Change
From Janurary 2012-March 2013: I met my soon-to-be husband, began planning a mission trip to Africa, started student teaching, began dating my soon-to-be husband, got very sick, lost my student teaching position, got engaged, began planning a wedding, watched my fiance and Africa mission trip teammate graduate, went to Kenya for a month and a half the next day, planned a wedding from Kenya, came home, watched my fiance move and start a new job, got married, moved away, started my last semester of Graduate School, watched my brother and his wife and cousin and her husband and best friend and her husband get married, started my Advocare journey, began worshiping at a new church, graduated from Grad School, began a teaching position at a preschool, and had laparoscopic surgery.
Whoa.
That's a lot. There's more, I'm sure, but that's about all I can squeeze out of my mind at this moment. There's more to come.
After moving to Maryville in August, we left behind so many "knowns" for so many "unknowns." Scary? Yes. It was. It has been. Every day has been a challenge to get out there and search for the will of God. He definitely hasn't left us. He's been leading and guiding consistently. We've made a ton of friends who already feel like close family. Nice, right? Well, yes, it's been nice. After all, one can never have enough friends. God has been giving us opportunity after opportunity to minister to others, and we're overjoyed. We love seeing Him get the glory as His Spirit lives in and flows out of us.
I never thought I would see myself asking for MORE of the very thing I am so afraid of, change. But I am. I'm asking that He open the floodgates and let it rain on our town. I am asking that He open the floodgates on our families and friends. I am asking that He stir us to an excitement and JOY that we have not yet experienced, one that gets us up, moving, active, and ALIVE! I am asking for hearts of stone to be changed, forever. I am asking for success and prosperity, immeasurably more! I am asking for surrender, closure, understanding of the things that have past and looking forward to the prize He has promised! I am asking for expanded territory, to be sent on missions; wherever He desires to lead, we'll follow. I am asking for renewal, rest, peace in His comforting arms, lavish love! I am asking all of these things for my family and for all of you. He IS ABLE!
Thank you Jesus for your gift of sacrifice, for the changes you have carried us through and to. Thank you for loving us when we could not love ourselves. Thank you for opportunities to step out in faith, to make your name known. You are beautiful. You are good. Your love never fails. Thank you for providing and giving us new hearts that beat and feel and serve and love in Your name. Thank you for the gifts you continuously pour out on Your people, Your gifts of freedom and love. Thank you for the successes you have brought to us, even the times we fail, we thank you for. We thank you that You are perfect; You remain faithful, steady, constant, sure. Thank You, Jesus, for loving us endlessly. May we learn to love the same.
Jen
