Virginia Friesen
New Churches, New Hope

Home from Kona on Wednesday, March 4 (off a red-eye), we had a full day counseling on the 5th and then hopped a flight to Boston early on the 6th to speak for the Seven Mile Road Church marriage conference in Melrose, MA.

We were both honored and thrilled to be speaking for the first time for this church, which is home to a number of people we’ve known for many years. Katie O’Hara Ryou (and her husband Marvin) were the instigators of this event and we were so delighted to partner with them. We’ve known Katie since youth group days with our daughters at Grace Chapel, and just in recent years have reconnected with her. She and Marvin attended a conference we spoke for last year in Melrose and that planted the seed for their church hosting us.

New Churches, New Hope
Virginia Friesen
Plan Fail: The Christmas Reunion That Wasn't

We were home the WHOLE month of December and it was good.

We continued walking five miles a day, praying for snow, and preparing for our family Christmas reunion: the first one in New England since 2015 and the first all being together for Christmas since 2019.

We had very high expectations.

Ministry events in December included Engagement Matters, the Patriots women’s study, and LOTS of counseling, but that left plenty of time for decorating the house inside and out, getting together with friends, wrapping and sending packages, sewing Christmas jammies, making gingerbread houses, and preparing for our long-awaited reunion which was to commence the 22nd of December.

Plan Fail: The Christmas Reunion That Wasn't
Virginia Friesen
Around the Country in 22 Days

Since my last post on Dec. 27, we’ve only been home eight days.

Maybe that contributes to me forgetting that when I last wrote, my reflections ended with Engagement Matters (EM), which was held Dec. 4–5, and not after Christmas, which the blog post date would indicate.
Whatever the reasons, before I write about our most recent last three weeks—which literally took us to the four corners of our great nation—we must finish December. Strangely, that seems SO long ago already. But what fun to sift back through my December photo library and have many sweet memories surface.

Around the Country in 22 Days
Virginia Friesen
A Bit of Heaven on Earth

It happened.

The “decades birthday-family reunion” celebration, postponed for a full year, is now in the books, but even more deeply, in our hearts.

It was uncertain until an hour before the six flying from Oakland were to depart due to two lost Covid tests, but mercifully, new tests were done at 6 am, the results of which were registered less than 60 minutes prior to boarding.

The trip was on.

A Bit of Heaven on Earth
Virginia Friesen
More Than a Cookbook

It was a sweltering summer day in Louisiana. My 8-year-old self stood in the kitchen of my paternal grandparents’ home in Shreveport, watching with fascination as Grandma Collins stirred the hot pot of boiling figs, on their way to becoming preserves. With sweat running down her brow, just beneath the thin brown elastic that kept her hair net in place over her thinning curly hair, she turned to me and said, “You know, Virginia, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” With that piece of wisdom pronounced, she simultaneously clicked her cheek and winked her eye at her wide-eyed granddaughter, leaving an unforgettable impression.

More Than a Cookbook

Southern Vibes to New England Tides

Southern Vibes to New England Tides

August has come and gone and we reluctantly accept that the summer of 2026 is truly in the books.

The last official month of summer did not disappoint. Though chock full of warm, perfect-for-pool days, farm-to-table meals, slower paced than normal life, and leisurely time with friends and family, the highlight was a four-day trip to Valdosta, GA, where we spoke for a marriage conference at Northside Baptist Church.

This conference had a long run-way leading up to it. John and Tammy Eunice, friends for over 3 decades, have had it in their heart to bring us to their home church for many years and to all of our delight, it finally happened. Apparently all that was needed was to convince another couple from the church to get on board with the idea, so they brought Jaime and Ammy Gibbons to the HIM marriage retreat this past January.

They left convinced.

Summertime Gifts

Summertime Gifts

All the goodness of summer joys have been ours this past month. Long, warm days. Beautiful sunsets. Endless hours in the pool with family and friends. Savory bbq’s on the grill. Watermelon, corn, tomatoes, and berries. Houseguests. A relaxed schedule.

