Birthday!

Aren't birthdays so much fun?? I am reminded that one of God's sweet gifts to us is the discipline of celebration. We are called to "Rejoice in the Lord always" and "Be thankful in all things". And birthdays are a great time of reflection and thanksgiving for the precious family and friends the Lord brings our way.

This past Sunday was Greg's 30th birthday!! Can't believe my hubby has been on this earth now for 3 whole decades. He has grown and changed so much through the different seasons of life. We were marveling at the fact that this coming January will mark 10 years of friendship for us-- 1/3 of his entire life! It has been amazing to watch what God has sovereignly and faithfully done in Greg's life these last 10 years. From a spiritual perspective, he's had the blessing of being baptized as a believer (and not just as an infant), planted and led a grad student ministry at A&M for a bit, served in leadership with the Newlywed/Young Married class at Grace for a few years, grown in knowledge and wisdom concerning God's teaching on forgiveness and how this can change our world and our workplaces for the better, and is now on his second round of teaching at Newsong in a School of Discipleship class. These are more front-runner things, but he's often been found quietly in the background as well, serving in the coffee ministry, praying fervently for needs he hears about, or giving sacrificially to those in need. From a social perspective, he's grown rich in love towards me and others around him. I've seen him open up in love toward his family in new ways, show a whole new side of affection and protection with Emily, and intentionally cultivate friendships. And in his work, he has accomplished so much in so little time! 3 degrees and two years under his belt as a prof. Wow! I see him caring deeply about how his research and teaching can help others achieve their goals and grow beyond where they think they can. He's making a difference in the field of restorative justice, something that seems so inherently biblical and yet is so rarely practiced. Here's to 30 amazing years that the Lord has given to Greg!