a busy-ish fall

so its been a rather jam packed fall. youth retreats, counseling sessions, family stuff...etc. so i will begin by stating that i (malachi) started a new job in early November, working at a recycling center in Grand rapids. i strip electronics down to plastic, metal, and computer chips. it is an amazing blessing. i have a believing boss who actually lets his faith have an impact on his daily life. this has been a great encouragment to me. also this is allowing us financially to begin looking toward the future and saving for the MTC. praise the Lord for this provision. Shiloh is growing like a weed, and has recently begun the exciting adventure that is teething. this has been a challenge for Kara. however she has also begun to interact with us a lot more and that makes being parents much more fun.

for the last few months i have been interning @ Kent City Baptist church. this has been a great time of growth for as i now have accountability and assignments to keep me reading books as well as in the word.

well its thanksgiving and our guests just arrived and ill have to finish later.

happy thanksgiving all

Shiloh all bundled up and ready to go on a walk with her daddy.
Micah (karas brother) had just shot a deer, so we dressed Shiloh up for the occasion
Last time we were in Indiana we were able to reconnect with some good friends, the Howells, Daileys and McQuades.

September Update

Shiloh:

Shiloh is now over 2 months old and she is continuing to grow, stay healthy, and still fascinate us with her smiles, expressions and little squeaks and coos. She had her 2 month check-up last week and she is now a whopping 10 pounds 3 ounces and 23 inches long. She is staying healthy except for a mark on her shoulder that is swollen and filled with blood, which we are getting checked out by a pediatrician next Wednesday. She has been given 2 lovely baby showers since I last wrote, one by First Baptist church in Mentone, IN and one by Kent City Baptist here in Michigan. We are so thankful for everyone's support, encouragement, and generosity!

Malachi:

Malachi is continuing to work for Tender Lawn Care, but keeping an eye out for more permanent and regular work for this fall and winter. He has had one interview and will have another this week, so please pray for wisdom as he considers other jobs. Right now he is getting pretty busy preparing for church activities and is involved in a men's Bible study on Monday nights as well as one on Friday morning. I have enjoyed watching him get involved wholeheartedly and to see him being an encouragement to those around him. Malachi is preparing lessons to be able to teach a course on Genesis, so please pray for clarity for him and that he will be able to organize his thoughts well and in a way that is understandable.

Malachi had an endoscopy a few weeks ago because of his stomach pain, everything came back ok, but he is still trying to figure out ways to control the pain and hopefully heal his esophagus and stomach. Right now we are trying a diet without meat (except for fish) and it seems to be helping some, but my carnivorous husband sure isn't enjoying it! He has another doctors appointment on Friday and hopefully the doc will have some more ideas of stuff we can try for Malachi's discomfort.

Karalise:

I'm staying at home with Shiloh right now, and though I thought I would get bored, I definitely am not! I've been staying very busy with nursing, changing poopy diapers, cooking, and some cleaning. I just started 2 ladies Bible studies which I am enjoying and it has been a great way to get to know some of the women in our church. I've also had a few opportunities to build some new friendships with ladies my age and I'm so thankful for the new friends God has given me. We both just started helping out with Youth group at Kent City Baptist (the church we attend and where Malachi went before we were married) and are looking forward to getting to know the teens better and building relationships with them. Life has been very busy lately so please pray that I will be organized and also flexible as things change. My headaches have been a lot worse this past week, so please pray for pain relief and that I won't take out any of my frustration on Mac.

Traveling to IN:

We were able to go down to IN this past weekend and really enjoyed seeing family and friends! Malachi took Micah (my 15 year old brother) hunting and was able to witness him shoot a button buck. We dressed Shiloh up in camouflage in honor of the occasion. :)

We also got to see all 3 of my close friends from high school along with their husbands and babies. We all got married and started having babies in the last 2 years, so that was fun! It was also great to be able to see friends from church that we haven't seen in several months, though we wish we would've have more time to visit with everyone.

Well a very cute little person just woke up wanting to eat, so I will have to post more, along with our pictures from this weekend at a later date...

Thanks for your prayers and interest!

Karalise (and Malachi and Shiloh)

wrong address...oops

So I was a bit sleep deprived when I updated our blog last and I typed in the wrong address. Our actual address is:

14166 Division Ave

Cedar Springs, MI 49319

Unpacking:

Things are going well although they are challenging as we continue to adjust to Shiloh and get settled in. We still have a few boxes to unpack and some stuff still stored at Malachi's parents house that we need to bring over here.

