Growing?

Goodness it has been forever! I’m not even sure I remember how to blog!

Life is awesome. We have a cuddly new addition named Napali. Yes Napali. Nuh-paul-lee. He is a lot of work but such a joy! His name comes from Napali coast in Kauai where Brenton and I went on our amazing honeymoon.

It is so insane for me to think that the school year is almost over and summer is just around the corner. This has been a very difficult and challenging year for both Brenton and I. We have had a lot of situations and circumstances to work through as I’m sure many of you have had as well. We have also been blessed with many things this year. Being able to become one and be married has been such a joy and we are so thankful for each other. We both were blessed with not only just jobs but our dream jobs. We have been so blessed to be able to be apart of an amazing small group of other young married couples that has helped us grow in the Lord. My sister and her family moved closer to us which means more time together and they have been a huge help in our lives. We have had the awesome opportunity to mentor and have fun teaching our incoming 7^th graders every Wednesday night. They are such a blessing to us!  All the students at The Link are huge blessings and there are just so many amazing students that inspire us everyday. But circumstances and situations are a day by day struggle. There is a battle everyday that we cannot win with out our savior. Praise the Lord that his mercies are new every morning and that we can have victory and joy in Him no matter what we are going through. And what a different perspective I have towards my struggles when I spend moments just thinking about the blessings he has given me.

A couple great analogies and thoughts…..

Doug used an analogy this morning from Narnia. Lucy was awoken one night with a desire to find Aslan. Aslan is the creator of Narnia, he’s a powerful lion, he is majestic and to make it short C.S. Lewis wrote Aslan to be played as God in the story of Narnia. Lucy finds Aslan and hugs and kisses him and has so much Joy to see him. "Aslan" said Lucy "you're bigger". "That is because you are older, little one" answered he. "Not because you are?" "I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger"." The analogy is not about physical growth but spiritual growth. As we get older God becomes bigger to us, we learn more about him if we so choose. It left me with a great question….. is God getting bigger to me in my life?

Are you choosing the let him rein and rule in every single part of your life? Do you know him more today than you did yesterday?

And I’m going to save my other thought for my next blog because I am realizing that I am rambling!

Knowing Him more,

Brenton, JoNel and now Napali!! 

                            

Excited but Sad :{

This post is dedicated to 3 amazing women in my life that I miss dearly! My title "Excited but Sad" explains how I feel about them leaving me :).



First Mrs. Jenna Matson now Mrs. Swinger left after she married one of Brenton's best friends Mr. Ben Swinger. I had the privilege of playing bball with Jenna and living with her in good old Ramsey my Jr. year. Ben and Brenton also played bball together and lived together in college! The Swingers are such dear friends to us and we so so miss being able to hang out with you two but are excited for you as you start your marriage, jobs and are able to be closer to to your families!

Next is Aubrey Clair. She decided to go live in Hawaii for some reason and I couldn't be more jealous! I also played bball with Aubrey and we have been good friends since my freshman year in college. I miss seeing you around but I know that you are probably doing well in Hawaii! We will hopefully be visiting you in the near future!

Last is one of the greatest people I know and such a dear friend to me Mrs. Laura Snider! Laura and her husband Nate just recently moved to Arizona to pursue a youth ministry position he was offered! Laura and I also play bball together and lived together in college. She is such a great friend and helped me get through a lot in college. I was super super sad to hear that they were moving but also excited for this opportunity for them! I hope you guys are doing well and I miss you tons already!!

So even though I am sad about not seeing these wonderful faces I couldn't be more excited for them as they are on adventures in different places. I have been truly blessed by their friendships! Thank you guys for being such great friends for Brenton and I and we hope to see you soon! ;)

Transforming Lives

     Wow, so I am going to try and get better at blogging! A lot of family and friends have been asking about Brenton and I AND I have been so incredibly encouraged by so many other blogs that I hope I can encourage as well!

   It has been....lets say a transition for Brenton and I. With my first year of teaching and Brenton searching for what he was going to do it was a rather difficult time for us to find a routine I guess you could say. Like everything else in life, what we had pictured our married life to be like wasn't anything close. That’s because God does IMMEASURABLY more than we can ever imagine. I love how I still at 24 years of age and many mistakes later try to control my life. What in the world! Sometimes I just picture God saying, "Idiot, when are you going to let me guide your life?" Haha I don't think he would say that but he should. And it's more of EXPECTING God to do GREAT things, to protect and guide our lives and marriage. Why do I expect anything less?!?!?

   With all that said I am forever grateful and absolutely love my church LSCC. It is what transformed my life and helped me grow closer to the Lord in community with others. And we are so THRILLED to be a part of transforming Jr. High and High School student’s lives as Brenton is the new Student Ministry Coordinator at LSCC! http://www.lscckc.org/bulletin111410.pdf It is an absolute joy to be on the other end of this ministry and to reach out to students like I was reached out to when I was a student there!

