After a rather peaceful holiday pause and with 2012 well on its way, it's time for another NEWS UPDATE — looking back to what has happened at Holsby! First, however, we want to wish all of you a JOYOUS NEW YEAR — one filled with expectations from our Lord! HE is so worthy of our trust in all of our days! Keep walking "forthward" with your eyes on the goal — JESUS!

Stay connected with Holsby alumni and friends! Greetings from Sweden! We have an exciting opportunity for you to reconnect with Holsby students and staff, and to get to know members of the broader Torchbearer world. See below for details, and make sure to click through and check out the 2012 Conference Tour website.

Holsby is very happy to announce that we have a new principal!! WELCOME to Luke & Cheryl Thomas, and 17–month–old daughter, Emmalise!! The Thomas family arrived in Sweden a couple of weeks ago. We've been waiting quite a while for this role to be filled within our Holsby family. It's good to know that God's timing is perfect! Temporarily, while a campus house is being renovated, they will live in an apartment in the village.

You who are regular readers of the NEWS UPDATE know that "Ye olde editor" and Wally really enjoy meeting the 2nd generation students who come to Holsby! Most of the time, we remember their parents, and some quite well actually. This year we have set a record! We have a total of 10 students who are 2nd Gens, plus both of our RAs are also. Maybe some of you can connect in your memories with the parents of these young people.

Dinner at Holsby on Friday, 16 September, was the official opening of the 39th year of Holsby Bible School — 2011–2012! It is always a joy to welcome a new group of young people to the campus. None of us knows what the year will bring. But we do know that we'll be changed more and more into the image of the Lord Jesus as we all — staff and students alike — continually reach toward the goal of knowing and loving HIM.

The twins have arrived!! Jonathan and Trista Miller, who prayed for twins, now have the joy of holding these precious little ones for real! They arrived early Easter Sunday morning after 8 hours of labor. They are healthy and all is well. All praise to the Lord!

Coming to the end of 6 months of living together in close community has its inspiring challenges and gratifying moments! And so we found ourselves having to say a farewell to 15 of our almost 50 students from Winter Bible School. They were not just students; they had become friends!

"Ye olde editor" has had a strong exercise in trust and thanksgiving recently because a chronic back problem has become more acute! An active trust (which is very synonymous with faith) in our lives is absolutely essential! We cannot know salvation without faith and trust in the One Who offers it to us freely. And we cannot effectively walk on with HIM in our daily lives unless we grow in that simplicity of trust in HIM for every detail of our lives! With other words — we cannot do it without HIM!!

The warmth of friendship and the shared fellowship of being in Christ and knowing HIS love, are two very important ingredients for celebrating a wonderful Valentine banquet! And so once again, Holsby students and staff gathered together for an eventful evening of camaraderie and enjoyment!

A Blessed and Happy New Year to you all, or as we express it in Swedish — Gott Nytt År! New Year's resolutions are very popular this time of the year! Some are seriously followed; others don't last more than a few days.

Yes, 'tis the Season to .... How would you finish that sentence? Is December the time to spin the wheels of a busy schedule, to anticipate what you are going to receive from under the Christmas tree, or what you will buy to put there?

Here at Holsby, we have enjoyed a beautiful, extended fall! When the sun shines this time of the year, it is an invitation to get out there and take a walk, enjoy conversations, play volleyball or soccer — or get that required reading done while enjoying the sunshine and fresh air at the same time. It is a good thing to give thanks, to look all around us and rejoice in the beauty of the work of the hands of our Creator God!

It's a brand new school year at Holsby — the 38th year, in fact. We've had the privilege of welcoming 46 students from 9 countries — USA (13), Germany (11), Canada (10), Sweden (4), Austria (3), Holland (2), Latvia (1), Denmark (1), and England (1). And we've begun the process of bonding together as a family.

We have a wonderful team here at Holsby! A very committed one! And it takes a team working together to make things go round. Our program here is diverse and varied. Every department is important, and capably contributes to the whole picture.

After a cool, cloudy spring, a beautiful, warm and sunny summer day drew about 400 people together from the surrounding community to celebrate the traditional Swedish Midsommarafton at Holsby!