We said goodbye to Ms. Jan. She went home to be with Jesus, leaving an incredible legacy of faithfulness, trust and servitude to our Lord. I hadn’t gotten a chance to visit with her for a while. But she was on my heart through Matt’s visits. Such a dear woman. Such a wonderful example of the faith. I took the girls to the funeral service yesterday. They did pretty well at staying quiet so I could actually participate in the celebration of Jan’s life. I’m grateful. I hope to leave such a legacy. Just a quiet, humble life. Daily serving. Daily surrendering. Daily worshiping.  I hope to leave this world with such a legacy of missions trips in my senior adult life. She never lost sight of the world’s need for the Gospel. And she was willing to be the feet. Her funeral left me in a place of urgency and gratitude.

We’ve been working on our family covenant renewal for this year. Nope, the renewal can happen any day, not just January 1. =) Matt and I have walked through the fleshing out of all the categories; our family’s relationship to God, one another, the Local church, and our Neighbors. There’s a part in it for everyone. All the way down to the smallest of smalls. It’s about intentionality. How are we being Christ’s feet? The covenant has left me in a place of urgency and gratitude.

Another posting on my Facebook page. 18 more lives rescued from human trafficking. We should all be celebrating these things. This is freedom from modern-day slavery!!! The post has left me in a place of urgency and gratitude.

I’ve been going through the girls’ clothes again. It’s that time. Time for the best hand-me-downs to go the Women’s center. Because we, as a family, want people to fall in love with their babies. Their babies that they would otherwise abort. Because every life matters. Even the smallest. We all have specific purposes. And if a pair of baby sandals can remind a Mommy or a Daddy that their ultrasound is a real person, then please, please(!) take all the shoes we can possibly give, even the ones off my baby’s feet. I’m not tooting my horn here, friends. I’m trying to be an encouragement. I mean if we, hand-me-down abusers, can possibly find something nice to donate then surely ANYONE can. Let’s ban together and flood their gracious distribution shelves. The value of life has left me in a place of urgency and gratitude.

Urgency to be His feet to the lost and dying world. Gratitude at the chance to even be used to further His Kingdom.

We feel His poking. His prodding. His changing, His opening and His awakening of the very depth of the hearts He has grown in us. We are in an active waiting phase of our lives. Waiting with urgency and gratitude. We want to be used. And we trust His timing. He is preparing us. He is preparing others. All in His perfect way. With urgency. To our knees we go in gratitude.

 are so excitingly fun

when you’re 8 months old. 

– We adore our happy little Eden Rose.

We’ve been temporarily displaced due to our heater being useless during a few cold winter nights. We’ve found our happy refuge among good friends. And it’s in these quiet moments that God is teaching my soul how flexible we really are as a family. We’ve been sleeping on the floor. Not a mattress, dear ones, the floor with a blanket buffer. And honestly, we’re all just so thankful for a warm house and wonderfully warm friends. The kids have slept great and God has been opening my eyes to the beauty of flexibility that He has been growing in our hearts and in our lives. It’s this flexibility that He is nurturing for His Kingdom. And I’m just so thankful to even be a tool. 

So as we roll over, a little achy in moments for us adult people, my heart has been praying for the thousands upon thousands around the world that find themselves sleeping on the floor every night. And yet they still raise their arms in thankfulness and praise to Jehovah Jira- God, our Provider.

 I don’t know if we’ll always have a bed to sleep on in this world, but what I do know is that our Lord has blessed us BEYOND measure no matter where we lay our heads. And His provision will ALWAYS be more than enough for our souls.



Thank you, Jesus, for Your abundant provision. 

– Stay warm, dear ones.