Brendan

Here is my older brother Brendan. He is married and has two kids. He has a daughter, Rhianna, who is sitting in his lap here and also a son, Noah. When we were younger we used to fight so much. It is sad to look back on all the hateful thoughts that I thought towards him. To be honest, in those days, I often wondered whether we would ever be friends when we got older. Thankfully, by God's grace, we are now and those earlier days seem so far in the past. God has done a huge work in both our lives to draw us closer to Himself.
Brendan was radically saved while he was in college through a huge revival at his school. It would take forever to tell the full story (he would have to tell it). It is enough to say though that at certain points when things were at their worst, if someone had showed me the picture above as a picture of him in the future, I would have had a lot of questions to ask. That is nothing against him either. He would agree when I say his testimony is the same as all of our testimonies. We were running towards hell and God completely and graciously saved us. It truly is wonderful in all our lives to consider where we would be if we had not been saved. It is a beautiful thing in Brendan's life to think of this and then to see him with his wife and daughter and son. It not only makes me smile but it makes my heart well up in awe because before me I have living, walking, smiling proof that all point to God's glory.
I realize at this point that I haven't said much about Brendan's hobbies or anything. I think what I have talked about is evidence of what is most important in his life. I'm pretty sure he likes to eat but I get the feeling his wife, Jamie, keeps him on a diet. :) Him and his wife also like playing Nintendo together. The other husbands at church joke with him about how lucky he is to have a wife who likes video games! Mostly though, Brendan loves serving his Savior by loving his family and serving passionately in his church in New York City.
Brendan, God truly has blessed me with you as a brother. It was wonderful to see you coming home from college overflowing with love for God. It definitely spilled over into my life and encouraged me in a ways that I never would have been encouraged. It is also wonderful to see you now with your family and be able to genuinely have you as a friend. Keep stepping out in faith and pouring yourself out for God! He will keep filling you up!!

Sam and Granny Nanny

I found this picture of my little brother Sam and couldn't resist using it because of who is standing next to him. She will be our special guest for this post. She is my grandmother on my dad's side, otherwise known as Granny Nanny Darling! She didn't want to be called Grandma so she made up her own nickname. I will come back to her but for now I need to talk about Sam. Sam is my little brother. He is very smart and enjoys school (or atleast he seems to!). He loves soccer which is something all of us kids in the family love. He seems very socially mature for his age and I am somewhat jealous of him for that. When I was his age I was so frustrated with the whole dilemma of having to talk to people and do all the small talk it takes to first grow close with people. Sam seems to handle awkward social situations with relative ease. He also has a passion for the Lord which is encouraging to see.
Sam, the more you discipline yourself in the Lord now and pursue purity in everything, the easier it's going to be when you are where I am now! I'm sure you read my last last journal entry in the family journal. Though it doesn't seem like it when you're young, we have one life and it is so short! Don't waste time with anything other than pursuing Christ with all your passion and affections.
I am thankful for a brother like Sam who I can look forward to closer friendship with as we grow older. What a blessing! I'll never get tired of playing board games with you and Laura! You guys better not get tired of it either! :)
You can tell from the picture that Granny Nanny is very adoring of Sam. Can you believe she used to be a Marine? And not only that, she was in the Peace Corps in South America and also used to live in Alaska! She had a cat when I was little named Purrsnikitty. Granny Nanny would write postcards to me as if they were actually written and signed by her cat! I still remember actually reading the postcards and asking my mom how Granny Nanny's cat learned to write! Also, one of the reasons Sam and the rest of us in the family love to read and write is because of Granny Nanny's infectious love for both of these things. We all are so thankful for her and only wish that we could see her more!
Sam and Granny Nanny, I love both you guys so much and don't know what life would be like without you guys! I have a big kiss waiting for you Granny Nanny and big hug for you Sam next time I see you all!

Laura Bethany

So I start my writings about my family with my youngest sister Laura. As you can see from the picture, she loves being an aunt and taking care of her niece and nephew. I am very interested to see how she turns out as she passes through high school and college. She seems very eager to grow up and have freedom, which is much how I was at her age. She is very independent, doesn't mind spending time alone, and enjoys closeness with choice friends. Known in her younger days as Lala, she has been the princess in a family with four older brothers. She has definitely has had to put up with a lot of pestering from her brothers! Now that she is older though, it is fun to be able to hang out with her. I enjoy hanging out with her because she is a lot like me in many ways and so I identify with a lot of the stuff she is feeling at her age. She seems content to space out and daydream like I do. I remember having her as a road trip companion in the passenger seat and for much of the drive we both were just spaced out in our own little worlds! We talked a little bit. :)
Laura, be patient! You will grow up soon enough and then you will be wishing you could go back! God has given you the time you have now where you are so spend it for Him!
I am so thankful to have a sister and I can't wait to spend more time with her when I get back!

My Family

Here is a picture of me, my brothers, and my sister all snuggling on the couch at home. From left to right they are Brendan, Sam, me, Laura, and Jack. I have decided to begin a series of posts on my family where I write about each one. I'm not sure yet exactly what I'm going to write about them but it will hopefully be something meaningful that shows how much they mean to me. I'm not leaving out my parents either! I'll start with the youngest, Laura, and go all the way up to my dad eventually. I came across this picture recently and I don't know, it just hit me all over again what an incredible family God blessed me with. I can't wait to write about them while I'm out here at sea and even more, I can't wait until we are all together again hopefully later this year!

Red Vines

Red Vines are the candy of the month for me. I have probably eaten 2 or 3 lbs. of them this month! (Thank you mom for sending them!) If you're looking for a special treat, go pick some up now! For added flavor (and sugar), pick up some Dr. Pepper as well! The two were made for each other. Red Vines are also nice cause you can use them as straws!

A Kiss Of Kindness

This past week I was reunited with one of my best friends, Eric Madonia. I remember last time I had seen him I had dropped him off at the airport in Atlanta after the Passion conference. As I drove away, I remember crying so much thinking that I wasn't going to see him for maybe two years. Little did I know that God's graciousness would have me meeting Eric out near the Indian Ocean of all places! His ship happened to pull alongside ours so that we could give his ship a translator we had on board. During that time, Eric was able to come over to my ship for about an hour. The picture above was taken after he came up to where I was standing watch and surprised me! We were able to go to my room on the ship and spend some time talking and praying. It was such a sweet time though as it was taking place, I couldn't believe it was happening! It was such an encouragement to my soul and was certainly a kiss of kindness from God.

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul:
when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened
in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know
His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe
thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul:
thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness
all He takes away.

Could a hymn better describe how I feel as I look back at all the dear friends I have left behind? The tears I have cried as my heart longs for their nearness have been many and yet if I had not cried them, I would not have known His love, His heart, Who comes to soothe. I love the last lines of this verse. They recognize the fullness of Christ and his loving sovereignty, loving us even to the point of taking away those close to us so that He can be even closer. Be still, my soul and behold the God who loves! He loved us enough to suffer on the cross for us. He loves us enough to have us share in His sufferings and so have our hearts pressed up against His. When all is darkened in the vale of tears, that we might better know His heart and His love!

"For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too."
2 Corinthians 1:5

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."
1 Peter 4:12