First off I just want to praise and thank the Lord for His goodness and love towards us.  He has sustained Joshua and myself giving us strength for each new day and the circumstance that arises in them.  This summer has been a blessing as Joshua has been getting settled into the leather shop and has enjoyed his work there immensely.  He is making travel bags, Bible covers, and belts.  It has been a real joy for him to have this opportunity.  Also through the summer we have been able to finish putting Josh’s book “As For God, His Way is Perfect” into Spanish; it also is available through victorybaptistpress.com.  We are excited to have this project finished and now available to the Spanish speaking world.
I want to thank each of you who have written, called, and been of constant support and encouragement to us.  You are special blessings to our lives and we appreciate you greatly!  May the Lord be magnified!

 Summer is here!!!  I am glad for the school break and was thinking that I might actually be more excited than the kids.   Actually, I love teaching the kids and being with them but the break is definitely needed too.

The last part of May and first week of June, I was able to go to Colorado where all of my family was able to be together.  It was such of great encouragement and a wonderful time.  We just enjoyed each other to the fullest.  It was my parents, the five kids with their mates and families as well as my grandparents.  Joshua was the only one that was not able to be there but he was remembered during each and everything we did.  We missed him so much though and look forward to the day when he too will be there.  I thank the Lord for wonderful parents who love Him and have directed my steps continually to the Lord no matter what the circumstances might have been.  To have a Christian family is something to cherish.  I am blessed!

This past weekend we had an extra big blessing.  Friday night Joshua called me to let Hannah and I know that Caleb was there at his unit with him.  Back in February they had requested a visit together as they are allowed one three day visit together once a year.  The last time they saw each other was a year and a half ago when their dad, Pastor Hank Thompson passed away.  We have been waiting but had no idea when the visit would actually happen.  As soon as I picked up the phone I could hear the excitement in Josh's voice and knew that something great was happening.  Oh, how it thrilled my heart to know of the time they were having together.  On Saturday Hannah, Ben (one of Josh and Caleb's brothers) and myself were able to have a visit with both Joshua and Caleb.  Normally you cannot have visits together but we were given the opportunity to all be together.  It was amazing as usually we are alert and aware of the guards and many others around us, but that day it seemed as if we were the only ones in the room.  We laughed and were overjoyed as we shared precious memories and the great things that Father continues to do in each of our lives.  He has been so, so good!  

Thank you for each of your prayers and constant love and support!

Wow, I'm not quite sure where to start as the Lord has so graciously opened the windows of heaven and so abundantly showered us with His many blessings.  I stand in awe when I step back and see all that the Lord has done for us.  He is GOOD!

Two weeks ago Hannah and I were able to attend a ladies conference at Bethel Baptist Church in Walls, Mississippi.  We were both asked to give our testimonies of how the Lord has kept us through the past six and a half years but then we too were able to be encouraged in a great way through the other testimonies and speakers.  We were treated with upmost kindness and love which really did touch our lives.  The next week upon our arrival home, Joshua called and told me that he had been approved and given his own box in the craft shop where he wil now be able to do special leather project and work for himself.  He was so excited about this opportunity and it is amazing that it has come to pass.  There are constant reminders for us to see how the Lord is still working.  If any of you would be interested in getting a Bible cover or some other leather good, feel free to contact me- 512-431-9137 or jpastorjosue@yahoo.com.

This Friday and Saturday was another special weekend.  The prison had a special Mother's Day meal and get together there at the prison.  Joshua's mom was able to go in on Friday and spend most of the day with him.  There was a message given, special songs done by the choir, together they were served a wonderful meal and then the rest of the time was free for them to just talk and mengle with the other inmates and their mothers.  Mom stayed the night and then went back in with me for my normal visit on Saturday.  Both Mom and Josh were smiling big as they told me about their day together.  These are not opportuniites taken lightly as it is not very often we are able to share time with Josh in such a way.

Thank you to each of you who pray for us and are a sourse of encouragement to us.  We appreciate you greatly!

