Closing out 2025

2025 has come and gone in the blink of an eye. It's incredible to look back at the year and see how much growth and change our family has experienced! Some things were subtle, and almost unnoticeable until I took the time to reflect over them. There were many good & joyful things about our year, and it also had its fair share of lows as well. Through it all, we love to see how God carried us. Often, when one of us had a low day, God would gently send a little "I see you" bits of encouragement our way.

My 2025 word of the year was 'engage' (here's my explanation of why) and I do think I was very aware about using the gifts God has given me to fulfill my different roles here this year. For 2026 I've chosen the word 'ACT'. It's simple, and it's pretty self-explanatory. Too often, I get an idea in my head, stew around on it for a while, share it with Jon, and then let it drop without taking action. Some examples would be: I've considered taking an online course for a few years now, I've thought of little suggestions on how I could improve something and instead of acting on it I'll just let it slide, or I've contemplated signing up for a 10 km run. For this year, my goal is to take action - to set my ideas into motion both in regard to faith and just general life. Kickstarting a fresh year always excites me, and I hope you feel the same way! Before jumping into the new, I'll dive into our December for you.

Our December started off the best way possible! Our dear friends from Canada made the long trek to Zambia and spent 2 weeks of time with our family! It's hard to fully summarize how meaningful their visit was. We were able to tour them on campus and show them where we do life. We were able to introduce them to people we spend time with here. Host a community Christmas party with gingerbread house decorating (thanks for shipping those, mom!) and homemade hamburgers. Go to our church together. Drive to an away soccer match and get the full Sunday afternoon soccer experience. Do volleyball training together. Wander the streets of the market & hit up our favorite coffee shop. Walk down the road to purchase local vegetables and have some lovely friends cook us a traditional Zambian meal. Sports devotional. Pick fresh mangos off the tree and bake a cake for a little two-year old's birthday. You get it - daily life here.

The Rooks wear their hearts on their sleeves. They are welcoming and approachable and just fun to be around. It was special to see the people that we love engage and have fun with them. One of my favorite moments was when we were driving off campus, and Sheryl said, "Oh there's _____ working in the field!" It may seem insignificant at first glance, but to me it meant that our community was no longer a sea of unknown faces to them but had become personal and recognizable. Our time at Living Hope was over too quickly, and we had a week in Lusaka & Livingstone ahead of us!

The time away was great, albeit a pile of driving! Because we are in the heart of rainy season, the weather was dicey, but we managed to have a sunny poolside day! Even the day of our safari there was a 90% chance of 30 mL of rain...and we stayed DRY! God heard every whispered prayer for the clouds to hold off that day, and we were so thankful! The elephants in their mighty & powerful ways, the hippos hanging out in the water, the cape buffalo and crocodiles - all of them were pretty incredible to witness in their natural habitats! We were staying right by Victoria Falls which was just breath-taking to walk around and admire! Before we knew it, our trek back to Lusaka was upon us, and a hard goodbye to the Rooks had to take place.

The timing of their trip to Zambia was so ordained! We all needed that encouragement and refreshment that comes from being understood and in the presence of loved ones. Sometimes when we talk to people back home there is such a layer of backstory to what we want to say that it's hard to share things without having to explain & explain first. It's a beautiful thing to have friends who have seen, touched, tasted, heard & experienced it first-hand so they 'get it'. We are jumping into the New Year feeling ready to take it on! There is lots in the calendar for the New Year - many visitors coming to Living Hope and lots to accomplish as a family & with homeschool. We'd appreciate if you could remember us as you pray.

We are aware that some of you are starting of 2026 with significant challenges & hardships ahead of you. What is constant for all of us is that we don't know what the Creator has in store for us for this year. But what we do know is WHO holds the future in His hands. And I hope that brings about a degree of peace knowing that He sees you & cares for you and will continue to do that every day of 2026. Love you all!

Love, Renae

Philippians 1:3-6 "I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."