An interesting experience this summer was becoming aware that it was the tenth anniversary of our move back to the U. S. from Belgium (on June 23 to be precise). "Becoming aware" is a careful choice of words. I don't celebrate this every year. Most years I don't even think about it. I was surprised by my emotions. I had a hard time naming my feelings but there was a mournful element in the mix. I was taking an online Zoom training that afternoon and had a difficult time focusing. I felt like I should have been with Trina and the four kids (none of whom were home) doing something meaningful, or at least having a group hug. But I was alone for most of the day. I thought about people and things I missed about that season of life. It seemed like a "10 Things I Miss about Belgium" list was going to end up as a Facebook post. The next day I decided gratitude was the way forward, but not just gratitude for those amazing 3 years in Belgium. I decided to consider things for which I am grateful that transcend the 3 years in Belgium, the 2 (strange and difficult) years in Fargo/Moorhead, and the 8 years in Huron. And I decided to resurrect the blog as it was so helpful to me a decade ago to process and archive my thoughts.
Here are 10 things, gifts from God, for which I am thankful.
1. Elijah, Abby Kate, Natalie, and Elisabeth: Those four kids were amazing in Belgium, and they have done a pretty good job of sustaining the amazing back in the states. Both baby Elisabeth and college boy Elijah have had profound impacts on the ministry to which we've been called (and Happy Cake and Natalie Joy have been great, too). Cute babies break down barriers to new friendships and college boys help plant InterVarsity chapters.
2. The Gospel of Mark: The way Mark was central in the process of Trina and I answering God's call to Belgium is matched by the amazing impact Mark tracks I've led at camps have had and the impact The Mark Drama has had in South Dakota (and now Wisconsin). No other book of the Bible, sermon series, conversation, or anything has helped me grow in my love and dedication to Jesus as much as Mark.
3. Another kind of family: The years we were distant from our families came with challenges. But God provided (as promised in Mark 10:29-30) brothers (and sisters and aunts and uncles...) from different mothers, both in Belgium and now in Huron. We love the families we were born into, but the other kind of family has been given as gifts to us.
4. My supervisors: in Belgium I had 3 supervisors (at once). Ask me to explain it sometime. I'll try, but even then it was a little complicated. In my current role as South Dakota Area Ministry Director for InterVarsity I've had 4 supervisors. I currently have an interim supervisor (and I'll throw in a 6th for my NDSU years). I suppose I could do a gratitude list for each of them, but I'll just say, Renee, Tom, Edith, Terry, Tim, Amy, Adam, Josh, and Peter, thanks for all you taught me. [Is it just me or is that a lot of supervisors in 13 years?] And I guess I'll say, thank you to my hiring supervisor, Paul, the only supervisor who could handle me for a stretch of 9 years (all by himself mind you).
5. Churches: I could say I'm thankful for the church, all of it, but I mean churches of which I have been a part. Seems like most of my adult years have been in a church called Bethel something or other (missed our chance in Moorhead by attending Salem Evangelical Free instead of Bethel E F). In Belgium it was De Bron (The Source). Churches have been connected to several of the points above. My kids have received discipleship and care. That other kind of family has mostly (but not exclusively) been in churches we have attended. They are places where I'm known and where my service to God is appreciated. They are places where I get to serve, exercise my gifts, and be blessed by others in much the same way.
6. South Dakota: We missed it when we lived in Belgium and Moorhead. When we visited it felt like a sanctuary. The past 8 years of living here have provided several opportunities to share our favorite hikes, sites, and people with good friends from Europe. And I love hosting my InterVarsity colleagues for training events, conferences, or visiting unplanted campuses.
7. Teams: I do not mean Microsoft Teams (still haven't figured out how to make that useful). But the colleagues I worked with in Belgium (and those working around Europe) as well as my South Dakota InterVarsity staff team are special groups to me.
8. New Places: One of the exciting things about life in Europe was traveling to conferences (or the occasional vacation) on roads on which we had never been. We visited many Belgian cities and quite a few nations in Western Europe and the UK. But I still discover places in South Dakota. Recently we drove home from the Black Hills on Highway 34 (which I probably have driven at some point but not in recent memory) after enjoying a hike to Community Caves in Spearfish Canyon) a hike our family had never taken, even though we love the Black Hills and have been there many times. Old favorites are lovely, but there's something special about new places, too.
9. My team of intercessors: There is a special group of four people who meet monthly to pray. There are dozens upon dozens of people who pray for our family and our ministry (and I give thanks for them all), but these four carry a heavier burden. In the difficult stretches of ministry (and every other part of life) these are the people who get the raw, unfiltered story. They truly help bear our burdens. I don't believe I'm exaggerating when I say I don't think I could have gotten through the 20-21 school year with out them. They have now begun their third year in this role. I can hardly believe they said yes again. But Christie, Dave, Deb, and Diana, I cannot thank you enough.
10. Trina: It's a challenge to put in a couple of sentences all I appreciate about my wife. But I think this is the heart of all the good things I want to write. Whether a situation finds her enthusiastic or afraid, experienced or just beginning, at home or far away, she serves and she does the next right thing. That's been a great blessing to me. Love you, Babe.
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Antwerp near the end
of our time in Belgium
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