Now that we have shared with our church family, we can’t hold our news in any longer! 

Rejoice with us!

After viewing our video head on over to Nathan and I’s new website:

www.nathanandjade.blogspot.com

♥!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come back…

If your local our family would LOVE for you to join us this Sunday June 9th at 6pm at Brookhaven Wesleyan Church, located at 2960 East 38th Street, Marion. 

Please don’t hesitate to come because you don’t normally attend our church, we are very friendly and will shower you with lots of love! 

Can’t wait to share our news with you!

♥

.::preparing::.

Today is Sophie Holland’s 6th Birthday! 

For weeks Sophie has been counting down the days until her birthday. While she has been nearly busting with anticipation, I have been carefully planning her big day and have hunted for the perfect gifts to give her.

Last night I stayed up late wrapping her presents and cleaning the kitchen so it would sparkle when she walked in first thing this morning. I collected her birthday candles and set the oven timer. 

This morning while icing her cinnamon rolls I could hardly wait to wake her up. All the preparation I had put into making her birthday morning special was about to come to fruition. While lighting her candles the sweetest thought came to mind.

As I have shared here before, our family has been preparing for full time ministry since the summer of 2011 when God called Nathan to shepherd a flock- to be a pastor. Recently God revealed what His plan is for our family in the way of full time ministry.

I had a tender moment with the Lord this morning thinking about all the things I had done without Sophie knowing to make her day so special. Father, look at all that You have done to prepare us for this. You are not just great, but You are good. Your ways are SO much higher than mine! You have prepared the perfect plan for us! I thought of the 116 pages of notes I have written to God during this season of preparation; cries from my heart and lessons He has taught me. I visualized that day when we will at last go and how on that day our Father’s heart might dare to explode with excitement! I thought of the days when I had wished God would open a door sooner and how He was busy working out all the details and preparing the soil for our ministry. 

I dressed Sophie for school, braided her hair, hung a birthday necklace around her neck, and pinned a birthday ribbon on her shirt. She beamed. And like Sophie, God has adorned our family with gifts to share with others. He has equipped us and prepared us. I am so thankful for the way God has poured into us over these years. I am thankful that I can walk into this open door with confidence knowing He has gone before us and has paved the way. I am thankful for how He has been patient with my impatient heart. For redeeming me and allowing me to spend my life telling others of His redeeming- life changing- love!

Join me back here June 10th. I am so excited to share with you about what God has called our family to do! ♥

Nathan and I had a special weekend together.  

I am so excited about what God is doing and where He is leading! 

♥

"If we’re the hands of Christ — how can we just sit on them? If our feet are shod with gospel of good news — how can they not go where there’s bad news? When you’ve been saved, you can’t stay.
When your Savior is in you, you can’t stay still. When you love God, you have got to GO."

((beautiful post about the Great Commission by Ann Voskamp found here.))

((my boys. oh, I love them!))

today’s love list ♥

♥ running the Indy Mini Marathon May 4th with my papa and girlfriends Rachael, Kim, Janna, and Melissa…we had such an awesome time together!

♥ the way God protected Nathan’s body last weekend. His appendix ruptured and he had emergency surgery Saturday May 11th. Several of my girlfriends surprised me and sat with me in the waiting room while Nathan was in surgery. That was such a gift! Friends and family have provided us with meals and coffee. They have moved our lawn and washed our dishes. They have given us much of their time this week. We are blessed! Nathan is home now and recovering great! Jesus has been so near to all of us!

♥ Sophie’s tender and compassionate heart. She cries when others do and immediately takes things to the Lord in prayer. God is going to do some pretty awesome things through her!  

♥ Ezekiel 1:12

♥ friends who promise pray and fast 

♥ a tight embrace from husband

♥ watching our Uganda Love in Action Team Video from last year and remembering all that God did

♥ hearing Ruby say did it, Ezra, and thank you. 

Ruby started walking the evening of her 1st birthday party with us gathered around her! So precious! GO RUBY! ♥

Happy 1st Birthday Ruby Ann! ♥

^^^ Ruby Ann on her birthday^^^

^^^Today our baby girl is ONE!^^^ 

Ruby Ann facts:

♥ she has two adorable little teeth

♥ she has taken 4 little stumbling steps 

♥ she stands up really well

♥ she is crazy, I mean crazy, about her big brother

♥ she pats mentioned brother on the back whenever he picks her up <—so cute!

♥ her hair is super soft

♥ she has a very relaxed and laid-back personality 

♥ she loves it when her daddy tickles her

♥ she gets smothered with daily kisses and hugs and is so so so loved!

I have been thinking about Ruby’s big day all week. When I think about the day we met our Ruby Ann and her birth mom, I get a lump in my throat and my eyes get watery. Those three days together in the hospital were absolutely precious. I saw what love can do when you lavish it on a stranger. God made Himself known as Father, Comforter, and Redeemer. His presence filled that hospital room, those hallways, that waiting room, cafeteria, and nursery. Today we celebrate the gift that is our Ruby Ann. {read Ruby’s birth story from my perspective here and Nate’s here}.

photos of a few of my favorite things about last week ♥

1. dandelions from Sophie 2. Ezra is FIVE 3. outdoor play: warm weather is here! 4. husband treating us to weekly Saturday morning doughnuts 5. Maddix writing her first chapter book, following in her daddy’s footsteps: a humbling reminder of how important our choices are as parents in how we spend our time (our children are watching us closely) 6, 7, & 8. celebrating with people we love that Nathan is done with school for his ministerial license requirements! SO excited for the next chapter of our lives! God is moving and directing!

“love is an ocean

hope is a promise

light is overtaking

grace is overwhelming

you chased us into the dark and Lord we’re grateful, oh we’re grateful

you captured our hearts with your love, oh Lord you’re faithful, you are faithful

nothing we’ve ever done was too much for you to handle on the cross

we’re grateful for your love

oh, we are grateful for your love”

-♥-