Dominican and Haiti Updates

ROOTS

"And Mary said, My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on, all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me---holy is His name.

His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation."
Luke 1:46-50

I (Audrey) have so enjoyed my time back in the states.

It began with a trip home to Georgia to visit with my parents and stay in the house where I was raised. While there, I had this overwhelming feeling of being so grateful for where I grew up, who my parents are, and the roots of my family heritage that have played a beautiful part of who I am today.

I love The Fall so dearly. It always seems to be such a nostalgic time for me. The pure beauty of the colorful leaves on the trees is a constant reminder of how much God loves me. They seem to bring about a running film reel in my mind of my ROOTS. I thank Him for this sweet gift!

I have often wondered, "why am I the way I am?" I now believe it is because of my roots and the beliefs and morals that have been instilled in me. It's a glorious testimate to who my parents are and who my grandparents are and who my greatgrandparents are.

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is older, he will not turn from it."
Proverbs 22:6

My parents have obviously played a big part in who I have become today. My dad is rock solid, consistent, God fearing, genuine, gracious. My mom is organized, hard working, generous, and loving. They have never steered me in the wrong direction.

My sister, my dear sister. Having a big sister is one of the grandest joys in life! She has led me by example and has been such a positive influence. She was a role model for me during those years when a younger sister really needs one . We competed together in basketball and running. I call her for advice or simply when I need a little bit of encouragement.

My grandmothers are a beautiful part of my family heritage. They are two of the most Godly woman that I know and I am eternally grateful for the way they raised my parents, which has been passed down to the next generation.
(My grandfathers, Jack Leatherman and Bill Lucas, who are now deceased also loved Jesus with a great passion.)

These are some of my dear friends from high school. High school is such a time of molding, stretching and shaping. It's an emotional time filled with dreaming, desires, disapointments, heart break, joy and love. It's a high, a rush. I thank God for precious friends during this time in my life (and still today) who share the same love for our Heavenly Father that I do.

The college years are molding years as well. The game of basketball was such an influential part of my life. It taught me so much about life, hard work, discipline, unity and how to function as a team. Many of my coaches throughout the years played a big role in steering me in the right direction as well. The gals above are two of my basketball teammates from college. We did life closely together for several years and are still walking beside each other during trials, triumphs and heart break.

The growing hasn't stopped. My roots are strong and I'm growing new roots. I married a man who is leading us in the direction that we need to go. We are growing in our faith everyday and learning what it means to be a true follower of Him. We want a family. We want to continue watering and making healthy the very thing that has helped us become who we are today.

To God be the glory, Amen.

Stay tuned for ROOTS part II, an account from Will on his heritage.