 I want to thank each of you for your prayers.  They are such a blessing, and it is a great encouragement knowing that so many are seeking the Lord on our behalf.  He is so good!  

Right now Josh's prison is going through lots of changes in every aspect of life.  There are lots of financial cuts being made in how the system is ran due to the economic situation.  Also many of the men have been moved away to other units with no notice or reason.  This is all part of how the system works yet at times can be disturbing.  Josh has had some of his close friends moved away and you never know who will be next one to go.  I would appreciate your prayers as these changes can be stressful and difficult as there are so few securities there in that place.

The gorgeous spring weather has been an extra blessing to my heart and has been calming to my soul as each time I step outside my door, there are many reminders all around of the Lord's presence and love for me.  I am so thankful that we serve the one and only true God; the Creator not only of this universe but of each of us as individuals as well.  He knows every detail about us and cares about each thing that comes our way.  These thoughts are of great comfort to me.

I have just returned from spending nine hours with my husband Joshua at a marriage seminar put on there at the prison.  It was the most precious time ever as we were actually able to sit side by side, hug, kiss and hold hands throughout the entire day.  We ate our meals together, had alone talks and received encouraging teachings on how to keep our marriage united, strong and growing in a way that would honor and please the Lord.  These details must seem like simple things to you, yet for us it was a miracle sent by Father just for us.  This is something we have only had the opportunity to do one other time in the last six years of Joshua’s incarceration - a marriage seminar on the Telford Unit which we attended over four years ago.  The Lord has been so good to us and blessed our hears and spirits in an amazing way.
The chaplains, volunteers, teachers, wardens and even guards were caring and understanding of how this was a special day for us, and each of them went out of their way to show us much kindness.  The Lord also allowed us the opportunity to fellowship with some of the other couples and be an encouragement to them.  There are not words to express how my heart is over flowing with joy and gratitude at this moment and what this amazing gift from Father has done for Joshua and myself.  Father always brings us reminders of His love and that He has not forgotten us, not even in the smallest details and desires.  We praise and thank Him for all He is and all He does for us from day to day.  He is WORTHY!

Praise the Lord Josh is now out of lock down and back to work.  He was thankful for the rest but very ready to be out of his small cell and not eating peanut butter sandwiches.  I was able to see him yesterday as well as last weekend and he is doing great.  His spirit is encouraged and his heart rejoicing.  Our time together was a blessed one!  This week we just found out we were approved to attend a marriage seminar which the prison will be holding the middle of this month.  It is one full day that we wil be together and we are both excited and looking forward to it.  The Lord has been so good to us!

We do appreciate all the prayers and concern that was shown for us during this past month that Josh and I had not been able to see each other nor talk.  It was a blessing to know that friends and brothers cared and kept us before the throne of grace.  We love each of you dearly and thank the Lord for you!  Thank you!

 The Lord’s goodness is always present and is something for which I am extremely thankful.  It has been two long weeks since I have been able to see my husband and was just notified yesterday that this weekend they would once again be canceling the visits and possibly next weekend as well.  There has been a terribly flu epidemic there in the prison and due to this, the prison is in lock down.  Once they are in lock down, Joshua is not able to call home so communication can take a while and be scarce.  Through these past weeks of not being able to know much about my husband’s well being, I have been reminded of the wonderful blessing and privilege it is most of the time to be able to visit each weekend, receive phone calls, and the mail service even though it is slow at times.  I would appreciate your prayers for Joshua during this time as in one of his letters he mentioned it is very contagious and continues to spread throughout all the inmates including his celli.  Thank you so much!

Also I would like to clarify that Joshua is able to receive the e-mails through jpay.com but is not able to return them.  He has no access to computers; the e-mails are printed off, stapled, and have his name and number put on them to be delivered to his cell.  As for the phone calls, he is only allowed to call the ten people that are on his visitation list and these people must go through a special registration and process in order to receive his calls.  I know this is disappointing to many of you, yet we are thankful that at least at the present time he and Caleb can call home.

May the Lord continue to keep and bless each of you.  Thank you for you constant encouragement and love that is showed to us in so many ways.  We love and appreciate each of you.