Treasured Sacrifice

Dear Friends,

We just wanted to say thank you for the overwhelming response and love sent our way at the birth of our little (big) Traeton Wyatt. We are delighted by him and so grateful for his safe birth and good health. He is a sweet little guy who has completely recovered from his fluid on his lungs. Traeton and Jae came home from the hospital on Thursday and we are enjoying being home as a family of 5. Janelle's parent's have been a huge blessing and the church down the street (Kelowna Gospel Fellowship) that we have been to a few of times (of which the Pastor's family are our neighbors... and becoming friends) are blessings us with some meals. So we are very grateful and blessed by Jae's parents and the church.

MEANING OF TRAETON WYATT

We had a few questions about the meaning of his name or where did it come from so here it is:

TRAETON - village near the trees - Trae (Trey means third) - Spiritual connotation - Treasured (Traeton) Sacrifice (Trae)

WYATT - little warrior - Spiritual connotation - Immovable

Our Reason for the Name:

The significance behind the name for us was the journey we have walked this last year. As you may or may not know, Traeton was not planned. In fact our plans, especially Janelle's, were looking very different as we moved back from England to Kelowna. Our plan was to be back in Canada to be closer to family and allow Janelle to re-engage in her nursing career, as she was approaching the time she had to re-engage nursing without loosing her license to nurse. Well, Traeton changed all that for us, especially for Janelle.

Just like when we began this journey 4 1/2 years ago in England and had plans to have Janelle nurse in the UK and be a large part of our income to cover our cost of living, we once again entered into life in Canada thinking and making decisions based on Janelle working. But just like when we started on this journey of faith God has taken us down a different, unexpected and I am sure, a wonderful road. Janelle has had to loose her nursing credentials for the time being (she will have to take a couple semesters of school and do a practicum to be re-certified), we have lost the income we were trusting would enable us to afford to live where we are, Janelle has lost the sense of freedom she was discovering as the boys became more and more independent.

So Traeton Wyatt is our Treasured Sacrifice, especially for Jae. Janelle has had to make many sacrifices and even shift her focus to being an amazing, nurturing and loving mother to an infant once again, instead of re-engaging her career and discovering a new sense of freedom. As well, we know that because of the financial reality this has created for us there will be sacrifice we will have to make, however we will treasure them, knowing there is a new blessing in our lives.

We are so blessed and do treasure Traeton more than words can say. Thanks for walking this journey with us and being a part of our lives, it is people like you who have made what we do possible. We are glad to share with you in all that we put our lives to so that other's may know Jesus' love, forgiveness, grace, freedom and transformation in their lives.

With much gratitude.

Ronnie & Janelle †

Traeton Wyatt Zerr

Hello Friends,

here is our newest addition Traeton Wyatt Zerr. He was born at 8:23am and weighed 8lbs exactly. He had some fluids on his lungs and has spent the day so far in the NICU. He is recovering very well and hopefully will be able to come to see mom in an hour or two to start feeding. Jae is doing great just really wanting to spend sometime with her new boy!!!!

I have been able to spend much time with him in the NICU and he has had some family visiting already. He is a big boy with good sized feet and hands. Looks like we may have 3 boys the same size in no time. Caleb was really excited to meet his new brother and has been so great with him already. Jaden has to wait till tomorrow as he was not allowed to go into the NICU.

Thanks for all you prayers!!! Please keep praying for Janelle & Traeton's fast recoveries.

Proud dad,

Ronnie †

Life & Ministry Update

Dear Friends,

What a year this has been so far for us as a family. We have had numerous transitions, many days apart, hard goodbyes, a chance to spend time with great friends on the roads traveled, and many new ones beginning. So far things have been such a whirlwind of life that we are still trying to understand what life is like and will be like living in Canada and ministering in both Europe and Canada. We know that 2011 will bring much more clarity and a more realistic balance to what we have experienced in these last 11 months.

Well for us the journey these last eleven months has been full on, but filled with many wonderful joys and excitements along the way. One of those is coming to join our family this Tuesday (at the latest), as Janelle is scheduled for her third c-section on Tuesday, November 23rd to give birth to our third son. We are delighted to have him join us and become part of our family. We are blessed!