We have fully “summered” the past five weeks and our souls and bodies have been refreshed and renewed.

How grateful we are!

Backing up in to waning days of June, we returned from Forest Home’s family camp just in time to celebrate Fathers’ Day with Derek and Julie and family. That made our re-entry oh so sweet!

Summertime Sweetness

Summertime Sweetness

Summertime is full of delightful memories. From my earliest recollections, the Collins family almost-annual family vacations to Louisiana rise to the top, during which (in spite of horrifically high humidity and mosquitoes which left ginormous welts on exposed arms and legs), sweet memories fill my mind: hanging out with beloved grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins; indulging in beignets and café au lait in the French Quarter of New Orleans; and being refreshed by snow cones sold at a stand just before the bridge which spans Lake Pontchartrain. A slower pace, delicious summer-only fruits and vegetables, camping trips, and water fun all combined to create a “dash” between the demands of school, sports, and church calendars during this sweet season called summer.

Twelve Months Later . . .

Twelve Months Later . . .

Writing in my 5-year journal this morning during my quiet time, I was stunned to read the entry from exactly one year ago, which sits just north of today’s entry: "Lisa and I left for Tanzania to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro today after church." My entry the day before was “T-1: still 60% excited and 40% terrified.”

All the feels were generated as I read what I had written. Everything from “How could that have been a year ago?” to “That 40% never dissipated!” to “I still can’t believe we got to do that!” to “I still sort of want to try it again with better altitude preparation.”

Season of Great Harvest

Season of Great Harvest

Although this is technically planting season, for us personally it seems to be a season of harvest. As we begin our 51st year of marriage and ministry, we have been privileged to see the “harvest” of our journey begin to be gathered. That is beyond gratifying to us and truly, all praise is His!!

Engagement Matters, which was again held in Hollis, NH, at the lovely and spacious home of Matt and Beth Ide, was evidence of this. Eleven of the 40 attendees had grown up at family camp or at Grace Chapel, and four of the couples’ PARENTS had attended Engagement Matters (EM) in the late 1990’s or early 2000’s with us. How crazy is that?? Each of those four couples told us that their parents highly encouraged their attending the weekend because it was still bearing fruit in their lives.

The Beauty of Leis, Blossoms, Easter, and Brides

The Beauty of Leis, Blossoms, Easter, and Brides

One of the great joys of our ministry life is having long-term relationships with a number of churches that invite us back year after year, allowing us to develop authentic connections with people. The Kalaheo Missionary Church in Kauai is one of those churches that has had us annually since 2015, and that makes returning each year truly feel like we’re “Ohana."

New Churches, New Hope

New Churches, New Hope

Home from Kona on Wednesday, March 4 (off a red-eye), we had a full day counseling on the 5th and then hopped a flight to Boston early on the 6th to speak for the Seven Mile Road Church marriage conference in Melrose, MA.

We were both honored and thrilled to be speaking for the first time for this church, which is home to a number of people we’ve known for many years. Katie O’Hara Ryou (and her husband Marvin) were the instigators of this event and we were so delighted to partner with them. We’ve known Katie since youth group days with our daughters at Grace Chapel, and just in recent years have reconnected with her. She and Marvin attended a conference we spoke for last year in Melrose and that planted the seed for their church hosting us.

Aloha and Mahalo

Aloha and Mahalo

Continuing on our “sprint through 2026” schedule, we were home for a brief two days after our Sarasota trip before flying on Thursday, Feb. 19, to Kona, Hawaii, for an 11-day ministry tour. We’re flying home as I write, with hearts overflowing with gratitude and praise for the many ways we witnessed God working in ways attributable only to Him. He is indeed a good, good Father.

We hit the road running with the first two days on the island dedicated to counseling, followed by teaching at Living Stones Church on Sunday, the 22nd (link), followed by two more days of counseling. Whew! Mercifully, as a result of a scheduling glitch, those first two days of counseling were “light” and we had time to catch our breaths and to catch up with some of our friends/ministry partners.

