September was pretty special! Krista and I made it back to the DR for another week-long work trip. It was awesome to be able to connect again with the ground team and with our student body. Enjoy these fall photos – both from Freedom and from our family!
Ministry
Family
October is up next! Thanks for following along with us!
Recently, someone hurt my feelings. Hah! Now that some time has passed, I can objectively say that the comments uttered to my face were not meant to be a huge malignment of my character. However, the words spoken were based on assumptions about my intentions, and to be honest, the interaction stung a bit. Sadly, I’ve been replaying those words a little too often in my mind – even stacking them on top of other unthoughtful comments from previous conversations.
And then, a reality check.
Yesterday, my heart broke as I learned the news that the rest of America is buzzing about: Charlie Kirk’s death. Suddenly, my little problem – being hurt because someone tried to “put me in my place” without actually knowing my heart – seemed so small. I’ve experienced criticisms and more, but never death threats, much less an attempt on my life. I cannot fathom how Erika and Charlie’s two children will walk this painful path in the coming days.
Proverbs 19:22 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
This little nugget of wisdom has been a support for me today as I buckle under the sad reality of the state of our country. Our forefathers founded the colonies 250 years ago so that their children’s children could worship God all the days of their lives – not murder each other because of fits of rage or differing ideologies/political views.
Like David did in so many of his psalms, I’m praying that justice will be served now. That evil will be squelched today. That God and His character will not be maligned any longer.
I’m not exactly sure what it looks like for the Lord’s purpose to prevail this side of heaven. Sometimes, it feels like He’s being so silent in the face of evil. But the comforting truth is that God wins in the end. I rest in the fact that His timing is perfect.
Ultimately, every knee will bow before Him. Oh, the harvest is ripe! May I continue to see those around me as human beings, made in God’s image and in desperate need of Him. And may I always find ways to courageously share the Good News of the abundant life available in Jesus Christ.
Whew! What a full summer. Here’s a combination of July and August 2025 from the Mitchener point of view.
Ministry
Family
Ready or not, here comes September!
I forgot how much I loved summer in the States.
Enjoy 30 June pictures from our perspective!
Ministry
Family
Thanks for following along on our picture journey!
May happenings – both in the DR and in Indiana!
Ministry
Family
Up next? SUMMER!
Wow! April flew by! So thankful for the arrival of spring and for God’s continued provision. Thirty pictures from the thirty wonderful days God gave us this month.
Ministry
Family
May will be a busy one – see you on the other side!
A look into our March. Enjoy these 15 ministry pictures and 15 family photos!
Ministry
Family
See you in April!
Guys. Guess what? I won a giveaway!
Grandpa Beck’s is a pretty fantastic card game company. I love the “family feel” they exude, and I really love that their games come at such a great price point. (Our first introduction to Grandpa Beck’s was through a friend who gifted us a copy of Skull King, a pirate-themed, trick-taking game at its finest. I’m digressing, though. Let me leave that review for another post.)
Earlier this month, Grandpa Beck’s launched a brand new card game called 3-2-1 Countdown! I follow several board game accounts on social media, and three of them were offering giveaways prior to the launch date. I entered the giveaways with zero expectation of winning anything. (The last time I ever won a raffle was at a “Take Your Kids to Work Day” event with my grandma. I was 10.)
Well, the stars and the planets aligned for me or something because one of the Instagram accounts I follow messaged me: “Hello there! Guess what?! You won my giveaway for 3-2-1 Countdown! Congratulations!”
Eek! My 30-year “losing streak” is over, and I’ve won something so.majorly.cool. I’m all about games that are easy to teach, quick to learn, and fun to play. This checks all the boxes.
Speaking of boxes… Grandpa Beck’s games bring an added bonus: they come in small boxes! As a blossoming board gamer, I’m already finding that we’re running out of space for our growing collection. Compact games like this one score extra points in my book.
Keep reading if you’d like to check out some more details about 3-2-1 Countdown!
Number of Players: 2-8 / Recommended Age: 7+
Playing Time: 15-30 minutes
Object: Reduce the total value of the cards in your hand to 5 points or less.
Rules: Get a general idea of gameplay below, or you can check out this link to Grandpa Beck’s “How to Play” video.
For 2-6 players, deal out 12 cards to each person. The rest of the cards go to the middle of the table. Form a discard pile on either side of the draw pile.
On your turn, you’ll do two things. Discard first! Place one of your cards on either discard pile. (If you’ve got multiple cards of the same number, you’re allowed to get rid of the entire set.) Secondly, draw a card from the other discard pile – or from the draw pile.