Please pray for Janelle and baby Z as they take on the next few days and either go into labour or have the c-section on Tuesday, we truly covet your prayers on their behalf. Please also pray for Caleb & Jaden as they welcome the new baby into the family and adjust to having another brother.

Ronnie is thankfully back in Canada now until the end of January, we are all delighted to be together and have time to be a family as we learn, adjust and embrace our new realities. We will let you all know when baby Z comes and joins us.


Romania

Ronnie has recently returned from his last trip of 2010 where he joined with around 40 others in Romania to celebrate the success of the church planting project he has overseen in the South East corner of Romania for the last 3 years. Ronnie has learnt much from this experience and has really enjoyed having an opportunity to work with some amazing people. From the church planters who have sacrificed so much and allowed themselves to be stretched in so many ways, to the trainers who have shared with such wisdom and experience, to the staff in Romania who have done an amazing job and become good friends along the way.


In the last 3 years we have seen 11 churches established and one mother church rescued from collapse, 30 missions teams mobilized into Romania to work with and support the church plants, increase in leadership of all the church planters as they have received high level training during 12 weekends over the 3 years. We have seen lives changed by coming to faith in Jesus and people being healed and set free along the way. How awesome is that?!



Ronnie is so thankful for everyone of you who have joined with us in partnering with the church plants in Romania, without you partnering with us Ronnie would not be able to do what he does. You are an essential part of making this happen! So THANK YOU!!!

Here are some of the comments from the church planters during the graduation:

• "NLI stepped in at just the right time, they were God's timely blessing for the work in Negra Voda. The team from Canada was instrumental and we still talk about them today, their impact was extra ordinary" - Dorel Toma, Negra Voda church plant

• "There is a great battle in the old city of Constanta for the young gypsy people, with the work we were doing in the church plant there you could see that something clicked in the children" - Matthew Duru, Old City Constanta church plant

• "NLI taught us to go out and meet people where they are at. We have seen people filled with Holy Spirit and giving their lives to follow Jesus" - Ionel Druga, Lumina church plant

• "We were challenged to go out and meet the people, with your help we were able to enter people's homes with the Gospel. We saw that people were welcoming and open to God's word, we have experienced amazing things" - Sami Bobocea, Culdalbi church plant

• "NLI has been a gift from God and the timing of their partnership was perfect for enabling us to plant the church" - Nelu Chirita,Galati church plant

• "You helped us when it was hard and enabled us to carry on the work in Babadag" - Paul Benko, Babadag mother church

Ronnie had an opportunity to congratulate all the leaders in the church plants for getting this far, thank them for the opportunity to be a part of their journeys of faith and encouraged them to allow Jesus to continue to build the churches in a real, relevant and replicable way. For Ronnie it has been an honor and a privilege to serve the church in Romania and see God use him to assist, challenge and encourage the church planters and see lives changed through the church in Romania.


Spain
Ronnie was a part of a team that spent 10 days in Spain at the end of September to pray with the church planters and mother church leaders in this nation. NLI is currently assisting the Salem church movement in Spain to see 3 churches planted in the cities of Alcala, Aviles & Toledo. There were 7 individuals from Canada who came to join Ronnie and Jesus (one of the Spanish leaders of the Salem movement) to visit both the locations and the leaders of the church plants and the leaders of the mother churches in Madrid and Bilbao.

Barb Shram from CLF in Warman was asked by Ronnie to lead the team as we prayed for the people of Spain. Barb did an amazing job hearing from God, leading us to seek repentance for the people of Spain and pray blessings over the cities. Barb and the whole team were instrumental in allowing God to speak through them to release many prophetic words over the leaders in Spain. It was exciting to hear and see God touch, inspire, challenge and reignite so much in those wonderful leaders. We look forward to seeing all that God has done and hearing of the impact that this team has made on the spiritual reality that exists in Spain.

Thank you to each of those people who gave of their time, money and lives to come and be a blessing to the church planters and church in Spain. Thank you!