Work:

Malachi is still working doing lawn care, but he really does not like the job and it doesn't look like they will be able to keep him on for the winter snow removal crews, so he is looking for other work. He has applied for 2 post office jobs and will be taking the test for those within the next 2 weeks. please be praying as he studies for the tests and that the Lord will provide a job for him that Malachi enjoys and allows us to save more for our next phase of training.

Shiloh:

Shiloh is just over 1 month now, she is gaining weight well and staying healthy. Her tummy seems to bother her a lot in the evenings though as she has been VERY fussy/screaming in the evenings and at night. Please pray that the Lord would give us patience and wisdom as we deal with her and that we would be able to find ways to give her little tummy some relief from her discomfort. She is slowly starting to be more alert during the day and sleep a little more at night so her mama is very thankful for that. She is a little one with very definite opinions of what she does and does not like and she lets us know exactly when she wants to eat, wants changed and burped. She loves showers, baths, being held, music, bouncing, and being upright so she can see everything going on around her. She does not like taking naps in a room by herself, getting dressed, or being laid down when there is someone around to hold her. (In fact this post is taking quite a while to write as Shiloh keeps deciding that is not enough to lay next me, she wants me to hold her.)

Traveling:

Two weekends ago we had the privilege of attending two special events. The first was the 50th wedding Anniversary of my (kara's) Grandpa and Grandma Buck. It was so neat to be able to celebrate with them their 50 years of faithfulness, not many couples stay married for that long anymore and their example is a huge encouragement to us. They were able to celebrate with all of their kids and all but one of their grandchildren who is in Mexico on a missions trip. Shiloh loved all the attention and being constantly held. This is Shiloh with Great-grandma Buck.

The second was Malachi's brother Jared's wedding. We actually didn't make it to the wedding (cuz of driving back from IN) but the reception was great and Jared's bride Lisa looked gorgeous! We had fun hanging out with family and Mac and his brothers got some pretty entertaining pictures at the photo booth. Grandma Dee had fun showing off her little grandbaby to all the friends and fam that Shiloh hadn't met yet.

Mrs Shunk:

Wile we were in Indiana for Grandpa and Grandpa's50th, we were able to stop by and see a very special friend and prayer warrior. I have known Mrs Shunk since Jr High when my youth group used to go and do yard work for the elderly women in our church. Since then she has faithfully prayed for me and now also Malachi and Shiloh. Mrs Shunk is in her late nineties and is an amazing and godly woman, it was an honor to be able to introduce our daughter to her and to be able to visit with her for a few hours! we left her apartment very encouraged and excited as she is such a godly example and the love of Christ flows through her to those she talks to. Here's a picture of Shiloh and Mrs Shunk.

Well, Shiloh finally fell asleep so I need to run and get some dishes done before she wants to eat again! Thanks for all your prayers!

Malachi, Karalise, and Shiloh Pratt

Shiloh Eliana:

Shiloh was born on July 15th at 9:00pm, her due date. She is almost on month old now and is doing great. Malachi and I are enjoying being new parents although we are definitely very tired. She has gained over a pound since she was born and 3/4 of an inch. Having a new baby has definitely brought quite a few new changes. Malachi and I are both learning how to multitask better and we do not take the time that we get together for granted. I didn't realize just how much time and energy a new baby would take. It seems that just feeding Shiloh takes the majority of my time. Malachi is still working hard for Tender Lawn Care and he also helps quite a bit with Shiloh when he is home in the evenings. She loves her Daddy and still responds to his voice when she hears him get home from work.

House:

We were very blessed in that one week after Shiloh was born a woman from our church contacted us about a house that we could rent. She is giving us a great deal and we are so thankful to have a two bedroom house out in the country with lots of space. Our new address is:

16144 Division Ave

Cedar Springs MI 49319

We are still unpacking and getting settled in, this move is taking quite a bit longer now that we have a new member of our family who seems to want quite a bit of attention and she is just so cute that we can't seem to leave her alone. :)

We are really enjoying being in the GR area and its really nice to be so close to Malachi's family. We've been enjoying being able to spend time with them and I really like the opportunity to get to know everyone better. We are also enjoying going to Kent City Baptist Church although we have not been able to get involved there yet, though we are hoping to soon!

Thanks for your prayers!

Love,

Mac, Kara, and Shiloh Pratt

Malachi has a job!

Work:The last few weeks have been busy, but we have also gotten some much needed time to rest up after the craziness of the last few weeks of school and moving. Most of Malachi's time has been taken with searching for full time work in the Grand rapids area and also for a house (we are staying with his parents until we find something). He has found full time work at "Tender Lawn Care" and today is his second day there. we are very thankful for how God has provided! He is doing landscaping, lawn mowing, etc so its nice that it is something that is not completely new for him to learn.

