My word for the year 2019 was to SEEK God with my spirit and soul, mind and body. I had a few ideas of what that would look like last January. As I look back, I see that the Lord changed me and worked on me and my family in small, nearly imperceptible ways.
Personally, I read more theology books this year than I have in my whole life as well as the entire Bible. I read 76 books total to enrich my mind and spirit and made some strides in my physical health.
Jeff and I celebrated our 20th anniversary this year. I documented some of our special dates for you. We are able to date more often now that our children can take care of themselves. It has been a blessing to our marriage to have extra time together.
Our children had a lot of milestones this year: first time volunteering, getting temps, grieving the loss of a pet, first ACT test, first time away from home without Mom and Dad, first time taking communion, first braces, first stitches, first time participating in a Bake-Off for two kids and first time placing for another, first time riding a bike, and watching our last child accept God’s gift of salvation.
We got to do a lot of neat things as a family this year: our annual Valentine’s Day Four Course Dinner, Federal Reserve Museum in Cleveland, OH., a meaningful Easter season, Dayton Air Force Base Museum in Dayton, OH., spending time with friends in Tennessee, visiting our local zoo with friends, yard sale Saturdays, fireworks for Independence Day and Labor Day, church camp, my 20th high school reunion, our nephew’s graduation, a day on the lake in Papaw’s pontoon, vacation in Hershey and Lancaster, PA., choosing pumpkins at a local farm in the fall, two ministry trips to churches in Ohio and Illinois, and enjoying a lovely holiday season with family.
God blessed us with a newer van after ours played tag with a semi last year. We were also able to get a camper to help on some of our week-long trips and work trips. Our business hit a milestone we never saw coming which left us grateful but scrambling to keep up. My piano business also grew to 30 students this year which is still unbelievable to me.
God’s Word says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.” – Matthew 6:33 We were truly blessed by all the things and people He added to our lives this year.