterday we took a one day trip into Chicago and were able to see my dad’s cousin and aunt. Auntie Sue is now 95 and has many stories to tell about growing up in downtown Chicago in the 1910’s and 20’s. We always enjoy stopping in at her house when we are in the Chicago area. One of her favorite topics is to tell stories about the “Mally Store”, a general store / ice cream shop that my great grandparents owned downtown Chicago from the 1880’s-1950’s.

Earlier in the day we attended the church that my dad grew up in and saw many old friends, including Mrs. Knecht, who has been our adopted “Grandma” in Chicago since my dad’s mother died. The church had planned a special service for her, thanking her for her many years of faithfulness. Mrs. Knecht was my dad’s first Sunday School Teacher.

Marion Hills Bible Church was started by a Moody graduate in the 1950’s. Since it was only three blocks from my dad’s house growing up, his family began attending. It was through that little church that his whole family was saved.

We are grateful to the Lord for this little church and the faithful believers who started it and have maintained a consistent light in the community. It laid a strong spiritual foundation in my dad’s life. It has also been a source of fellowship and encouragement to our family through the years.

Normally, we do just about everything as a family. Not last month!

While we were in the jungle, Stephen was on the mountains…



Since Stephen was in Colorado for a photography job, he decided to climb Flat Top mountain again while he was there.

When he was 1/4 mile from the top a snow/thunder storm hit the mountain. But you know how photographers are — they always have to stick around long enough to get a few more good pictures.



Stephen made it to the top, and in much less time than when we climbed it as a family 10 years ago!



And this is my favorite picture. I don’t know how he got those elk to line up like that. 🙂

Stephen actually turned 23 on April 16th, but last Sunday was the first chance we got to celebrate.

So much has been happening around the homefront here, I feel very behind in posting news! For starters, our family has grown for the summer. Two good friends from Singapore, Jolynn and Carolyn, are with us helping with Bright Lights. They are “God-sends” and we are very grateful for their diligent, skillful help, especially with graphic design work (and washing dishes! 🙂 ).

Ok, now back to Stephen…

Don’t laugh…it’s hard to know what to get Stephen for his birthday!Somehow, Sarah got him exactly what he wanted (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary) even though she didn’t know he wanted it. (Score!) I got him a stuffed flying monkey that squeals. I see a little contrast there. (Ok, I did give him a promise that I had more for him on the way…:) )

Stephen never ceases to amuse us. Seriously, I don’t know what made him so funny.


Here is Stephen wiring our buildling (phone, internet, computer networking, etc.) with the help of a friend, Steven Biegler. He’s never wired a building before so I don’t really know how he learned…I’ve just kind of come to the conclusion that Stephen knows how to do everything. 🙂

Stephen always gets the floor when we stay at hotels. With five people in our family, it just works out that way. Poor guy! 🙂

One neat thing that has happened in Stephen’s life this past year was that his freelance photography “business” really expanded.

It all started a few years ago when Stephen received a surprise package in the mail. Inside was a professional-line camera, worth several thousand dollars. He still does not know who sent it to this day, but we are all convinced it was of the Lord.

Since Stephen works full time with our family ministry, freelance photography became a perfect “side business” and God has really blessed him with success.

In the past year, Stephen’s pictures have been on the front page of the New York Times twice, in USA today, the American Legion Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and he’s also worked for Newscom Services, Polaris Images, and over a dozen other companies and publications.

Last fall, Stephen did a lot of political coverage here in Iowa, covering many of the candidates and traveling for a week with Huckabee’s media team. He also covered the Parkersburg Tornado, the Cedar Rapids Flooding, the Postville Immigration Raid, the NCAA Track and Field Championship, and many other events.



A few weeks ago the NY Times asked him to shoot an event, but he turned it down because it was on a Sunday. Guess what? The office in New York arranged a way for the reporter to come to Iowa on a Saturday instead! I was encouraged to see how God honored Stephen for honoring Him. 1 Samuel 2:30 says, “Those who honor Me, I will honor”.

The Lord has been blessing him with favor in the eyes of the reporters and newspapers he has been working for, and it seems like he just keeps getting more and more jobs. It’s a reminder to us of how God provides!

I report this partly because I admit, I’m proud of my big brother; but I also want to encourage you by the testimony of one who applied Matthew 6:33 (“seek first the kingdom of God”) and was blessed with a great job–even though he didn’t go the typical college route.

Stephen, I can’t imagine what my life would be missing if you weren’t my brother! I’m so grateful to God for you. Besides for being a genius, hilarious, and super fun to be with,[smile] you have a heart for serving and helping others and a desire to live for what really matters. Thanks for all the good advice you give me. Thanks for being my best friend. (Sarah, you’re my best friend, too. 🙂 )

Just think, Stephen–your next birthday is only 9 months away!