Ronnie will be concentrating even more on the work in Spain and that region of Western Europe come 2011 as he transition out of leadership in Romania. Our hearts are to invest our time and efforts into seeing the church expanded and movements created in the countries of Western Europe. Thank you to all of you who so faithfully join us in prayer and financial partnership we could not continue to do the work God has given us in Europe without you!!!!


Prayer Requests

• Janelle and baby Z, that everything would go well with delivery if it is before the scheduled c-section or during. That baby Z would be healthy and that he would take to feeding really well. As well that Janelle's birth surgery and recover would be as pain free as possible as well as quick and complete.

• Caleb & Jaden as they work through welcoming and embracing the new addition to the family.

• All of us as we adjust to 3 boys and the realities of having a new born in the home again. That Ronnie would be able to take care of Janelle, Caleb & Jaden and help with the baby as much as possible.

• The church plants in Romania, that they would continue to allow Jesus to lead and guide them. That all they have learnt and experienced over the last 3 years as a part of the NLI project would help them in establishing a genuine Jesus following community that would bring his love and transformation to their cities.

• The church and leaders in Spain, that they would be able to build off of all that God has done through the prayer team that was recently there. That God would ignite their hearts and give them renewed vision to bring his transformational grace, love and truth to the nation of Spain.

Huge blessings and many thanks!!!!!

Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb, Jaden & baby Z †

Spain Mission - Please Pray

Dear Friends,

As many of you may or may not know, we have begun a prayer mission in Spain today with the teams from Canada's arrival. We will be spending the next 7 days praying for this nation as well as the church leaders and church planters NLI is working with in Spain. If you could please remember to pray for us during the next week that would be greatly appreciated.

Here are somethings you can pray for:

• Some of the (4 people) have not yet received their luggage, please pray that the airline finds it first off, and that it is delivered as soon as possible.
• For the teams health, well being and safety as we venture through these communities in Spain. That Holy Spirit would lead us and that he would be our protector and defender, that God would go before us and allow us to be a blessing to the leaders and people we meet in Spain.
• That Holy Spirit would give us His gifts to share with the church leader and people we meet in Spain. That we would have the gift of the spirit that they are needing (desire the greatest gift) at that time and place and that it would be planted in their hearts and bare much fruit.
• For our families and loved ones who are still in Canada, that God would watch over them and protect them as they release us to be here in Spain asking Jesus to bless and liberate this nation with his power and love.

Thank you so much for taking time to read this and pray for us. We greatly appreciate it!!!!!

I will try and update our blog as much as I can (www.moldableclay.blogspot.com)

Many Blessings and much Gratitude.

Ronnie Zerr †

Family & Ministry Update

Dear Friends,

We hope this email finds you all enjoying your summer and hopefully getting a chance to take some holidays and get some good sun to refresh you for the journey ahead.

We have been on a fairly full on journey ourselves the first half of this year, from intense ministry time in England, Romania and Spain in February. Then saying good bye to so many great friends, wonderful life memories and our journey in England, to reengaging back into Canadian culture in March. Heading back to Saskatoon and taking time to reconnect with many of you. Thank you to all of you who took time to be with us while we were in Saskatchewan, we were grateful to see so many of you. For those of you who we did not have a chance to catch up with please come and see us in Kelowna, we would be glad to have you. As well for the rest of you we would love to see you come and visit us in Kelowna and enjoy the realities of one of Canada's nicest cities!!!

Ronnie had two trips in the spring to Europe, one in May to England for the NLI HR week in the international office with many great people who were considering joining NLI in the work that Jesus is doing in Europe. Ronnie's other trip was in June to both Romania and Spain. In Romania we had one of our 4 Church Planter trainings, while in Spain we had some Holy Spirit inspired and empowered Advanced Leaders Training. It was great to have Holy Spirit join us in each of these places to see something imparted and released to the heroes in Romania and Spain who are giving their lives to see their nation transformed by Jesus' love and the truth of God's Kingdom.

