Kinesthetic (or Tactile) Learners may not fit the mold of the “ideal” student. They are active learners. They need to move, and use all of their senses in the learning process. But, most educational strategies, methodologies, and contexts involve passive learning (watching, or listening), so a traditional classroom setting can be a struggle for these active learners.

Do you have an active and energetic wiggle worm? Your school days may need to look a little different than most…but, they may also be a lot more fun!

In the current issue of Homeschool Life Magazine, I’m writing about the Kinesthetic Learning Style, and some strategies that we can all incorporate to make our school days more hands-on!

Check it out!

“Sheâ€s a social butterfly.”

“He is constantly interrupting.”

“She wonâ€t stop talking.”

“He asks so many questions.”

Well…you may have an Auditory Learner!

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In the Spring 2021 Issue of Homeschool Life Magazine, I am continuing my series on Learning Styles. In this issue we look at how to identify an Auditory Learner, as well as some of the Struggles and Strategies that go along with teaching an Auditory Learner in your Homeschool.

Visit http://www.homeschoollifemagazine.com/ to subscribe, and read more!

***

How does your child learn best?

It is okay if you donâ€t know. Because you can still give your children a solid homeschool education without knowing their preferred learning style. But, as a homeschooling mom, you likely spend most of your days observing how your children play, learn, and interact with the world around them. And, your insight into your childâ€s unique preferences and abilities can help you to adjust your teaching according to their needs, choose or adapt curriculum, and implement strategies that will make sense to them, help keep them engaged in learning, and maybe even create better attitudes…for everyone.

***

In the Winter 2020 Issue, I am talking about The Visual Learner.  Visit http://www.homeschoollifemagazine.com to subscribe, and read more!

Dear Friends and Family,

January: This year started off much like any other…with plans, goals, and hopes for the year to come.

February: Titus turned 8 this month, and we celebrated with a Star Wars-themed birthday party. He loves all things space…real or imagined. He is in 4^th grade in this year. He continues to enjoy school and excel in all of his subjects, but, Science is his current favorite. He is a budding astronomer, and spends his free time reading everything he can about space travel, black holes, and the planets in our solar system – especially Mars. He can tell you everything you never knew you wanted to know about Martian geography, and past missions to Mars. And, he is eagerly looking forward to the landing of the Perseverance rover early next year (February 18^th…just in case you were wondering!). He is serious and thoughtful, always looking for ways to help out.

March: Spring is usually “Convention Season” for me (Veronica). I traveled to Fort Worth for, what ended up being both my first and last Homeschool Convention of the season. The convention was shut down early, as Covid-19 restrictions began to take effect across our state and country.

At the end of the month, we celebrated Rachelâ€s 5^th birthday! She is the comedienne of our family. And, she is constantly making us laugh with her clever observations and quick comebacks. She tries so hard to keep up with her big brother and sisters, that, sometimes I forget how young she really is! She started 1^st grade this year, and although my plan was to take things slowly with her, it would seem that she had other ideas. She loves Math, and catches on very quickly (sometimes answering questions that are part of her big brotherâ€s and sisterâ€s lessons!). She has surprised and impressed me with her persistence and progress this year! She works hard during school, but, most days, I think her main goal is to get it over with so that she can get outside and ride her bike – which she recently started doing without the help of training wheels!

April: Hannah turned 15! This sweet girl always chooses to see the good in people, circumstances, and whatever comes her way. She is in 10^th grade, and taking most of her classes online, this year. She still loves playing the flute, and continued to practice diligently, even though her Spring semester of Orchestra was cut short. While she was disappointed to miss out on the Spring concert and her first competition, she has continued to be a faithful part of our churchâ€s Sunday morning Worship Team. She even offered to step in and play for both services when the Worship Team lost a flute player this summer! She was excited to get back to regular weekly Orchestra practice in August. In the little free time she has between studying and practicing, you will usually find her writing stories, baking, or hanging out with her little brother and sisters. She is a fun, and creative big sister, and willing baby-sitter!

May: In March, our church suspended in-person gatherings due to the restrictions, lockdowns, and quarantines imposed by Covid-19. What we thought would be just a few Sundays, stretched into almost 2 months of not meeting together. Jason still spent hours each week studying, praying for, and preparing messages specifically for our church…just like he always had. But, unlike before, he now found himself teaching to nothing more than a camera and an empty room…on Saturday afternoons! We spent Saturday evenings editing and uploading the videos to YouTube and Facebook so they would be ready on Sunday mornings. This was a definite labor of love! And, we were all grateful for the blessings (and trials) of this technology!

