2013 recap

 

Happy New Year!!  It's definitely time for an update and there's no better time than a good 'ole 2013 recap post!  At our last gathering of our church we were reflecting over this past year and it's amazing to me how much can happen in a year!  It's really true that the days may go slow, but the years go so fast!  Last year at this time we had just left Pinelake church to pursue church planting, and now we have been meeting together as Arise church for 6 months and are really growing close as a family of believers and pursuing God's mission to disciple our neighbors.  I'd love to go into some posts about our experience planting a church soon ;)  I also started working 5 days a week again this fall and those two things combined for a nearly non-existant blog!  I basically started this blog to share info with friends and family about our adoption journey, and since we've spent the year waiting in that category, sometimes it's hard to have new info to share on that front.   I did want to share that it's been hard work this year!  However, when the Lord calls you to do something it is always going to be the best thing for you to obey, and He will always be faithful to be present and to equip you for the task.  (I may have gone into this year kicking and screaming!)  For me there was a lot of grieving this year as we left a church family we had been a part of for 10 years.  There was also the daily grieving for a daughter who isn't home yet.  This sadness mixed with the relational time and energy that it takes to begin a new church has left me emotionally exhausted on most days, but the Lord is my strength and He has given me my daily bread!  I wouldn't trade the growing dependance I've had on Him this year for anything!  We finished this year with a new family of believers who love us and that we truly do life's ups and downs with....it's amazing!  And we also have seen the Lord provide our salary from everyday church members and have received NO network support so far-something we would have never thought possible last year at this time!  The Lord has also provided by allowing our house to sell, and now we're waiting on Him to provide a new place to call home in 2014!  This song by the David Crowder Band seems to sum up my 2013 quite well.  Praying for 2014 to be a deepening of our faith and growing of our family!

 Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I AM with you; be not dismayed for I AM your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  AMEN!