Dear friends and family, 

Merry Christmas from Keystone, South Dakota!!

It has been quite some time since we’ve updated you on life and ministry.  The last 9 months have taken us from one extreme to another.  The adventure has been tough, at times, yet sweet because all the Lord is doing in us.  He is deeply loving us and holding us as we press into Him.  Moving twice in the last 7 months is on the list of LEAST favorite things to do. Seriously. However, GOD IS SO GOOD!!

Our time in Houston was by far the most stretching season for us as a family, yet we LOVED ministering there with the Keystone Project Team.  We know that we know that God sent us to Houston ~ to learn more about completely trusting Him to be our provider.  We learned many lessons and have some incredible memories from being in Houston.  There are many new things at the Ortmann home ~ we live in a new town with a different climate, in a different state, in a different house, and new responsibilities.  We are looking forward to a new year.

We’ve been in Keystone, South Dakota for 2 months now.  We are constantly overwhelmed by the Lord’s abundant blessing.  If we started to write out ALL the Lord has provided and done for us, it would be never ending.  When we arrived in SD, we thoroughly enjoyed the fall season.  Now our kiddos are loving the snow….and the new normal of deer and turkey in the yard.  We live in the Black Hills National Forest on an amazing piece of property with a beautiful creek, trees, huge boulders, etc…..And we’re only 2 miles from Mt. Rushmore ~ so come visit!

Suzie is still home schooling ~ Bailey is 16 and a junior, Riley is 14 and in 8^th grade, Kale is 12 in 6^th and Kolton is 7 and in 2^nd grade.  One of Suzie’s favorite things (Christmas music is also a fave)is reading Christmas cards/letters…..so bring ‘em on.

Stuart’s responsibilities with The Keystone Project have changed a little with our move from Houston, TX to Keystone, SD.  He now spends his days working on the Keystone Ministry Center getting it ready to use for conferences and discipleship training events.  It is a enormous blessing to be able to work side by side with his twin brother ~ which hasn’t happened for over 20 years.

We are so anticipating opening of the gifts under our tree.  Even more than that, we’re anticipating celebrating JESUS’ birthday.  We acknowledge that everything we have comes from the Lord.  The greatest gift ever given was the gift of eternal life.  Our prayer for you is that you will seek after the Lord and experience the one and ONLY TRUE GOD.  It really is all about Jesus!!  Happy Birthday Jesus! Hugs……

Celebrating HIS Birth

The Ortmann family

Stuart & Suzie

Bailey, Riley, Kale and Kolton

our new normal...a big ol' post

from 5.7 million in Houston to 311 in Keystone....
I could literally write a book on all GOD did in and through us while we were in Houston......but suffice it to say that we have been taught to trust in GOD and GOD alone as our provider.  We have drawn even closer to Him in the midst of truly relying on and clinging to Him as He provides.

In February this year, God called us to simplify and moved us to HOUSTON, TEXAS to be a part of a team of disciple-making people with a desire to see the nations be touched for Jesus.  To make a very long story, short...we moved into an apartment with approximately 1100 sq feet.  We experienced apartment living - to say the least.  Our prayers were to affect the people in our apartment complex for Jesus.  As God brought people and their needs to our hearts, we attempted to obey what the spirit was leading us in daily.
As our 6 month lease was coming to an end, it was very clear to us that the Lord was moving us on to South Dakota for ministry and a job for Stu.  God shut EVERY door for a job for Stu in Houston.  But,  as we continued to pray for a job, this job became available here in Keystone.  A door WIDE open because GOD opened it for us.  He also opened the door for Stu's twin brother, Stan and Ferral and Amber to be here with us....WE ARE BEYOND THANKFUL TO BE HERE!!

 Our new address as of October 15th: 402 Cemetery Rd.,  Keystone, South Dakota 57751

 this is right out our back door....these colors greeted us when we arrived in Keystone. LOVE

 this awesome creek runs right through our yard and my boys LOVE it!  Also, deer and turkey are a new normal in our lives because they roam free around these parts ~ a national forest. LOVE

On my birthday in October, we went to Mt Rushmore, which happens to be

2 miles from our house!

 

Bailey~16, Riley~14, Kale~12, Kolton~7

 We took a fall drive after Mt Rushmore in the Black Hills

 

Notice NO MORE GLASSES....for our 23rd wedding anniversary, we did the ultimate romantic thing and got LASIK done. Yes please.  We both LOVE not having to wear glasses anymore. So nice.

 

Happy Birthday to me ~ they surprised me with my favorite!

My guys hiking around Harney Peak not far from our house....Kale is 12 and Kolt is 7

 

my man LOVING being outside

 

Friday afternoon - the 18th of November - it started to snow and hasn't stopped....

as of 4:45 pm on Saturday, we have about 14 inches of beautiful fluff.

This massive building is in Keystone, also, and happens to be what Stuart does 40+ hours a week.  It is the Keystone Project Ministry Center.  He and his brother are working together to finish the inside of this place....

We're ALL enjoying being here.  Our kiddos are not liking packing and moving any more than we do but all 4 of them know that this has been God's will for our family.  And all of our kids want to obey God's will for their lives.  Blessings and hugs...

seriously??

it has been a very long 6 months since I last put anything on here.  SO much has happened in our lives this year.  and I mean ALOT !!!  God has been so gracious and pruning us of ourselves ~ stripping us, refining us....STRETCHING us....my hope is to share the short version of the process and how God called us to be in HOUSTON, HOT TEXAS.  no pictures today, just sayin hi again.  God is so good and we are praising HIM....



hugs to you...

Luke 2:8-20 (NLT)

That night, there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared among them and the radiance of the Lord surrounded them.  They were terrified, but the angel reassured them,  "Do not be afraid," he said.  "I bring you good news that will be great joy to ALL people.  The Savoir - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recongnize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snuggly in strips of cloth lying in a manger."Suddenly, the angel waas joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven -

praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom god is pleased."

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other,

"Let's go to Bethlehem!  Let's go see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph.  And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.  All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.  The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.  It was just as the angel told them.

Merry Christmas!!

hugs to you...

fall family pictures 2010...

family pictures taken by our neice, ellissa, in arkansas.....

bailey ~ 15

riley ~ 13

kale ~ 11

kolton ~ 6

WE ARE COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS THIS THANKSGIVING....
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU...

HE IS RISEN, indeed!!

it's about the resurrection. it's about Jesus dying for our sins and raising from the dead on the third day. ultimate love. ultimate sacrifice. for us. my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. happy easter!!

we always have so much fun making eggs this time of year. i try to make sure our conversation is focused on the reality of what Jesus did for us. so creative. see...

a few months ago, this tree was covered in white, fluffy snow. but now my beautiful tree is showing off. spring is definitely here...

just have to put a disclaimer in here and remind you that 99% of the pictures on my blog are taken by my daughter, bailey....she is often seen with the camera in her hot little hands. she.loves.taking.pictures....and i appreciate her for it...

hugs to you...