Tomorrow marks our three year anniversary in Southern California! Yes, three years ago, on February 13, we closed on a new home and moved in the last of our boxes and furniture just seconds before a torrential down pour. There are so many crazy God stories that got us to that eventful day. We sold our home in El Dorado Hills in a down economy, just days after Christmas! We managed to have our home in Cypress remodeled during the escrow process. And Jennifer successfully navigated a drive down the I-5 in the pouring rain all by herself with Zach, Maggie, three goldfish and our hamster Minnie in tow.

Three years later, our family looks a little different. Zach is now in 4th grade. And two of our three goldfish, Humu and Nuku (named after the state fish of Hawaii) are still amazingly with us. However, Maggie, our sweet companion of 14 years, along with our hamster Minnie and one of our goldfish have passed on.

We have enjoyed all that SoCal living brings! After all, we only live 8 miles from Disneyland and 6 miles from the beach. However, amidst all the fun we’ve had taking in the sights and sounds of Southern California, we’ve learned some incredible things about God, ourselves and life. Lessons that we probably wouldn’t have learned, unless we were willing to follow the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit’s work in our life.

While we’ve certainly experienced some of the challenges that come with uprooting and leaving the proximity of family and friends, we’re grateful for the lessons we’ve learned. Lessons in courage, contentment, community and closure. Throughout the Scriptures, God invites his people to remember. In remembering, I see just how faithful God has been, which in turn gives me faith to depend on him in the present and trust him for the future.

I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. – Philippians 1:6, NLT