A Baby Blanket and a Believer...

Almost a year ago, as Jason started the recruitment process to become a deputy the first individual he made contact with was his recruitment officer, a Christian woman whose husband is a deputy and they have been at the Sheriffs office for 25 years. A Christian, who expressed on the very first meeting how they needed more believers and men like Jason on the force- that was our first clue God was up to something. Susan has been praying for us and for Jason during this whole process and continually helping and encouraging him through all the steps. She offered to meet up with me or talk on the phone anytime with any questions or fears that I may have. She was first to call Jason with the good news that he had been selected, and just yesterday... Jason came home from orientation with a gift from her. She crocheted Cole a baby blanket - and with it came a card that said every stitch represents a prayer lifted up for both of you and your new baby. I seriously was so overwhelmed and speechless at her sincere kindness. I was overwhelmed at God's great love for our family- of how He continues to place sincere Christians in our life to encourage us and show us His grace and love. In what can be a scary and intense profession, it has been a HUGE comfort to know that Jason has had a prayer warrior inside the Sheriff's office and someone rooting him on who knows just what the job puts you through personally.  We are so encouraged and we can just smile and know that God is watching over us. 
I want to be more like Susan. She wrote me back in an email that her spiritual gifts include intercession and encouragement.  I would say so!  She is using her strengths to lift up others. Do I do that? Am I using the gifts God has given me to bless others? How important is it to me to use my time in small but GREAT ways like this? Susan spent her time, her prayers on Jason and I. And I have never met her. Jason has known her for almost a year. Wow. It is in these glimpses of God and His love in others that inspire me, humble me, and remind me God is near. Grateful for Susan. Grateful and overwhelmed by sincerity. 

God is doing a New Thing...

New Life and a New Path are definitely where Jason and I find ourselves these days. Other than the most obvious, which is awaiting the arrival of our first born baby Cole any day now; God has been growing more than just our son this past year. He has been growing and changing us!
I feel like we could summarize this past year and a half with one word...UNPLANNED. This has been the best unplanned year of my life. In hindsight God was working all these things together so that He could begin something new. 

- We didnt plan to leave a community we thought we moved to be apart of

- Jason didnt plan on only teaching for a year

- We didn't plan on starting a house church 

- I didn't plan on getting into my dream grad school program only to stop 3 months in because.... we received the greatest blessing ever: 

- We found out we were pregnant, with a baby boy!!! 

- We didn't plan that Jason's seeking with God for a new career path would lead him to law enforcement and after almost a year of recruitment Jason got offered the sponsorship to be a Sheriff deputy for Orange County!

Our faith this year was definitely stretched, challenged, and grown. We are so thankful for the amazing people God brought into our lives to challenge us and encourage us during this time and show us what Christ like community and living looks like. Jason for me, was probably the most influential person along with the Holy Spirit of course to do this for me-Personally, these lessons shook all of what I had been accustomed to, to the core and I feel so blessed to feel like I know Jesus better, I know His grace and love deeper, and I understand the freedom that He gives to live in a way that reflects that grace and love daily to yourself and others. Knowing Jasons heart and probably my three months at RTS in the Counseling program  made me take a microscope to my beliefs, the way I view myself, God, and others. I am so so grateful for how God has broken and humbled me to see clearer. I'll have to share a paper I wrote during that time, about an addiction to religiosity! =) Anyways, 

It is amazing to me, the path that the Lord prepares. It can look nothing like you thought it would, and yet it is perfect. I am so grateful that the path we thought we were on, fell apart. 

God has changed me in so many ways because of it and I feel like it has been a gift.  I am so grateful for the hard things, being uncomfortable, not knowing, questioning, being humbled, because it forced me to seek God intensely and listen. To examine my thoughts, my heart, to examine how everything I was experiencing needed to change me to be more like Christ. I have learned more in this year and a half about myself and my faith then any other time in my life. And because of this I feel better equipped to love those around me better. And I have God and my husband to thank for that. =) 

A New Thing: 

A New Life- baby Cole

A New Path- A Deputy and a Stay at Home Mom (ahhh)

A New Understanding- breaking free from religiosity and learning to love like Christ did. Being genuinely vulnerable in your faith and weaknesses so that others can see Christ through it

more on that to come! 

thanks for journeying with us.