I told you yesterday that the last week in July was a BUSY one in our family...tomorrow will mine and Joel's 16th Wedding Anniversary! I am so very very blessed to call this wonderful man my husband...This year I decided to take a trip down some of the high points of the past 16 years....
1995 - Our wedding of course! My close friend Anita goes to be with the Lord - significant in that Joel helped so much!!!
1996 - I graduate from college at Wayland Baptist University; we get our first position as youth pastor at a church; and move to Idalou Tx.
1997 - The birth of our first child - Hannah Marie; we join with a inter-denominational youth ministry in Pagosa Springs Colorado.
1998 - The birth of our second child - Malachi James
1999 - We move to Wheeler Tx where Joel is Youth/Music Pastor and the birth of our third child - Kestra Nichole.
2000 - Continue to serve at Wheeler Tx and computers DID NOT crash! Ha ha
2001 - We move back to Pagosa Springs Colorado and rejoin Power House Ministries and the birth of our fourth child - Tyler Bay!
2002 - Continue to serve in Pagosa Springs Co...no children born! Ha ha!
2003 - Move to Rockwood, TN. where Joel serves as minster to Children and Youth at Cornerstone Christian Church; in December we move to Lewisville Tx where we take a sabatical from ministry.
2004 - While not on staff; we join our college friend Sam Griffin and volunteer with Jr. High students at Northview Baptist Church.
2005 - After a time of healing we move to Arkadelphia Arkansas where Joel is Youth Pastor at Caddo Valley Baptist Church; I work for Henderson State College...
2006 - Continue to serve at Caddo Valley Baptist Church; move to a new house and get our dog Beauty!
2007 - In September, God brings us back to Colorado where Joel is Pastor to Youth and Children at First Baptist Church Bayfield Co; I work for Mercy Regional Medical Center in the Human Resource Dept; our "baby" starts Kindergarten! My Grandad goes to be with Jesus - Joel is out of town but manages to come home early to be with me!
2008 - The first of our own children is in Youth Group!!! Yikes!!!
2009 - Our first time camping with all 6 of us! It was fun!!!
2010 - I go to Zimbabwe Africa - which is my first ever overseas trip and the first time I have done anything ministry related without Joel; Joel is awesome at being Mr. Mom for 14 days while I am gone!!! Ha ha!
2011 - Our oldest finishes Jr High (and will start High School); we move to Borger Tx where Joel totally shifts ministry gears to Associate Pastor to Children and Families at First Baptist Church Borger Tx!
Whew! That is a lot and I know doesn't encompass EVERYTHING! As you can tell the three main themes in our lives; our family, ministry, and moving where God sends us! Many have commented throughout the years, "Don't you want to settle down somewhere?" "Now that your kids are older you should probably 'settle' and not move." etc. Please don't get me wrong - these people are well meaning and for some, perhaps that is the case. For us, yes of course we WANT to settle and even pray that perhaps this is where we can but we also know that God has called us into FULL TIME vocational ministry for the remainder of our lives and we will go and serve wherever and whenever He calls us to. So, yes we hope that Borger is our settling down place and are even working to buy a house within a year - but we will never limit God.
The past 16 years have been full of ups, downs, joys and sorrows. Through it all - I have grown closer to my Lord and my Man and wouldn't trade ONE moment of it!!! I look forward to whatever tomorrow brings!!!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MY LOVE!!!!
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