Still looking for a house:

Please keep praying that we will find a house now that he has work nailed down and we have a better idea of what we will be able to afford and yet still save money for our next phase of training at the Missions Training Center in Missouri. Some of our friends and family helped us move our stuff from Jackson to here, so we really appreciated their help as we could not have done it all on our own.

The baby:

Our baby is due in a little less than 4 weeks now, so we are excited about being able to see her soon. We found a doctor in the area and we are going in for check-ups every week now. She is head down and things are looking good so far. Last week we were able to tour St Mary's Hospital in Grand Rapids where we plan to have her, so it was neat to have a better idea of where things are.

Baby Showers:

Since I last wrote we have been given 2 wonderful baby showers and we are so blessed by everyone's generosity as we now have almost everything we need for our little girl to get here. One was given by my Mother-in Law and sisters-in-law and it as great to be able to see family that I haven't seen for a while! The other was given by our church family in Albion. We are so thankful for how the Lord has provided for what we needed for our baby!

Traveling:

This weekend we were able to travel down to Tennessee with a few of our friends for our very close friends Bob and Chelsea's Wedding. It was really neat to be able to be there as we watched them continue to commit their lives to the Lord in this new phase of their lives. The trip was long so hopefully we will recover quickly as Malachi is exhausted after 16 hours of driving and my feet are still pretty swollen.

Thanks again for your prayers and interest!

Mac, Kara, and Baby Pratt

We've Graduated!

This past Saturday we graduated from New Tribes Bible Institute, 2 years of intensely studying God's Word and also completing the first phase of our training to go with New Tribes Mission. We've had the privilege of studying through almost the entire Bible (there were a few electives that we we did not have the time to take).

So you may be wondering what we will be doing next? Our deans and the leadership at school have recommended that we take some time off to grow as a family before we head on to the Missions Training Institute in either Missouri or Canada. So we are going to be taking 1-2 years off from training. We are going to be moving to Grand Rapids during that time and are hoping to be able to save up some money for MTC as well as work on tracking down some health issues that could become a problem when we move overseas. We are looking forward to the time that we will have around our family and also our church in Kent City.

Right now we are staying in Indiana with Karalise's family for the week while Malachi does some work for some for some friends. Next week we will be heading for Grand Rapids, Michigan where we will be staying with Malachi's family until we can find a house. Malachi has some part-time work lined up for when we get there, but please pray that he will be able to find full-time work and an apartment.

Our baby continues to be growing and she is due in eight weeks so we are so excited to be able to meet her. She is around 3-3.5 pounds right now and continues to be very active, causing quite a bit of entertainment as we watch my belly.

Thanks for your prayers!

~the Pratts

We are graduating!

It seems that it was only just a few months ago that we arrived here at New Tribes Bible Institute to begin our two years of an in depth study of God's Word. However hard they may have been, the past two years have flown by and it seems there have also been quite a few changes along the way. We have learned so much in God's Word, yet we see we still have so much to learn. We have built some great friendships with fellow students and staff here at NTBI, and also with many people at our church in Albion. We have now been married two years (rather than just a few months), we have a baby girl on the way, and we have learned to live quite easily without running water in our little apartment. We are excited to see some of the changes that we will have in the coming years.

We graduate from NTBI this Saturday and after that we are looking to move to the Grand Rapids, MI area for the next 1-2 years as we learn how to be parents, work to save up for our next stage of training, and also hope to spend time with our family and at Kent City Baptist Church. The Leadership team here at the school thinks it would be best for us to take this time to just grow as a family before we go on with New Tribes Mission. Please pray that the Lord would provide both work and housing for us as those are still a bit up in the air.

If you would like to come to our graduation it is at 11:00am on Saturday and the address is:
Grace Church
2692 Dettman Rd
Jackson, MI 49201.
There will be a cake and punch reception for all the students back at the school after the ceremony.

Thanks so much for all your prayers and encouragement!
Malachi, Karalise, and Baby Girl Pratt

It's a girl!

Yesterday we had our ultra-sound! It was so fun to see our little baby moving around inside of me and it was super cool to find out that we are having a little girl! Everything seems to be fine with her, so we are thankful for that. Now the hard part, Malachi and I have to agree on a name (which we won't be disclosing until she is born...we have to have some sort of suspense).

Love Malachi, Karalise, and Baby Girl Pratt

happy valentines day!

SCHOOL:
Well, we just started our 2nd block here at New Tribes Bible Institute. It's been a bit of a gradual incline as things are starting to get busier and busier with our homework, especially for Malachi. We just finished studying Philippians and 1st and 2nd Thessalonians and Malachi is continuing to study Daniel and Revelation. On Thursday we started in on the Pastoral Epistles (1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus) and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. Malachi is starting an elective this week to study Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.

