Happy 6th Birthday New Life!

Six years. This year seems to have the most weight attached to it. Actually, I think that will be how it is from here on out, just like marriage and life: it gets better as the years go on. Better as not just sunshine and rainbows but better in lightening strikes, broken air conditioners, and floods. I think it’s safe to say that the BAD has sometimes outweighed the GOOD in some of these years. We may have cried more Sunday’s after church than laughed, both happy tears and sad tears. Do you know our neighbors had bets going for how long we last here. I think David said to one of them "actually, is that bet still going, I might wanna get in on it?" In the early days I remember how we would pick landmark moments to spur us on when times were harder. Now we have so much stockpile on both sides of the scale that it is sometimes much harder than the earlier days of planting, but I have only ever seen my husband handle everything with grace.

All of those things aside, I am so proud of him! I get to see the countless hours he puts in. I get to see the literal blood, sweat and tears he puts into everything he does at New Life. I get to see the small victories and big ones. I get to see the way he pray SL for everyone here by name and I get to do it with him and my favorite is how he includes our son, Canaan in praying for everyone here as well. I am so proud of the atmosphere he has cultivated here over the past 6 years!

That atmosphere is largely in part to everyone who makes up New Life because David and I are not the church. WE are the church. I feel so blessed by everyone that is a part of new life. Every single one of them play their part here in one way or another. I honestly could not point my finger out in the crowd of them and say "they don’t pull their weight around here." That can’t be said of many churches. Each of them have grown so tremendously, and we all still have a ways to go. David and myself included.

Thank you all for putting up with us. We’re not perfect and if you’ve been here any amount of time you know that very well. We fail, we will disappoint you, and if we haven’t yet, it’s coming. Thank you for your grace towards us, we love you.

Happy Birthday New Life!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the past six years!