Givens2NOLA: January 2012

My baby girl went on her first date today. I shared with her the day before that she will be going on her first date tomorrow after nap time (lol). She was so excited and would not stop talking about it. When she woke up from her nap today, that was the first thing on her mind. We went up to her room to pick out an outfit and it only took two outfits to agree to one, but it took 4 pairs of shoes to finally agree on one. The main shoe contender was her Dora sneakers. She believes she can wear them with any outfit. When her date arrive, she ran to tell her brothers bye and went downstairs to meet him. Just like most date, the date didn't go perfectly. Yet, when she came home, she told me how she had so much fun on her date with her favorite man....her Daddy!

Posing before her date.

Abbie going on her first date with her Daddy!

I am so thankful to God for a husband who takes the time to make little moments like this so very special in our little ones eyes,

Yeah.....we are finally here. I know that it has been a long time since you've heard from me. We have been so so busy. We arrived in NOLA to stay on December the 1st. We signed the lease to our house on the 28th of November, but did not move in till the 1st. Brent travelled back to Virginia to pick up our things while the kids and I stayed with our newlywed friends (Quita & Daniel).

We were blessed to receive help with unloading the truck from friends who lived over an hour away. God knows who and what to provide at the right time. I am constantly experiencing that with Him. Once our friends left, it was up to us to make our house into a home. It seems like it took forever to get there, but I am so thankful that those days are behind us. It has been so so so so so good to be in our own home (almost like exhaling). However, we (mainly speaking of self here) have learned that this too (our home) is to be use for God's glory. Though nice as it is to have something call our own, the truth is that it is not ours. Yeah, we are renting the place, but that is not what I meant by that. This too is what God has given to us....use it for His glory and understanding that He can do what He wants when He wants to with it. We have opened up our home and have become much more hospitable. It is though in our home where we have been able to truly enjoy some quality family time and make some lasting memories, especially during the Christmas season.

In addition to moving and settling into our home. We have been able to see at least 7 people come to know the Lord, 5 of these were right here at our dining room table. What a blessing that is! We have also started a Bible study right here in our home while waiting for the Lord to open up doors for a meeting place (outside our home that is).

Another praise is that God allowed me to total our truck (the silver chariot that is - it was not seen as a praise report at first) and in turn blessed us with a minivan. He made it possible through the generosity of many from the Church Planting Conference in Oklahoma City.

There is so much more I could share of God's goodness to us these past 2 months. God has a way of taking care of His servants (His sheep) and all He requires of us is to follow Him (our Shepherd). Please continue to pray for us, the Crescent Baptist Church and the city of New Orleans.

Here are a few pics from what I shared with you above: