Abide in Me

Abide. That's the word I've sensed the Lord laying on my heart for me personally for this coming year. In the past two years it's been Hope (hence Lillian's middle name). There are some things I need to relearn over and over again...abiding is one of them! The past few weeks have been a huge refreshing time of sitting quietly with Jesus and in His Word for long periods of time. Lot's of thinking, lot's of praying, lot's of processing, some tears, mixed with laughter (as Lillian always tries to sit on my lap while I'm journaling!).

It's harder to abide "on the go" though I believe the Lord wants us to learn to abide no matter what the circumstances. So I'm thinking through what the next few months need to look like.  Some things I've

considered as important may need to go. I don't like that. But good things will always need to make room for what is best. I also often find that what is urgent needs to make room for what is most important.  Those are always tough decisions!

This coming week life as usual resumes, with school for the kids, Classical Conversations, staff meetings in preparation for the students returning the following week (along with All Community Worship and Family Group Breakfast), working for Jordan Ministries, construction on our kitchen, Celebrate Recovery (Reid and the CR team are launching the county-wide outreach this month so we're excited to see how the Lord is going to use this!) and leading worship for our Saturday service. Thank you for your prayers for our family in the midst of it! 

Ian returns tomorrow and we are very, very excited to see him!! For those of you on his prayer letter list, we'll send out one more update in the next few weeks with his thoughts and impressions from his trip.  Thank you for your prayers for him as well family he got to spend time with and travel with! We look forward to seeing how the Lord uses this trip in his heart and life in the years to come. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you and your loved ones as you begin 2015 - may it be a year in which you abide more closely with your Savior!