Ten Thousand Miles















Dog days are nearly behind us and school is right around the corner. The summer months could be summed up as simply, adventurous! Our family, in one way or another, covered many miles and shared what seem like just as many wonderful experiences.

Jay & Amber began the summer by training KMBC singing groups, By Grace & Voice of Truth. Not long after those hours of rehearsal, groups hit the road. Jay & Caleb traveled along with Voice of Truth during their first week or so. Caleb was very excited to accompany Jay during PR travels. Their journey lasted several days longer than the usual weekend jaunt. This road trip included wonderful music ministry by VOT, Dutch Letters in Pella, IA and an exciting stop at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. 
 States covered: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.

After a brief stop at home, Jay swapped Caleb for Emily. She enjoyed a couple days on the road with Daddy. And what a difference it made to have a lady in the van! 
 States covered: Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina.

(Dave, Jay, Jon and Dave in Grand Teton National Park)
After years of dreaming and a great deal of planning, Jay, along with 3 college friends, experienced a thrilling adventure in the Mountain West region of the United States. At the beginning of July, this crew made the trek out to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. With grizzlies close by, a 15-mile hike, chilly mountain-lake dips,
and 1 shower in 10 days you can be certain there was never a dull moment!
States covered: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
Nebraska,Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota.

While Jay was gallivanting across the country, Amber and the kids enjoyed visiting with Amber's folks. Spending time with Mamaw & Papaw is always a treat.

(Caleb takes the bronze in the children's contest at Hollow Rock!)
Ministry brought us to familiar territory this summer. We were blessed to minister in Jay's home camp – Hollow Rock Camp Meeting. What a privilege to share God's love with others through music. Jay led worship in song and the whole family shared in song ministry. 10 days of seeking the LORD, hearing powerful messages from the Word, and sharing fellowship with wonderful friends! An added blessing was spending some sweet time with Jay's sister Lynn and her family. At the close of the camp, we knew God had been faithful to use us for his glory! His faithfulness is truly great! We praise God!  
States covered: Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio.

(Emily, Caleb and Tyler at Cade's Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains)
Following Hollow Rock we headed to one of our favorite places – the Great Smoky Mountains! There we enjoyed some much needed R&R! This year we ventured out beyond our favorite places and decided to do some extra hiking. Even so, we did not fail to visit our favorite place – Cade's Cove! While in the Cove, the kids learned how to weave and completed their activities to become Smoky Mountain Junior Rangers.

(Amber in the Smokies)
National Parks Visited by one or more of our family since Spring: Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Badlands, Mount Rushmore (National Monument),
Great Smoky Mountain and Mammoth Cave!

(Given a sunset in the Badlands)
We give God thanks for a wonderful summer of travel, ministry and blessing!

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Popcorn!




Journey Note - Popcorn!

You know those stories that are laughable after you realize your kid is alive and well? I've got one of those.

Emily has just learned how to ride her bike minus the training wheels. Yeah...you know this is going to be good.

Amber and I are walking about 10 yards or so in front of Emily, who is riding her bike. All of a sudden it is increasingly clear that Emily is about to head down a steep, grassy hill. Terror's written all over her face and you can sense the force of the hill pulling her toward itself. Too far away to intervene all I can do is pray the name of Jesus. Emily quickly accelerates and is heading disastrously toward a large field of corn. We're watching with bated breath wondering how/what will stop her. In this case there is no gentle turning, laying the bike down. It's full steam ahead, no brakes! Like a bolt of lighting in the midnight sky, she flashes into the towering stocks and disappears. Next come the bewildered cries arising out of the corn field. Is something broken? Several things broken? What about missing teeth? Running to her assistance I enter a large opening of felled, sweet stocks to find a girl of sound body, but not mind. Thankfully we're all laughing in about 15 min. or so. Even an hour later we're still plucking mud from clothes, pedals, shoes, etc. With some reassurance that all is okay along with a hug from Dad we'll make it the rest of the evening! - J.

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Seasons


Journey Note - Spring 2012 (April 20, 2012)

As we enter into spring we want to take the opportunity to greet you and share what we've been up to over the past year or so. For the Wislers, 2012 was a year of excitement, sorrow, change, and new adventures. Through each and every joy and challenge though, God has proven Himself faithful!