During this time, our kids took it upon themselves to re-create church at home on Sunday morning. They made bulletins, chose songs, led music, and read Scripture before we watched Jasonâ€s messages together. While it all seemed like fun and games at first, it quickly became apparent that they were entirely serious. And, those “home-churching” weeks became precious times of family worship, initiated and led entirely by our children. They will forever be some of my favorite memories from this year.

At the end of May, we were excited to return to church in person! Many precautions were taken to make sure it was done safely. Social distancing was recommended, the number of seats were reduced, we held 2 separate services, and there was plenty of hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes. It wasnâ€t quite back to “normal,” but it was definitely better than nothing!

June: We welcomed a new Associate Pastor to our church family! We love this sweet family and are so thankful to partner with them in ministry!

July: Over the years, Jason has wanted to pursue more education, but the time and opportunity to do so have been limited. This year has reinforced both the desire and the need to seek further training. Although he had casually looked into several programs in the past, this summer, he began intentionally researching a variety of schools and degrees. He applied to, and was recently accepted at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. He will begin taking classes, online, in January, pursuing a Masterâ€s degree in Church Leadership.

August: Rebekah has been begging to take gymnastics for a couple of years. A new gym opened nearby this summer, so we signed up both Rebekah and Rachel for a trial class. Of course, they fell in love! We now spend our Saturdays cheering them on!

September: Although most of the bigger homeschool conventions were cancelled this year, I kept busy with a few local and online events! Most of my spring and summer months were spent on e-mails, texts, Zoom meetings, and phone calls, placing orders, answering questions, and helping many families start their homeschooling adventure. I was so busy, we didnâ€t start our own homeschool year until the middle of September! (That is late for us.) This is our 11^th year of homeschooling! I am teaching 1^st grade, 2^nd grade, and 4^th grade, and facilitating 10^th grade. We have a good routine, as I alternate between teaching phonics rules, cursive, and long division, and overseeing Biology Lab experiments in the kitchen. I am so thankful for the freedom and flexibility that Hannahâ€s online classes have brought to our school days! It gives her the opportunity to take classes that I could not offer on my own (like French!) and teaches her to learn from someone other than Mom or Dad. Our days are long and, at the same time, never quite long enough. But, through the uncertainties of this year, homeschooling has been a bright spot of normalcy in our life.

October: Rebekah turned 7 this year. Her choice of a Rapunzel-themed celebration seemed very appropriate as we celebrated yet another quarantine birthday…in October. She has kept the “Tooth Fairy” quite busy this year! She has already lost 4 teeth, with at least 3 more ready to come out very soon! She is in 2^nd grade this year. Her favorite subject is Handwriting, because she is learning to write “fancy” (cursive). She is surprisingly competitive, and she and Titus like to see who can finish their work first, or who gets the highest score on their weekly spelling test. Gymnastics is the highlight of her week, and she is faithful to practice and stretch every day. And, after only 4 months, her dedication was rewarded, when she was recently moved up to the next level! She is our sunshine. Ever the encourager, she finds joy in everything she does!

November: Political questions and turmoil aside, this was a quiet month for family. It was a good opportunity to reflect and focus on all that we have to be thankful for. Especially this year!

December: It is hard to believe that it has been 10 years (December 31^st) since we moved to Texas, and to Grace Community Bible Church! To celebrate this anniversary, our church family surprised us with a (much needed!) vacation to Galveston during the first week of December. We thoroughly enjoyed the time together to rest and disconnect from the demands of everyday life and ministry. 3 of our 4 children had never been to the beach! We remedied this parental oversight, and enjoyed walking on the beach, spotting jellyfish, collecting shells, building sandcastles, and metal detecting. Our treasure hunting efforts were rewarded with a couple of bottle caps and a piece of an old shoe. Some even braved the chilly water! We also enjoyed the Moody Gardens Aquarium and Rainforest Pyramids, a walk-through Festival of Lights, a day at the Space Center (NASA), shopping on The Strand, and a horseback ride on the beach!

