Dear Family and Friends,

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

I was hoping to be able to send out a letter and update on all that God has and is doing in our family, but knowing that will not be possible to get out in time for Christmas....again....I wanted to at least send an email. So don't drop us from you letter lists yet!! haha!

We hope as you spend time with family and, hopefully, get a little time to slow down and enjoy the season that you also take time to think about all that Christmas truly stands for....God loved us all so very much that He willingly sent His only perfect Son, Jesus, to be born a helpless baby, to live a perfect life and offer Himself as the only perfect sacrifice and payment for our sins. None of us is perfect, none of us has or can achieve God's standard of pure and holy. We all stand condemned because of this. The Bible says the penalty for our sins is death. BUT GOD is so amazing! God's love made a way for us to be made right with Him. Jesus was our substitute - He paid the price when He died on the cross and then He won for us all eternity when He rose again! The Bible says "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." John 3:16-18 

Dear friends, don't overlook the significance of this holiday we celebrate. God has offered us the gift of salvation from eternal hell. He has offered to us His love and friendship. If we will simply humble ourselves, repent and turn from our sins and believe in His Son Jesus - the ONLY way, we will enjoy peace with God and eternity in a world made free from sin and death. John 14:6 says, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" And Revelation 21:1-4 "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'

This is the best gift ever given and the one gift we pray you will receive! Don't put it off! Our time here on this earth is so short and you have eternity waiting, where will you choose to spend it?

And now for our news! We've been here in Iowa 3 years now! Time flies! And yes, we still love it here! We are continually amazed at God's goodness and how he chooses to allow us to be a part of His great plan and work!  If you're ever traveling this way let us know as we'd love to have you drop in. 

Jeff has been busy this year helping the leadership team revise our church bylaws. That was a HUGE job and he was working with a great team of people that all spent hours going over things, updating, modifying and correcting things. Jeff has also discovered early mornings this year...something he did not believe existed before! He is definitely a night owl and does his best work late at night but he has bravely faced many very early mornings this year. :)

Josh pretty much topped the charts of big news this year when he proposed to his girlfriend, Ariel. She said yes to that proposal and they are planning a June wedding. We love Ariel and are thankful for the beautiful woman God has brought into Josh's life. We look forward to all that He has for the two of them as they begin life together next year.

Michael was right behind Josh in big news earlier this year when he graduated high school. He was thrilled when a couple of his buddies from Texas were able to come for his graduation. Michael has been taking his first year of college online through Moody Bible's correspondence program. He is doing very well holding down a job, plus a couple "extra" jobs here and there as well as a full load of school work. He looks forward to moving out to Chicago next fall.

Abigail turned 16 this summer, spent a month in Colorado with all the grandparents, finished her seasonal job at the ice cream shop and started another job at a little cafe in town. She got her drivers permit and is about to get her license. Changes...changes!!

David likes to keep busy. He loves mowing the yard on the riding mower - a job which Jeff and I try not to complain about having to give up...haha! David still loves LEGO building and is often found building something that he thinks up on his own. He loves being a part of the youth group and especially hanging out riding bikes or something with his friends.

Anna and David stretched the most this year and so now she is the only one who is still shorter than mom....and only by an inch or two! Anna loves being outside. This year our cat had kittens and Anna spent LOTS of time outside with the babies. She is our critter kid and loves all things small and furry....yes, even mice. :) Anna joined the junior high youth group this summer and has enjoyed being back with her best friends for Sunday school classes and youth group. She also joined her siblings in being a helper/leader at AWANA and helps out with the 1st graders. 

I (Angie) tried making and selling my crochet in a cute shop in town this year. I sold a few things but handmade selling is not what it used to be and so wasn't able to sell enough to keep my spot. I do love to crochet but am resigning myself to making for enjoyment rather than to be helpful! Then this month a friend discovered a trend that is hot right now and I'm making and selling LOTS of hats....with holes in the top! They are called Messy Bun Hats and are especially for people with lots of hair that like to wear their bun outside the top of the hat! haha! I thought it was sort of silly at first but several ladies have said how they've not ever been really able to wear winter hats because of their hair not working inside one and so they really like these! So....hats with holes it is!  

I've also enjoyed being involved with our women's ministry at church and getting to know some of the ladies better. 

We enjoyed a nice big garden this year and lots of produce to enjoy fresh and put away for this winter. Jeff finished cutting down the trees that were dying planted a few new ones. We sold the pool - too much work/cost - and now have a giant space in the yard to decide what to do with! So! Come see us in Iowa sometime! June - September are the BEST months in my opinion!

Merry Christmas!!!

Love to you all from;

The Niles Clan

Jeff, Angie, Joshua (and Ariel :), Michael, Abigail, David and Anna