I've been told that love means never having to say that you are sorry... well I guess I don't love you all very much because I'm going to say it... I'm sorry for taking so long between posts! I'm going to try and make this as succinct as possible so that you will actually take time out of your valuable day and look at it a little bit.
To quote Dak Prescott... Here we go!
First, I will spare you millions of pictures... and instead give you millions of slide shows... with millions of pictures ;). To start, here is a great compilation of life from November thru the Superbowl... pictures of my Birthday, Christmas, FORT events and much more. I hope you love it!
It was a real joy being home from end of October thru February! I loved the holidays with my family and friends! We had an amazing Talent Show and Silent Auction where God truly blessed us with a great turn out financially! Here is a special treat for you... Asher performing stand up comedy!
I got older and felt loved, the year ended with a bang... mostly from Fireworks... and January brought some really fun cold weather and subsequent time off of school for the kids... and also a call back to the great COVID days where FORT was on Zoom. Fun stuff! January also continued the tradition of the Cowboys valiantly taking an immediate play off exit and me going through my favorite January tradition of anger and frustration at a great season that ended poorly, only to greatly anticipate a Chiefs Superbowl win and then more very well founded hopes that this next year is in fact the Cowboys year, I've only been off by one year for the past 20 years... it's like the Tomorrow song... it's only a season away :).
Boston!
This trip was the first in a two-part trip where I would be away from home for a very long time. It was great to have Diane with me for the first part, and great to leave her behind for the second... no, not really :). It felt favored and anointed. God used His people to lavish us with love and the whole trip was so much fun, from touring Boston to sharing my messages on storms in New Hampshire. It was so much fun to be able to have Diane there to talk through my sermons with and debrief afterwards and the generosity of the church was incredible!
I miss my cousin and his family so much! Jordan picked me up at the airport and the rest was just awesome. So incredible to be back in the place I great up in. Everywhere had a memory, from my first kiss, to breaking my arm (similar experiences... no, not really). My cousin lives in the house I lived in when I was there in High School, and I was able to get to know his precious family so well. There were so many moments where I was hanging out with him and another great friend I went to HS with and felt so blessed to be back with such good friends. You can't make "old friends" and there is nothing like them; we don't keep in touch, we just pick up where we left off.
I did a Men's Retreat to start and then did the Spiritual Retreat for my RFIS. I loved going to school with Jordan and living the day with him! He's the Athletic Director, PE Teacher and co-founder of Petrichor (a soccer club). He's busy, full of life, full of God and great at making coffee. It was a joy to get a real taste of his life. The messages were received so well! I got great street food, was harrased by police, went canoeing on the river... it was awesome!
There were lots of highlights, but two things really stand out...
1. I told the kids I love Way Maker... 3 of them sang it during Karaoke!
2. I talked about a challenge I do here in the U.S. called 20/20 Bringing God into Focus. 20 minutes a day of concentrated prayer for 20 days. One of the teachers challenged the whole school to do this!
My flight was cancelled and that gave me one extra day in a place that feels like home with people I love! It was so special.
It was great getting home after all that time away and then I was thrown right back into the thick of things with a FORT campout and then training the next week. I was really tired by the time it was finished and have still been seeking rest where I can find it. Spring is here and the mowing has begun. I love working in my garden and listening to interesting things while I mow!
The Campout!
It was really special to have me whole family there for part of the time! What a great trip! I love working with these amazing MKs!
Well, I hope you liked this format... I don't know that I will always be the slide show guy, but for this one it felt appropriate. I encourage you to get a hold of me if you want to hear more about any of these adventures. I have included my sermons so that you can get a taste of what God has been doing in my life lately. I'm looking forward to sharing these messages here as well. It feels good being used in the Kingdom... and I recognize that I couldn't' do any of this without YOU! Thanks for your financial support and your spiritual support. I feel you with me while I'm out there, and while I'm here too! Spurring me on and encouraging and comforting me along the way.
I'm about to head out again, this time to Uganda! Please pray for that trip to go well. Also please pray for the ministry here, one of our families lost a 19-year-old child and we are all grieving.
Thanks for your faithful partnership!
Blessings,
Caleb
If you want to support what I do a little or a lot, on a one time basis or with recurring gifts, the easiest was is to use Zelle. You can follow this link zellepay or scan the code below. That will start the process of getting you set up to use Zelle with your bank or If you already use Zelle it will direct you to the banking app you use and give you instructions from there. To send me money use my email caleb_robbins@sil.org. If you would like any help setting that up feel free to contact me directly! 214 558 8431.
Another way to donate to the ministry if Zelle isn't an option is via check. If you write a check to "Holy Cross Lutheran Church" and put "Caleb Robbins Ministry" in the memo line, it will get deposited into my ministry account. If you would rather set up a bill pay or have any other questions you can call the Church at 817-451-7561. Let them know you want to Support Caleb Robbins and his ministry serving Missionary Kids.
The address is:
Holy Cross Lutheran Church
4400 W Arkansas Ln
Arlington, TX 76016
Diane is my beautiful wife and the mother of my precious children Creed 16, Asher 14, Liam 12, Echo already in heaven, Bella 9, and Serenity 7 years old.
