Gratituesday, January 26, 2010

After Sarah was born, I became a GEMS counselor. I had been a Calvinette as a young girl and it had a profound impact on my life. (Calvinettes was a ministry of the Christian Reformed Church for young girls. The name changed to GEMS {Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior} in 1995, and better encompasses the interdenominational, worldwide ministry it has become). I wanted to work with girls, use my teaching knowledge, and ensure a good GEMS program for my daughter as she grew up. God definitely called me into the GEMS ministry.

When Bethany was born, I said to Ed, “Now I really have to work hard to keep the GEMS program up!”

When Becca was born, we knew we were in for a world of female-ness, both in our volunteer work and in our home.

When Elise was born, Ed just shook his head and said, “We’re lifers.”

Today I am grateful for my husband, who makes my GEMS ministry into our ministry. From the very beginning, he has been at home, with the girls, while I go off to GEMS. I took one year off –our first year here, the year I was pregnant with Elise – but then joined back in again at our new church and he still never complains about staying home with the little girls while I do GEMS. He never complains about meetings or conferences that have me flying all over the country. (Of course, here I must also express thanks for my parents, who usually take the girls when I go to the summer conferences so that Ed doesn’t have to take vacation days). But Ed just holds down the fort and makes it possible for me to be part of this incredible ministry. I could not serve in this way without him.

It is truly OUR ministry because of the way he selflessly serves at home.

Pictures of OUR girls having fun at GEMS last night: