2015
It was a year of stretching challenges, transitions, and adjustments. It was a year marked by
bended knee family prayer, crying out to God, and praising Him through storms and triumphs alike.
2015...As I've glanced back upon the past year, anticipating a new year ahead, one thing is most apparent:
THE LORD WAS WITH US.
I think of Joseph immediately and I turn to Genesis 39. After all that Joseph had endured from his brothers, even being sold into slavery, taken captive in a new land..."the Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man." (v.2) "The Lord was with him and...caused all that he did to succeed in his hands." (v.3) When he was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, "the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison." (v.21)
"THE LORD WAS WITH HIM."
GENESIS 39:23
And that same God, the One who spoke and brought the world into existence, the One who gave His only Son because of love,
the One who died on our behalf, and rose in victory, and promises His return...the miracle worker God of Genesis...He has been with us just the same as He was with Joseph. And through every moment of 2015 as I ponder where we've been, consider where we're heading,
I can see the fingerprints of God. I can trust His plans as they're unfolding. I can believe that what He did last year was ALL for our good and His glory. Yes, the Lord has faithfully been with us through it all and we know that He will continue to be.
A track back through the year confirms our confidence is rightly placed in His wise Hands.
2015
January...The year began with minor, exploratory surgeries for both Bea and Beck. Two children in surgery on the same day was definitely a new one for us and what was intended to be quick and easy became life-threatening for Bea as we almost lost our little girl. It was a stinging entry into the world of heart surgery, but the Lord was with us and He was with her. He chose to save Bea and give her life. She lived and lives and bears testimony of God's faithfulness. We praise Him for giving us more time with Bea.
(waiting for surgery with their special blankies and Bibles)
February...The LOVE Month. My memories of last February are sweet and dear. It was a time of reflection for our family upon God's great LOVE. We dedicated the whole month, day by day, to exploring how the LOVE of Christ overflows in and through our lives.
The Lord was with us in an intimate way as we lingered in the Word and celebrated His LOVE throughout those 28 DAYS OF LOVE. I can't wait to do it again this coming February. It's one of my very favorite times of each year!
March...Bea had her first major open heart surgery. 8 months pregnant with Willow, we praised God that I was able to be present for the hospital recovery with baby safely in my tummy. It was a heart wrenching time of bonding with Bea and trusting the Lord. Again, we almost lost our little girl as she went into full cardiac arrest following surgery...though she survived, our brave little Bea.
We praise God for saving her again! The Lord was with her, with us, in that season of trial and growth. As we anticipate another major open heart surgery for Bea this coming year, we know that He will be with us then too. He will.
April...We welcomed wonderful Willow to the family in April and we haven't stopped praising God every single day since for the complete JOY she brings to our family! Willow has been one of the brightest spots of our year and through her birth and since,
the Lord has been with us. The Lord has been with her. What a cherished, blessed gift she is, our precious baby Willow!
How can I thank you enough, Lord, for such a beloved treasure? She is yours...
May...In the month of May last year, we saturated in a season of reflection as Mother's Day brought gratitude overwhelming to my heart. As we evaluated our family journey and ministry, we began to ask the same questions anew, "Where would you lead us, Lord?" "Where are we headed with this family?" Earnest prayers unfolded throughout the month as we humbled ourselves before God, asking for Him to open doors and lead us to a new chapter. We would drive around communities seeking direction, praying over land and properties, committing our lives to God's handiwork, asking Him to guide. The Lord was with us in the wondering and He was with us in the silence. He was with us in the wait and He continues to be...
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(new family photo with Willow...my favorite Mother's Day gift this year)
June...It was just before Father's Day. Under Brodie's leadership, we had committed to seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, trusting all that we needed would be added to us in the Lord's timing and plans. (Matthew 6:33) We submitted to blooming where we have been planted and literally planted a garden to explore some of our enthusiasm for the chapter we've anticipated, making it work here. Just then, a friend contacted us about a new property listing in an area we've looked to move for years. We went to see it, prayerfully and with open hearts and minds. We were smitten. Up the hill and over yonder, we believed we had stumbled upon our next move so we began praying for a miracle! We knew that was what it would take for us to begin the journey toward this place. And we knew that God could do it...if it was His will. The Lord was with us every step of the way.
