Dear friends,

The past couple weeks have indeed been full and eventful as we’ve had a house packed with people, various ministry engagements, and awesome times with the family.

It has been a joy having Adam and his fiancee Sofia with us for the past couple weeks. They arrived overlapping with our Pathways curriculum development team as we were finishing our rewriting work for the week shortly before Christmas. Spending quality time together as a family has been precious, playing games, singing, talking, and laughing, particularly once my Christmas sermon was finished that I preached on December 25.

It was also Holly’s birthday the day after Christmas, so we went for a drive on the 27th to Snoqualmie Falls, the place she always likes to go on her birthday. I am so grateful for the bride God gave me, and Holly continues to bring sunshine and the love of Jesus to our family and many others.

We also hosted an “engagement party” (I had never heard of these before, but I guess they’re the thing to do these days.) Adam and Sofia were greatly encouraged by friends stopping by, and we had a sweet sharing and prayer time for them.

The boys, Sofia, and I even got a chance to hit the slopes for a day.

Tomorrow morning at 2:45 am (yuck!) I drive Adam and Sofia back to the airport as they return to seminary in Kentucky, and things settle down around our place. Over the next week or two, we’ll prepare to take Alyssa back to school in Kentucky, and would appreciate your prayers for her in this transition. We have truly been blessed this Christmas season with the joy of a Christ-centered family-oriented Christmas.