Then in July we had a great friend's wedding that both Janelle and Ronnie were a part of her wedding party. It was a great day and wonderful privilege to stand beside her and celebrate this great joy of marriage with her and her husband. After the wedding we packed our house up in Saskatoon and then headed off to Kelowna. We were blessed by so many of you who helped us get through this part of the journey, from helping pack, to loading the trailer, to being lent a couple of trailers and a truck, to pushing us through the tough hours when we felt overwhelmed or even driving the truck and trailers to Kelowna. Thank you to all those who helped get us to Kelowna, we couldn't have done it without you.

Since arriving in Kelowna on July 8th it has been full on, we have had a full house a few times over and many things that we have had to take care of to begin to settle into life in Kelowna, BC. We have been blessed to have family around, friends around and a great house that is a real blessing to us and others already.

Ronnie has been working to keep up with all the things taking place in both Romania and Spain while trying to help us as a family settle into life in Canada. Although it has not been easy with all the things that needed to get done in Europe and Canada, by the grace of God we have been able to get through this season and are looking forward to being established in Canada and being able to concentrate and focus on what Jesus is continually calling us to in Europe.

As a family we headed off to Europe at the end of August to be with Ronnie's family in Copenhagen, Denmark. We had the privilege of going to Denmark to be with Ronnie's sister Mandy and her danish fiancee Rasmus as they joined their lives together in marriage. This was a great celebration for us as a family and was completely redemptive in my sister's life and ours as a family. We were so blessed by the great time we had, the amazing wedding that was put on and we are overjoyed with the love and joy that Mandy and Rasmus have for each other.

From Denmark we have headed to England to be with the NLI team at the international office in Coventry, UK to be together for our In House Week. NLI In House Week is a time where all NLI staff are together to meet, train, strategize, pray and inspire one another for the work in Europe. This is a strategic time for Ronnie and all the NLI team to focus themselves on the work that is taking place in Spain and for Ronnie to work with the team involved in Romania as he transitions out of the work in this nation.

We are also blessed by our time in the UK as we have the chance to connect with so many of our great friends that we have made over the last four years living in England. It has been great to see so many of you again!!! We will be heading to Enfield (London) as a family this coming weekend to be with some friends and join them and their church on the Sunday, September 19th. Ronnie will also be sharing with the church they are leading in the community of Enfield.

Then on Wednesday, September Ronnie will be parting ways with Janelle, Caleb & Jaden for a few week. The family will be heading back to Canada with my mom who is meeting them in London to fly back to Canada, while Ronnie heads off to Romania with Thomas (NLI Canada Director) to visit some of the church plants and be a part of the NLI Training taking place in this nation.

On Sunday, September 26th Ronnie will travel to Spain from Romania for the purpose of meeting with the Spanish leaders and to be a part of a prayer team that is going to be traveling through Spain from Sept 28th to Oct 6th. The team will be visiting some of the church leaders and church planters

Thank you to all of you who continue to partner with us financial, in friendship and mostly in prayer. We are so grateful for your faithfulness, generosity and friendship, we would not be able to do what we are doing for Jesus in Europe without each of you.

Please Pray For:

Janelle as she continues to carry our new baby boy in pregnancy. Please pray for her and the babies health & safety. That she would be able to continue to support the work we are a part of in Europe by doing such a great job raising and looking after our amazing boys Caleb & Jaden. That she would have the energy needed to do this well and with much strength and grace.
The prayer team traveling to Spain from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6, that Jesus would protect us, lead us and guide us as we call on him to see the spiritually reality in Spain transformed. There are 9 of us (Jesus, Barb, Erin, Kevin, Al, Dorothy, Esther, Sara & Ronnie) traveling throughout Spain to visit the leaders and cities where we are working to see churches planted in Spain. We covet your prayers as we pray for this nation.
The church planter training and church plants in Romania. That God would impart something supernatural into them through training taking place and that as we move toward the completion of the church planting project in Romania that God would establish the churches and for all of them to be both self-sustaining and eternally impacting.
Us as a family as we settle into life in Kelowna that we would be able to do all we are needing to do to prepare for the new baby, figure out life in Kelowna and continue to empower our Europe family to transform, equip and expand the church in Europe.