This semester we had an incoming class and we are enjoying getting to know some of the freshman couples and also that my brother TJ is here, though he seems to stay pretty busy with homework and with stuff going on for the singles, we enjoy seeing him every once in a while as well as pawning off leftover desserts to him and his roomies. :)

BABY AND KARA:

We are anxiously awaiting this coming Thursday as we have an ultrasound and if the baby cooperates we will be able to find out if its a boy or a girl! The baby is now 18 weeks old, around 5 inches long and weighs around 5-6 ounces. I don't think I've felt our baby moving yet, so i can't wait for that to happen!

I've been feeling quite a bit better as far as the nausea goes, most of the time i'm actually able to enjoy cooking again and poor Malachi no longer has to live off of egg sandwiches, toast, and cold cereal. I'm still having a lot of pain, but i think the majority of it is from my health issues from before.

MALACHI:

Mac is still working at Hot Topic he has anywhere from 5-15 hours a week depending on how busy they are. Though he doesn't have tons of hours we are still thankful for the work and also that when he isn't busy with work he is actually able to relax a bit instead of having to go non-stop all day long. He has been having a lot of sinus issues lately, especially sinus headaches, he's gone to the Doctor a few times but hasn't found anything that helps all that much, so this winter he has had some pretty miserable days. He has also been continuing to work on people's cars when he has extra time.

VALENTINES

Last night we got to go to a valentines banquet with some friends from church, it was so nice to get out for a while and not have any responsibilities, we were really blessed as another couple paid for our tickets. I enjoyed not having to cook or clean up as well as the laughter we enjoyed with our friends. The speaker was pretty cool too and we were challenged to really focus on our marriage and not just let things slide.

(the pictures are from last night)

Thanks for all your continued prayers! We really appreciate them!

Love, Malachi, Karalise, and Baby

latest baby update

Malachi and I just got back from seeing the doctor and found out that everything seems normal with both the baby and me. We heard the baby's heartbeat again today, and again it was cool to hear! We also found out the good news that Malachi is not a carrier of cystic fibrosis (I am) so we are very thankful that our baby does NOT have any chance of having the disease.

We were also able to set up our next appointment with the Doctor and also our ultra-sound when we will get to find out if we will be having a boy or a girl! Our ultra-sound is scheduled for February 17th.

Also we started classes up again yesterday, it was amazing to see how the Lord provided the needed funds for this semester's down payment as well as a little more covering this months's payment as well. We are very thankful for the friends, family, all three of our churches, and also some anonymous people who made it possible for us to be here this final semester.

Here at NTBI they are pretty flexible with families and married women and allow them to opt out of the 8am class if they have children or health issues. So Malachi and I decided that I would not take the 8am class until I started feeling better. Malachi is taking Daniel and Revelation and then we are both taking Philippians for the last two periods. Malachi's electives have not started yet and neither has our Monday night class, so we are thankful to have some time to get into a routine before it gets even busier.

Thanks for reading our blog...please let us know how YOU are doing!

~Karalise

STAYING OR GOING?
We are currently in a waiting period right now as we don't have the money for the down payment for our final semester here at NTBI. So we are waiting on the LORD to see if He chooses to provide the funds that we need to stay or if He is wanting us to take some time off before we finish our Bible training here. He has provided in the past, but not until the last minute so we don't want to just pack up and go if He is just wanting us to wait patiently and trust in Him. Our deans have said we have until Wednesday to let them know whether or not we will be able to stay here next semester and if we cannot, then we will need to be moved out by this Friday.

MICAH:
We are excited to be able to spend some time with Kara's youngest brother Micah a little this week, we are going with some friends to pick him up tomorrow and then he will stay with us for several days.

THE BABY:
The baby seems to be doing fine and Karalise has been a little less sick this past week. The nausea seems to be going down a bit and she is not losing her meals as much! We are very thankful for that! Our next doctors appointment ins the 20th of January.

THIS WEEKEND:
We enjoyed being able to spend some time hanging out and just getting to know some of our friends from our church here in Albion a bit better this weekend. On Friday night we were invited to "scum" party (a late Christmas party centered around the card game "scum"). It was fun to hang out in their home along with several other couples and enjoy great food and fellowship. Also, on Sunday we got to spend the afternoon with another family from our church and we enjoyed playing games, relaxing, and more good food! :)

Please continue to pray for us that we will continue to trust in the LORD especially as the deadline draws near and that we will focus on the blessings that He has already given us!

Thanks for you interest and prayers!
~Malachi and Karalise and Baby Pratt