Tom & Alissa

This last week or so has left me overflowing in thankfulness:
• For my sweet, funny, hard-working husband; God’s providence in bringing us together has struck us anew as we’ve been remembering things together. If you haven’t done it, you can’t imagine how wonderful it really is to be married to your best friend.
• For a full slate of new opportunities that came my way in the space of a week. It’s meant some hard work (and it always leaves me doubting my abilities), but it’s been completely exhilarating.
• For my job; I realized this morning that if I’ve got to have a “real job”, this is the perfect one for me. A year ago I wouldn’t have dreamed that I’d land here, and I’m so glad.
• For the dreams that I’ve started to dream. They’ve grown slowly and filled me with delight.
• For this city, where I’ve finally felt as if I were among my kind, and where I first started to learn to find my path.
• For the people I’ve been privileged to meet, whose influence I’ve only begun to understand and whose mentorship’s significance is only beginning to sink in.
• For Jeremiah 1:4-12:

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the LORD said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.”

Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me,

“Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”