Life in Light of the Cross

David and I recently finished a teaching series by David Platt entitled "The Cross and Everyday Life." We did this as a weekly study with another couple in our building, and every week we were floored and challenged. Platt shared many simple yet profound truths from Scripture that helped us understand how the gospel can and should affect our everyday lives in practical ways. His point was, ultimately, that the gospel is the PLATFORM on which our lives rest and the framework within which we should be living on a day-to-day basis. Every single aspect of our lives is -or should be- lived from a place of deep understanding and realization of the gospel and it's central significance in our lives.

As we entered 2021, we felt that Matthew 11:30 was a good theme verse for the year:

28 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

This speaks to us in our current season for multiple reasons:

1. For the past few years, David and I have had more of an intense interest in Theology, focusing on the intricacies of what we believe and why. While this is an important and wonderful thing, we found that our faith was becoming much more intellectual with less of a heart connection, and this became a heavy burden. I believe that God is interested in our head and our heart, and in recent years we have been missing that vital second piece, which has made us feel weighed down and honestly quite dry. Jesus' words in Matthew came as a refreshing reminder for us that - while theology is key and should be studied - Christ promises to give us a burden that is light. Scripture encourages us to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have, while also instructing us to have child-like faith. There must be a balance of head and heart, and we are excited to discover that in our spiritual journey this coming year.

2. This verse also seems appropriate for 2021 considering the current situation our world finds itself in. We all know the details and drama so I will not belabor the subject here, but suffice it to say that the world is in desperate need of a Savior whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light. May our minds be renewed by this truth and may we become vessels of Christ's peace, joy and hope to a weary and burdened world.

David officially started the Paramedic program last semester, and it is quite intense ! He has had in-person class as well as some distance learning, Tuesday-Thursday from 0745 to 1700. The topics they have covered include EMS basics, cellular biology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, respiratory medicine and many skills including medication administration, how to start IVs in a moving vehicle, intubation, and EMS communication. He has read hundreds of textbook pages in English, taken many many exams and done multiple group projects. He will soon be starting his clinical rotations in the hospital and ambulance, and will finish the program in Fall of 2021.

Elise recently started working at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis on the telemetry unit. Without going into all of the details, this is a long-awaited answer to our prayers and the desires of Elise's heart, and it has been a wonderful experience thus far ! She works evenings from 1500 to 2330, four days a week, and is therefore able to spend every morning at home with the boys. It has been fun for her to learn a more specialized area of nursing, and she has absolutely fantastic coworkers !

Full-time mom + full-time nurse = BUSY, but wonderful.

Big news points for the boys:

Jude turned three in October, said "goodbye" to diapers, and started attending a preschool just before the Holidays. He is an extremely social boy and has already benefitted greatly from interacting with his peers at a Christian preschool about two blocks from our apartment where he loves going three mornings a week. Jude continues to impress us with his sharp intellect, joyful spirit, never-ending energy, and joie de vivre !

Giovanni will be a year old on January 23rd....where does time go ?! Having lived his first year in partial social isolation, he has spent many hours playing with his older brother at home, and loves playing "lions," cars and wrestling. He had a bout of Roseola a few weeks ago, but has been otherwise very healthy and developing well. He started taking steps last week, "speaks" more and more, and brings such joy to our lives ! What a gift to watch him discover this incredible world with awe and wonder.

We have started meeting with another couple in our building to have Bible study, worship and prayer together, which is practical and very refreshing !

We continue to reach out to our neighbors, giving gifts/cookies/cards during the holidays, having meals together in our apartment and offering help and a listening ear whenever we can.

Elise continues to sing on the worship team at church as her schedule allows. We just started meeting in-person again as a congregation, and it is a true joy to be together with our church family !

Due to travel restrictions, we did not spend the Holidays in Switzerland as originally planned, but we had a wonderful time with Elise's family in Cambridge.

Elise and David had a one-night prayer getaway at the end of 2020 to reflet on the year and pray about vision/goals/values for the new year. This was a brief, sweet and very important time that gave us new perspective as we turned the page into 2021.

Elise is grateful to have the privilege of receiving the Covid vaccine with the first wave in the US and will be getting her second dose this week. We have been overall very healthy as a family this year, praise the Lord !

Prayer requests:

- That at least David would be able to visit Switzerland before too long, in particular to see his grandmother. We do not know the next time our entire family will be able to go.

- That Elise would be a witness in her workplace.

- That we would be able to be more involved in our church's life and ministry

- That Gio would start sleeping through the night

- That we would have direction and guideance for the future (seems like we are always praying about this, ha !).

- That we would be creative in how we reach out to and connect with our neighbors during the winter season

We love you !