As we look back on the unprecedented events of this year, and anticipate the unknowns of 2021, we do so with hope. But, our hope is not built on the unsteady foundation of our circumstances. It is sure and steadfast, anchored in the undeserved, unfailing mercy of Jesus Christ.

We pray that you would have this same hope this Christmas, and in the year to come!

With Hope,
Jason, Veronica, Hannah, Titus, Rebekah, & Rachel Whitley

{All photos by Rachel Marquez Photography.}

*Cue the panicked Google search before church to see if biscuits would work.*

I found one site that said biscuits would be fine. And, since I had already told the kids we were going to make a fun treat (and, I really didn’t want to make another trip to the store) I decided to trust this internet stranger, and go with it. And, she was right! So, I’ll give the recipe credit to Jackie Garvin, of Syrup & Biscuits.

***

I’ll be honest, I hesitated to do this for a long time. Partly, my 3 little ones were little. I want to be a “fun mom,” but, I am a bit too much of a Type-A, control freak. Cooking with my kids stresses me out. It makes a mess. And, I am the very opposite of a fun mom in those moments! And, I felt like this had great potential for being messy…or at least sticky. But, you know…seeing the looks on their faces at the end, when they realized that the marshmallow was gone…it was all worth it!

So, let me encourage you to do it. Make the mess. Let them eat a marshmallow, and lick the cinnamon-sugar off their fingers. Share the story of the Resurrection. And, make some sweet memories.

But, in case you happen to be a control freak like me, here are a few tips that, I hope, might make it a little easier for you (and a lot more fun for them!):

I set everything up ahead of time: I melted the butter. My oldest mixed up the cinnamon-sugar. I put the biscuits on individual paper plates.
If you have little ones, this just eliminates some of the “hurry up and wait,” so everything is ready to go when they are.

I made a sample Roll, while explaining the process, the story, and the symbolism of each ingredient. Then, I let them have their turn. This kept the yummy ingredients out of their reach, so that they could pay attention to the story (which is kind of the point!). And then, I was able to help them make their rolls…and take some pictures.

Depending on the ages and attention spas of your children, you can read the story directly from Scripture (Matthew 27-28; Mark 15-16; Luke 23-24; John 19-20), from a good Children’s Bible (I like this one: The Illustrated ICB Bible.**), or use a shortened summary or simple explanation of the Resurrection Rolls.

Marshmallow: Jesus†body
Biscuit/Crescent Roll: the cloth they wrapped Jesus in when they buried him
Butter: embalming oils
Cinnamon-Sugar: spices used to prepare Jesus†body for burial
Baked Roll: empty tomb

Ingredients:

8 large, canned biscuits (or canned crescent rolls)
8 large marshmallows
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon melted butter, cooled

Dip marshmallow in melted butter and coat well.

Then, roll the marshmallow in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated.

“And he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.
He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.'” -Mark 16:6

**This post contains affiliate links.

At the end of each year, I like to make 2 lists: one of the books I read in the previous year, and one of books I would like to read in the coming year. But, as a self-proclaimed bookworm, the list of books I had actually completed in 2019 was embarrassingly short!

That hasn’t stopped me from buying new ones though! I’ve been keeping most of them on a mental shelf to read “when things slow down.” But, let’s be honest, that’s not going to happen any time soon. Life is just busy right now, and it looks like it will be staying that way for the foreseeable future.

So, this year, I am challenging myself with 25 books (in addition to reading through the Bible). This works out to about 2-ish books per month. It will be a challenge…but doable…I think.

(I almost said, “Here they are in no particular order.” But, that’s not exactly true, since they are in alphabetical order, by title. What I mean is, this isn’t necessarily the order in which I will read them…it just kept things neat and tidy while I was making my list.)

