July 12th 2011. The day we began our lives in Louisville. Tomorrow makes one year in Louisville! I honestly cannot believe how quickly the year has gone. I have spent some time reflecting over this past year the last few weeks and the one thing I keep going back to is God's faithfulness in our lives. I wanted to take a few minutes to share what God's faithfulness has looked like for us over this past year.
Jobs. When we arrived in Louisville we had no jobs and just enough money to get us started. God quickly provided me with a full time job that I have held over this last year and that I enjoy. Not long after I began working Ethan got a part time job. God is faithful.
Our church home. We began attending Highview within a few weeks of arriving in Louisville and really enjoyed it. We struggled to get plugged in for the first several months, but in January Ethan began an internship under the Education paster at a different campus and so we moved to that campus to get involved there. We simply love it. Highview has several campuses which are all great, but we just feel so much more at home at campus we now attend. I have gotten plugged in with choir and praise team. We love our Sunday school class. Ethan has been given many opportunities to teach in different settings and he really enjoyed the internship. God is faithful.
Friends. Thankfully we had several established friendships with people in Louisville and if it would not have been for those we would have felt lost. It was a lot harder to make friends then we at first expected. Most everyone in well adapted to their lifestyle and it was hard to break in. The Lord graciously blessed us with new friends who we have grown so close to. They challenge us and encourage us. God is faithful.
Homesick. This has been by far been the most difficult part of this past year. I cannot tell you how much we miss our families. My heart breaks at the thought of missing out on what is going on back home and if it is brought up in conversation you will most likely see tears in my eyes. I have realized now more than ever just how important family is and how much we love our families. Ethan and I would not be who we are or where we are if it where not for them. It's still hard. I think it will always be hard. Being homesick for my family constantly reminds me that this earth is not my eternal home and that homesickness ultimately points me to be homesick for my heavenly home. God is faithful.
Financially. God has provided in this area in an extremely vivid way. We live pay check to pay check yet because of God's grace on our lives we do not go without the things we need. Yes, we make sacrifices, but ones that are well worth it. We successfully made it through our first year of seminary debt free. This was a huge goal of ours. God is faithful.
Our marriage. I am so thankful for how the Lord has grown our marriage. He has pushed us to our limits, driving us to lean fully on Him, and reminding us that He must always be the center of our lives. Constantly reminding us that Christ's love for His church is a picture of marriage. What a blessing marriage is and oh how it sanctifies us! My love, trust, dependance and gratefulness for Ethan has grown so much and for this I am extremely thankful. God is faithful.
Spiritually. Christ has been teaching me many different things, but the thing that He is teaching me the most is contentment. I have always struggled in this area and know that to an extant I will until Christ's return. However, I am slowly learning how to place my contentment in Christ. He is everything I need. Life, breath, peace, joy, humility, thankfulness and so much more. My contentment must be in Him. God is faithful.
I am thankful for all that I have learned over this past year and as Ethan and I plan for the year ahead I have high expectations for what the Lord is going to do and show us. We are so thankful for the opportunity to be here and for training that both Ethan and I are receiving.
God is so very faithful and for this we must praise Him!
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