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” James 1:17

“Life is short at its longest.” This is a saying we've heard in recent days, but the truth of it touched our hearts as we said goodbye to Jay's dad February 4th, 2012. In the early hours of January 22nd we received word that he had suffered a major stroke. For two weeks our family walked through uncertain days, not knowing how long Dad would be with us. In the midst of heavy hearts, God gave us “rays” of hope and evidences of answered prayer. After hospice became involved, Jay prayed the LORD would allow him to walk with Dad through his final moments. Jay was holding his dad's hand as he passed the line of worlds that snowy Saturday morning.

Following Dad's funeral on February 9th there have been some very difficult days. The weight of sorrow has been made lighter by the grace of God, hope of heaven, and prayers/encouragement from friends like you! Thank you so very much.

Ministry has been and continues to be a great joy for our family. Last year ministry or ministry-related events took us in many directions. In fact, between the five of us we made it to nearly 25 of the United States. One of the highlights of this past summer was the call to music ministry for the Multnomah Holiness Camp Meeting in Portland, Oregon. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there as well as several days of sight-seeing in the Pacific Northwest. An unlikely surprise – Our kids live just a few states away from the Atlantic Ocean, but their first ocean view was of the Pacific!

Jay continues to lead the Music Department at Kentucky Mountain Bible College. His time is divided with teaching music courses, directing the College Choir, department responsibilities, and providing private voice instruction for both KMBC as well as his own private studio. Aside from work, Jay volunteers in worship-leading at Five-Mile Community Church and participates in various musical ventures. One highlight from the past summer – Jay was privileged to present a seminar on the hymns of John and Charles Wesley for the East Central Conference of the Evangelical Church which met on the campus of Taylor University in Upland, IN.

It's been back-to-school for Amber. At the beginning of 2012, she began working on a Master of Arts in Special Education with an emphasis in Learning and Behavioral Disabilities. At this point, she is on schedule to graduate from Georgetown College in 2014. When she's not busy being a student-wife-mother, Amber serves KMBC in several capacities. During the fall semester she enjoyed teaching Philosophy of Christian School Education. Outside the classroom, she heads up the Academic Accountability Program, tutors international students, and manages the campus bookstore. More than any other responsibility, though, Amber enjoys time working with Tiger and preparing him for Kindergarten this coming fall.

Our older son, Caleb, is growing fast and just recently entered his final year in the single digits. He is now the ripe-old-age of 9. It's exciting to watch him grow mentally, physically, and spiritually. Part of his work responsibilities include walking/feeding our family dog, Remington, as well as providing dog-care for some neighbors from time to time. He's very proud of his first “paid” job! In recent months we've been excited to see Caleb's love for reading take off. He's nearly completed Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series and is halfway through the Hobbit by Tolkien. When his nose isn't in a book, he enjoys riding his bike, building Lego sets, and writing “sermons”.

Emily reached a milestone as she successfully completed Kindergarten. We were so proud to attend her graduation! She is now enjoying 1st grade and demonstrates her love of education by “teaching” Tiger in her free time. She completed her 3rd season in the Breathitt Youth Soccer League and loves to sing and draw. Over the summer Emily stepped into a new role in ministry with our family – she sang her first solo.

After spectating for over four years, Tiger finally received his opportunity to join the Breathitt Youth Soccer League. His team was appropriately named – The Tigers! Tyler is bounding with energy, has a goofy side, and can't wait to start Kindergarten in the fall. One of his favorite pastimes is to play Daniel Boone with Caleb. Most likely due to his age, Tiger has to be “Mingo”. We never tire of watching the imaginations run wild.

We are constantly amazed at God's goodness to us. His blessings are visible on a daily basis. We're blessed to be apart of the KMBC community in service and fellowship. What a blessing to be in the center of God's will. We want to say a huge thanks to those who enable us for this ministry through praying and giving.


2012 Year-In-Review
January – Dad's stroke
February – Dad's funeral
March – KMBC Choir Tour
May – KMBC Recording
June – 10th Wedding Anniversary
July – Out West/Multnomah Holiness Camp
August – Oakland City Camp
September – Clinton Wesleyan Homecoming
October – Natural Bridge/Red River Gorge
November – Getty Concert
December – Wedding Singers

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