We are getting so excited about our family’s upcoming events! Tomorrow evening we’re going to Jordan’s Nana’s, on Christmas eve we’re going to my mom’s, on Christmas day we are going to Jordan’s parents, Tuesday we’re supposed to be going to his aunt and grandmother’s, and on Wednesday we have plans to travel out of town and visit my aunt’s family in Maryland. My heart is so full this Christmas.

My relationship with God has became so intimate this year. I have never felt as close to Him as I do now. My marriage is thriving. I have had the opportunity to be a stay at home wife which has allowed me to do all the things for my husband that I have always dreamed of doing– packing his lunch each morning, raising our babies, doing the laundry every afternoon, meal prepping, running errands, baking homemade peach cobblers. All of the things that keep him from having to lift a finger once he’s home from a hard days work. Anything I can do to make his load less of a burden, I have had the opportunity to do this year.

Staying home with our daughter every day has been a dream come true. Together we have learned so much. We have conquered potty training, writing letters of the alphabet, and she loves doing all of the “mama things” that she has learned by watching me each day.

Making hot breakfasts for our boys before school instead of rushing them out the door with pop tarts in their hands has been incredible. I have been standing at the front door every day to greet them with a big smile and hugs as they get off the bus– something I never had the opportunity to do before.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this– now that I have experienced this closeness and intimacy with God, it has changed my entire life. Sure, I knew God before. I have even loved Him deeply for many, many years. In fact, I was saved at 7 years old and I remember every detail about dedicating my life to Him and being baptized shortly after. But what I have learned is you can love Him, be saved, but still not fully experience a closeness with Him.

When 2017 first began I was teaching Sunday school at our church, bible journaling, and reading a chapter of the bible each night, but I was sinning against God, myself, and my family. Because of my sin, I was putting a barrier between me and God. I was allowing the devil to slowly persuade me into his evil schemes. Don’t get me wrong, guys. We all sin. It’s our human nature. That’s why Jesus was sent to die for us. But when we deliberately know we are committing a sin and claim that God is number one in our life, that’s hypocritical of us. I was that person. Sometimes I wonder if I was committing so much time to my bible and to our church because I thought by doing those things, I might feel less guilt about what was actually going on. Makes sense, right?

On April 16th, Easter Sunday, my family was falling apart. That morning I was on the interstate going to meet Jordan at Shoneys for breakfast before I picked up the kids at his mom’s. The sunrise was breathtaking and tears were falling down my face. In my car that morning, I begged and pleaded for forgiveness and asked Him into my heart. Ever since then everything in my life has changed. I reflect back on myself a few weeks before that moment and have no idea who that person even was. He changed me. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Since then I have seen the world in a completely different light. He has done wonderful things for our family because He is faithful. He is forgiving. He does change people and their circumstances.

This Christmas I’m giving all the glory to the Lord. Great is thy faithfulness.