Make a Brand New Ending

Last month, I celebrated my 39th birthday. I am now at the same age my father was when he left his young family behind in a small town in Ohio to come to Atlanta, and live with a family he barely knew, to find a better life for us.

It was the 80s. The steel industry's bubble had burst and the factories were shutting down. To make a brand new ending for his family, Dad lived away from us "down south" for a year where he found work as an estimator at a steel company. In Atlanta, the economy was a little better and the city was experiencing a growth spurt. Eventually, we packed up our life in a small town on Lake Erie and headed South to the big city to meet up with dad and begin a new journey.

At 39, my parents were starting over in a completely different geography with three kids. In the midst of financial hardship, they were blessed with the support of friends and were able to build a better life for us all.

Thirty-nine is also the same age my brother was when he passed away seven years ago. He also had three children all under the age of eight at the time. While my dear brother was called home to Jesus, my sister-in-law and their sweet children had to start over in a new normal and experience a different ending than they had dreamed.

So it is here, at age 39, that I also find myself at a pivotal moment in life.These past seven years have shown my husband and me many joys and trials including financial hardship, job losses, a miscarriage, the loss of my brother, family members facing illness, a move from the neighborhood and home we began our life together in, the birth of two of our three children and the news that one of them had an extra chromosome, which made him extra special. Through everything, the Lord has remained faithful. We have learned to rely on Him and have been shown mercy, grace and provision time after time. And once again, by God's grace, the love and support of our parents and the generosity of the same sweet family that helped my parents so long ago, we have been given the gift of starting over, laying a new foundation and making our own brand new ending!

I am so hopeful for the future we are building. Please follow along in this blog as we seek to harvest a remarkable, memorable life!