the stetlers http://thestetlers.org a journey of faith, hope and love Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:59:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Following Jesus is a radical thing… http://thestetlers.org/2011/04/27/following-jesus-is-a-radical-thing/ http://thestetlers.org/2011/04/27/following-jesus-is-a-radical-thing/#comments Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:12:18 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=596 I mean, really…if we really, really follow him, as in if we use his life as a model for living…living a lifestyle like Jesus, he leads us to do radical things…because that’s what he did.

I love in Luke 6 when he strolls into Galilee…by the “Power of the Spirit”, mind you, and to begin his ministry he drops a spiritual atom bomb into the laps of these poor folks. His message was clear:
He said…first of all…I’m the Messiah…YES! the one you have been waiting for…and second of all, this is what I’m going to do – I’m going to PROCLAIM…the good news to the poor, release for the captives, sight for the blind AND freedom for the oppressed.

And that’s what he did. The rest of Luke is a beautiful picture of this happening…heaven meets earth in the person of Jesus and the kingdom of heaven begins to invade peoples lives…story after story after story.

The truth is, if we really follow Jesus, I believe he will most definitely lead us to the poor, the blind, the sick, the captives, the oppressed…because that’s where he goes and that’s the places that need to be made new. And in making things new through us, he also makes things new in us.
He takes those oppressed parts of our hearts and makes them new…setting us free.

And he sets us free and makes us new by his amazingly overwhelming redemptive grace…

]]> http://thestetlers.org/2011/04/27/following-jesus-is-a-radical-thing/feed/ 2 A celebration… http://thestetlers.org/2011/04/18/a-celebration/ http://thestetlers.org/2011/04/18/a-celebration/#comments Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:41:56 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=599 At the end of each trimester we celebrate the accomplishments that our Bhutanese friends have achieved over the last few months. Whether they are adult English students or in Kids Club we get excited about their achievements and the friendships that develop over the course of these wonderful 12 weeks.

Here are a few photos of this Spring celebration…
221843_559556807333_82200824_31981485_1208051_n 208104_559556732483_82200824_31981483_939280_n 216229_559556862223_82200824_31981487_5302460_n 207225_559556842263_82200824_31981486_1380247_n 207217_559556952043_82200824_31981490_6419984_n 206781_559557056833_82200824_31981494_2910412_n 215218_559557201543_82200824_31981499_1574002_n 208602_559556063823_82200824_31981460_4525312_n 222145_559555859233_82200824_31981454_1782828_n 221699_559555959033_82200824_31981457_4721616_n 216213_559555644663_82200824_31981447_1156349_n Screen shot 2011-04-27 at 7.52.47 PM

photos by sara mcdonald

]]> http://thestetlers.org/2011/04/18/a-celebration/feed/ 0 It’s a boy! http://thestetlers.org/2010/10/24/its-a-boy/ http://thestetlers.org/2010/10/24/its-a-boy/#comments Sun, 24 Oct 2010 21:17:36 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=577 On October 24th, 2010 at around 8:30am our son arrived happy and healthy. Check out the photos…


]]> http://thestetlers.org/2010/10/24/its-a-boy/feed/ 2 Summer Trimester Video http://thestetlers.org/2010/08/30/bhutanese-2010-summer-trimester-video/ http://thestetlers.org/2010/08/30/bhutanese-2010-summer-trimester-video/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 21:14:34 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=575 Check out the video of our 2010 Summer Trimester…


]]> http://thestetlers.org/2010/08/30/bhutanese-2010-summer-trimester-video/feed/ 0 mero sathi http://thestetlers.org/2010/08/08/mero-sathi-my-friend/ http://thestetlers.org/2010/08/08/mero-sathi-my-friend/#comments Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:45:55 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=485 On Monday mornings I get to watch Anna and just about every time she makes it clear that a walk in the neighborhood is essential for her happiness…which is directly related to my sanity. So we go.

And more times than not we find one of her friends. This is at my friend Kumar’s house with his daughter Sanisaru. Anna and Sanisaru are friends. Every time I go, Sanisaru makes sure I know they are friends by pointing to Anna and saying “Mero sathi” (my friend).

…it’s just about the cutest thing ever.

]]> http://thestetlers.org/2010/08/08/mero-sathi-my-friend/feed/ 1 I'm the one Jesus loves http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/24/im-the-one-jesus-loves/ http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/24/im-the-one-jesus-loves/#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:39:28 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=526 I love the stories of King David…Maybe because I was named after him, but maybe just because he carried the God given title of “a man after God’s own heart”. I’m not even sure what that really means, but I know it’s awesome. What a description…to be called a man after God’s own heart. The way he loved God was extravagant.

Reminds me of the apostle John…In the gospel he wrote he was always referring to himself as “the disciple that Jesus loved”. I love this self proclaimed title because it reveals his deep sense and understanding that his identity is only found in the Lord. What an incredible statement to make about yourself…”I’m the one Jesus loves.”

My friends – YOU are the one that Jesus loves and I pray that we would see and know and understand and grasp how wide and how long and how high and how deep is the love of Christ….and that we may know this love that surpasses knowledge.

]]> http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/24/im-the-one-jesus-loves/feed/ 0 first day of school in India http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/12/first-day-of-school-in-india/ http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/12/first-day-of-school-in-india/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:59:17 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=453 My sister, Mel, recently moved to India. You can read about their adventure here – www.murraysinindia.com. Micah and Levi, my wonderful nephews’ first day of school was yesterday…

here they are…ready for anything…Woody in hand and cute as can be. Mel tells me how much the love their school and despite the expected rough spots in this crazy life change, they seem to be doing quite well.

I love these guys…

]]> http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/12/first-day-of-school-in-india/feed/ 0 The Bhutanese Refugee Journey http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/08/the-bhutanese-refugee-journey/ http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/08/the-bhutanese-refugee-journey/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:18:25 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=472 This is a great video of the transition that the bhutanese families face…

]]> http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/08/the-bhutanese-refugee-journey/feed/ 0 Anna and Pramoda http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/05/anna-and-pramoda/ http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/05/anna-and-pramoda/#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:19:59 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=435 Anna and Pramoda sitting on the front step enjoying the breeze…

]]> http://thestetlers.org/2010/07/05/anna-and-pramoda/feed/ 1 my little sweet pea http://thestetlers.org/2010/06/15/my-little-sweet-pea/ http://thestetlers.org/2010/06/15/my-little-sweet-pea/#comments Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:47:41 +0000 davidstetler http://thestetlers.org/?p=404 My friend Jenae took some wonderful pictures of Anna. These are my two favorites – the peaceful and happy…AND the not-so-happy…

It’s amazing how the same little cute face can express the opposite ends of the emotional spectrum in just a matter of moments.

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