Dear Friends and Family,

We wanted to let each of you know how much you are loved! We thank God for you and count you all as special gifts from the Lord! We pray that His mercies are with you in abundance as you begin a new year full of peace and prosperity.

As for a family update, we are all doing well. Our oldest son, Garrett is in full-time ministry, working on staff at Scottsdale Worship Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. He serves as the Youth and Creative Arts Director. Garrett is excited to be doing everything he loves— drums, music, graphic design, fine arts, planning events, leading students, developing ministry and more-- and we are so happy for him. Garrett is engaged to be married now and we enjoyed a visit over the holidays with both he and Rachel. Garrett has a generous heart and has received much favor; he has made many connections with other ministry leaders for the purposes of advancing the gospel of Christ for the kingdom of God.

Gavin is now in his second year at Valley Forge Christian College and doing exceptionally well as a music and mission’s major. He had the privilege of traveling to Italy with his concert college choir this year and visited five different cities throughout the country proclaiming the glories of God through song. We thank each of you who helped to make it possible. Gavin also received the favor of the Lord and had the privilege of being selected to be on a traveling worship team representing the college throughout the country again this year. His God-given tenor voice and heart for worship are truly blessings to all of us and we are so happy for Gavin to be doing what he loves!

Grant is 16 and learning to drive now. He had the fun experience of playing high school football this past fall for Hampton Christian-#72. He also enjoyed playing the bass guitar on the worship team and running the sound board as well. He had much favor with his teachers and coaches and we are so happy for him. His entrepreneurial skills have flourished this year and he constantly amazes us with the business opportunities and profits that he finds in everything he pursues. He did an excellent job with his spoken word and dramatized quoting categories in the National Fine Arts Festival in Louisville, KY this past summer and is looking forward to participating this upcoming year at the District level in Baltimore in March and has hopes of going to Nationals in Orlando this August. Grant enjoyed working on staff at the Alabama summer camp last year and received high recommendations and is looking forward to working there again this summer. As he prepares for his senior year in high school this fall, he is planning to tour Southwestern University in Texas this Spring to consider where he would like to go to college. We are so happy for him and know that he will do well with God’s call on his life.

Gillian is a beautiful daughter that God has graced our family with. She got a new guitar and a ukulele this year and always fills the air with music. She performed a special song; singing and playing the ukulele with her friend at Potomac Youth camp this past summer at the request of her youth pastor and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Her fun personality makes her a spark in every situation. She is in ninth grade this year and had a great opportunity to lead worship for Hampton Christian’s student chapel services. She excels with her school work and her literature and writing skills have flourished this year. She enjoyed being invited to participate in the National Fine Arts Festival in Louisville, KY this past year in female vocal solo and looks forward to participating this year in a few new categories—it will be her first time to do a short sermon. Gillian loves her family and her friends. She is a joy and has sunshine in her heart everyday.

Grayson and Graham, the twin boys have grown and matured so much this year. They turned nine years old in December. The highlight of their year was being gloriously filled with the power of the Holy Spirit at a special Catch the Fire event in Virginia Beach. We were so delighted to witness their total love for and trust in the Lord. They are very good students and love to do their school work and always enjoy learning. They love to create and invent! They build masterpieces out of legos, draw pictures, and create crafts and inventions out of just about anything. Their most recent invention is a marble tower built out of cardboard, tape and recycled plastic bottles, cut and molded for every turn of the tower. They enjoy our daily family bible reading time and have developed a strong love for reading on their own as well. One of the biggest surprises this year for us was when the three little boys burst out in song in three-part harmony—it was awesome and most precious. They have kept it up and harmonize for any willing loved-one or friend who is visiting. Their ability and heart to pray and talk to God, not only for their own needs but the needs of others has grown tremendously this past year and we are so happy to see their compassion. They like to fix their hair in stylish ways like their older brothers and they still love to wear matching clothes!

Galen is now six years old and in first grade. He does stellar schoolwork and is one of a kind in every way! He by no means sits in the shadow of his twin brothers but jumps right out in the bright rays of the sunlight for himself. He greets each new day with a vibrant joyful song, “It’s a beautiful day today, the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, and I am singing!” He loves to beat-box and break-dance and has a natural rhythm, and is known to entertain crowds of people watching “the show,” at any given time. Head-stands, jumps, spins and all kinds of moves are a part of his fun. He had a fun chance to do a few tricks back stage for Toby Mac this year after a concert at Busch Gardens and decided that he wanted to be just like him when he grows up. He’s a blast! But he’s still Mommy’s little doll!

Debbie is now entering her last year of Ph.D. studies in Organizational Leadership, and gives the Lord all the praise. She plans to attend her final residency in May on campus in Virginia Beach, VA, Lord willing. She passionately pursues a relationship with the Lord and is in daily fellowship with the one she loves the most—Jesus! She is also so happy and blessed to have a wonderful husband and children. Debbie loves producing the women’s online magazine www.myfriendDebbie.com and is so thankful for all the writers who make it possible. She continues to look forward to further ministry opportunities the Lord is bringing to pass, as well.

Billy has taken a position with Pius Technologies, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona as Vice-President of Sales and Marketing. He will be traveling and working from the Gulf Coast and East Coast, and is thankful for the opportunity that has opened up for him. He has family in that region and it will be a blessing for him to be close enough to visit regularly. Billy humbly and gratefully gives the Lord praise for all the blessings and provisions that God has granted and orchestrated and is confident of Roman’s 8:28.

We had such an enlightening time this summer visiting the Creation Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio. If you have never been, we encourage you to consider taking your family. It is well worth it.

 As a family, we have decided to spend some time near Debbie’s family, for a while, on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. We have rented our home in Virginia for now and have relocated for a season to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We have a desire to help with the church plant started by Debbie’s Dad in the city. We have a beautiful place to stay and we are so thankful. However, less than one week after we moved in, while on a family bicycle ride for the twin’s birthday, Debbie fell and broke her leg. It required surgery with a rod and screws, and a hospital stay, coming home the week before Christmas. God is granting healing and we are so thankful. The doctor is now hopeful that she will be recovered in three months, rather than the expected 5 ½ months, but for now, she can’t put any weight on it and has to wear a boot and use a walker to get around. All the children and Billy have been such a big help to assist with everything needed. God has been so good and faithful to offer His abiding peace and healing strength each day and Debbie daily continues to recover. We are looking forward to a complete restoration. Thank you for your earnest prayer on our behalf.

We hope to visit Virginia again in March for the children’s fine arts involvement over spring break, as well as in May for Debbie’s doctoral residency. We hope to hear from you all wherever you are!

God has been faithful to guide us through this very challenging year and we are so grateful. The verse and promise that God has put in our hearts for the upcoming New Year is Zechariah 8:11-13 (The Living Bible)

“’But it is all so different now!’ says the Lord Almighty, for I am sowing peace and prosperity among you, your crops will prosper, the grapevines will be weighted down with fruit, the ground will be fertile, with plenty of rain; all these blessings will be given to the people left in the land. So don’t be afraid or discouraged. Get on with rebuilding the temple, if you do, I will bless you.’”

We love you all!

The Harpers

May the Lord’s presence abide with you abundantly and may the God of all peace and prosperity be with you and your family!

Billy	Debbie	Garrett	Gavin	Grant	Gillian	Grayson	Graham	Galen