My Reading List for 2020:

90-Day Chronological Bible Reading Plan

12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You, by Tony Reinke

All That’s Good, by Hannah Anderson

Chasing Contentment, by Erik Raymond

Closer than a Sister, by Christina Fox

Creating a Beautiful Life, by Elizabeth George

Designed for Joy, ed. by Jonathan Parnell & Owen Strachan

Fear and Faith, by Trillia J. Newbell

Flourish, by Lydia Brownback

Getting to the Heart of Friendships, by Amy Baker

Glory in the Ordinary, by Courtney Reissig

Help for Women Under Stress, by Randy and Nanci Alcorn

Her-Story, by Diana Lynn Severance

Is the Bible Good for Women?, by Wendy Alsup

Jesus and the Feminists, by Margaret Elizabeth Kostenberger

Leaving Legalism, by Kendra Fletcher

Lit!, by Tony Reinke

No Little Women, by Aimee Byrd

On Reading Well, by Karen Swallow Prior

Picture Perfect, by Amy Baker

Praying through the Bible for your Kids, by Nancy Guthrie

Precious Truths in Practice, by Martha Peace

Suffering is Never for Nothing, by Elisabeth Elliot

The True Woman, by Susan Hunt

Women & God, by Kathleen Nielson

Women of the Word, by Jen Wilkin

Some of these are re-reads, because I like to do that. Some have shown up on previous lists, with all sorts of good intentions, but have remained either untouched or unfinished. (In most of those cases, I am pretty sure it was the fault of an extraordinarily busy season, and not the content of the book itself, so I’m going to give them another try.) The rest are new…to me, although they may have been around for awhile.

What are you reading this year?

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{This post contains affiliate links. Click here for my disclaimer.}

And, that desire has also found its way into my personal and spiritual life, as I have found myself becoming a bit restless and bored with my usual Bible reading routine over the last few weeks.

I love goals and challenges, but have never really been one to make New Year’s Resolutions. I am more of the mindset that if something needs changing…just change it now. No need to wait for an arbitrary date on the calendar. But, at the same time, as I began looking through different Bible reading plans, I realized that this really is the perfect time of year to make some changes in that area. (The plan I’ve been using doesn’t depend on the calendar, which is actually one of the things I love about it! But, I’ve also been using it for so long, I kind of forgot that many plans do start with the New Year.)

Over the years, I have tried and collected a variety of different Bible reading plans, approaches, and schedules. Each one has pros and cons, but I was looking at each one with a bit of a “been there, done that” mentality. None of them seemed like they would accomplish what I was looking for…whatever that was.

And, then…

I remembered that several years ago (and we’re talking more than a decade!), a small group that I was part of, decided to read through the Bible in 90 days. We read through the Bible, from cover-to-cover, in “canonical” order – from Genesis to Revelation – in about 3 months. At that time, I really didn’t like the idea of “speed reading” Scripture, as I wanted a much more in-depth, slower-paced reading. Because that was more spiritual, right? Wrong. Enter humility. I was surprised to find that I really liked this plan, and learned a lot more than I thought I would. I actually enjoyed it so much, I have revisited it a few times in the years since.

But, like I said, there are pros and cons to each plan…

On the Pro side of the list: I have found that reading through the whole Bible at a faster pace has helped me to make connections that I missed in more long-term approaches. And, because each book is read in a matter of days, not weeks or months, I think it can allow for a better understanding of the verses, passages, and other books in context. And, I also like that by occasionally pulling back, I get to see and appreciate the “big picture,” instead of “missing the forest for the trees,” as I can be prone to do.

But, on the Con side: The speed doesn’t really allow for lingering. It is not speed-reading, as I originally dismissed it, but it is definitely a sprint, not a marathon. So, even though I knew I was learning and appreciating things that I might have missed otherwise, I don’t like feeling rushed, or like I was missing out on deeper lessons and insights.

So, although the “pro” side of the argument definitely outweighed the “con” side of my Pro/Con list for this plan, I was still a little hesitant.

And then, I remembered hearing that there was a Chronological variation of the 90-day schedule. I have read through the Bible chronologically before, and it was a great help in connecting the dots of the biblical timeline. But, I have several other projects going on right now, and, while I was intrigued by the idea of doing it 90 days, I did not want to completely reinvent the wheel right now.  After a quick google search, I found a few different 90-day, chronological reading schedules online. That was promising. And, I started getting excited!

Despite not wanting to reinvent the wheel…or, the schedule…that’s kind of exactly what I did. There is some disagreement among scholars on the dates of certain books and events, but most chronological plans (that I’ve found) are basically the same. So that wasn’t the issue. But, I’ve found that just because a particular tool or system is trendy, or pretty, or works for just about everyone else, doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for me. There was nothing wrong with the schedules I found…and, each one had some features that I liked, or wanted. But, none of them had everything I was looking for.

