Oh my wordโฆthank you, thank you, thank you for the birthday wishes. What a difference a year can make! Last year we were still in the throes of covid and trying to put that in the rear-view mirror, finishing my EdD-to-PhD bridge program, and then (of course) the transition to a new place of service. Through all of the change, one of the constants has been the encouragement of the amazing people God has allowed me to have in my life! Everyone one of you are a blessing!!
I usually post a โthank youโ at the end of the day on my birthday, but this year has been a little different and I have taken a couple of extra days to collect my thoughts. Honestly, I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from friends and family literally around the world! Seriouslyโฆitโs a remarkable thing to have people in countries on four different continents take a moment to think of me and reach out. Truly my cup is running over!
The transition to a new place of service and subsequent move have been the biggest things that have been mentionedโunsurprisingly to be sureโbut also friends asking about our family and having one leave the nest to remain in Valdosta and another close to finishing college (one more year!). Our kids arenโt children anymore and this new season just underlines that fact. Then there was a serious health scare for my beloved mother-in-law recently where I lost count of the people who reached out to pray with us and for us.
In His providence, God has brought just the right people into our lives at just the right times to emphasize we are in His will and to encourage us as we settle into our new home. Oh how He loves us!
So much has changed in the last yearโฆI know I can be a bit โwordyโ but canโt begin to describe my gratitude for the birthday wishes, especially this year as we get settled here! Please continue to pray for us as we continue to faithfully serve Him in Fayetteville and beyond! Iโll have some new posts coming soon here where I plan to share some things Iโm learning through the transition from one great church to another, reasons I continue to strongly support the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention, and reasons for attending the Southern Baptist Convention this summer in New Orleans! I hope to see many of you there!