From Snow to Shining Seas

From Snow to Shining Seas

2026 continues at warp speed, supported by the fact that we’ve only been home 10 days since Dec. 28, and of those 10, three have been counseling days, two were marathon baking days for the HIM marriage retreat, and the rest were “turnover” days, consisting of unpacking, doing laundry, and repacking.

And truthfully, we’ve loved every minute of it. What joy is ours that we get to do what we love doing, knowing this is what God has purposed for us. Beyond blessed!

Cold Outside But Warm Inside, from Coast to Coast

Cold Outside But Warm Inside, from Coast to Coast

2026 is off and running, and we’ve gone from cruising in the warm Caribbean the first two weeks of the new year to ice, snow, and frigid temps every place we’ve been since. Winter is here real time!!

We were only home 2 brief days from the Panama cruise before heading to the Pacific Northwest for an 11-day trip, which included a marriage conference in Newport, WA, a marriage night in Moses Lake, and multiple events in Kennewick, WA.

Every place was cold outside, but oh so warm inside.

What a Start to 2026!

What a Start to 2026!

2026 floated in for us, quite literally, on water. Our canceled river cruise to experience Oberammergau in 2020 was redeemed with a Panama Canal cruise to launch the new year and in no way intending to minimize the nature or glory of heaven, we’d say it approximated “heaven on earth” for two weeks.

Two weeks of no household duties (no cooking, cleaning, doing yard work, etc), no driving, very little internet, and virtually no phone service.

Two weeks of exploring Central America’s amazing features, on land and on sea.

Two weeks of sleeping, reading, writing, and engaging with new people at will.

Two weeks of seeing artistry in food and of tasting five-star meals.

Blessed beyond by this delayed gift from dear friends, we enter this new year refreshed and renewed because of the past two weeks.

Closing Out 2025

Closing Out 2025

We closed out 2025 seemingly at the speed of base jumping after returning to Virginia from our 16-day ministry tour in Hawaii on Nov. 20. We actually arrived only 5 hours before our eldest daughter Kari and family arrived from Oakland, CA, for what has now become an annual Thanksgiving family reunion. We were so thankful for no delays and trouble free travel home!!

Two Weeks of Ministry in Paradise

Two Weeks of Ministry in Paradise

We’ve just wrapped up 16 days in Kona, HI, and are winging our way home on a red-eye flight, leaving behind beautiful beaches, spectacular sunsets, sunny warm days, and a community of people we dearly love. Our days have been rich and full with planned events fulfilled as well as some delightful surprises along the way.

Our first full day was Nov. 5, marking the end of my year-long 70th birthday celebration. Monthly “surprises” made this a year like no other and I have been extravagantly loved throughout. I’ll treasure the memories of this launch of my 8th decade for a long time to come.

From Baltimore to Balmy Seas

From Baltimore to Balmy Seas

October . . . the month of colorful leaves, all things pumpkin, hearty soups replacing summer salads, chilly air prompting sweater wearing, shortening days, and the sand quickly slipping through the hourglass of the evaporating days of 2025.

It does seem that time is accelerating as the calendar pages stir a breeze as they turn.

Joy and Sorrow Mingle

Joy and Sorrow Mingle

September has come and gone since my last blog post and it was marked by highs and lows, joys and sorrows. In Cynthia Heald’s book A Woman’s Journey to the Heart of God, she writes a parable of Joy and Sorrow journeying together. When Joy asked the master why Sorrow had to come along, he answered, “Without Sorrow, you would never know Joy.”

So, so true. Sorrow adds definition to the experience of joy, and joy gives hope in the dark valleys of life.

Waning Summer

Waning Summer

As the waning days of summer quietly slip away, we take a moment to reflect on the past six weeks which are fairly accurately captured in the above words penned by Paul Pitchford.

