With Gratitude

Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 CEV)

It's been easy to be grateful lately.

We're settling in to the house nicely. Rooms are taking shape. Pictures are beginning to fill the empty spaces on the walls. It's becoming a home.

We've added a family member, too: a six-month old yellow Labrador Retriever named Oliver. We adopted him from Friends of Strays, a rescue in Princeton, Illinois. He's a great dog and a perfect fit for our family. In the near future we hope to get Oliver trained as a therapy dog so that Todd can take him along on hospital visits.

People have been excited to come to church to check out the new pastor. The parking lots of our two country churches are getting more full with each passing Sunday. Todd has gotten a lot of positive feedback. Some have called Todd's preaching " a breath of fresh air." Both the Sheffield and Tiskilwa congregations have been kind, generous, and welcoming. We can feel God setting the stage for big things in these communities.

At our family meeting on Monday (more on this new tradition in another post), each of us expressed an overwhelming feeling of gratitude to God for bringing us on this adventure. He has provided for and protected us. It is clear that God answered our prayers in a big way.

We know things will not always be so easy. The enemy often strikes when one is forming a closer relationship with God. But for now, we're enjoying this time. We're building our spirits for the hard work we have ahead.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. Keep them coming! And know that you are lifted in our prayer as well.