Our last Sunday at Knox

Our last Sunday at Knox was an emotional day. During both services we did the advent part of the service and then the elders prayed for us. After the second service they had a reception for us where they gave us some small gifts and took up a love offering. I felt kind of like I was at our wedding reception because we stood in place while everyone came to talk to us and we didn't get to eat any of the food. Except on this occasion each conversation was a tearful goodbye. That night we had a Christmas party with the Sr. High. After a white elephant gift exchange, Ben sang some songs with the kids. Most were our favorite Christmas songs and we ended with Ben's favorite worship song since that's what all Christmas songs should do-turn us to worship Christ. One of the most beautiful things is hearing kids worship and I just had to capture this memory.

"Everything I am is for your glory. Everything I am is for you alone."
These are the words to the chorus of this song and it resonates deeply within me. I hope this is forever the song of my family's heart. I pray that we will forever live our life all for God's glory; giving all things to Him. It especially hits me as I listen to Ben beautifully sing the words. God has poured blessing after blessing upon Ben and he uses every gift he is given for Christ. Ben could easily choose to follow a career that would make lots more money and to the world's expectations make him far more successful, but he daily chooses to give all of himself to Christ.
Our hardest goodbye was to the Marlow's. We instantly became friends with them when we moved to Michigan and have lots of wonderful memories with them. Andrea and I were pregnant at the same time and had the babies only 6 weeks apart from eachother. Every time we get in car Alison says, "Jesse!" because she thinks we're going to church to see him...which is often the case. They are the most generous and serving people I've met and I'm going to miss them terribly.