Fall 2008

Well it's been awhile since we have updated so here are some events that have been taking place. Since August we have celebrated Birthdays, Wedding Showers, Harvest Festivals, Pumpkin Carvings, Scrapbooking Parties, and then last weekend a Wedding.

Zane and I took our family to the Harvest Festival in Mount Airy. We enjoy looking at the different crafts and inventions. We also enjoyed smelling the different foods represented.

The Lord has been doing a great work in our life over the past few months. We are grateful for every experience whether joyful or difficult. We have enjoyed our time together with family and friends.

I invited some girls over to do a pumpkin carving from our Sunday School class. It was my first time using a pattern.

Zane and I had the special treat of our friend Jordan taking our pictures outside our little rental house. We truly felt blessed. She took some cool pics and we had fun listening to her suggestions for new poses.

This is where Zane is at his happiest - Rest and Relaxation. :)

This is our friend Jordan and her baby Lily. We had a great time of fellowship with them both. It was a beautiful Autumn day.

Zane and I just love the Fall time with it's beautiful colors and crisp cold air it's just so refreshing.

Fun Filled Weekend

August was filled with many weekends going back home to Winston-Salem. Zane was in a wedding and well I helped my sister with a yard sale. It was none stop the whole time with trying to be apart of wedding activities as well as setting up for the yard sale. I am so thankful the Lord gave us strength to get through and allowed us to have such a good weekend. The yard sale went great and we are so thankful for everything we were able to get rid a lot of things and at the same time make some money. Doing a yard sale is hard work but it's kinda fun at the same time to meet new people and hear different stories. Sorry, I don't have any pictures of that event I was too busy bargaining :). As for the wedding it was a beautiful time and reminder of how the Lord brings two people to get together. It's also sweet as a married couple to be reminded of your vows to each other and to remember that special day that you shared as husband and wife. Zane had a great time and I enjoyed just being there with him. They had a beautiful reception and wonderful food. It was so nice to share this special occasion. I am sorry I don't have more pictures of the couple they all came out blurry. I think our next investment is a good digital camera.

A Special Weekend

This past weekend I was able to go back home and visit my family. I was so excited to be able to see my niece and nephew again. I am especially close to Rebekah who is going to be 5 in September. She is a sweet little girl whom I am very thankful for!

Zane spent a day with us at the pool and then he was off to go camping with a group of guys in the mountains of NC. We hung out at Tanglewood Pool and enjoyed a picnic in the park. Rebekah loves her Uncle Zane. One of the sweetest things that happend while he was gone camping was that she asked to pray for him and for his safety after we got snuggled into bed. After finishing her prayer she just had tears flowing down her face and I asked if she missed Zane and she just noded her little face. It reminded me of how God cares for every little prayer we pray and answers when we have that child-like faith. Oh, how convicting that was to my heart and humbling to remember my Lord cares for every little prayer! We praise the Lord that Zane made is home safely!

It was such a good weekend to catch up with family and for Zane to experience to a real camping challenge. Zane went camping with a friend of his from Winston-Salem. They all had such a wondeful time together. There were a lot of laughs and well more laughs from the weekend experience.

Our Family Vacation

Zane and I enjoy going on vacation with both of our families. This summer we went with his family to Holden Beach were they have a place. It truly was a refreshing time to get away and find some rest. Zane was also able to spend quality time with Yury, the orphan teen they adopt each summer. They truly had a blast together. They were also able to go fishing at the beach and I was so proud when my honey caught a fish.

Meghan was also able to come and hang out with. She is getting married in November so it was special to have her there. Zane, Yury, and Meghan had a great time together.

And, well here I am with my float ready to relax in the waters of the Atlantic. I was also able to do some scrapbooking as well as spend some precious time doing my Beth Moore study.

Here is my wonderful husband carrying all kinds of stuff for me to the beach. He is such a kind hearted man that never complains about doing the dirty work. I am very thankful for Zane!

Zane and I truly had a blessed time together. It has been so sweet to have him out of school. It's so nice to go on vacation and to see him enjoy himself and not have to worry about papers/exams. I think we are finally experiencing a married life b/c the first two years of our marriage Zane was a full-time student at Southeastern and well it was a challenge. We are thankful to the Lord for His amazing strength through out the whole process.

Here is the whole Styers' clan except for Zachary. We had such a wonderful time eating some of the best seafood in Calabash, NC.

A Good Looking Man

I just wanted to take time to praise my husband for all his hard work over the past couple of weeks. Zane is a hard worker and does not complain in doing it. I love you, Honey and appreciate everything you do for us. He was also able to work with some of the college students in repairing our home and that was a great time for him and the rest of them. I gave them all a special treat of popsicles and well they were all excited about their treat it was so funny to hear them ask me for cherry and not grape.

Our College & Career Retreat

Ridgecrest Conference Center in Asheville, North Carolina

Zane and I have the great opportunity to work with some wonderful college & career students at our church in Wake Forest, NC - Richland Creek Community Church. This is also where I work as an administrative assistant. We have come to love our church and the staff that I work with. We truly enjoy the ministry that God has placed before us in discipling these students. We were able to go to Ridgecrest for our retreat. There were some challenging moments the week before we left - I got sick with Strep throat and by God's strength alone I was able to start feeling well enough to go and be apart of this trip. I saw God's wonderful hand with the whole planning process and the trip. The students that were able to go had such a wonderful time. On Saturday we were all able to go white water rafting which was extremely fun and beautiful.
Most of the students had never been which was a lot of fun for them. There were some moments of fear as I tried to keep my husband from falling out of the boat - the guide told me to let go and I was thankful he did b/c if I would have kept holding on Zane would have got hurt really bad. God is always doing what's good for us even when we don't understand. There were so many lessons we all learned that day which made the trip more impacting.

Zane also had the opportunity to lead worship with one of the students. He truly enjoys leading people to worship our Lord in Spirit and in Truth! It was some sweet time of fellowship and Bible study. There were also many opportunities to just act silly and laugh. God has grown us both so much in working with this class and teaching us about true love and discipleship for His people!

Farm Living Is The Life For Us

Well it has been an exciting these past few weeks for us since we received the news that we will be taking care of three boys - animals that is not children. The first bull is named Randy and then Zane and I decided to name the other two so they would not feel left out - one is named Bernie and the other one Howard. It’s been pretty fun watching these guys eat and drink and then eat some more and then they walk around and then eat again. We are responsible for making sure they get plenty of water every day. Zane has tried to make friends with Randy but he’s pretty stubborn. Zane and I have really enjoyed living out here and experiencing animals that you never heard before because of all the city traffic. The Lord has really blessed us and we are so grateful for His kindness.