running the race...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! 

Hope your day is grand. My Valentine got me some flowers and a card... even though he promised he wouldn't. They are lovely. I love them and him...

One another note...

This weekend we also went to my bro-in-law's ordination service that was held Sunday night.  This is a big deal and we are extremely proud of him! To be ordained means to be set apart, called, chosen... and I promise that Jared and Ashley are both ordained to serve Christ is crazy ways.  The ordination is just the approval of a council of men and the church on what God has already done, given, and said.  We are so honored to be a part of their journey, to see the awesome ways that God is using them now, and are prayerful about the next phases in their ministry together.  They leave in July for full-time foreign missions. PRAY. 

Sunday morning, Jared ran a marathon in downtown Birmingham... a MARATHON people!! he's nuts! That's 26.2 miles!!! That's disgusting! My body wants to literally crumble thinking about running for 4 hours straight!!! AHH!! But... Jared did it! He ran! He finished! He completed a dern marathon!! He ran a marathon and got ordained all in the same day... pretty awesome.  Jared told his testimony and then people spoke into his life and ministry.  The pastor of his church spoke at the ordination service - he said a lot of really good things like:

• just because you are in the ministry, doesn't mean you are automatically filled, you have to continually be in the Word, being FILLED and satisfied with Him.
• Like in a marathon, you have to have endurance.  You will get frustrated and discouraged in ministry. You will want to give up. DON'T! Press on! Remember His faithfulness, goodness, and love so far... and press on. keep running. Jared hit a break wall in his marathon at about mile 20... he wanted to quit... but he didn't.  He pressed on.  His pastor encouraged him to do the same in ministry. If he can physically push his body to keep running, he can press on towards the forever victory! I thought that was such a powerful picture! :) 
• To live with integrity. To live an honest, open, transparent, truth-filled life. Set boundaries. Guard your heart. Set safeguards in your life where you need them - on the internet, TV, music, what you read, etc. Guard your heart and your family. 

This picture is so powerful to me.  After the pastor spoke and other people shared time in the service, there was a time for "laying on of hands." This isn't some creepy thing... just time for other ordained men to speak and pray truth over you.  Jared is kneeling in the picture and the man praying over him is Ernie... our youth pastor. Ernie... God has used him in so many ways. I have typed and erased about 15 times trying to figure out how to explain him.  He's the reason that me, Jacob, Jared, and so many of our friends are who we are today. He poured his life into ours. He prayed for us daily (I have no doubt). He taught us truth. He laughed with us. He loved Jesus first and we saw it and wanted it.

All of the fam (me, Jacob, and the parentals) were a little teary during this moment. It's just so awesome that Ernie had the opportunity to see the fruit of his work and the faithfulness of God. And so awesome for Jared to have the man who led him the Christ praying over him as he is sent out to the mission field. 

I started thinking about our youth and the amazing ways that God is using my husband. I love to see Jacob pouring into, praying for, and loving the students! I don't know what God has in store for the students' lives, but we are so honored to be a part of it. Maybe one day we can be a part of something like this for the kids that we are constantly investing in! Sending them off to speak about the amazing love and truth of Jesus!!! Who knows what God has planned! He's crazy!! 


And... I just love this video and think you should watch it because it's great!