What I found was:
Multiple-pages. It is a lot of information, especially for one page. But, it is also a lot of numbers…I didn’t want to keep track of multiple pages, or tape something to the inside of my Bible.
Full-page documents. I have been using a reading system that utilizes multiple bookmarks, which is something I really like. Especially because this plan calls for some flipping back and forth between books. I think, at one point, I may have had a bookmark with the original 90-day schedule on it…but it was in a teeny-tiny font…which made it difficult to follow.
Lists, with no way to track progress. I suppose I could highlight as I go…or cross off the passages as I read…but honestly, I just wanted a check-box.

So…I ended up using some of the chronological, 90-day schedules that I found, and tweaking the format to create something that would work better for me. I put the entire schedule on one page, in 3 columns (one for each month)…the font is small, but, still readable. I added boxes to check off my progress. And, it can easily be folded into a bookmark!

{Again, not every tool works for every person…but if you think this would be helpful for you,
please let me know. I’d be happy to e-mail you a printable copy!}

I know that there is a Chronological Bible available, as well as a 90-Day Bible available…and I’m sure there’s an app for this as well. They are designed and laid out to make these reading plans easier to follow. Again, I think it is just a matter of knowing what works for you. If you like reading on your phone, or a tablet, go for it. I’ve been very thankful for those options at times, but as a general rule, I’m not an e-book/e-reader kind of girl. I prefer “real books.” And, for Bible reading, I like using my Bible.

And, there is the other motive behind this challenge. I have been using the same Bible for over 15 years, and I love it. It is the one I carry to church, the one I do my reading in, the one I study with…I know where books, chapters, passages, and verses are. Not in the sense of I know the books of the Bible, or I have a general idea of where it is located. I know if it’s on the left or right page…which column, and how far down the the page it is. I know my Bible. But, it is beginning to fall apart….and it is sadly (past) time to retire it.

I already have a new Bible. Well, “new” isn’t entirely accurate. I received it for Christmas a couple of years ago. It is exactly what I wanted. But, it is just different. (If I haven’t mentioned it, I don’t do “change.”) But, it’s time. And, I’m hoping that this plan will help me start using, and therefore getting to know my new(ish) Bible!

Using the 90-Day plans, you could, theoretically, read through the Bible 4 times in 1 year. And, my plan is to at least attempt it. But, for now, I am so excited to jump in, and spend the first few months of this year reading through the Bible chronologically!!

Who wants to join me?!

Dear Friends and Family,

All year long, it seems as though I have been constantly looking behind me, trying to figure out where the previous days, weeks, or months have gone. And now, somehow, it is mid-December, and I am once again wondering, where did this year go?!

January: We started the year in California, with a second memorial service for Veronicaâ€s dad, at his home church, in the state where he grew up and lived most of his life. We were blessed by each of the people who attended (and those who wanted to, but couldnâ€t), as they so tangibly demonstrated the impact that his friendship, example, teaching, and life had (and continues to have!) on so many.

While our reason for being in California was rather sad, there were some happy moments as well. For 3 of our children, this trip was their first trip on an airplane, and their first time traveling outside of Texas (really, out of Houston). All 4 were amazing travelers, every single step of the way. They made what could have been a very difficult trip extremely easy and enjoyable! While we were there, we had fun showing the kids where their mom grew up, where we met and went to college, and visiting with some dear friends.
Thanks to Veronicaâ€s mom, we were also able to spend two days at Disneyland. Although the “happiest place on earth” was a little less happy without Grandpa, it was fun to share of one of his favorite places with his grandchildren.

February: Titus turned 7 on February 7^th! He is our bookworm, and you can usually find him surrounded by stacks of books. He started 3^rd grade this year, and is always the first one at his desk, ready to get started each morning. He loves to learn, and, as a result, asks lots of questions! He is currently obsessed with all things Star Wars, Dinosaurs, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles…and if Legos are involved, all the better! He is a walking encyclopedia of Star Wars facts and trivia, and loves perfecting his light saber moves. His sisters are his best friends, and he is very protective of them. But, he also takes his “little-big brother” role very seriously, and loves trying to scare them with his (toy) bugs and snakes.

