happy birthday, boo!

My Boo turned the big 3-5.  =)  Hard to believe!!  Although we are both feeling our age, I wanted to take some time to affirm, encourage, and thank him for how he has led our family through our financial trials.  I know I am blessed beyond measure to have a man work with such integrity to provide for our family.  The last year and a half have not been easy, as he has born the brunt of the burden to work off debt from Brainbox.  We had gone through all our savings and gotten through hard times through the financial help of family, friends, and a few anonymous givers.  Bill had worked tirelessly all day and late into the night.  Paying off the debt that Brainbox owed was always very important to Bill.  And I am grateful for a husband who desired to walk with integrity and faithfulness in his work.

With an impending lawsuit against his company this past summer, we finally made the painful decision to declare bankruptcy.  (We would have otherwise spent the rest of our lives paying back the business debt that was owed.)  But God was so faithful with all the timing.  Bill's health was beginning to fail due to all the stress that had accumulated from the past year and a half.  Making the decision to file was the most difficult for him, but as soon as the decision was made, God just blessed us more than we could have ever imagined.  In the span of 3 months, He graciously provided another place for us to live (with more space than our old townhouse and a yard for the boys to play in) in a safe, quiet neighborhood, along with the first year of rent paid for.  Such a blessing as this will allow us to begin saving some money again since losing all our savings over the last year or so.  Once we filed, Bill said it literally felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.  We finally felt like we had room to breathe again, as the bankruptcy actually became an extraordinary blessing.  We were able to surrender our old townhouse and not have to deal with the hassle of selling.  We would have had to pour thousands more dollars into upgrading it even as it continued to be a negative investment since it's underwater.  It was money we didn't have.  And now with the bankruptcy filed, our debt has been forgiven and Bill can now work under more "normal" circumstances.  Before, Bill was able to work from home, but he was not home with us.  But now He has more regular working hours, time to play with the boys, and just time at home with us.  We love being able to have our time with him again.

Anyway, all this to say it has been an amazing year with you, Boo.  The Lord has stretched you and humbled you, but oh, how He has blessed you.  Though it was difficult, it has been amazing to walk through these trials with you and see God's kind and gracious provision.  I can't stop marveling at how merciful God has been.  And through it all, He has used this to increase your faith.  As the Lord worked mightily to deliver the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians, so He has worked mightily to deliver us.  A commentary I read says, "... where the Israelites saw only an unwanted disaster [when they were trapped between the Red Sea and Pharoah's army], the Lord had a purpose that would minister to his glory, give them assurance of faith and secure the future from the menaces of their past.  For on That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore (Ex. 14:30).  At this demonstration of the great power of the LORD... the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him (14:31).  In the same way, the Lord had a purpose in this trial and bankruptcy that would minister to his glory, give us assurance of faith, and secure the future from the menaces of our past (our financial debt).  God has grown us in this season for this purpose:  to witness and attest to the great power of the LORD, so that we may fear him and put our trust in Him.  I love you, Boo... and am eager to see all that the Lord will do with our "new" start.