Endless Opportunities for Growth

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

James 1:2-3, New Living Translation (NLT)

  

God graciously has given us so many opportunities for great joy during the past decade. Every day brought a new trial and with it our faith was tested and we were brought to our knees in many humbling experiences. With every heartache we have experienced we give God glory and praise. Only He knows the path we are on and trust that with every hurdle we face, we leap with blind faith and glorify Him. 

The summer experiment- being involved closely with Dakota's therapy- went really well. So well, in fact,  I stayed in Utah to keep up the momentum we gained. It hurts to see how badly Dakota struggles with life. It gives us hope to see the progress he has made. We are much further along than we were a year ago and with each passing year, I hope life gets easier for Dakota. He is an amazing human being and with continued treatment we pray he is able to share his gifts with the world someday. 

Something I didn't expect to happen while in Utah is a chance for myself to start to heal. All our concern has been focused on Dakota and the girls. Well,  I don't know if its the beauty of God's creation that surrounds us in Cache Valley, the pleasant weather or being away from where the trauma took place, but all of a sudden I realized I needed a break to heal. I have limited my work schedule to only about 20-30 hours a week (and trying not to feel guilty), spending the extra time learning how to breath again without being on high alert. I am putting on my own oxygen mask first, so to speak! 

Thank you again, our village of supporters! You will always mean the world to us as we could not travel this road without you. You literally are changing the life of a child. My child. God's child. And for that I am eternally grateful.

This is looking east from my apartment complex. I took this with my phone the other day when I was on a walk. It was just another little reminder of God's promises.