Maplewood's Building Dedication Sunday

Wow, I hardly know how to begin this post or even hope to get all the emotions it brings into words. We have truly been blessed to be part of Maplewood for 4 1/2 years now...most of which has been in the building process, either planning or the actual construction. From the very beginning, our church committed to following the Lord's leadership and giving Him glory for all He would do. Because of this, we felt like the entire process has been dedicated to Him. But on this special day, we were able to celebrate together God's faithfulness with those who have been a part of the process through prayer, financial support, and physical labor. Several of our Constructors for Christ were able to be here for the occasion as well as friends and family.We began the morning with a Meet and Greet so that people could tour the building and also have a chance to catch up on friendships. Afterward, we had a wonderful Celebration Service with worship, a video of the building progression, a testimony, and a powerful sermon...all pointing to God's faithfulness. The worship service included, Great is Thy Faithfulness, Great is Your Faithfulness, Jesus the One and Only, Jesus What a Mighty Name...it was awesome to give God the glory He deserves for completing a task that could've only been accomplished through His power and grace!After the service, the ladies headed to the kitchen to finish preparations for the meal while others remained in the sanctuary for a hymn singing :) There was so much yummy food...worthy of a celebration of this magnitude! As I reflect on the past four years, I know that this time has grown my faith and trust in the Lord. This process has not been easy, but it has been such a blessing! I know that for the rest of our lives, our family will look back to this experience and thank God for letting us be part of His work. He has really taught us that: 1)we can trust Him in any situation...He will fulfill His promises, 2) when His people are dedicated to seeking His will above their own, He can lead us through even the most challenging situations with unity and peace, and 3) I am so grateful that God has called our family to the ministry. It is truly a blessing to be able to serve the Lord and His people full-time. I cannot imagine life apart from the fulfillment that comes through Jesus Christ and serving Him.

Family Farm

Corey's dad and Sue were in town for the weekend, and we decided to take a trip up to Murray for dinner. While there, we thought it would be fun to stop by the family farm and get a few pictures of the old homeplace. It happened to be a simply beautiful evening, and I was able to get a few pictures of one of the most stunning sunsets I've ever seen!

An Afternoon with Mr. Steve

For those who have followed our blog for a while, you know that one of the boys' favorite places is Mr. Steve's farm. Since they were little, he has driven them around on his tractors and let them help him bale hay. This is something they LOVE doing. As they were riding with Steve, Corey and I were watching and commented that we wondered if they were asking lots of questions or just looking at everything trying to think through how it all works. We both had to laugh after they got off after riding for 30-45 minutes when Steve said they talked the whole time...of course they did...why did we even ask?!

Amber's Baby Shower

I love this group of girls...God blessed me with these friendships as soon as we moved to Paris, and I'm very grateful for each of them. We don't all get together as often now that our "playgroup" has grown up and most of them are in school. But for special occasions, like baby showers, we still make it a point to get together. Amber is expecting a precious little girl, so we all wanted to shower her with pretties...look what I found! I had a fit over this outfit...Amber loved it too! We're so excited for you Amber, Chris and Jack!

Bennett's Leader Day

At Joyland the thing that all the kids look forward to the most is being the leader...well, Bennett did an awesome job I must say! He helped check the weather, lead the songs, hold the flag, carry the Bible, and lead in prayer...and he took his jobs very seriously :) It is hard to believe how much he's growing up! We're looking forward to many more fun days at Joyland...it is truly a blessing! Another thing Bennett loves is that his buddy Jack is there with him...the two were side by side during circle time...they are inseparable!

Just a Few Pics from a Saturday of Sports

5th Quarter Scavenger Hunt

Michele and David hosted Maplewood's second 5th Quarter, a get together for our youth after the home football games, at their home. They decided on a scavenger hunt which was unbelievably fun! I got to be a driver, Corey hung out at Jack's Jones (the Robbins opened up and served hot chocolate to all the youth when they stopped by) and tried all the coffee...we had a great time! Here are a few pics of my group and a pic of the two teams who tied for the win. We're looking forward to several more fun 5th Quarters this football season!

2nd Annual Run, Preacher, Run!

Here's a picture of Corey and Fred running together...they both had long training runs that day, so they did both of their legs of the run together. This event began last year in order to raise funding for Tomorrow's Hope, our local crisis pregnancy center. It is an amazing ministry that counsels, encourages, and saves lives. I'm so grateful that Paris has such a great resource for expectant mothers who don't seem to know who to turn to in the very overwhelming situation of an unplanned pregnancy.

Watch out Joyland!!!

Bennett was so ready to start school, especially since Caleb had already been going for a few weeks! We absolutely love Joyland! It is such a great environment where the children learn more about Jesus, scripture, and the basics needed for success in kindergarten. B got to pick out his new tennis shoes for school back when Caleb got his, but had to wait to wear them until school started...this made the day doubly exciting!
Along with Bennett starting school, I began teaching at Faith Tutorial for home school students. I'll be teaching each Tuesday morning from 8:30-12:15...Tennessee History and World Geography! It's really amazing that when we had to replace our car at the end of the summer, I was offered this job. It covers our car payment, and it's in the mornings while both the boys are in school so I don't lose much time with them. I am so grateful that God provides for all our needs! I'm really looking forward to a wonderful year with Faith!