Another Year to...

It truly is mind boggling to me how time can change everything. Just a few years ago, Kyle and I were celebrating Thanksgiving at the beach with my family and I was deeply struggling with the news we had received the day before. At that point in time, we had just learned that our journey with infertility was going to be much more complex than we had thought in the beginning. I was struggling so because a part of me wondered if I would ever be able to conceive and give birth to a child from my womb. This was the first time that the thought had really crossed my mind, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Even still I rejoiced that day amidst the pain I was feeling, because I knew God was writing our story and that he would be my strength along the way. 

Fast forward three years and my Thanksgiving morning looks quite different! I am still watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but I have this sweet precious boy sitting beside me and I have a healthy baby girl growing in my womb. God certainly has blessed us with more than we could have ever imagined! Although the journey of infertility was incredibly painful, I give much thanks to the Lord for allowing this trial in our lives because it greatly transformed our hearts and our relationship with Him. For those of you who may still be walking down that hard road, please know that I often pray for you. I completely understand the emotions you are experiencing and if you ever want to talk I am always available. 

In light of today, I decided to make a brief list of why I am giving thanks in 2012!

1. My Family: I am so thankful for my family of three and that the Lord  has chosen to expand us to a family of four! I am still shocked that we are expecting a baby girl, and I a beyond grateful for this precious life that He is creating. I am thankful that the Lord has chosen me to shepherd these two children and I pray that one day He calls each of them to faith in Him. 

2. Our Church: Kyle and I have been so blessed by our church this year. We are thankful to have a pastor that faithfully preaches the Word every week and challenges us to really go deeper in our faith. We are also so blessed to have a church where so many families have become like family to us. We cherish these people and our relationships with them. 

3. Our Daily Bread: Day in and day out, the Lord consistently provides to meet all of our needs. We are thankful to have a roof over our heads, running water, food in the fridge, and two cars in the driveway. In an economy that is very unstable, the Lord has remained faithful in meeting our needs. Our salary is 100% funded by the giving of others, and the Lord has faithfully provided for our ministry partners so that we could remain on staff with CRU at Ole Miss. We can say with full confidence that the Lord has been faithful to give us our daily bread and for that we give thanks.

4. My Salvation: I often feel like Paul when he said, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst." I am a sinner through and through, and I am thankful that thirteen years ago the Lord revealed to me my desperate need for a Savior. I am thankful that Christ bore the wrath of God and took on all my sin so that I could be rescued from the domain of darkness and brought into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Oh how He loves us!

5. Our Ministry: I am now in my 9th year on staff with CRU, and I am very thankful that the Lord called Kyle and I to serve Him in this way. My "job" is to share the gospel with the lost at Ole Miss, shepherd those who are of faith in Christ, and send them out into the world. I often find that in doing so, the Lord not only works in the student's life, but He also does a great work in my life too. I say of my staff team and the students I disciple, "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

1 Thessalonians 5:18