Tuesday, January 01, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Hello Dear Friends,

It's very late or very early, depending on your perspective! Either way, it's 2008!!! WOO-HOO!!! I hope that wherever you are, Redlands, Spain or Orange County, we wish you the very best from the Lord in the coming year, as you follow His purpose for your life.

As I survey 2007, I can testify to a wonderfully gracious God. At the beginning of 2007 our family returned to the U.S., unaware of what God had in mind for us. We had no real leads or ideas of where we would end up. Everything that we had worked for and hoped for over the prior 3 years had been crushed when our family was unable to obtain visas to remain in Spain with the Casco family and Calvario De Jerez. Returning to the United States was truly surreal.

And then, one February day, I got a call on my cell phone from Pastor Chris Norman and within a month, I was on staff at what was then known as Calvary Laguna. I commuted through vicious traffic for about 6 months until we landed in Ladera Ranch in late August. All throughout that time, I learned what my place was and fell in love with what would become Kingsfield Church. Tonight, as I face 2008, I am grateful to be one of her Pastors.

Regarding our family, I can't be happier! Lela is doing fantastic, singing on Sundays, leading worship for the Women's Study on Friday mornings, all while managing to be a great Mom and a fantastic wife. Renae is doing great in her first full, uninterrupted year of Kindergarten. 2007 saw her make great strides, learning the basics of swimming and learning how to ride her bike. Caleb is enjoying his scooter and his new skateboard. It's amazing to see how coordinated that he is, and how few his falls have been. And Elizabeth,I say gratefully, fully gained control of her bowels this year! Potty trained kids! What a great blessing! She is also learning to ride her training wheel equipped bike.

For myself, I have taught through the life of Joseph, and am in the middle of the life of David with our Men's Study. (All notes from each study can be viewed here.) I had the opportunity to teach the body 5 times this year, including last Sunday, and this coming Sunday, January 6th. I am blessed to be playing drums again very regularly for the worship team, which has been real fun. I love to play!

It's hard to look forward when things have gone so well, but I anticipate good things. I hope that you will have the same experience.

Now, for the future of this blog, I do hope that I will be more consistent this year than I have been over this last quarter or so. (It's hard to believe that I have now been a "blogger" for 2 years!) Plus, I hope to put more pictures and videos up. (By the way, don't miss the last video which you can see in the previous post or in the video bar at the bottom of this front page. I consider it vintage Renae!) We are in the market for a new digital camera, and months ago, I promised photos. I hope to deliver them soon and frequently after that. It's a new year, so this is my new resolve! We'll see how it goes.

For all who have read and been with us through these last two years, as well as our latest visitors, thank you and the Lord bless you mightily.

Happy New Year!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

2 comments:

Cowen Family said...

Sure do miss you guys. Thanks for the update...God's faithfulness is amazing.

Frank And Lela said...

Thanks Mike and Hannah! God's faithfulness has been our story I am grateful to say.

We miss you guys too! If your ever in Mission Viejo...

Blessings,
F.S.