A Mustard Seed in 2016

It’s hard to believe that 2016 is coming to an end and we are heading into 2017. As I reflect on this past year and all that God has done, I am overwhelmed.

A little over a year ago David and I traveled on Christmas day in order to spend time with family. God had done so much for us in 2015, and I was so grateful for my life. However, I still had the longing to be a mother and felt like part of our story was still unwritten. The holidays always seem to provoke us to think about the things we long for and I was honestly feeling a bit down about not having children to celebrate with. I remember sitting down at our gate and offering a familiar plea to God. I asked Him if He could possibly allow me to be a mother. He had already done so much for me, but could this one other thing be fulfilled? Was it even possible? Could we adopt? Would He provide us with a family to celebrate this renewed life with? After my prayer, I raised my head and I saw the following restaurant right in front of me, staring me in the face.

I froze for a moment and knew God was telling me something through this airport, barbeque restaurant. I looked up the following verse on the plane, and peace flooded my heart immediately with these words.

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

~ Matthew 17:20

Hadn’t God already proved the power of this verse to me over and over again? A mustard seed of faith is all it takes for God to move. I believed in that moment that 2016 would be the year that my promises would be fulfilled. Somehow, someway God would move in my life and in my family.

And God has once again stayed true to His word! We have seen Him move mountains in miraculous, amazing ways this year! Here are just a few:

He called to us and asked us to leave the safety and security of Knoxville and worship ministry to start a new church in Winston-Salem. I've seen my husband thrive in his new calling, and I know this is where God wants us to be!

He provided us with the resources and support to move as we said goodbye to our dear friends in Knoxville.

He brought Kemper and Arielle to take our place at NorthStar and it has been so sweet to see them thrive in a place we love so much!

He sold our home very quickly and gave us a beautiful place to live in North Carolina. 

He provided us with a church family and a building in which to meet.

He continues to bring hundreds of people through the doors at Two Cities and we have already seen lives changed by the Gospel!

He allowed us to see two family members get engaged. David’s sister, Kerith and my brother, Brad have found their future spouses!

He continued my healing with another clean scan in November!

And as if all of those things were not enough, God is miraculously knitting together our precious baby girl in my womb. He has moved mountains for me to be a mother and I could never fully express my gratitude! I already love her more than I could say!

God has been so incredibly gracious to us and has taken the tiny mustard seed we had to offer Him and turned it into so much more. 

This year has not been without its challenges. We have learned how hard it is to leave a home and community we love. We said many tear-filled goodbyes. We lost our sweet Bonnie pup. We experienced the craziness and difficulties of planting a church. We moved farther away from my family. But everything has been so, so sweet in the process, and God has taught us to lean on Him in ways we never have before.

As I sit here feeling the precious kicks of my baby girl, I can only imagine what all God has in store for us in 2017. I pray that 2017 will be a year of JOY.  Weddings and showers and family trips and church growth and the addition of our baby girl are all on the horizon and I couldn’t be more excited! Thank you, God for all you’ve done and continue to do in us. 

Our God is a promise-keeper and a mountain-mover. I don't know what you have faced in 2016, but hold on and trust that God can take the smallest amount of faith and turn it into something beautiful!

Happy New Year Everyone!