Merry Christmas and Happy New Adventures

I’m sitting in a family suite at the Red Lion while our home is being repaired from water damage by a burst pipe.  We should be back in our home by Monday, two days before Christmas.  My mind wanders off to the future and my heart pounds with excitement.  “Focus”, is my next thought.   I am overwhelmed with the task of fitting lessons learned and each detailed experience onto one page.  A woman of many words, I must prioritize.  So here you will find the most important things.  Maybe we can find time this next year to catch up?  Over the next few weeks and months we will add more stories to our family blog.  We hope you will subscribe so we can stay connected and you can share in our journey.  Our theme of the year,” Adventure”, came when I asked the Collver team what word they would use to define 2013.  Within seconds, the word Adventure was nominated.  Here’s how God is working in and through our adventurous year, hope you enjoy!

Adventure

1.

a. An undertaking or enterprise of a hazardous nature.

b. An undertaking of a questionable nature, especially one involving intervention in another state's affairs.

2. An unusual or exciting experience: an adventure in dining.

3. Participation in hazardous or exciting experiences: the love of adventure.

4. A financial speculation or business venture.

Ministry is always an adventure.   Taking a risk, Heather started a group for High School seniors and College age girls, challenging their relationship with God while feeding them a pancake breakfast.  She has been so richly blessed.  Dale is far more adventurous.  After years of dreaming and praying, the plans of a youth center were finally brought to life.  Just this fall, the youth center at Church on the Hill was officially open, providing a place to disciple literally every day of the week.  There are the summer camp adventures that strengthen our faith and remind us how grateful we are to have the luxury of air conditioning and water.  Then there is the stark reality that missions trips bring you to places where passports and personal belongings can be stolen, questions will be asked about your intent with three young women and you get to visit the US Embassy.  Baptism is one of the greatest adventures to experience in ministry, especially when it’s your own child.  Hayden was baptized at the Great Big Outdoor Service.  It’s such a blessing to know that your children are in a relationship with their creator, that they may fulfill their purpose and make a difference while loving others.  Dale and I had the opportunity to share our story of faith in two group settings.  We learned that we work well as a speaking team, our story brought hope to many people, giving them a reason to jump in and try out a new faith adventure for themselves.  Thank you to friends and family from past and present who have been weaved intricately into our story.  Your encouragement has strengthened us.

This is a hard one to share, but in doing so we hope it will encourage you.  After spending months caring for my grandmother and grieving her death, it was apparent that my absence in our family had created a lot of separation.  We took a risk and started counseling.  What a huge difference it makes to get back on a level playing field.  I want to encourage everyone to give your relationships a tune-up, don’t put it off.  It’s worth the investment of time and money.  We pray together and do a family devotional every day before we head out.  It helps us stay centered and keep a positive perspective.

Health and wellness was another great adventure in our family.  Struggling with illness nearly all my life, it was time for a change.  I don’t want my children to carry on my unfortunate health issues.  MRI results left me with many questions, leading me to pursue Naturopathic medicine.  I was referred to A Family Healing Center here in McMinnville.  It didn’t take long to start feeling well.  Within 3 weeks, my life had been transformed.  Feeling better than I had since 2009, I decided to send Hayley in.  We found that she was on the same path as I had been.   She, too, has been transformed.  It’s simple really.  Health found in balancing hormones, cutting out sugars, glutens and other foods that cause inflammation and irritability.  Dale just recently visited as well and we are excited that our family is implementing a plan to leave a legacy of better health.  This year did not go without major medical issues, however.  Hayden is still recovering from an injury paired with an illness in November that lasted 3 weeks.  She lost 8 pounds and depleted huge stores of nutrients in her body.  At the same time, I broke my toes, twice.  Not much to explain there, other than that being completely exhausted and lacking in energy makes me super clumsy, tripping over the same object twice in two days.  Just when we were coming up for air, Hannah’s love for adventure (see definition #3 above) left her with a severe chain saw injury to her finger.  It is healing well.  She’s happy to share photos if you would like. 

We’ve experienced many other adventures this year.  Camping in the wilderness, where animals migrate and hunt for their next meal, left us questioning what level of adventure we should be exposing our family to.  Washing machines breaking down, trading vehicles, 40^th birthday surprises, putting our home up for sale, completing all steps of the Financial Peace University, driving permits, hiking, sitting under waterfalls, popping popcorn, washing feet, daddy/daughter dances, Mayor’s Ball, staff retreat, roller skating, horse-back riding, beach trips, cutting down trees, couples getaways, bowling, weddings, wedding & baby showers, overnights in Portland, births and more.

The greatest of all these adventures is the adventure of caring for a newborn baby that seems to have fallen from heaven into our arms.  It wasn’t something we had considered or even pursued.  We celebrated the birth of our nephew, Noah Gentry Leavitt, on June 20th.  In September, we were asked to adopt Noah.  As we celebrate his 6 months, we begin the journey of adopting him.  We are moved beyond words with this gift that has enriched us, praising God daily for my sister, who bravely and courageously chose a stable, loving family for her son to be raised in.  It’s not an easy thing to do.  It reminds me of Christmas, how God gave us a son so that we may find peace, joy and love.  This is the closest I have felt to our heritage as Christ Believers.  To care for a Son that is not my own, I feel such a great responsibility.  Mary must have felt this, times a million, to bring the baby Jesus into this world and keep him safe so he could live out his purpose.  That’s what we intend to do for sweet Noah.  Love him, love his sweet momma, and walk in faith that it will be the best adventure we have ever undertaken. 

This Christmas season, we pray for each of you as you take on new adventures, whatever they may be.  May you see God’s love in and through the adventures.  May you be blessed to overflowing this year.

Love,

The Collver’s.