My Great Thing!

One more trip - - - can't even tell you how excited I am that after April Jeremy won't be making monthly trips to Seattle for class. Don't get me wrong - ReTrain has been a blessing beyond belief for us as a family and for Jeremy is his training for ministry. When Jeremy received a full scholarship to ReTrain, I had no idea the impacts it would have on us as a family. It has been wonderful. It has been exciting to see him learn a lot, be challenged by the gospel, meet people who have become friends as well as mentors, and to watch the impact that ReTrain has had on how Jeremy ministers first and foremost to us as a family and then to the community around us. I love it! I would recommend it to anyone whose husband is in ministry. The rewards are HUGE - - - but sacrifice is involved. It has not been an easy 8 months. Every month Jeremy goes to Seattle - sometimes for a three day trip and sometimes for a week. It is a challenge to be a mom of two kids on my own during those times and I have a little girl who misses her daddy a great deal. It is also a sacrifice during the month as well. Jeremy has about 1,000 pages to read after each class and typically about a 15 - 20 page paper to write - so all of that on top of ministry/work and family - it is a challenge.

I have been learning over the last 8 months in some big ways more and more that God's plans are perfect, his timing is perfect, that this life isn't mine and that my trust and dependance on him must increase. I wish I could share all that has happened in the last 8 months - it is quite amazing the circumstances and situations God has taken us through. But in each one I have seen God's care, grace and provision in our lives.

It has been good for me in so many ways to learn to sacrifice over the last 8 months. We have so much and really deserve so little. I am thankful for the opportunity God gave us with Jeremy attending ReTrain - - - - - it really has "re-trained" us in gospel thinking and helped us grow as a family. I am thankful for a husband who loves Christ above all things and is passionate about growing in the knowledge and grace of Christ. Jeremy really is my Great thing that God blessed me with beyond belief! He has worked hard and done well in his classes. He has been diligent in study and done his best to not let it take time from our family. He has ministered to us as a family in a whole new way. I am so proud of him!

I am eagerly anticipating our trip together to Seattle for our 6th anniversary as well as his graduation! So he makes one more trip in April, none in May and then we go together in June - I can't wait! I am excited about school being done (I chuckle as I write that because Jeremy loves learning so somehow I think school will always be in the picture in some way - lol) and having my great thing here with me more! Thankful for ReTrain and God's work through it - - and excited to have the one I love so much back home!