Merry Christmas From the Reid Family!

Thanks to Jennifer for designing the card above...

As we reflect back now over our year and if we could summarize 2016 in a single word for our family, it would be the word "changes."  It has certainly been an interesting year on many levels.  The year began as normal but within a couple of months we found Paul was offered a new job, one that has been a blessing in many ways, for a company called loanDepot in Lake Forest. He is still working in C# programming but has been given more of an software architect title.  He is enjoying the work and the company as well.

At this same time we were approached to host a web TV show on the Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network (www.HSBN.tv) and after praying about it, we could sense God's divine hand in these changes.  We have now taped over twenty-five 30 minute shows that can be watched on HSBN.tv by searching for "The Way it Is" or the shows are available on www.thewayitis.tv.

Another change is that after much prayer and divine guidance, we opened our home permanently to two foreign exchange students.  One was only here for a few months and has since had family move here from Vietnam so we currently only have one 14 year old student from China living with us.  We will most likely have another placed with us soon.  It has been a joy to host them and it has been a help as well, in that the private school that we host with pays a stipend to us.  With all the added hospital bills this year, plus the cost of private school tuition and an additional teen driver to pay for, this has been an amazing and unique way to see God's providence in our lives.  I am learning to trust Him even more in this area.  Having so much hit as once really caused me to just throw my hands up in the air and cry for help, which really is something I should have been doing all along.  He says that we shouldn't worry and that we should "consider the lilies of the field, they do not labor or spin."  I was worrying far to much and not really resting in Him.  The Bible also says, "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."  Such an easier way to live, if we really strive to fully rest in pursuing Him.  God is good!

In early April I ended up having a strange series of events that led me to the emergency room twice in one week, the final visit culminating in a serious stroke in which I was paralyzed over half my body, and couldn't speak or even understand words.  Also, my vision was crossed.  They ran multiple tests, none were conclusive, although they believe it was related to an allergic reaction to perfume. However, the stroke has had a profound effect on me in that I had a little "vision" or picture of Jesus just calmly holding my hand through it all.  Also, Jennifer and Paul prayed in faith that God would heal me, because God had already confirmed to us through miracles that we were doing the TV show and hosting students, and how could I do any of that with a stroke or crossed vision?  I am 100% recovered, although I'm taking aspirin everyday and trying to hit the gym a bit more, just as a precaution.  I feel so grateful to God for getting through that experience and it helps us all not take things for granted.

At that same time, our family was in the process of transitioning to a new church as well.  We had one foot in our older church and one in the new for a season.  The change in churches was due to some rather interesting things that the Lord was speaking to us.  We felt clearly led to a church called Southlands in Brea, CA (www.southlands.net).  It is a more Charismatic church than the one we were previously attending. As Paul and I both grew up in a Pentecostal church, this has brought us full circle in a way to our roots.

As for the girls, Jennifer is still attending Azusa Pacific University (www.apu.edu) and is currently a Sophomore there.  She is studying graphic design and finds that the workload of her art classes is quite time consuming but she enjoys them.  She lives on campus and got a job printing ID cards for students and faculty.

Jackie is a Junior at Esperanza High School.  She is in her third year of Japanese (and is reasonably fluent) and spent a couple weeks this past Summer in Japan with some of her classmates.  It was a wonderful experience for her and certainly helped broaden her worldview a bit.  Her hobbies still include art and snowboarding.  Each winter she goes up the local mountain with a group called "The Blue Angels ski and snowboard program" and is able to hit the slopes on the weekends for a couple months.

So on that note, Merry Christmas to all of you.  May God bless you this year and provide for you as you put your hand into His.

Love the Reid Family: Paul, Marla, Jennifer & Jackie