While Christmas in our home was a sacred and magical event, our spirits were significantly dampened by a tragic development within our extended B Family. We rang in the New Year with heavy hearts and see mountainous challenges on the horizon as we set sail into 2012. But we are endeavoring to stand on the Word, praying for God’s perfect plan--a plan that we know is never inconsistent with His Word--to manifest itself in our loved ones’ lives, that He will surround them with wise and Godly counsel, and that He will guide and direct our words and actions with respect to the situation—-that they will not be couched in anger, but grounded in truth and clothed in love, grace and mercy. We know our God can heal broken hearts, restore joy and relationships and move mountains!
Despite this crisis (and a few other non-blog-worthy end-of-year setbacks), we reflect on 2011 with much gratefulness and gratitude. We had the opportunity to see God and draw closer to Him in mud homes of widows in Zambia, amidst the rubble and tent communities of Haiti, and in quiet moments at our own kitchen table. And we drew closer to each other as we admired the beauty of God’s creation in colorful Florida beach sunsets, awe-inspiring views from Carolina mountaintops, and in the gift of small moments and seemingly uneventful, ordinary days spent as a family, simply doing life TOGETHER. THANK YOU, GOD, for loving us! THANK YOU, GOD, for the gift of family!
We know our Lord is faithful, mighty to save and ALWAYS good—always, always, always, always GOOD! We are blessed beyond anything we deserve and are optimistic about what God has in store for our family in 2012 and beyond. Our Haiti adoption paperwork is coming together—it is likely that 2012 will be the year we meet our son! Some career-related doors recently opened for D and we’re excited to see how a new business venture takes shape (he put in a TON of work and passed a difficult test to help those doors to open and I am so proud of him!). And we are believing that the situation in our extended family will result in TESTIMONY, not tragedy. What the Lord has planned for our future has yet to be revealed, but we suspect it’s something pretty amazing in light of all of the testing, teaching, shaping and stretching that has taken place over the past few years. We pray that our branches will continue to be pruned in the coming year and that it will be a year of bearing fruit.
So bring on the New Year!
May 2012 be great, wild and full of Him!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Despite this crisis (and a few other non-blog-worthy end-of-year setbacks), we reflect on 2011 with much gratefulness and gratitude. We had the opportunity to see God and draw closer to Him in mud homes of widows in Zambia, amidst the rubble and tent communities of Haiti, and in quiet moments at our own kitchen table. And we drew closer to each other as we admired the beauty of God’s creation in colorful Florida beach sunsets, awe-inspiring views from Carolina mountaintops, and in the gift of small moments and seemingly uneventful, ordinary days spent as a family, simply doing life TOGETHER. THANK YOU, GOD, for loving us! THANK YOU, GOD, for the gift of family!
We know our Lord is faithful, mighty to save and ALWAYS good—always, always, always, always GOOD! We are blessed beyond anything we deserve and are optimistic about what God has in store for our family in 2012 and beyond. Our Haiti adoption paperwork is coming together—it is likely that 2012 will be the year we meet our son! Some career-related doors recently opened for D and we’re excited to see how a new business venture takes shape (he put in a TON of work and passed a difficult test to help those doors to open and I am so proud of him!). And we are believing that the situation in our extended family will result in TESTIMONY, not tragedy. What the Lord has planned for our future has yet to be revealed, but we suspect it’s something pretty amazing in light of all of the testing, teaching, shaping and stretching that has taken place over the past few years. We pray that our branches will continue to be pruned in the coming year and that it will be a year of bearing fruit.
So bring on the New Year!
May 2012 be great, wild and full of Him!
Soli Deo Gloria!
What a beautiful post even though you write with a heavy heart. I love your positive and ever faithful words. Thanks for sharing. I'll say a prayer for the "B" family! Happy New Year (and by the way, I've thought about you while I cheer on your boy Tim Tebow! How awesome!).
ReplyDeletelook forward to chatting later. A lovely post and the picture inspired me.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post friend. Praying for your whole family!!
ReplyDeletei am so sorry for the heartbreak you are facing in your extended family. how beautiful that you can be overcome by god's goodness rather than be overtaken by tragedy.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post! I pray for peace for you and your family!
ReplyDeleteHi I’m Heather! Please email me when you get a chance! I have a question about your blog. HeatherVonsj(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDelete