Look at My New Big Boy Bed!

I'm a big boy now!

Busy Spring....Planting Churches- Planting Gardens

I can't recall a busier spring than we have had this year. It has been a great time of change that is growing us in our faith. On March 7th, 2010 GFBC Conroe began with 2 elders, 4 deacons and around 15 families answering the call to plant a church in the Conroe area. The reason for the plant was to bring the message of the Gospel through expositional preaching and lived out in a family integrated context. Our first Sunday brought us several visiting families that blessed the launching of this new work. Of course had it only been those of us who left to plant that first Sunday we would still have been blessed, so visitors the first Sunday was icing on the cake. To God be the glory for the increase now and always.
Going through this season of change has taught me more about the graciousness of our Lord when we trust Him with our mustard seed of faith He brings the increase for His glory. Not just by numbers of people, but a depth of growth as well.
Now as a wife of an elder and a mother raising five arrows to the glory of God this has been a season the Lord has been pruning much dead wood and fruitless vines in my life. Some has not been pleasant, but I am grateful because it needed to be done in order for stronger, new growth to emerge. Trusting the Lord to give me the grace to handle the changes He is making and to see His way is best. Personally, I love to garden and one of my favorite plants to grow is roses. They can be challenging, but most rewarding to raise (reminding me of raising children-only roses have no souls as Kathlena would remind me ;)). I love to use the rose petals in our salads, the stemmed roses for decoration on the table, or leave them in the garden to gaze upon their beauty in their natural setting. I love them in varied colors and sizes, hybrids and antiques, each with their own unique qualities. Roses have served as a great illustration of the work of the Lord in my life. Hybrids that are grafted in to a strong stock made a perfect analogy of my own adoption in Christ and the adoption of two of our children. I love to see the beauty emerge from the severe pruning of sucker shoots and dead limbs, which is necessary to bring forth strong, beautiful, fragrant roses. I am thankful for the mercies of our Lord and this season of emerging growth in our garden and the garden of our hearts-trusting Him ever more each day.
We have two slide shows below to share. Remember to turn down the music in the side bar to hear the slide show. The first is pictures from our first two months of GFBC Conroe and the second is our family around the house, homeschooling, and outings together over the past two months.