Jordan Family Christmas 2007

Tim and I went home to PA this Christmas. We spent the first half of Christmas day with my family and the second half with his family. We had a wonderful time with both the Jordan and the Baylor families. Here are some pictures of Christmas with my family.  The Baylor family Christmas will follow in an upcoming post.

"Christmas Past" - 2006 Christmas party

Here you all are a year later!

"Christmas Past" - 2005 Christmas party

Tim and I were talking the other day about how we had such a fun time with all of our friends in VA Beach at our annual Christmas party.  Just wanted to take a minute and say Merry Christmas to all of our friends in VA.  We miss you and love you so much!  Hey maybe next year you can all come out to Chicago... there is sure it be SNOW :O

Remember the Persecuted Church

A few Sundays ago, I attended a "Christmas Card Writing Party" for the Persecuted church. I went thinking that I was just going to go, eat some cookies, write some cards and leave, but that was not exactly the case. As I read Prisoner Profile after Prisoner Profile, my heart became broken for these believers in all parts of the world who are persecuted for their faith.

Here is one such profile:

Prisoner Name: Y Wo Nie
Location: Vietnam
Arrested: August 2004

Pastor YWo Nie was arrested August 18, 2004 for leading a demonstration demanding more religious freedom and the release of property confiscated by the Vietnamese government. He received a nine - year sentence. His family has not been able to visit him.

My heart could not shake the fact that I complain because we cannot go out to dinner more often or buy more things around the holidays, when these believers are in a cold, dark, lonely prison cell because of their faith in Jesus Christ!

Let's pray, write, and support the persecuted church - not only this holiday season, but throughout the year!

To find more information about these prisoners and their situations, go to PrisonerAlert.com

Update on Katie

For the latest update on Katie, click here to go to her blog and read her latest post. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. You are a blessing!

Need Some Jewelry for Christmas?

I wanted to get the word out there that I am making jewelry right now. If you are looking for a good Christmas gift for a friend, co-worker, sister or mother; jewelry just might be the best idea. I have included some pictures of what I have ready to go already. But I can always complete an order if you have a different idea. I should have no problem getting it to you before Christmas. Just contact me via e-mail. My e-mail address is juliebaylor@gmail.com. Feel free to e-mail and ask me any questions that you might have. I can even wrap it for you or send it in a gift bag.

Pray for Katie Barker

Tim and Katie came to visit this past weekend. We had a wonderful time with them. But Friday night Katie's eye started to really hurt and water alot. The pain got so extreme through the night that she went to go visit a doctor here in Chicago. They gave her drops for her eye and told her that it was an "Ulcer of the eye" The pain got better, but her eye began to swell. Tim drove them home and they immediately went to the emergency room and then to a specialist. I don't know all of the details, but I know that they are concerned about her vision. PLEASE PRAY that she will be ok and that her vision will not be affected. She then went downtown to John's Hopkins. They said there was an infection. They created an eyedrop especially for her. They are very strong adn she takes them every hour- even through the night. She has to go back for a daily follow up. Right now she can't really see anything out of that eye. She won't know anything for sure about her vision for a few weeks. There is a concern of permanant scaring.

Again please pray for strength and wisdom for Tim and Katie.
I will try to update you when I hear anything more from Tim.

Thank you for your prayers and support. I know it means a lot to them right now.