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Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,
This blog is mostly a family update, since the last month has been an exciting time in our family. Our biggest announcement is that the Lord is giving us a son! Whoohoo! The baby is healthy and normal, for which we are truly thankful. He's still measuring right on schedule for an appearance on or around Meredith's birthday in early October. Now 20 weeks pregnant, Meredith is healthy and doing great, though she told me yesterday she's starting to feel a bit more pregnant trying to work around the baby belly!
Also big news, Meredith and I celebrated six years of marriage yesterday, May 19! God has been truly faithful in blessing our home, even in times when we've not been particularly faithful in putting Him first. We've been through some hard times together in the last six years, and some great times as well. I'm truly thankful the Lord has given me a spouse who is committed to her vows, in the good times and the bad. I know her love for Jesus holds her steady, even when the storms of life blow, and blow, and blow. Marriage is sometimes heaven on earth, and sometimes it's the fire the Lord uses to refine out all sorts of ungodliness! Praise the Lord for both! 6 years down. Lord willing, we've got about 60 to go.
Traditionally, we take a little vacation time around our anniversary to stop and celebrate what the Lord has done in the past year. This year, we went a little earlier because of some scheduling conflicts. Since we've been in East Tennessee for two years now, we decided to spend a week on the road visiting family and close friends. (pics at the bottom). It was a fun time, but we're glad to be safely home and back into life and ministry here.
As a quick update on Meredith's job. She did receive her TN medical license, and she has just started working one day a week. She's working in the mornings at GracePointe Counseling Center, and in the afternoons as Psychiatric Associates of Johnson City. So far, she's enjoying having her toe back in the professional world.
Both the BTCL class and the Storehouse ministries are going great. More details next post. We're hosting a short term mission trip June 17-22 from Grace Church in Greenville, NC. We're excited they're coming, and we've got some unique ministry planned for them. Please be praying for the details of their trip to come together over the next month.
For those of you who've been following my newest niece's story, you can get a full update on Josh and Rebecca's blog here. http://joshandrebeccashrader.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/resting-in-god-alone/
This blog is mostly a family update, since the last month has been an exciting time in our family. Our biggest announcement is that the Lord is giving us a son! Whoohoo! The baby is healthy and normal, for which we are truly thankful. He's still measuring right on schedule for an appearance on or around Meredith's birthday in early October. Now 20 weeks pregnant, Meredith is healthy and doing great, though she told me yesterday she's starting to feel a bit more pregnant trying to work around the baby belly!
Also big news, Meredith and I celebrated six years of marriage yesterday, May 19! God has been truly faithful in blessing our home, even in times when we've not been particularly faithful in putting Him first. We've been through some hard times together in the last six years, and some great times as well. I'm truly thankful the Lord has given me a spouse who is committed to her vows, in the good times and the bad. I know her love for Jesus holds her steady, even when the storms of life blow, and blow, and blow. Marriage is sometimes heaven on earth, and sometimes it's the fire the Lord uses to refine out all sorts of ungodliness! Praise the Lord for both! 6 years down. Lord willing, we've got about 60 to go.
Traditionally, we take a little vacation time around our anniversary to stop and celebrate what the Lord has done in the past year. This year, we went a little earlier because of some scheduling conflicts. Since we've been in East Tennessee for two years now, we decided to spend a week on the road visiting family and close friends. (pics at the bottom). It was a fun time, but we're glad to be safely home and back into life and ministry here.
As a quick update on Meredith's job. She did receive her TN medical license, and she has just started working one day a week. She's working in the mornings at GracePointe Counseling Center, and in the afternoons as Psychiatric Associates of Johnson City. So far, she's enjoying having her toe back in the professional world.
Both the BTCL class and the Storehouse ministries are going great. More details next post. We're hosting a short term mission trip June 17-22 from Grace Church in Greenville, NC. We're excited they're coming, and we've got some unique ministry planned for them. Please be praying for the details of their trip to come together over the next month.
For those of you who've been following my newest niece's story, you can get a full update on Josh and Rebecca's blog here. http://joshandrebeccashrader.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/resting-in-god-alone/
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| Lily wanted to see a beach with "warm summer sand". Unfortunately, that didn't exactly happen. |
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| But she had a great time running down the beach with granny just the same! |
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| Granny also took us to the aquarium. "Look Granny a shark!" |
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| She had a great time watching the sharks. |
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| Giving the frog a kiss. |
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| "Please be a prince! Please be a prince!" |
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| Entertaining Papa at dinner. |
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| Playing with tractors in the dirt with Lydia! |
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| Sweet friends! |
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| Feeding the giraffes with Noah Kiker! |
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| They were super gentle! |
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| These two had such a great time together! |
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| Casey is one of Meredith's best friends from college, and she's due with a baby girl in early August. |
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| Our sister-in-law Rebecca will have sweet baby Cora in early August. |
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| Laura is another of Meredith's best friends from college, and she's due with a baby girl mid August. |
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| We had a great time hanging out with the Abners! |
