Respectable Sins

Jonathan and I are so thankful for our church, Redstone, and our small group that meets each week. We are blessed to share life with five incredible couples. When we moved back to Birmingham from Florida, we were on a mission to find a church to dive into through service and dedication. Both being from Homewood, we have our churches we grew up going to but felt compelled to reach outside those comforting doors of traditional church that we used to show up to only on Sundays. God brought us to this church and these people quickly and for great purposes, which some we have all experienced this year. Parenthood. Four of the six couples had babies within five months. It was surreal when we heard from the first couple that they were expecting. Then a few weeks later, two more couples would reveal their exciting news. And then Jonathan and I shared our news! Only one couple was actively 'trying' for they had been struggling with fertility for two years. God works in mysterious ways and we all rejoiced when they shared the news that they were pregnant and had made it past that initial six weeks where they had lost the baby previously.

I celebrate with thanksgiving that we have other new parents to pray with and experience life together. It's okay to admit you're tired, worried and that you had an incredibly challenging day. But it's pure joy when you get six hours of sleep for the first time and see your precious child smile and laugh...and when nursing finally becomes comfortable and easy! Lately, our weekly meeting has been interrupted with crying babies who need feeding or diaper changes...oftentimes we spend the majority of group swapping stories and advice, rushing to fit in our bible study. Many weeks, some of us can't make it and sometimes we cancel, but we are committed to each other and God rewards us for being intentional and faithful to Him.

We are reading Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges and we started the book right after Denson was born. I was thinking, we're not going to be able to read at all and we won't see anyone for months to discuss it anyway. Well, thanks to the Iphone, I downloaded the book and have been able to keep up with the chapters via reading while nursing and during Denson's naptime. [Jonathan, bless his heart, reads whenever he can which is typically late at night] Jerry Bridges shares truth and insight that with prayer, has humbled me and exposed many of my 'respectable sins'. Reading this while beginning the parenting journey has been incredible. God has perfect timing. I could go on and on about how great this book is but I will say, I had never heard of the term 'respectable sins' nor did I believe that these characteristics, such as anxiety, were sins. My eyes and heart have been opened.

In other exciting things...Denson turned two months old last week! Pictures of that to come from the camera, whenever I get around to it. We go to our two month appointment on Friday and he will be getting his first set of shots. He is growing strong and healthy and I am one thankful mommy. Here are a few pictures from my phone. I'm so in love with my precious family :)