Thanks again,

Many Blessings

Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb, Jaden & Baby Z †

Our 2010!!! Hope we see you along the way!

Dear Friends,

We hope this letter finds you in a place of faith and hope. Our prayer is that all God has put on your heart will bring fruit and life.

During the beginning of February all the NLI staff gathered at our new international office in Coventry and had a chance to share, plan and strategize about the work God has for us this coming year. We were also able to mail out our annual NLI Dream Magazine, we hope that the dream magazine challenges, inspires and informs the reader about all that NLI is doing here in Europe. We are privileged to be a part of this great work and being ambassadors of Jesus to the nations and people of Europe.

If you would like to make sure you receive your own copy of the NLI Dream magazine send me your mailing address and I will make sure we send you one.

We are currently asking Jesus to help us as we walk through this busy season of our lives. As you may know we are in preparation for our move back to Canada in March. We are excited about the move but sad to be leaving our friends and colleagues that we have grown to love and cherish here in the UK & Europe. We are glad that God is still calling us to this continent and we will have a chance to stay connect with them.

We just want to thank you for all you have invested in us to make the work that we are a part of possible. We are so grateful for all the relationships God has given us and we know we could not do this eternal work alone. Thank you for sharing in the eternal fruits of our labour as we journey together.



Here is an outline of what we have in store for 2010. We are trusting Jesus to make it as fruitful and focused as it can be with all that is going on in the next 11 months.

February:

Ronnie will be in Romania (Feb 11-15) to visit the church plants and be a part of the training taking place on Feb. 12 & 13.

Ronnie will be in Spain to meet with the national leaders and church planters of the Salem church movement from Feb. 18-23.

Ronnie will be in London to take part in a conference and meet with a church movement in the UK that is instrumental in bringing faith into communities through schools, social work and community involvement on Feb. 26-28.

March:

Whole family will be moving back to Canada arriving into Saskatoon very late in the evening of March 10.

Whole family will travel to the Moose Jaw area sometime in the 3rd week of March or 3rd week of April for strategic meetings and reconnecting with friends.

Whole family will be traveling to Calgary areas around March 19-23 for strategic meetings and reconnecting with friends.

April:

Ronnie and Janelle will be traveling to the Edmonton area at the beginning of April for strategic meetings, reconnecting with friends and picking up some guests traveling from England.

The whole family will be in the Kelowna/Vancouver area the last week of April/first week of May for strategic meetings, reconnecting with friends and determining future living arrangements.

May:

Ronnie will be in Edmonton from May 10-14 for the annual general conference of the PAOC.

Ronnie will most likely be in England from May 22-30 for NLI Connection week.

June:

Ronnie will be in Romania (June 14-22) visiting the church planters and being a part of the church planter training taking place on June 18 & 19.

Ronnie will be in Spain (June 22-28) visiting with the national leaders, the church planters and being a part of the Advanced Leaders Training that will take place on June 24-27.

July/August:

The whole family will be moving from Saskatoon to Kelowna the first week of July to settle in Kelowna.

The whole family will be in Saskatoon the last week of July/first week of August for a wedding, strategic meetings and reconnecting with friends.

September:

Ronnie and Janelle are looking to be in Europe and England from around September 6-20 for NLI in house week (Sept. 14-17).

Ronnie will be in Romania (Sept. 22-27) visiting the church planters and being a part of the church planter training taking place on Sept. 24 & 25.

Ronnie will be in Spain (Sept 27-Oct 6) leading a prayer team (email me if you are interested) visiting the church planters and church plants in Spain.

October:

Ronnie will be in Vancouver for a few days to have strategic meetings and work with the NLI Canada director.

November/December:

Ronnie will be in England and Spain during November and/or December for 10-12 days to reconnect with the NLI UK team, as well as to meet with the national leaders and church planters in Spain.

Ronnie will be in Romania (Nov. 24-29) visiting the church planters and being a part of the church planting graduation, taking place on Nov. 27.



Thank you again for joining with us on this journey. We look forward to seeing many of you during the next few months. Please continue to pray with us for all that God has in store.

Many Blessings

Ronnie, Janelle, Caleb & Jaden †