The Year of Love: 2013 has begun!!
I'm so excited for what's happening in our family this year :) Weddings, more lake time, and more of sharing Christ's love with one another! GOD IS AMAZING and worthy of our best this year!
I am so grateful with what God has given me this past year in the form of 7 blessings!
Not necessarily in order of importance...
#1 Blessing, my favorite:
I am blessed :) I love her! Can't wait till Sept. 14th!!
#2 Blessing:
My new job as a Decision Support Developer at Basin Electric! It is going well and I'm almost 4 months in and still learning a lot. Progress and completed projects is what I shoot for everyday. Its definitely different to be at a desk instead of walking around a warehouse. Also, I have access to a fitness center, which happens to be on the other side of my office wall :) Needless to say, I workout usually 2-3 times a week. I get my run on! I want to thank everyone in this family for all your prayers in this aspect!
#3 Blessing (This is for you Uncle Dave!):
My new car!! A BRAND NEW 2013 Toyota Corolla S! I bought it for $18,700 with 0% APR for 5 years, which included a $1,000 college grad discount! Hopefully my car will last me a decade or two! Also, my license plate reads: JXV 373. Slips off the tongue well doesn't it??
Here's a few shots of the car (aka Shadow), after his 1st car wash (about a month ago)!
Front
Driver's Side
Back
Passenger Side (a well-dressed man makes my car look...SO FLY!!)
This is what I feel like when I drive my car :) Acceleration at its finest for 132 hp!
#4 Blessing: Being asked to be a part/attend of a bunch of WEDDINGS! So honored!!
What a hectic wedding schedule I will have this year ~ I look forward to each one with all the love and adventure included! :) Prayers and blessings to the couples!
My JC friend Sam Riehl and her fiance Blaze - March 23rd - Attending (here in Bismarck)
Another JC friend Alyssa Page and her fiance John - June 1st - Usher
Michael & Rachel - July 5th - Groomsmen
My cousin Ross Lindgren and his fiance Juli - July 13th - I believe I'll be attending
Jeff & Marissa - August 10th - Groomsmen
Shelby Freeman, Lexy's best friend, and her fiance Thomas - August 17th - Attending w/ Lexy
Lexy & I - Sept. 14th - I should probably be there for that one!! :)
Joel & Alyssa - ??? - Come on Joel!! Haha. I better be your best man! Just saying...
So blessed by each person in this list of amazing people! What wonderful families they all come from! :)
#5 Blessing: Looking forward to being a part of so many different families!
#6 Blessing: The continual support from family and friends!
Whether I've been in the middle of a trial, struggle, or some sort of pain, you guys helped me through with words, prayers, and love. Couldn't ask for a better, biological and heavenly, family to be a part of! :)
#7 Blessing: What I have learned from and of God
Most important lessons in life, for now and eternity!
I've been taught so many things from God, in so many different situations! From fighting through a 2-job schedule to independence. He always promises a safe landing with His love on the other side of struggle! So incredible! Now my challenge is to apply, step out, and love others better than before. To give my best in each facet of my life, giving Him all the glory! Each one of these blessings I've mentioned in this post aren't from my efforts or any of my doing, but from His majestic throne and from the wellspring of His grace and love! How can you not love something like that :)
I propose a toast to this amazing year that is ahead of us all!!
May we do our ABSOLUTE best to give Him ALL we have...To continually spread His love, even to our tight-knit family, as well as others, and to sacrifice and learn surrender when it is hardest...To learn love on a deeper level and give generously through money, time, and talents, with a cheerful heart...To help each family member, to support their efforts, and to encourage each person's gifts, being careful with our words through ideas, instruction, and sometimes constructive criticism...To be God's light to this dark world and be a transparent vessel of Jesus' love and a lover of the Holy Spirit's guidance, obedient to the Trinity, three in one! If we do all these things consistently and sacrificially with love, we will reap a harvest for His kingdom and we will reap heavenly rewards that are far better than anything this world can offer! That is my challenge...will you accept?? Thus my toast ends and so does my post.
I love you all, more than you know!! :)
Austin
