And Now It's October...

How time flies. In the midst of our busy schedules this year I don't know how we are keeping our heads above water, but by the grace of God, we do. And yes, the GRACE of GOD becomes more evident to me every day-so much sometimes that I want to cry.

I did cry tonight while listening to one of B's professors teach on paganism vs. Christianity and how our culture is being revolutionized by neo-paganism. It sounds like something out of a science-fiction novel, I know, but the effects that seep throughout our society are very real, and I could not help but weep for those who do not know the Lord. How I want them to know how wide and long and high and deep His love is....

This love has been revealed to me all the more through the actions of my husband this semester. The Lord is my sustenance, and Bryce is my everything else. What a team we are being molded into! Despite our crazy, busy schedules the Lord has drawn us closer to not only Him, but each other-praise God!

The other night we attended a dessert at one of B's professor's homes for his prayer group. All of us(after eating countless desserts!) shared how the Lord was working in our lives. After 2 hours of sharing, Dr. Johnson(B's prof) suggested we sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness." I sang it through tears, for in the midst of life's trials(busyness for us!), is our wonderful God not so faithful all of the time? Even when we think we're in the thick of hardship, God's faithfulness abounds. Dr. Johnson also highlighted the verse, "Summer and winter, springtime and harvest", alluding to the fact that whether the sun is shining or rain is falling, God is in the midst of it, molding us into His image. I pray He is meeting you where you are, summer or winter, experiencing His faithfulness.

I have seen His faithfulness in so many ways already this semester. The fact that my 7th and 8th graders are learning pronoun agreement by the end of the day is a faithful act on His part! Last week we spent time at Oakbridge YL camp for a 7th grade retreat. What an amazing treat!
I was able to spend time with all of my students outside of the classroom, engaging in deep conversation, having a blast, and sharing Christ with them. Here are a few pics from crud wars(see me on the left!) and my dearest 7th grade friend, Katy. She and I have grown very close over the past 2 years, and were able to talk through some tough stuff on the retreat...

And with all that said, this is what our mornings have started to look like:
As my mom(when are you coming to visit???) always says, "If the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy!" We've found that despite our lack of sleep, the only thing that will bring us through each day is spending time with the God who created each day. What a rich time this has been for us. It is so tempting for me to want to start lesson plans or play catch up in the morning, but the busier we get the more we realize that without our awesome God, we are nothing. This sounds so cheezy but it makes me think of that James Taylor song, "How Sweet it is to be Loved by You". It is, indeed, so sweet to be loved by our awesome King.