“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18The view of the bright evening sun fading slowly behind the distant bluffs was quite refreshing to behold. I could only imagine Leah’s reaction to this glorious image. I had the task of managing a fairly large moving truck while she and the kids paced closely behind in our minivan. It had been a very long day for all of us. The stress of having to scramble for a replacement truck on the day of the move (long story) and the physical and emotional strain involved in relocating made the trip from Chicago to La Crosse feel more demanding then it actually was. But here we were, coming near to the end of our journey. And as we watched that bright sun vanish completely from sight, we understood more clearly that the world we left was firmly behind us and that the morning sunrise would represent a new beginning and a whole new challenge for our family.
Since the moment we arrived here over a year ago, God has repeatedly challenged and stretched our faith in Him. And yet He has also proven time and again that He is a faithful and compassionate Heavenly Father, who comforts us in all of our struggles and difficulties (2 Cor. 1:3-5). We are so thankful to have followed His leading. And yet, we realize that in His lovingkindness He has placed many people in our lives whom He has used to strengthen and encourage us. It is to this very long list of people that we want to say Thank You.
- Thank you for never growing tired in praying for us.
- Thank you for not only being a listening ear, but sharing wise, godly counsel.
- Thank you for refreshing us through times of intimate fellowship in our homes.
- Thank you for laboring tirelessly and faithfully along with us.
- Thank you for confiding and trusting us with with your hearts.
- Thank you for living Ephesians 4:32 and giving us room to make mistakes.
- Thank you for your kind and generous gifts
We simply thank you for being used by God to remind us that we are not alone. He is with us…very powerfully and very visibly through His people—the Body of Christ.
May Christ grant you a joyful holiday season and a fruitful 2022.
Sincerely,
Mark and Leah
