Hello everyone,
We hope you are having a great start to your new year so far! We have been blessed greatly already this year with Gods provision for us with several generous donations that we weren’t expecting, but we still have a long way to go! However, it seems that as God has been hard at work providing for us, the enemy has been hard at work trying to tear us down.
Last Thursday I lost my job at Goodwill for the second time. Both times were due to downsizing. We decided to take a step out on faith and take my severance rather than reapplying with the company. We feel like God has something better planned for us and can use this lay off to provide something great for us and answer our prayers through this time of uncertainty. Whatever the outcome is going to be, me and Bethany both are waiting to praise Him for it!
Today Bethany and I are celebrating regardless, because today is a very special day for us…. Our two year anniversary! Two years ago today I promised my best friend in front of God and our closest friends and family that I would love her to death. She is the most amazing girl in the world and I couldn’t pick a better person to go on this adventure with. Her heart for missions was one of the things that attracted me most to her. I don’t think either of us can say that we have pursued our callings in the best ways, but to finally be on the same page as God and following Him together to the mission field is one of the biggest blessings I have ever had in life.
The other night I was talking to one of our fellow team members and he asked me one of the hardest questions I have to answer sometimes, “What is marriage like?” The only way that I can describe is it is everything that you hope and dream it is going to be and everything that you don’t expect it to be as well. No one ever told me that I may have to change what brands I use, haircuts I get, or other things that I would normally not think twice about. No one told me that every action I make will directly affect someone else in some way or another.
And we have not handled these changes the best either. We have our fights and battles trying to figure this stuff out. I don’t think a perfect first 2 years of marriage is achievable to be quite honest. The friction of ramming two lives together is a hard thing to overcome. But what’s so beautiful about marriage is how it reflects our relationships with God. I have learned more about God’s love for me through these past two years than ever before; and I have also learned more about my relationship with Him and how to view Him as well. One of my key words this past year has been “redemption”. Why? Because God has taken a lot of bad situations and redeemed them for His glory. In our marriage, in my job, in our finances, the list goes on and on.
I pray that in your life that God will show you His redemptive love for you and you can hold onto hope through any trials you may be facing this coming year. God bless you all and hope you have a great rest of the week!
Love,
Derek & Bethany
