For me, as for many others, the start of a new year is always a time of reflection. I look back at the previous year and think about all that happened, all that I did and all that I wished I had done. 2018 was a big year for us with many changes. It honestly went by like the blink of an eye and it was incredibly wonderful, filled with unbelievable blessings and many, many more highs than lows.  Charlie’s last blog post and our Christmas letter gave updates on all of our individual highlights of 2018.  It was an amazing year.

I want to reflect this new year on what I have learned through our journey of living hazzardously in 2018 and leaving the city for the country, the old for the new, the known for the unknown.  I believe that some thought we were crazy.  Others thought we were brave.  We knew that God was calling us up north.  We felt called to start an adult foster care home.  We felt called to serve the Lord in a new mission field ministering to families like ours.  Broken families dealing with blending and special needs and all that entails. We had no idea what that would look like, and we still don’t, but we trust God.

I have learned is that when I follow Jesus, He always lights the way and smooths my path, but sometimes I can only see ahead one step at a time.In Isaiah 42:16 (ESV), we learn that, “I (Jesus) will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.”   The bigger picture isn’t always clear, but I keep trusting and keep walking and God reveals more in His timing.  He never leaves me or forsakes me.

I have learned that less is more. As a person who spent far more time as a Martha than a Mary, I started 2018 exhausted by doing. Doing, doing, doing, going, going, going.  I spent so much time trying to do good things, trying to help others, trying to serve God, that I spent little time sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus and even less time sitting quietly and really listening to the people I loved.  It took moving into the middle of no where (30 minutes to the nearest town with a grocery store), where I knew no one, to force me to slow down and just be.  I can’t begin to put into words how much closer I have grown to my husband, my children, and my Lord Jesus Christ, by embracing the simple and slowing down.  I have learned that it is okay to just be home and that my calendar does not have to be filled with activities and appointments in order for me to be valuable.

I have learned that God provides. He really does.  I have experienced God’s provision many times in my life, but this year I can truly say that God’s provision has far exceeded my mustard seed faith.  We left our jobs in the Twin Cities and moved to a home that was in disrepair and had no appliances.  Our vehicles were in rough shape and we knew we would need of a tractor and other implements in order to plow and work the land.  We had to move our over abundance of combined belongings in multiple five hour trips.  God provided.  Precious friends and strangers came together to help us load our stuff, and two angels lent us a truck and came all the way up north to help us unload.  Charlie and Jacob were blessed with safe travels on many long, late night trips from the cities. We were gifted not one, not two, but three different vehicles in the last year, as well as two needed farm implements.  We had just enough money in savings to buy appliances and make the necessary home repairs.  God gave Charlie the boys the physical strength and dedication to work hard, day after day, around the farm.  Although not in our original plan, we have been able to establish an HVAC company up here in the north woods and jobs are already flooding in. We have truly experienced Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

I write these reflections to share the hope, encouragement, strength and joy I find in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He is more than enough.

Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!
Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other.
Our God is Healer, Awesome in Power, Our God! Our God!
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?
And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?
And if our God is with us, then what could stand against?
Then what could stand against?

“Our God” Chris Tomlin