Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

This past summer has been a full one. Day by day time goes by with learning opportunities that seem small sometimes, but when I look back at it all now, I have grown and learned so much in every season I am here.

Working in the Shop at S.O.A.R. has been busy and filled with new experiences. This summer, along with many normal annual inspections and routine maintenance work, we also did an engine change on a Beechcraft  A36TC Bonanza. Since I have been at S.O.A.R I have helped with 7 engine removal and installations. This one was definitely the most difficult one yet. The A36TC has a bigger engine and is turbocharged, making the engine change more complex than some of the smaller engines we have changed. But it was a great experience and I learned a lot through it! 

This past month we started a project on one of S.O.A.R’s newest airplanes. Earlier in the year S.O.A.R acquired a 1969 Citabria. Recently we started the process of replacing the fabric covering that is over the entire airplane. It is a huge project and very in-depth. We started by pulling the engine and the wings off and then we pulled all of the old fabric off of the fuselage… and basically everything else off the airplane.

This has been a new experience as well and I am excited to learn about fabric airplanes and finish this project.

As part of this project, the wings of the Citabria needed some major upgrades and new fabric skin as well. Recently we loaded the wings in a trailer and drove them to Ohio to another missions organization who is going to do the major upgrades to the structure of the wing, as well as re-fabric them for us.

All that to say there has been a variety of new things to learn and I am enjoying the challenges and new learning experiences that are placed before me.

In my flight training I am continuing to work towards my Instrument rating. I have recently completed several cross country flights, to airports around the state. Practicing different specialized approaches, and doing most of the trip solely by reference to the instruments. The instrument training is very challenging and requires a lot of precision and accuracy while flying. I enjoy it but it's a lot to absorb sometimes.

Aside from flying the airplane, I am studying hard for the written test required for the instrument rating and hope to take it next month.

As the school year has started back up, the youth ministry opportunities I have in the community have started in full swing again. I have the privilege to help lead at KLIFE in High school ministry, along with that I also help in a 9th grade guys small group. These times are a huge blessing to me, as an opportunity to share the things the Lord is teaching me with others, and I am challenged and learn so much in return.

If you would be praying for me
- Working on my Instrument rating, Safety while flying, that I can understand and put into practice all the things that I am learning and for diligence in my study for the written test.

- That the Lord would work through me as I have the chance to pour into others

-Guidance as the Lord leads forward, one step at a time.

- As part of my flight training I have been given the opportunity to fly with an aerial photographer, flying for long days. It  has been great for gaining new, and different flight experience. It's not normal flying and requires lots of steep turns and very little level flight. Recently I have been getting motion sickness on some of the 8+ hour days of this flying. If you would be praying for me as I struggle with this and work to push through it.