Take turns discarding card(s) and drawing a new card until a player has 5 points or less in hand. That player can yell, “Countdown!” and end the round. (Alternatively, you could win another way. If every card in your hand is the same number, you can discard all of your cards and call out “Blastoff!”)
All players will then add up the face values of the cards in their hands. The person with the lowest total receives 3 points, the second-lowest gets 2 points, and the third-lowest gains 1 point. However, you’ve got to be careful. If you call “Countdown!” but don’t have the lowest score, you get nothing. Zilch-o. Nada.
You’ll have to take some risks if you want to win big!
Ang’s Rating: 8.5/10
ANGELA15
Using the above coupon code when you check out will get you 15% off your order!
Cal walked in while I was uploading some pictures for this blog post and said, “Whatcha doing, Mom?” I told her I was getting ready to share yet another game. As she looked over my shoulder, she incredulously asked, “You mean, you haven’t posted about Skyjo yet?!” We all really, really like this one!
Whenever I’ve got a game night to attend, I often lead with this game. It’s easy to walk a person through a practice round without having to explain a ton of rules. I also love that up to 8 people can play, and the rounds are fairly short.
I can think of two other games that are comparable to Skyjo: Grandpa Beck’s Gnoming Around and Play Nine. If you already own either of those, I don’t think you need to buy this too. The mechanics of all 3 games are similar. I just happened to get introduced to Skyjo first; I fully own my bias.
I’m trying my hardest to come up with some kind of “negative” about the game so that I’m being transparent about the pros and the cons… but I’m kind of at a loss! It’s solid!
Number of Players: 2-8
Age: 8+
Playing Time: 30ish minutes
Object: Get the lowest score as quickly as possible by flipping, exchanging, and revealing cards.
Rules Rundown: Here’s a link to an unofficial copy of the rules – or follow along below for a quick run-through of how to play.
First, deal out 12 cards to each person. Every player will make a facedown 4×3 grid. Before play begins, flip up any 2 cards. Place the draw pile in the middle of the table. The person who has the highest point total showing will go first.
On each turn, draw a card from the draw pile or from the discard pile. After looking at that card, decide if you would like to keep it or not. If you want to add it to your grid, you must exchange it with one of your current cards. It doesn’t matter if the card is hidden or not. (Obviously, you are taking a risk if you decide to replace one of your hidden cards, but sometimes the risk pays off!) You can also decide to discard the card you chose, but if you do so, you’ll automatically flip up one of your hidden cards.
There is one special feature. If you happen to place 3 identical cards in the same column, they cancel out! Discard those 3 cards, eliminating the column and bringing your total score down.
The round is basically over when someone has flipped over all of his cards. (Any players who did not get to finish the current round are allowed to take one final turn.) Turn over any remaining hidden cards, tally up your points, and write them on the score card. *Important! If the player who went out does not have the lowest score, he must double his score. Yikes!
I hope you enjoy Skyjo as much as I do!
Ang’s Rating: 8/10
A simple one on the blog today: Donuts! This cutely designed game is honestly just a glorified version of tic-tac-toe. Since it comes in at a cheaper price point than other games, I’m here for it!
I’ll be honest. This isn’t the first game I’d choose if I’ve got friends coming over for a game night, but it does serve a fantastic purpose: filling up time. If you’ve got kids in your life who have ever uttered the words “I’m bored,” then Donuts might be a great option. I recently took it with me to a restaurant and played with a kiddo while we waited for our food to arrive. I love that it’s so easy to learn!
Number of Players: 2
Age: 7+
Playing Time: 5-10 minutes per round
Object: Get five donuts of your color in a row!
Rules Rundown: Here’s a link to a 3-minute video explaining the rules – or follow along below for a brief overview.
First, you’ll divide the double-sided donuts evenly. Fifteen go to each player. Choose chocolate or vanilla. The first player places a donut anywhere on the board. Player 2 must now put a donut in the row that was indicated by player 1’s donut.
From there, continue taking turns, placing donuts in the indicated row. If a row is completely filled so that a player cannot place a donut, the player may put his or her donut anywhere on the board!
There is one other small component that can change up the game at a moment’s notice. If you are able to insert a donut in between two of your opponent’s donuts, then you can flip over those two donuts that are bookending your donut, enhancing your chances of winning!
That’s it! This is a little more strategic than your normal tic-tac-toe game but still easy enough for kids to jump in.
I do not think is an absolute “must” to add to your game collection, but I do think it would make a great little stocking stuffer or Easter basket addition.
Ang’s Rating: 6.5/10
Cal’s Rating: 7.5/10
The Mitcheners 