He led us, comforted us, prompted us to pray and to trust Him. We did...and we do.
(blessed Daddy on Father's Day 2015)
July...We began honing in on our calling, realizing that the ministry is here. We've always said we would only move for the sake of ministry. It just took us some time to realize that the ministry we would eventually move for was the one we'd been engaged in all along. Right under our noses, we fully accepted that the ministry is indeed here...as in right here in our family for this season and the Lord is with us. He leads and we follow and seek to serve Him daily in this beautiful, difficult, rewarding ministry He has blessed us with. We love this ministry with passion for Christ and He fuels that love all the more as time goes on and we grow. We have so much yet to learn, but we so enjoy the journey! In July we prayed fervently for movement. We prayed for a miracle IF the move we sought was God's will.
August...All the more, the desires to invest in our ministry at a practical pace continued to grow as we dedicated our family to slow living for God's glory. We offered our family to Him and prayed on bended knee for the miracle we needed to leap. We committed to practices of prayer, hitting the floor on our knees as a family often, worshipping God together, knowing He could do anything, believing He would lead us. And the Lord was with us and we pray He was as pleased with our time in His presence as we were to be with Him.
September...The month of September began with a retreat with Jesus for Brodie. He got alone with God for prayer, reflection, reading, and focus. The Lord was with him, casting vision. My husband returned home rejuvenated and alive with excitement for our next move...and then it happened. The first and very important of many miracles we've seen since launched us into the next phase of movement. We praised God for impressing it upon our friends' hearts to equip our family to step...and so we did. We leaped!
We leaped right into the unknown and God was with us through all the uncertainty, the One thing constant Him.
October...The month of October wavered between hiccups with our move, joy for the next step, and trust in the Lord and His plans. We continued to pray fervently and saw many doors open that were once tightly shut. We praised God for His workmanship and He was with us. We celebrated one year home for Bea and Beck, praising God for how He knit them into our family! The Lord was with Bea and Beck in China and He is with them now. He always will be! As we anticipate Beck's first major open heart surgery just around the corner, we believe that God will be with him and that He has the power to save Beck's little life. We entrust our son to His care just as we have with Bea in the past and will again for her this coming year as well. The Lord will be with us. He will never leave or forsake us.
(airport welcome home October 2014)
November...Packed in boxes, we saw our anticipated closing day of escrow come and go. Through the disappointing delays we believed that God had intentions and a plan. We still do. We celebrated 3 years home for Noble and India, knowing that God was with them in Congo, He is with them now, and He will always be with them as they navigate their lives with and for Him. We celebrated the DRC allowing our little friend to come home to his family from Congo and continue to pray for the others who wait. We also welcomed another teenager into our house as Brodie turned 13...and life feels short as my babies grow taller than me. How will we spend our days?
December...The Advent season began with a blow as the rug was swept out from under us on the day we were to close escrow on our new home. We scurried to find a remedy, our life contents packed up in boxes. We waited, prayed, accepted no's, prayed, and finally chose to focus on the sacred holiday season regardless of the uncertainties that swirled around us. We decorated, got a tree for our empty living room, and praised God for sending Jesus to earth! We embraced the JOY of Christmas, determined not to crumble under the attacks from an enemy who seeks to destroy. And the Lord was with us. And He is good. His plans are wise. We trust Him.
("Tis the season to be HAPPY"...we decided.)
2015...It was a full year. As 2016 begins, we welcome new beginnings and pray for the outcome of our home journey to include transition. We know that God has it all figured out, though we look to the future with blindness. We may not know our circumstances to come, but what we do know...what we can see...is that the Lord is with us. He has always been with us. He will always walk alongside us. He will cover us with comfort and love and even happiness amid sorrows. These boggling truths are part of what convinces us of the actuality of Jesus Christ, His supernatural realness we pray for all to experience. He is Lord and He is light and He is love and He is near.
By His grace, may we bring Jesus glory in 2016 and beyond as He continues to write His story full of hope.
{HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016}
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."
Romans 15:13