  Thank you for all of your prayers and support and make sure to visit The Link!

Ephesians 3:20

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

Be Still

The title "Be still" is a little crazy for our life and marriage right now. I have never been so busy before, but it has been amazing. Our wedding and honeymoon was perfect, it was everything I ever dreamed of and more. Thank you again to friends and family who sacrificed and made the day so special.

The Lord has blessed us so much and we are so excited to be on this journey called marriage. The one challenge we are finding already is to have time for the Lord daily. It's a little different when you are married to someone! It has been interesting especially with our schedules. But our hearts need and desire Him daily so we are finding little ways to do so.

Psalm 46:10 (New Living Translation)


“Be still, and know that I am God!

I will be honored by every nation.

I will be honored throughout the world.”

Not only are we individually different when we spend time with him but we noticed our marriage is different...it's better, it's joyful, it's filled with things that it needs to grow and be healthy. I love finding and seeing God in everyday life. One of Brenton's times to be still and meditate is when he is fishing, it brings me joy to know that he is being filled with the Holy Spirit and renewed. And then it's always a bonus when you catch a big fish!

One of my favorite ways is worship....I LOVE music and I love to sing and praise Him...especially in the car hehe. It's really interesting and fun living with Brenton and finding different ways that work for our marriage to spend time with the Lord. I'm sure when school starts for me or when games start for him it will become more challenging. And then when we get a puppy :) and then when we have kids and then......you just never know what life throws at you but as coach Olin says "Keep the main thing the main thing!"

Our honeymoon was also a great reminder of just seeing him in everyday life...not just on Sundays or before a meal or when life gets rough. But seeing his beauty in creation, or in other peoples lives or in the joy of marriage. Our world is so distracted that it can be hard to see through it all.

We are so excited for Brenton's big family trip to Destin, FL this next week! Great times with family and also great times praising the Lord. I am so blessed for Brenton's Grandparents and the path and example they have set for everybody.

We hope everybody is enjoying their summer and thank you again for all the love and support in our lives!

Being still,
Hent and JoJo

One Day at a Time

"Too often we get distracted by what is outside our control. You can't do anything about yesterday. The door to the past has been shut and the key thrown away. You can do nothing about tomorrow. It is yet to come. However, tomorrow is in large part determined by what you do today. SO MAKE TODAY A MASTERPIECE. You have control over that".
-John Wooden-

I will never forget when Brenton and I first started dating and the words he said to me. I was going through a difficult time in my life but simple words like "no problems" and "one day at a time" was just what I needed along with scripture and prayer. Ever since then "One Day at a Time" has become our sang. It branched off the quote by John Wooden who shares the passion of basketball that Brenton and I both share. We want to live our lives one day at a time, seeking, worshiping and seeing God in everyday life and giving Him the Glory good or bad.

That's why we are starting this blog! We have been so encouraged by reading so many other blogs that we want to do the same and share what the Lord is teaching us in our lives. We believe testimonies and sharing our hearts and what the Lord is teaching us can be one of the number one things we can do to fellowship and to grow in our lives. We also hope that this blog will help us stay connected and keep friends and family updated on our journey!

PAST TWO YEARS

-Engagement in December 2008

-Basketball ended for me (JoNel)

-Graduated Elementary Education

-Student taught in the fall of 2009

-wedding planning

-Brenton (all American, player of the year and many other honors) ended his college basketball career.

-JoNel networking, interviewing, subbing and wedding planning

-I (JoNel :) got a 4th grade position in Liberty, MO

-Brenton Howard is now the assistant varsity coach at Shawnee Mission South!

God has been soo good to us. It was extremely hard time because we didn't know where we were going to be, what jobs we would have or where our lives were going! But we trusted in the Lord and his timing and it IS PERFECT! The Lord kept telling us "be patient, I will take care of you and I know your desires." Everyday we reminded ourselves of

Psalm 37:34 which says, "I won't be impatient for the Lord to act! I will keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season He will honor me with every blessing."

And he has blessed us for sure! We will be getting married June 12th, off to Hawaii for our Honeymoon for 10 days, back to KC for a couple days, off to Sabetha, KS for two of our dearest friends wedding, back for a week of bball coaching for Brenton and work for me (I took a part time job an my insurance agents office) and then we are off to Destin, FL over the fourth of July! I know what you are thinking we are spoiled spoiled! But Brentons family takes a trip to Destin every year since they were little kids. We can't help it! :)

But we are so excited also for when we get back from Destin because we will begin searching for a place to call home!

Here is Kellybrook Elementary where I will be teaching 4th grade in the fall!

And Brenton will be a Shawnee Mission South Raider basketball coach!

So there is an update on us and we pray that this blog is encouraging and is a blessing to those who read it!

One day at a time, enjoy the Lord today,

Hint & JoJo