Actions Speak Louder

Download "Actions Speak Louder" tomorrow on iTunes! 100% of the proceeds go to His Voice Global to build a fourth orphanage in Southern Sudan. 250,000 downloads will build the orphanage and make it self sufficient. Spend $1, download a cool song, help build an orphanage.  Tell your friends.

Nella Answers Catechism Questions

Nella has been learning the catechism as a part of Redeemer Church's children's program.  We work on it at home during the week and the children review it together on Sunday morning at church.

What the heck is a catechism, you ask?  According to our children's ministry literature, catechism is an anglicized version of the Greek word,  katekeo, which simply means, "to instruct."  The word has come to be known as a style of instruction that teaches the essentials of the Christian faith.

It's a series of memorized questions and answers meant to give someone a general overview of biblical theology.  If you're interested in learning more about it, Desiring God Ministries has a great overview as well as the Baptist Catechism, here.

Anyway, one night I recorded Nella answering the first 10 questions.  She and Silas were in the bathtub, which should explain the splashes and screeches.  I figured at least Granny and Nana would get a kick out of it.  Kid's capacity to learn and memorize is incredible.  Nella is 2 and 1/2.

You'll have to download the audio file because I cannot figure out how to embed it into the post.  Sorry.

Nella & The First 10 Catechism Questions.m4a

Christmas Clothes

We got the kids all gussied up for the Christmas service at church this morning. We snapped a few pictures before Nella got crayon on her sweater and Silas puked all over his outfit.

Aren't they just the sweetest little people!?

Somebody please tell this girl to stop growing up, because she is not listening to us!

Dancing in her fancy dress. Silas was amused.

So handsome.

Caleb Billingsley, Master of Divinity

Caleb has officially graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary! We traveled to Louisville last week for the ceremony, where he received his Master's degree. He has worked so hard, and I couldn't be more proud of him!

While in town, we were able to visit with some dear friends. (Jonathan & family, Carrie & family, Stephanie & Brian & family, Stephen, and more) We love and miss them and enjoyed catching up. Thanks, friends, for making time for us.

We attended a reception at The Mohler's home. We especially enjoyed wandering through Dr. Mohler's personal library.

"Hey, I've read this one!"

Every SBTS graduate has got to get one of these classic pictures.

We stayed in a hotel with Caleb's parents and my parents. Nella had a blast!

The ceremony was incredible. You can read, or listen, to Dr. Mohler's commencement address and charge to graduates here.

Sea of graduates.

Nella was a good girl during the entire ceremony. Ok, we totally bribed her with her pacis. But, still, she was a very good little girl!

Our happy family!

But, uh-oh! There was a little bitty problem with Caleb's diploma. . .

let's zoom on in here . . .

Yep. We're definitely missing an 'e' in there. Yikes! He'll have to wait a month or two to receive the corrected diploma.

Mixed Feelings from Keli Billingsley on Vimeo.

Redeemer Newsletter

Also, you can listen to Caleb's sermon by going to redeemerchurchCU.com, clicking 'Sermons' and launching the sermon player.

Redeemer Newsletter - September-October 2009

To Illinois

In case you haven't heard, we are moving (back) to Illinois this weekend. We'll be making our new home in Champaign-Urbana (probably best known for this). Caleb will work full-time with the education program at Cunningham Children's Home as a teacher's assistant. However, our main purpose for relocating is to join the core team of Redeemer Church (website coming soon), a new church in Champaign-Urbana. We'll miss our Louisville friends, church, and SBTS like crazy. But we're so excited for the opportunity to learn about starting a new church and we can't wait to see how God will bless Redeemer.

We look forward to keeping you all posted on our new ministry in Illinois.

Church Dress

This adorable dress has done some traveling. I believe it started here (a true southerner!), then was passed here (to some midwesterners!) until it was handed down to us. That makes this sweet smocked dress even sweeter! We'll pass it along too. Anyway, here are some pictures of Nella before church this morning.