 March: This month, we celebrated Rachelâ€s 4th birthday! She is such a little comedienne, and continues to bring so much joy and laughter to our home. She finished up Pre-School in the Spring, and was so excited to start Kindergarten this Fall! For now, Math and anything involving scissors and glue seem to be her favorites. Reading has taken a little more effort, but, her very own personal cheering section has encouraged her as she has sounded out each new word. She loves to help around the house…especially if it involves cooking or laundry! And, she recently learned how to swing on her own, and, now that the weather is a little nicer, she loves to play outside, and can usually be found monopolizing one of the swings in the backyard.

 April: Hannah turned 14, and started high school (9^th grade) this year! She is sweet, easy-going, and creative. She is always writing a new story, or creating a fun, imaginary world for her little brother and sisters. She has always been a big help, but this year, she has also become an amazing (and willing!) baby-sitter. We have switched to a mostly-online format for school. She loves all of her classes, but French is definitely her favorite! She has been looking forward to taking it for so long, I am thankful that it has lived up to her expectations! She is still playing the flute, and joined our churchâ€s Sunday morning Worship Team at the end of last year. After 3 years in band, she decided to audition for – and made! – the Full Honors Orchestra this summer! It has required a lot of hard work and many hours of practice, but she was definitely up to the challenge, and has done a great job!

May: In addition to being “birthday season,” the Spring is also known as “convention season” in our house. Veronica loves working as a HomeWorks Consultant. She spent several weekends in March, April, and May representing BJU Press Homeschool materials at homeschool conventions and events in Fort Worth, St. Louis, Waco, Dallas, and a little closer to home, in Katy and The Woodlands!

June: June marked the official start of our summer vacation! We played on the slip-and-slide, ate lots of popsicles, went swimming at our friendâ€s pool, played at the splash pad, made lots of library visits, and got to double up on the celebrations with Fatherâ€s Day and Jasonâ€s 40^th birthday!

Our church also hosted our very first Vacation Bible School!! The whole church came together to create a day of fun and teaching for our children and our community. The church was decorated in an incredible “Under the Sea” theme. Jason taught on the life of Jonah. Hannah was a teen helper, and Titus got to enjoy the games, skits, crafts, and stories! (Sadly, Rebekah and Rachel were sick that day, and missed out on the fun.)

July: This summer, Jason finished up a 2-year long sermon series in the book of Galatians, and has spent the remainder of the year addressing a few different topics on Sunday mornings. Our church family – both individually, and as a whole – has been through some difficult trials this year. Life in ministry is a wonderful privilege, but it is not always easy. And, it doesnâ€t just happen on Sunday! This summer was filled with emails, texts, phone calls, and too many meetings to count. But, maybe more than ever before, I have seen the extent of his heart and love for the flock God has given him to shepherd.

August: In August, we began our 10^th year of homeschooling with a Kindergartener, a 1^st Grader, a 3^rd Grader, and a 9^th Grader! With such a wide variety of aptitudes and abilities, this year has probably been the most challenging one yet. I donâ€t sit down much. But, I am so thankful for these crazy days in our “one house schoolroom,” because, whether they are sounding out a new word, learning to add and subtract, doing a science experiment, or writing their first research paper…I love that we get to do it together!

September: September was a quiet month, filled with simple, “ordinary” days. I have a new appreciation for these days, as they seem to be more and more out-of-the-ordinary!

October: Rebekah celebrated her 6^th birthday with a Hawaiian-themed party. I wish I could bottle up the energy, joy, and enthusiasm that this girl has! She is everyoneâ€s biggest cheerleader. She is in 1^st grade this year. She does well in school, and says her favorite subject is math. But, most of the time, she would prefer to be outside, “gymnastic-ing,” racing her brother on her bike, or catching lizards. If she canâ€t be outside, you can usually find her playing Barbies, or begging to go to the mall. She likes being busy. She loves “kids†class” (Sunday School), and “eat-at-church day” (our monthly fellowship meal) is her favorite day of the month! Sheâ€s our fearless social butterfly…as long as Titus and Rachel are nearby!

November: The 1^st of November marked one year without my Dad. We still miss his warm smile, and contagious joy – every single day, but especially this time of year.

December: This month has already been full of parties, concerts, and fellowships! And, as we look forward to continuing the celebration of our Saviorâ€s birth in the next few days, it is our prayer that the joy of this season would cause us to know and love Him better, this Christmas, and in the year ahead.

With Love,

Jason, Veronica, Hannah, Titus, Rebekah, & Rachel Whitley

But, still…

“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” –1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (ESV)