Dear Family & Friends, December 2021
God has gone before us. This past year, He has leveled
mountains and made smooth the difficult path before us. We give Him all the
glory for any good in our lives. It all came directly from His hand!
In January we closed on our home in Georgia only God could
have provided—below appraisal, in downtown Marietta, inside the school district
He laid on our hearts and minds many years ago. Our home is lovely, well-built,
just the right size, and nestled among the Georgia hardwoods with a pool as a
bonus. The neighborhood reminds me of my childhood home in East Cobb County,
which is oddly comforting.
In February, prayers were answered again when Joey received
an unexpected promotion within his role at Chick-fil-A. Because they wanted me
on the phone with him when they made the announcement, I got the phone call
first and wept for joy. It was one more confirmation, one more silent prayer
answered, reassuring us our trajectory toward Georgia was the right path.
In March, amid school choices and what felt like
life-altering decisions on behalf of our children, Joey and I fasted, prayed,
and sought the Lord’s will. He answered with a heavy, steadying peace and unity
of mind that our children were to attend Marietta City public schools fall of
2021. If you know the story of the small classical Christian school God had
gifted as our school home in California, you understand the step of faith we
took as a family to choose this more emotionally difficult path for our
children.
April through July we soaked up every drop of sunshine and
laughter with our California framily. I treasured every moment, and we stayed
as long as we could. July 31st, 2021, our family of four started our
next chapter in life together in Georgia two days before school began.
And it’s been a whirlwind ever since.
Savannah entered the eighth grade at Marietta Middle School.
She started playing cello with the school orchestra and fell in love with her
new sport of choice: volleyball. It has been so much fun to watch her love
volleyball and work hard to achieve. As she does in all things, she quickly
leaned into her social giftedness. She is the epitome of cheer, spirit,
encouragement, and energy on the court and (if I’m to believe what I hear
through the grapevine from her teachers) in the classroom as well. She has
faced and overcome the most change of us all, but her indominable spirit shines
through because of the time she spends with the Lord in His Word and journaling
her heart to Him. Jesus makes her shine bright. We are so proud of her.
Much like the Lord, Joey went before this family every step
of the way. He prepared our home physically, and he has been fully present to
meet each of us emotionally and lead spiritually through this transition. All
the while, he has been learning the ins and outs of his new role at Chick-fil-A.
The Lord leads Joey, and Joey leads us well. I am deeply grateful for his
commitment to Jesus first.
Me? Well, I suppose I’m the oil in the engine. I write the
Christmas letter (LOL). I keep things running smoothly behind the scenes. I
anticipate both physical and emotional needs. Then I dive into the deep waters
of all the hurts and joys surfacing in our home through this transition,
helping process all while processing myself. I grieve our California life, but
I wait and watch expectantly for what God is doing in our family and with our family.
I don’t want to miss how He’s working and going to work! On any given day, at
any given moment, I am both content and discontent, grateful and resigned,
hopeful and discouraged, joyful and sad.
Yet, in all those emotions, I know beyond any doubt God went
before us to get us here. He continues to go before us. Each step may be new to
us, but not new to Him. I find great courage and comfort in that truth. And He
will continue to go before us. Like the star which led the wisemen to Jesus
over 2,000 years ago, God lights the way still to our hope, salvation, and
joy—all found in Jesus Christ.
The Lord is the One who went before us; He has continued to
stay with us. He has not failed or forsaken us (Deuteronomy 31:8a). He went
before us and made the difficult things bearable (Isaiah 45:2a). We did not
leave in haste, and we did not leave in need (Isaiah 52:12a). No, the Lord led,
we followed, and He has kept His Word.
May our testimony of the faithfulness of God encourage you
to hold fast and stay the course He has set before you. May you find peace and
comfort in a relationship with a God who never asks you to go somewhere He has
not already been, nor does He not already fill with His presence. Trust Him. He
left the glory of heaven to enter His own creation to save us from the sin we
brought upon ourselves. Who does that?!?!? A God who loves you unconditionally,
no matter what, and will do whatever it takes to keep you close to Him, for
your good, always for your good.
This year the song Defender by Francesca Battistelli has
replayed over and over in my mind, so I leave you with her lyrics as they echo
our testimony this year. May you be blessed and encouraged this coming new year
in your own battles, seasons of change, waiting rooms of stillness, and need
for a defender in your own life.
You go before I know / That You've even gone to win my war / Your
love becomes my greatest defense / It leads me from the dry wilderness
And all I did was praise / All I did was worship / All I did was
bow down; oh / All I did was stay still
Hallelujah, You have saved me / So much better Your way / Hallelujah,
great Defender / So much better Your way
Truly, so much better is His way. Amen and Merry Christmas from our family to yours,
Joey, Jennifer, Savannah, & Weston Durham
