Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to our real life heroes!!! We love you!

Thank you daddy for not only being an amazing father, but also being one of my closest friends. You have taught me so much about the love of God and how to succeed in life. I thank God for giving me a dad that is truly interested in what I like, what I don't like, and that loves to have conversations about absolutely anything. I look up to you so much and hope to marry a man that is like you. You are my favorite superhero! Happy Father's Day! ~Maddie

Happy Father's Day Daddy! I love you SO much- to the moon and BACK!- and I am so thankful to have such an amazing, hard-working and encouraging dad as you! God surely made no mistakes when He put our family together. :) Thank you for always making me laugh, leading me through example, and loving on me no matter what. I'm so blessed to have you as a dad, and I can't wait to see how God continues to grow our relationship with each new year that passes!
Love you TONS!

Love, Kenna

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I hope you never forget how much I love you, appreciate you, and look up to you. You are one of the most God-fearing, selfless, inspiring people I know! Whether we're cheering on our favorite sports team (Go UNC Tarheels!), or racing each other to see who can finish reading a gripping novel first, I treasure every single moment I spend with you. You never cease to amaze me! I love you to infinity and beyond, Daddy!! ~Hannah

He Cares

So, some interesting things happened in my life over this past weekend and as a result, I have big news to share...
   
I FINALLY GOT MY DRIVER’S LICENSE!!! Only after two full years of having my permit... LOL! No big deal! 

As you can imagine, I was extremely nervous all throughout the long nights leading up to that Friday morning on June 9th when I knew I would be forced to go to the DNV and take my driver’s test...

What if I run into someone else’s car in the middle of the test while I’m trying to park? What if I can’t control my foot on the gas pedal and end up speeding the entire time? What if embarrass myself trying to unlock the car or something while the tester guy’s trying to get in? What if I FAIL!?! What if I fail like FOUR TIMES before I finally pass and get my license!?!

...These were all some of the “freak-out” thoughts going through my head as I counted down the days leading up to that dreaded June 9th morning. I was so nervous for it and I just wanted to get it over with already! I literally spent my whole shower time the night before just talking to God about it, because I KNEW I had a selfish mindset about it and I needed to give it to Him. 

So I prayed practically the whole time I was in the shower that night (I love to talk to God while I shower! It’s just one of the most quiet, alone times I have during my day, to just think and talk to Him... Maybe some of you reading this can relate!).
I prayed that he would help me have faith that was bigger than my fear.
I prayed that I would stop only focusing on myself and my insecurity in the situation and instead give up my control and surrender this driving test over to God.
I prayed that He would give me favor when I went in to take that test- that He would “anoint my head with oil” so that “my cup would overflow” onto all those I came in contact with at the DNV...
And I thanked God that “the joy of the Lord would be my strength”. 

He was going to give me confidence and His will was going to be done in my life. And boy! I cannot tell you how much better I felt after simply surrendering my anxiety I had about my driver’s test over to God! I got to the point that night, where I didn’t even care what happened that next day, I just wanted God to be glorified, even through me taking my driver’s test.

And the whole time I was thinking and praying and thanking God, I was just reminded of how much He cares about me- How much He cares about even the most mundane thing as a teen who’s about to take her driving test! I mean, every teen on the planet has to do it at one point or another, but God still cares. And since it’s a big deal to me, it’s a big deal to Him, too. :)

I woke up early Friday morning with butterflies starting to flutter around in my stomach already as the nerves began to kick in again. But God only reminded me in my quiet time, once more, how much He cares and how much “He’s got this”, even though it may only be a driving test. He spoke to me through my “Jesus Always” devotional, saying-

“Apart from me you can do nothing. On days when the tasks before you seem overwhelming, remember this: I am with you, ready to help you. I designed you to need Me and depend on Me. So come to Me just as you are. Talk with Me about the challenges you face and the inadequacy you feel. Don’t worry about being successful in the eyes of the world.”

Whew! Don’t worry about being successful in the eyes of the world. What a relief it was to hear that! I don’t have to worry about pleasing the world, because I already have a Father in Heaven who takes great delight in me, and is already more proud of me than I could ever know! :)

And in the end, as you of course already know, I PASSED!!! I PASSED MY DRIVER’S TEST AND I GOT MY LICENSE!!! It was nowhere near as bad as I had worked it out to be in my head! I even had the sweetest, little old man I got to drive around, named Mr. Howard, who told me all about his 4 cats and let me help  put his seat belt on for him. :) He was such a treasure! And even after the fact, I remembered that I had seen him two years earlier, when I had gone to the DNV to get my permit, and how I had thought to myself then, “I hope I get THAT guy when I have to take MY driver’s test!”

See how good God is!?! He even took notice of THAT smallest detail, that little thought of mine, and made it a reality for me. How cool! He really does care, so much! And I am so thankful for his listening ears that are always tuned-in to me, and his outstretched hands, always ready to help me with whatever I need. :)

"Cast all you anxiety on him because he cares for you." 

1 Peter 5:7

- McKenna Brooks