This year has been an eventful year for our family. The most radical change has been with our daughter Abby. In July, Abby went to live in a group home. This was a difficult decision but it has worked out for the best. Abby has thrived there and our relationship with Abby has improved. At the time of this writing, Abby is home for her first overnight visit and it has gone so well that we extended it a day. Logan is doing very well at school and he is now in grade four. Justus started this year at "big boy school" with junior kindergarten. Emma and Faith are doing well in preschool. Faith had been having some language delays but the last few months have seen a drastic improvement.
Amanda has had an eventful year as well. Amanda switched over from the Bachelor of Theology program at University of South Africa to the Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies program at Laurentian University. Amanda has been helping me quite a bit at the church as well. She has begun preaching and takes the pulpit for me when I am on study leave. She is doing very well in these areas. Amanda also had an opportunity to go to Calgary to visit friends and family. She has applied to be a part of a mission trip to the Czech Republic.
I also have seen some changes. I switched from the Doctor of Theology program at University of South Africa to the Doctor of Ministry program at Acadia Divinity College. I also began the process of becoming a chaplain in the army reserves. I taught my first university course with 1 Corinthians at Tyndale University College in Toronto. I started a journal called Hope's Reason: A Journal of Apologetics. I presented two papers: one on the resurrection at the Catholic University at Louvain-La-Neuve in Belgium and the Evangelical Theological Society in Atlanta.
This has been a year of traveling for us. In February, Amanda and I went on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate our tenth anniversary. We renewed our vows in Florida. In April, we went to Belgium, both for the resurrection conference and to tour this beautiful country. In November, we went to Atlanta, where I attended the Evangelical Theological Society meetings and we both attended the Society of Biblical Literature meetings.
It has been a year of struggles and advances. Hard things happened, good things happened. New opportunities have opened up, while others have closed. Throughout it all, God has been with us. I am thankful for God's continues presence.
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