Photo Perspective

My family rarely ever lived nearby relatives growing up. Even still, my grandparents live in Minnesota and California. I even have one aunt I have never met. But growing up we always filled that void with church family, and when we married and moved to the midwest, Pete and I also developed precious relationships with the Christians around us who substituted for family. God has led us home for the time being, and we are very blessed to be closer in distance than we have ever been to both of our immediate families.

We are ever grateful for them, but God has multiplied this blessing in unimaginable ways by also giving us F.O.C.U.S. Our church is large, and partially in order to keep the small church feel, they organized Adult Bible Fellowships. FOCUS is the group that we fit into based on our children's ages and our years of marriage, and over the last four years, this group has encouraged, supported, prayed for, and generally walked beside us through thick and thin. FOCUS is full of prayer warriors. They have prayed us through terrible sickness, high-risk pregnancy, Meister's recent adoption, and many other things. We thank the Lord for these families.

After just returning from a Focus ladies' weekend retreat, I'm reminded that the ladies of FOCUS are priceless. I value their friendships, and look forward to every time I get a chance to chat, laugh, or cry with any of them. Thanks for a great weekend girls! I'm already looking forward to next year . . .