Full of slower paced delights, our days have ranged from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Absent the rush of demanding schedules, we have rested, relaxed, recreated, and ruminated on the Goodness of God.

Forest Home . . . Faithful and Fun

Forest Home . . . Faithful and Fun

There are few experiences in life about which we are more passionate than family camp, and we consider it a great honor to be invited to speak for Forest Home’s family camp for the 8th year. Forest Home was on the cutting edge of developing family camps back in the 60’s. While attending a junior high snow camp at Forest Home when I was a 7th grader, an announcement was made inviting us to come back during the summer with our families for “family camp”—and to be honest, it sounded like a strange idea to me then. There were junior high camps, high school camps, and even college camps, but family camp? Little did I know then that 40 years of my adult life would be dedicated to that ministry!

Forest Home has led the way in being committed to building in to families through family camps for over six decades now, and we love that it’s become part of our tradition.

The theme of “All That Glitters . . .”, supported by the memory verse of “I am the way, the truth, and the life . . .” (John 14:6) was carried out through family devotions and peer group teaching times. As the marriage and family speakers during the morning session, we contrasted the world’s "glitter” as it influences family with the “gold” of Biblical wisdom. Three days we spoke on marriage and the fourth on parenting. Our daughter Lisa made a “cameo” appearance at the end of the parenting session and the campers loved her wisdom and insights. On the fifth day, we were on a panel addressing questions raised by the campers. We felt very met by God during each of the sessions and had many, many great follow-up interactions.

Summer Fun: Papa & Gigi Camp, Year 2

Summer Fun: Papa & Gigi Camp, Year 2

With only a couple of blackened toe nails and a few healing blisters as reminders of our Tanzanian adventure which ended one week earlier, our attention quickly turned to hosting the second annual “Papa & Gigi Camp,” June 21–27. Lisa, our star “camp counselor,” flew out with the Garcia children, and upon landing, the party started.

This week is a win-win-win. The parents love having a week “alone.” The grandparents and auntie love having a week with the kids. And the kids love having a week with each other (and the grandparents and auntie). Our only regret is that we didn’t start this tradition sooner.

The theme for this year’s camp was “Dare to Stand,” based on the life of Daniel. Paul developed the curriculum and Barbara Steele put it together in a creative and attractive booklet, which each person received soon after arriving Saturday night.

Hiking with Purpose

Hiking with Purpose

Though it is highly unusual (this is a first) that I’m posting a second blog entry within a week, I wanted to bring you up to speed on our appeal to add purpose to my hike by raising funds for Jennie Danger Mutaka. If you missed our appeal letter, you can find it here. And if you haven’t read my previous blog account of the hike, you can find it here.

Hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro landed on my bucket list 15 years ago when two things converged: seeing the IMAX National Geographic movie chronicling the trek to the top by a group bookended by a 12-year-old boy and a 70-year-old woman, and subsequently visiting our future son-in-law in Mbale, Uganda, who at the time was the executive director of a pediatric hospital which had just hosted a trek up Mt. Kili to raise funds for the hospital. Lisa, Julie, and I all expressed interest in being part of such an event, one which combined both the adventure of hiking the world’s tallest free-standing peak with a clear philanthropic purpose.

From Tanzania with Love

From Tanzania with Love

Exactly one week ago today, Lisa and I were walking the final 10 miles of our Mt. Kilimanjaro “Excellent Adventure” . . . through the rain forest, surrounded by beautiful lush plants, flowers, and trees, with passing views of the summit of Mt. Kili, and a few monkeys to boot.

It was the grand finale of a long held dream and bucket-list item. Flanked front and back by our incredible guides and constant companions for the past 7 days, Kombe and Jackson, Lisa made the accurate observation to Jackson, “I’ll bet you didn’t know Mama could talk!”

It was true. The preceding six days, our climb was uphill in increasingly thin air. And I reserved ALL of my breath for fueling the physically arduous movement up the mountain.